England only 6-5 to go two ahead

Sports betting: ENGLAND’S cricketers stand on the verge of world No.1 status after their first-Test victory over India on Monday.

Should they repeat that triumph in the second Test, which starts at Trent Bridge on Friday, they will rule the roost and bookmakers make them no bigger than 6-5 to achieve their goal.

It is hard to see how India can reverse the momentum gained by England at Lord’s, but they are notoriously slow starters to a Test series so their many supporters will not be without hope.

India are 4-1 to win at Nottingham, with the draw at 15-8.

As for the series, England are hot favourites at 1-3, with a draw rated 9-2 and an Indian success a whopping 11-1.


DARREN Clarke and Rory McIlroy, winners of golf’s last two majors, are on a collision course in this weekend’s Irish open at Killarney.
McIlroy, who won the US Open by eight shots, is 11-2 to win in Ireland, while our Open hero Clarke can, surprisingly, be backed at 33-1.

Looking further ahead, Mighty Mac is 9-1 clear favourite to land the final major of the year, the USPGA Championship, at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Georgia from August 11 to 14.

Phil Mickelson, who made a strong challenge at the Open, is second best at 12-1, followed by Lee Westwood (14-1), Luke Donald (16-1) and the almost-forgotten Tiger Woods (18-1).

Clarke is 80-1, yet is the hot favourite at 11-8 to win the BBC Sports Personality Of The Year award.

McIlroy is 2-1, then it’s 14-1 heptathlete Jessica Ennis and 20-1 Tour De France hero Mark Cavendish.


NEXT WEEK: Spotlight on Athletic’s bid for success in this season’s npower League One programme.