Ashes focus for Cricket betting
Australia and England will do battle in the vital third Ashes Test this weekend, giving Blue Square punters the perfect chance to get involved with Cricket betting online.
Australia are within touching distance of reclaiming the Ashes and victory in the third Test in Perth would be enough to ensure Ricky Ponting’s men once again take possession of the little urn.
The home side are Blue Square’s 2/5 favourites to secure their third successive Test victory in this five-match series after wins in Brisbane and Adelaide. If punters taking part in online Cricket betting fancy England to turn the tables on their old rivals, they can take advantage of odds of 6/1 while the draw is 3/1.
The Waca has been a happy hunting ground for Australia since its introduction onto the Test-match circuit 36 years ago. They have won 19 and drawn seven of the 33 Tests played on the ground and haven’t been beaten there since the West Indies triumphed in 1997.
However, the characteristics of the strip at the WACA have changed dramatically in the ensuing period. Perth’s reputation as a fast-bowler’s paradise has somewhat given way to a placid, batsman-friendly strip which tends to offer more to the spinners.
With that in mind, those looking to take part in online Cricket betting may be tempted by one of the match specials available on Blue Square. Shane Warne to dismiss Kevin Pietersen in either innings is available at 4/6.
Justin Langer is the captain of Western Australia and he’ll be hoping his local knowledge will be helpful. The 36-year-old averages 48.14 from his nine Tests on home soil, including 191 against Pakistan in 2004 - he has also scored an unbeaten 188 for his state side in October.
Cricket betting punters will note that Langer is priced at 4/1 with Blue Square to be Australia’s top runscorer behind in-form skipper Ricky Ponting, who is available at 11/4.
Ponting his hit a combined total of 447 runs in the opening two Tests and not surprisingly the strong cricket betting favourite (1/4) to end the series as the top runscorer. England duo Paul Collingwood and Kevin Pietersen are both available at 9/1.
Arguably the match with most interest for football betting fans this weekend is on Sunday when West Ham entertain Manchester United.
There is rarely any love lost between the teams, but there is extra spice to this fixture following Alan Curbishley’s appointment as new Hammers boss while the visitors will look to extend their lead at the top of the Premiership.
The home side are available at 6/1 to claim the three points and ease their relegation fears, while Sir Alex Ferguson’s side can be backed at 4/9 and it is 11/4 the draw.
On the rugby union front, the game of the weekend also takes place on Sunday as Guinness Premiership champions Sale entertain Stade Francais in the Heineken Cup.
Despite their domestic success last season, the Manchester outfit are 40/1 outsiders to lift the European club title in 2007 with French side Biarritz the current 11/4 favourites.
In Golf, sixteen of the world’s top players do battle in California in the Target World Challenge with Tiger Woods likely to be the focus of plenty of online golf betting.
All the players will have high hopes of claiming the $1.35 million first prize on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course but, after winning the event in 2001 and 2004 and coming second on three other occasions, Woods has developed an enormous liking for the course on the west coast of America.
The world number one is the 11/8 favourite to claim another title this weekend, while Australia’s Adam Scott and Europe’s top player Padraig Harrington are available at 8/1 and 9/1 respectively.
To be in with a chance of winning on the Ashes this weekend, get involved with Blue Square Cricket betting online now.
