Proteas get bookies’ nod

Sports betting

CRICKET’S Twenty20 World Cup has reached the Super 8s stage and South Africa – England’s opponents tomorrow – have leapt to the top of the betting market at 11-4.

India are 7-2, Sri Lanka 11-2, New Zealand 6-1, Pakistan 8-1, England 17-2, West Indies 10-1 and outclassed Ireland 200-1.

WHILE it is nice to see a Briton leading the F1 World Championship, the lack of viable competition to Jenson Button is making this year’s Grand Prix races extremely boring.

Barring a disaster, our Jenson must become champion and his odds of 1-12 are realistic.


TIGER Woods sounded a warning to his US Open rivals when winning The Memorial in America at the weekend and the world number one is clearly the man to beat at Bethpage Black, starting tomorrow week.

Woods is 2-1 favourite to win another Major, with Phil Mickelson - competing again following his wife’s health scare - at 12-1, Geoff Ogilvy 20-1, Jim Furyk 25-1 and Paul Casey the leading European at 28s.


ROGER Federer completed a clean sweep of Grand Slam events when winning the French Open and bookies reckon his latest success will provide the platform for another successful Wimbledon campaign.

The Swiss is only 11-10 to make it six titles at SW19, with Britain’s Andy Murray and reigning champion Rafael Nadal (an injury doubt) joint second-favourites at 4-1.


BARROW Raiders, tipped here at 28-1, are 5-2 second favourites to win RL’s Northern Rail Cup.