Denise is friendless in Strictly market

BETTING:

ENGLAND’S rejuvenated cricket team is back in favour with the bookies.

Following the superb 2-1 series win against India, Alastair Cook’s men are 8-13 to beat Australia in next summer’s home Ashes campaign, and 1-4 to retain the famous urn.

More immediately, England embark on a two-game Twenty20 series against India, from tomorrow.

England look a little lightweight without some of the Test stars, but the hosts are in disarray so I expect a victory each and a successful punt at 6-5 on a series draw.



AS predicted here, Bradley Wiggins and Jessica Ennis filled the first two places in the BBC Sports Personality of the Year on Sunday.

And the man who finished third, tennis star Andy Murray, is 7-2 favourite to lift the trophy in 2013.

To do so, he will have to win a grand slam event, but that is entirely possible following his victory in this year’s US Open.



THE world darts championship will take a break over Christmas, but most of the big guns seem to be surviving and it’s no surprise 15-times world champion Phil Taylor heads the market at 9-4.

But he is vulnerable to a host of top-class players, not least Michael van Gerwen (5-1) and the rejuvenated Raymond van Barneveld (17-2).

Adrian Lewis, champion for the last two years, is 10-1 and it would be fooolish to write off the likes of Gary Anderson (12-1), Simon Whitlock (12-1) and James Wade (18-1).



STRICTLY Come Dancing reaches the final on Saturday night, with two programmes on BBC1.

Despite the excellence of her performances, one person who won’t be winning is Denise van Outen.

Subjected to dance-offs in the last two weekends as the viewing public declined to vote for her, poor Denise has cut a frustrated figure. Such negative body language will hardly increase her popularity.

The judges have saved her in recent weeks, but they won’t be able to do that on Saturday as only the public votes will count.

That is reflected in Denise’s price of 16-1 to lift the glitter ball and Louis Smith’s unjustified position at 8-11.

The latter will get the majority of the female vote, but Kimberley Walsh has been improving at a rate of knots in recent weeks and could just get there at current odds of 15-8.

The likeable Dani Harmer is 12-1, but it does look to be between the first two in the market.



WITH milder weather forecast, the chances of a white Christmas are receding. The price for snow descending in Manchester on Christmas Day is 6-1, and 1-8 for it to stay away.

Talking of Christmas, the Hillsborough support song, “He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother” featuring, among others, Paul McCartney and Robbie Williams, is 8-15 to top the Festive charts.

This is actually a really good version of a classic song and I hope it staves off X Factor winner James Arthur’s “Impossible” (2-1).



RECOMMENDATION: India v England T20 series to end in draw, 6-5 (Coral).