Sports and showbiz betting: In-form Colly a steal at 11-2

THE only predictable thing about England’s one-day cricket team is their unpredictability.

One week our bowlers are smashed all around the park in a 20-over game against South Africa and the next they are restricting the Proteas to a smaller score in a 50-over game.

Work that one out, if you can.

So trying to predict which England will turn up in Cape Town for the third ODI against South Africa on Friday is a tricky one, to say the least.

That said, England have won their last six 50-over games against Graeme Smith’s men.

A 4-0 series win on home soil last year was followed by a spectacular victory in the Champions Trophy and last Sunday’s seven-wicket romp in Johannesburg.

The odds for Friday’s match should favour England, then.

But no, the bookies have the hosts at 4-7 and Andrew Strauss’s men on 6-4. I suppose we should all be lumping on England, but I just can’t trust them.

The top batsman market for both teams is more attractive from a betting point of view and both offer some value.

Kevin Pietersen shares favouritism at 7-2 to head the England lists, but he looks rusty following his injury-enforced lay-off and the other joint-favourite, Jonathan Trott, is a more reliable choice following his excellent 87 on Sunday.

The ever-reliable Strauss is 4-1, but the hugely-underrated Paul Collingwood made an unbeaten century at the weekend and bats at number four yet can be backed at 11-2.

I can’t quite work that one out, but I do know he is value, so get on while the price is still available.

As for the South Africans, they have lots of players capable of making big runs, but batsmen such as Hashim Amla, J P Duminy and Robin Petersen seem to find it hard to register match-winning knocks after doing the hard yards early on.

That cannot be said of skipper Smith, who is not my cup of tea as a person but whose ability and commitment as a batsman cannot be faulted.

Once in, he is mighty hard to dislodge, so 7-2 about him being top SA batsman is extremely fair.


GOLF’S World Cup starts at at Mission Hills, China, tomorrow morning and, in contrast with previous years, many of the top players will be taking part.

England, represented by Ross Fisher and Ian Poutler, are worthy favourites at 11-2, but Ireland (Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell) are the same price and Sweden (Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson) look dangerous at 7-1.

This is not an event to get too involved with from a betting angle, but Germany look overpriced at 16-1 bearing in mind they have two talented representatives in Martin Kaymer and Alex Cejka.


RECOMMENDATIONS: Paul Collingwood to be top England run scorer in Friday’s ODI, 11-2 (totesport); Graeme Smith to be top SA run scorer (Ladbrokes); Germany to win golf World Cup, 16-1 (general).



Laila favourite to leave Strictly

MY pleas in last week’s column were answered on Monday when Katie Price quit I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here before she could be kicked out.

That said, I won’t be tuning in to this mind-numbing show for which Gino D’Acampo and George Hamilton are the market leaders at around 3-1 to be crowned “King Of The Jungle”.

The much-criticised John and Edward finally crashed out of the X Factor on Sunday and the surprise of the show was favourite Olly Murs ending up in a sing-off for survival.

As a result, he has drifted to 3-1 third favourite behind Joe McElderry (7-4) and Stacy Solomon (5-2).

Strictly Come Dancing lost Ricky Groves last Saturday and the celebrity who survived the dance-off, Laila Rouass, is 11-8 favourite to be evicted this weekend.

Along with Natalie Cassidy (2-1), she looks vulnerable if recent shows are anything to go by.

Ricky Whittle (8-11) and Ali Bastian (9-4) continue to dominate the betting, but there has been some support for Chris Hollins and Ola Jordan, who are in to 10-1.


Everton value for derby glory

TWO derby matches dominate this weekend’s Premier League soccer action.

Both take place on Sunday and first up at 1.30pm is the clash of Everton and Liverpool at Goodison Park.

Everton have shown signs of picking up in recent weeks, although they did fold rather tamely against Manchester United last weekend.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have been leaking goals at an alarming rate and it was only Manchester City’s ability to snatch a draw from the jaws of victory which enabled Rafa Benitez’s men to pick up a point at Anfield last Saturday.

With home advantage and Liverpool vulnerable, a fired-up Everton side should not be 12-5 to win this match.

They are the value, while a quote of 11-8 for Liverpool is laughable and 9-4 the stalemate is fair enough.

Arsenal came a cropper at Sunderland last weekend, but lots of decent teams will suffer the same fate against Steve Bruce’s men on Wearside and the Gunners (7-4) have a fair chance of upsetting Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday (4pm).

The visitors are the same price but, as I can’t make up my mind on this one, perhaps 12-5 the draw is the way to go on this one.

RECOMMENDATIONS: Everton to beat Liverpool, 12-5 (bet365); Arsenal and Chelsea to draw, 12-5 (Boylesports, Skybet).