Cricket World Cup Specials Betting Preview and Expert Tips

Paul Krishnamurty

May 27th, 2019

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Recommended Bets:

• Over 495.5 Tournament Sixes - 5/6 with Paddy Power
• Sri Lanka to finish bottom - 11/4 with BetVictor
• Trent Boult to be Top Tournament Wicket Taker each-way - 20/1 with Unibet
• Adil Rashid to be Top England Wicket Taker - 5/2 with Ladbrokes

Expect More Boundaries Than Ever

As always, there are countless ways of enjoying this cricket betting bonanza. Here’s one way of having an interest on every single ball of the World Cup - back total boundaries.

The fifty over game has advanced in recent years as a result of T20. Par totals have risen significantly with England leading the way, by effectively treating the format as extended T20. Every team bats deep now - in their case down to 11. As we saw throughout the IPL, tail-enders frequently hit fours and sixes at the death.

Over the past four years in England, odis have produced around 38 fours and ten sixes per match. However in the recent series against Pakistan, that average rose significantly to 64 and 20 respectively.

Top cricket bookmakers offer two lines - 1.71 about over 2180 fours, or 5/6 about over 495 sixes available with Paddy Power. The longer term average points to slightly lower but this summer’s numbers smash those averages. Which should we go for?

Granted, England are not representative but I do expect rivals to catch up in the tactical sphere. India and West Indies are particularly strong in the big-hitting department, but all teams have the power to contribute on pitches that it seems will be a goldmine - at least during the early latter stages. I reckon the sixes bet could win with games to spare.

Sri Lanka Will Struggle to Avoid Bottom Place

The long, round-robin league format should mean the formbook stands up. Just as that points towards a bet on England to win the group stage - 13/8 with Ladbrokes - it means we can probably write off the bottom-three. The respective odds of Afghanistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, however, look notably wrong.

The Afghans are rated 11/10 with Unibet for bottom, with the other two both at 3/1. However in their last two encounters against either side, Sri Lanka were hammered by 91 and 137 run margins. The latter remain a team in crisis and well worth a punt at 11/4 with BetVictor for bottom place.

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A warm-up victory over Scotland ended an eight-game losing run and have now won only two from 15. Since the beginning of 2017, they’ve only registered five victories over the ‘big-seven’.

Bangladesh - who reached the ICC Trophy semis in England two years ago and won all four matches against Windies and Ireland in the recent tri-nation series - look considerably superior. In fact, another run to the semis is not implausible.

Nor do rapidly improving Afghanistan look necessarily inferior. They hammered Sri Lanka at the recent Asia Cup and are capable of scaring better sides. When these two will meet in their second match, the Afghans will be clear outsiders. I’ll be backing them there - at least as a trade - too, and it's worth considering for your cricket betting strategy.

Lightning Boult Could Be Devastating in England

I’ve already recommended a bet on New Zealand in my outright preview so it makes obvious sense to also back their gun bowler to take most wickets. Trent Boult is the leading ODI wicket-taker in 2019 and has superb returns of 43 from 22 since the start of 18.

He warmed up impressively with four wickets against India and should be in his element in England. Both quick and able to swing the ball both ways, if Boult gets to bowl in overcast conditions, he could well prove devastating. 20/1 with Unibet offers solid each-way value.

Rashid Is England’s Key Bowler

Another big candidate in that top wicket-taker is England’s main man. Adil Rashid was third for ODI wickets in 2018 and has taken 55 in his last 34 ODIs. He looks bound to be near the top of these charts.

I wouldn’t deter anyone from taking the 16/1 with William Hill but prefer to take 5/2 with Ladbrokes for top England wicket-taker with the latter. He should be a mainstay and the rest of their attack is rated either inferior, or uncertain of a place. Backing Jofra Archer, for instance, at such an early stage of his career is risky.