Twenty20

Major League Cricket Tips Matches 16 & 17: Netravalkar a steal at 16/5

Marcus Stoinis is making Texas strong
Marcus Stoinis

Ed Hawkins previews MI New York v San Francisco Unicorns and Texas Super Kings v Washington Freedom and finds bets at 13/2 and 16/5

  • Unicrons the bet batting first

  • MI New York struggling to qualify

  • Texas-Washington clash is box office

  • Netravalkar a value top bowler bet


MI New York v San Francisco Unicorns
Thursday 19 July, 01:30
TV: Live on Sky Sports

MI New York v San Francisco Unicorns team news

With a net run rate in the red, New York have to win at least one of their last two to stand a chance of progressing. They have won one in four. Romario Shepherd and Dewald Brevis came in for Tim David and Kagiso Rabada for the heavy defeat by Washington.

Possible XI: Jahangir, Taylor, Monank, Pooran, Brevis, Pollard, Shepherd, Rashid, Boult, Kenjige, Ehsan

Pat Cummins turns up for Unicorns and they win a game. Still, this side have beaten only LA and Seattle so far. It makes them a difficult side to know despite, on paper, an excellent top four.

Probable XI: Fraser-McGurk, Allen, Short, Inglis, Anderson, Krisnamurti, Hassan, Cummins, Plunkett, Rauf, Le Roux


MI New York v San Francisco Unicorns pitch report

Eleven out of 17 sides have won batting first at Grand Prairie. More than 170 has been busted six times. Freedom made 182 against New York who were bowled out for 88 last time. Shorting their runs batting first at 160 is the bet.


MI New York v San Francisco Unicorns match prediction

The match-odds market has woken up to New York's poor form, making them marginal outsiders at 2.0811/10. If they were to be bet here the toss bias would have to go in their favour but we're not convinced about their batting. It could be that shorting their runs is the better option.

Unicorns, as stated, are tough to call because they have beaten only poor sides but there is a lot to like about their balance. If their price holds at 1.9110/11 batting first that would be a good option.

MI New York v San Francisco Unicorns player bets

Kieron Pollard is back on the drift again and at 13/27.50 in a New York line-up which just isn't firing we will get involved. Cummins is into 25s from 40s. We backed him at latter but the cut isn't justified.

Texas Super Kings v Washington Freedom
Saturday 20 July, 01:30
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Texas Super Kings v Washington Freedom team news

By bringing back Marcus Stoinis and ditching the likes of Mitchell Santner, Texas are probably fielding their best XI. Dwayne Bravo is just about passable at this level despite age catching up.

Probable XI: Conway, Du Plessis, Hardie, Stoinis, Tromp, Kumar, Savage, Bravo, Mohsin, Zia, Naveen

Freedom are top of the table after four wins in five and it would be a 100% record but for rain. Andries Gous top-scored last time in a hammering of New York. Saurabh Netravalkar missed that game for personal reasons but his replacement, Jasdeep Singh, won the man of the match award.

Probable XI: Head, Smith, Gous, Maxwell, Ravindra, Pienaar, Mukhtar, Jansen, Ferguson, Sandeep, Netravalkar


Texas Super Kings v Washington Freedom pitch report

Eleven out of 17 sides have won batting first at Grand Prairie. More than 170 has been busted six times. Freedom made 182 against New York who were bowled out for 88 last time. Texas made 203 against Freedom in the previous meeting this term but lost. Twelve sixes were hit with only 24 overs possible so Sportsbook's 5/61.84 that overs 13.5 lands is an interest.


Texas Super Kings v Washington Freedom match prediction

These are the two best sides in the competition. But with a toss bias involved it is arguable that it should be a choice affair. Texas are outsiders at 2.1211/10.

The head-to-head should have been won by Washington. They were six balls from a D-L victory in reply to that massive chase. Any sort of drift in-play to odds-against if they bat first could be a bet.

Texas Super Kings v Washington Freedom player bets

Netravalkar continues to be underrated for most Washington wickets. He is 16/54.20 and with him bowling at the death we would have him as favourite. He is top wicket-taker in the tourny and a strike rate of 7.6 is vastly better than Lockie Ferguson (12) who is jolly.


Now read more of the the best Cricket Tips here!



Recommended bets

GET £50 IN FREE BETS MULTIPLES WHEN YOU SPEND £10 ON THE BETFAIR SPORTSBOOK

New customers only. Bet £10 on the Betfair Sportsbook at odds of min EVS (2.0) and receive £50 in FREE Bet Builders, Accumulators or Multiples to use on any sport. T&Cs apply.

Prices quoted in copy are correct at time of publication but liable to change.