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Sixes line too high
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Kohli MoM market watch
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Miller solid on match-up again
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Hazlewood back for RCB
Lucknow Super Giants v Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Tuesday 27 May, 15:00
TV: Live on Sky Sports
Lucknow Super Giants v Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL team news
Lucknow snapped a four-game losing streak against Gujarat last time out. They will rue losing form at the key time, however, and with a win here will fall just short of the top four.
The opening partnership of Aiden Markram and Mitch Marsh has been a success but Rishabh Pant and Nic Pooran struggled to combine their hitting ability. They appear to have moved on from David Miller, using Kiwi pacer Willl O'Rourke after injuries to their pace unit continued throughout the season.
Possible LSG bat XI: Markram, Marsh (Bishnoi sub), Pooran, Pant, Badoni, Samad, Shahbaz, Hinmat, Avesh, Akash, O'Rourke
RCB have been handed a major boost with Josh Hazlewood returning ahead of the play-offs. He is expected to come straight into the XI after recovering from a shoulder problem, replacing Lungi Ngidi. Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani has also joined up but will only play if there is an injury.
Tim David is a doubt after leaving the field against Sunrisers. Tim Seifert, a replacement for the departing Jacob Bethell, could therefore come straight in. Rajat Patidar had a hand injury and Jitesh Sharma has been stand-in skip on field.
Possible RCB bat XI: Salt, Kohli, Agarwal, Patidar (Suyash sub), Jitesh, Shepherd, David/Seifert, Krunal, Kumar, Dayal, Hazlewood
Lucknow Super Giants v Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL pitch report
Lucknow has turned into a road post-resumption. Lucknow posted 205 against Sunrisers, which was chased with ease. And then Sunrisers loaded 231 against RCB. It was only the third and fourth time that 200 had been breached in two years (14 matches).
Hitherto it had been a ground to short runs, in particular sixes. An unders play on the par line at 190.5 now feels a little risky.
Sportsbook's total sixes line at 19.5 is high historically. A sell would have lost only three times in 21 but that is reflected somewhat in the price at 4/51.80. The market is often closer to a choice affair. Lucknow are averaging 10.3 sixes per game this season and RCB 8.6.
RCB are 1.758/11 favourites and the return of Hazlewood makes that price about right. But there will be nerves in the RCB camp. Post-resumption in IPL the formbook has gone out of the window.
Gujarat, Punjab and RCB themselves have all had opportunities to book a top-two spot against teams with nothing to play for and failed. The door is now wide open for Virat Kohli and crew. They should have too much for LSG. There is a big gap between the two on net run rate.
What RCB have done well this term is produce solid rather than spectacular cricket. LSG will give any team a chance and the relentless grind of RCB is reflected in the market.
Virat Kohli has five wins this season on top RCB bat in 12 matches and Sportsbook offer 2/13.00 about No 6. Kohli has only one man of the match award so far and it would be no surprise at all if he picked one up between now and the end of season at [7/1]. With the ball Josh Hazlewood has four wins in ten and will be installed as the new favourite for top RCB bowler when the market is updated.
We don't expect David Miller to play but he is often a late-season winner on more tired surfaces. Maybe Lucknow will be a little worn. Sportsbook offer 15/28.50 with money back if he doesn't play. Miller has a solid match-up against the RCB attack although the study sample is small.
Back David Miller top LSG bat