IPL Betting: Deccan v Mumbai

Indian Premier League - IPL / Ed Hawkins / 08 April 2012 / 1

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Mumbai have the weapons to damage Deccan

"Lasith Malinga has the ability to have sides in trouble early on and that would be our concern about a trade"

Ed Hawkins, the SJA Betting Writer of the Year, previews the contest at the VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam

Deccan
Deccan were given a good duffing by Chennai Super Kings in their opening match as the champions found form. There were notable performances from the Chargers, however. Dale Steyn and Daniel Christian, the Australia all-rounder, were terrific with the ball, both taking two wickets and going for fewer than seven an over.

Kumar Sangakkara should be available for Deccan but it remains to be seen whether he will play straight away so soon after the Test match against England in Colombo.

Mumbai
Sachin Tendulkar missed his side's defeat by Pune Warriors with a bruised hand and he remains a doubt for this contest. Harbhajan Singh, the Indians captain, said that the injury was not serious. "Nothing has come in the x-ray," he said. "We are hopeful he will play tomorrow."

Tendulkar was hit on the hand by a rising delivery from Doug Bollinger in Mumbai's victory over Chennai Super Kings in their opening match of the tournament. Without the Little Master, Mumbai look short in the batting department.

Indeed, against Pune they were restricted to 110 for nine in pursuit of 130 with their first three batsmen contributing two runs.

Venue and conditions
As expected the VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam surface proved to be good for batting, just as past records in ODIs showed. Chennai posted 193 batting first at 9.65 runs an over as batsmen were able to swing through the line of the ball with confidence. Deccan may argue that it was tricky to bat last on but that argument holds little water as pitches rarely change in nature over such a short time frame.

Match odds
Deccan are not given much hope in this contest. They are as big as [2.55] with Mumbai Indians [1.55]. Ordinarily we would suggest the hosts were a decent back-to-lay proposition as getting with such skinny favourites in this format is not shrewd.

However, that would be advised only if Deccan bat second because we fear their batting could be blown away by a stellar Mumbai bowling unit. They restricted Chennai to 112 and Pune to 129 and although they lost the latter match, it is clear where their strength is.

Lasith Malinga has the ability to have sides in trouble early on and that would be our concern about a trade.

Indeed, Deccan's weak batting and Mumbai's strong bowling is the game. A front five for Deccan of Harris-Dhawan-Patel-White-Chipli looks one of the weakest around. Sangakkara would be a boost in this regard.

Top Deccan batsman
One is not sure that it is easy to make the switch from the grind of five-day test cricket to the helter-skelter of Twenty20 so if we can get against Sangakkara we will. He was in dreadful nick in that series and could be worth a lay for top bat at around [4.50]. Check prices to score 25, too.

Top Mumbai batsman
Tendulkar is obviously key to this market as he would go off as favourite at around [3.50]. In the opener's absence against Pune Mumbai reshuffled for a top three of Richard Levi, Ambati Rayudu and Rohit Sharma. James Franklin, the New Zealand all-rounder was used as a pinch hitter at No 4 - an odd move given they have the hitting talent of Kieron Pollard who is surely wasted at No 7.

Best Bet
Lay K Sangakkara for top Deccan batsman at around [4.5]

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JAGRIT LEE | 09 April 2012

TELL ME A CORRECT PICK.I FAVOUR DECCAN TO WIN THIS ONE BCZ WHITE IS IN GOOD FORM.AND CUP BETTING IN TROUBLE WHEN MUM LOST THIS MATCH..