Texas Super Kings v LA Knight Riders MLC Tips: Dre Rruss not to be missed at 5/1

• Texas 1.768/11 to get back on track

• LAKR have never won back-to=back games

• Dallas surface is six-laden

• Russell underrated for top bowler

• Stoinis big score on the way

Texas Super Kings v LA Knight Riders
Wednesday 25 June, 01:00
TV: Live on Willow

Texas Super Kings v LA Knight Riders MLC team news

Texas Super Kings' fast start has hit the buffers with consecutive defeats. They both came against San Francisco and Washington Freedom which suggests there is a clear divide in the league.

Last time out Texas thought they needed to add middle-order firepower so replaced veteran opener Devon Conway for the big hitting of South Africa's Donovan Ferreira. With Marcus Stoinis in at No 4 they now look to have more muscle available.

Possible Texas XI:  Smit Patel, Du Plessis, Mukkamalla, Stoinis, Ferreira, Kumar, Savage, Ranjane, Milne, Noor, Burger

LAKR won a game! Newsflash! They recovered superbly to beat Orcas in what looked like a decider for the wooden spoon. Set a paltry 177 they were in early trouble at seven for two but they got up to thanks to domestic fifties from Saif Badar and Unmukt Chand.

Alex Hales is in one of his funks so probably needs to come out of the firing line. That gives them room to return Sunil Narine to the XI as opener, fitness permitting. If Narine isn't fit then Andre Fletcher is an option.

Possible LAKR XI:  Chand, Narine, Kumar, Badar, Rutherford, Powell, Russell, Holder, van Schalkwyk, Dry, Sangha

Texas Super Kings v LA Knight Riders MLC pitch report

That Orcas-LAKR game appears to be an outlier in terms of runs this season at Dallas. Unicorns have chased 198 inside 17 overs, Texas posted 220 against Freedom and lost while Unicorns posted 246 to beat MINY on Tuesday.

We would expect Texas to bust 200 so anything below that mark on the 20-overs par line batting first is a boost. Sportsbook offer over their match runs at 189.5 at 5/61.84. That is cheap given the state of the wicket but it is also toss dependant. LAKR are extremely flaky with the bat but the gamble may pay off handsomely if Texas get to bat first. 

The sixes line with Sportsbook is 20.5. As stated there is a short boundary on one side. That mark has come in overs in three of the five so far.

Texas Super Kings v Los Angeles Knight Riders match prediction

Texas Super Kings are 1.768/11 for victory over an LAKR team which has proved to be incapable of putting together a sequence of results in MLC. They have wonly only three in 11. It won't be surprsing to hear that they have never won back-to-back.

Is this their chance? They have beaten Texas before and if they got the chance to bat first the flat surface and short bundary (plus crucial confidence for homegrown hitters) should really ensure they at least flip the odds. LAKR could be a trade here from around the 2.305/4 mark.

This is definitely a contest to get going with the trade tie because of the LAKR penchant for incompetence. From a high of  50.049/1 we're looking for a last-over finish to lay in low teens or single figures. 

Texas Super Kings v LA Knight Riders MLC player bets

Marcus Stoinis is in the win zone up the order for Texas but Sportsbook are in agreement offering 7/24.50 for top bat. For LAKR Andre Russell is underrated for top bowler honours. He was on death duty against Orcas to pick up cheap wickets and won the market with three. Sportsbook offer 5/16.00. There is no reason why LAKR shouldn't tick with such a tactic. 

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