Monte's Multiple: Confidence is a virtue in closely fought Ally Pally encounters

Monte's Multiple / Jaymes Monte / 21 December 2009 /

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Big Daddy can devour the Pieman at Alexandra Palace this week.

Back Darin Young to beat Andy Smith @ 2.1
Back Sri Lanka to beat India @ 2.2, 4th ODI
Back Bordeaux to beat Toulouse @ 2.2
Treble pays @ 10.0

Jaymes Monte hopes to bring his loyal multiple followers a bit of festive cheer with his combination of Darts, Cricket and Football this week...

Bet 1: Darts - PDC World Championships

The American Darin Young put in an impressive performance at the recent Grand Slam of Darts and as a result he will come into this tournament high on confidence. He came through an extremely tough group by beating both Adrian Lewis and Denis Ovens then lost 10-9 in the last 16 against Robert Thornton.

Although Young hasn't made it past the first round of the World Championships in three attempts, his first round opponent Andy Smith doesn't boast a glittering history in the tournament either. The man known simply as Pieman has made a first round exit in the last two years and has only made it as far as the last 16 once in eight attempts.

It is not surprising to see these two players closely matched in the betting, but I am going to side with the slightly bigger odds available on the American. He should be high on confidence and that can often be the difference between closely matched players.

Selection: Back Darin Young to beat Andy Smith @ [2.1]

Bet 2: Cricket - India v Sri Lanka, 4th ODI

These two sides have been nip and tuck right throughout this limited overs series. After the Twenty20 series was drawn 1-1 the ODI series was 1-1 before India won the third match in convincing fashion.

It looked like Sri Lanka would be the side to take the lead in the series after a blistering start from Tillakaratne Dilshan had Sri Lanka at 65-0 off just over six overs. But nine wickets were lost for just 74 runs at the end of the innings and it became glaringly apparent that Sri Lanka were lacking in their batting line-up.

Although Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara are in spectacular form the Lankans are extremely dependent upon either of them being at the crease toward the end of their innings. And their use of the batting power play has been extremely ineffective in the last two matches.

However, at the [2.2] on offer for the fourth match I am willing to side with them one more time in the hope that they take heed of their shortcomings by using an extra batsman and their power play at an appropriate time.

Selection: Back Sri Lanka to beat India @ [2.2], 4th ODI

Bet 3: Football - French Ligue 1

Laurent Blanc's Bordeaux are the runaway leaders of Ligue 1 in France and they can cement their authority by winning in Toulouse this Wednesday. A victory could see them move clear at the top by 11 points as they enter the short winter break.

Midfielder Youann Gourcuff has been their star man throughout this season and has been the cornerstone for all their attacking play - he has five goals and six assists to his name so far this season. And it is a testament to the strength of their squad that they could afford to rest the much sought after Marouane Chamakh at the weekend yet still emerge as 4-1 victors.

A win here would round off what has been a superb year for Blanc in which they reached the knockout stages of the Champions League and won their first league title in a decade. Priced at [2.2] against an average Toulouse side I think they are well price to do so.

Selection: Back Bordeaux to beat Toulouse @ [2.2]