World Snooker Day 12 Tips: Jones the bet to overturn deficit

Mike Norman
01 May 2012

Jamie Jones is playing well enough to upset Ali Carter

Join

Twitter

Facebook

View the Betslip

There's very little in the two Quarter Final matches that have two sessions remaining on Wednesday, so with that being the case, back the outsiders says Mike Norman.

This has the makings of a cracking, and very tight affair, meaning Over 21.5 Frames represents a decent bet at around 1.84/5.

Yesterday I suggested that Stephen Maguire would have to up his game in order to beat an 'in-form' Stephen Hendry. I was completely wrong, Maguire only had to stand up to beat his fellow countryman.

I stopped watching with the frame score 9-1 to Maguire and the Scot 76 points to the good in frame 11. If we're being honest, 76 could easily have been the number of unforced errors that Hendry had made to that point. For me, it was easily the worst performance I've ever seen from the seven-time World Champion, and it was made all the more painful/surprising (delete as appropriate) given the form he'd shown in rounds one and two.

Maguire played well yes, but Hendry - who later announced his retirement from the game - was dire and you just can't legislate for that kind of performance when your money is down. You've just got to take it on the chin and move on.

And move on we will. Maguire won that match of course, and he'll now meet the winner of Ali Carter (1.192/11) and Jamie Jones (6.05/1) with the former leading 5-3 overnight.

Apart from the frame score there was nothing between Carter and Jones on the table, the Englishman showing his craft and greater experience to win the tight frames, the Welshman showing his class and potential to compile superb breaks of 92 and 127 to win two of the three frames he registered.

This has the makings of a cracking, and very tight affair, meaning Over 21.5 Frames represents a decent bet at around 1.84/5. And if that's the case, then Jones at 6.05/1 in the Match Odds market has to be worth a wager.

The big game on Wednesday is Ronnie O'Sullivan (2.447/5) against Neil Robertson (1.695/7) with the Australian leading 5-3 overnight thanks to a scrappy final frame on Tuesday that the Rocket somehow managed to lose.

Like Carter and Jones there's nothing to choose between these two either with both Robertson and O'Sullivan enjoying a 91% pot success. The feeling however is that Ronnie wasn't quite at his best yet still could have been at least level after the first session, if not sitting on a 5-3 lead of his own.

There's nothing to suggest that Robertson might not step up a gear also, but on the evidence of today, if you're not on O'Sullivan already, then backing him at 2.447/5 to reach the last four should give you a long, and hopefully enjoyable run for your money.

Recommended Bets

Back Over 21.5 Frames in Carter v Jones @ 1.84/5
Back Jamie Jones to beat Ali Carter @ 6.05/1
Back Ronnie O'Sullivan to beat Neil Robertson @ 2.447/5