Caribbean Premier League Tips Matches Eight and Nine: 7/1 and 60/1 top-bat bets

• Patriots on the slide

• Royals balance is all wrong

• Salmkheil a performance buy

• Motie a steal at 60/161.00

• Still waiting for Justin Greaves

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots v  Barbados Royals
Friday 22 August, 00.00
TV: Live on TNT

St Kitts & Nevis Patriots v Barbados Royals CPL Tips

It's threatening to be the same old story for Patriots who have suffered three defeats from four and face a battle not to finish bottom for a third successive season. They also seem to have blinked when it comes to replacing an unavailable player. A batter coming in for a bowler?

Afghan pacer Faz Farooqi is due to leave for international duty and it would make sense that a team which has consistently struggled in the field would eye a similar replacement. But not Patriots. They have decided they need more batting so have gone for Mohammad Rizwan. It's unlikely there are many keen students of the format who will reckon he's exactly what Patriots need. Or many other franchises for that matter.

South Africa all-rounder Corbin Bosch could come in for a game. Rizwan's compatriot Mohammad Nawaz is also an option.

Royals have played only once, failing to defend 151 against the Falcons. They looked a team without balance as they fielded only five bowlers. It was a decision which may have cost them. Batter Shaq Parris may have to be sacrificed for Nyeem Young, a bowling all-rounder. 

It is ridiculous Rovman Powell and Sherfane Rutherford batting below Parris and they both need to move up a slot to Nos 4 and 5 respectively. It's time to take responsibility. These two often float around the order instead of nailing a role. Quinton de Kock top scored for Royals in their outing boosting his win rate to more than 43% in two years.

The Royals not sorting out their options means the 1.804/5 at this stage doesn't scream value. And in an expected high-scoring game anyway, that could look a mug bet at the break. Particularly if they field only five bowlers and bowl first. A simple trade strategy at Warner Park because it is so flat is to get with the chaser. They are reliable trades at inflated odds with a stiff target on the board.

The standout player to follow may be Waqar Salmkheil for Patriots. He was outstanding for Trinbago previously and has brought the form with him to Patriots. Already he has nine wickets in four matches. Going over his performance line (1pt per run, 10 per catch, 20 per wicket) with Sportsbook at 20.5 is a sound options. They offer 11/102.11. 

Antigua & Barbuda Falcons v Guyana Amazon Warriors
Saturday 23 August, 00:00
TV: Live on TNT

Antigua & Barbuda Falcons v Guyana Amazon Warriors CPL Tips

Falcons are the surprise package early doors in the CPL. They have gone back-to-back and caused a stir with an impressive humbling of Trinbago Knight Riders on Thursday. With two wins either side of a washout they are top of the table, proving many wrong that this would be a season of struggle.

They were superb against  TKR, recovering from 77 for five to post 167 thanks to late hitting from Imad Wasim and Fabian Allen. And the result never seemed in doubt when Falcons squeezed TKR in the first 10, removing each of TKR's three most dangerous hitters in Colin Munro, Alex Hales and Nic Pooran. Obed McCoy produced a vintage performance with four wickets.

Facing Guyana will bring a greater challenge, though, one suspects. Although TKR have individual brilliance, they don't probably match Guyana's guile or guts. It's why we would expect Guyana to go off at around the 1.654/6 mark. 

There are a wealth of value options on the top bat markets because the North Sound surface looks to be one which keeps the bowlers keen. There were late-order runs for Allen and Kieron Pollard at the venue so the first price that catches the eye is the 60/161.00 about Gudakesh Motie topping. He could bat anywhere for Warriors and is a proper all-rounder at this level. Guyana have a history of mixing up their order. 

Shai Hope, who is 7/24.50, is the win-rate value but it wouldn't be a bad idea if he opened alongside Ben McDermott instead of Kevlon Anderson. 

For Falcons, we have to keep saying it but: where is Justin Greaves? Greaves could turn this outfit from an average team to one with real prospects. We assume he is injured. If he plays he surely bats up the order and probably reprises his opening-bat role when he won four from seven last term. Sportsbook's 7/18.00 is a crazy price. Money back if he is a non-runner. 

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