I'm going with 4 for this week. 3 match bets and a small top bat with
Stan James. As ever all my match bets are DNB so anyone following me please don't use
betfair as exchanges include the draw
.
10pts Kent to beat Nottinghamshire 5/6 Ladbrokes
I can't possibly see how Kent and Notts can be the same price here. They look much the stronger side. Notts were promoted from Division 2 last season but their squad this year looks much weaker than that one. Kent have brought one or two in to help them and they look solid here.
Joe Denly and Rob Key will lead a batting lineup which may well see Yasir Arafat - holder of a test match 44 - batting at number 10 which is incredible strength in depth really. They are well covered with the ball too with the likes of Saggers, McLaren, Arafat and Tredwell still there from last season. Perhaps the biggest key for Kent is the return of Amjad Khan who missed all of last season with injury. Azhar Mahmood has been brought into the side too and he'll provide good options with the bat and the ball so Kent look strong.
Notts don't quite simply. They've lost Stephen Fleming and David Hussey from last season and Stuart Broad and Ryan Sidebottom haven't been given permission from England to play. That means Darren Pattinson, signed from the minor counties, will make his debut. Adam Voges, replacement for David Hussey will also debut as will opener Matthew Wood. Chris Read now leads the side but I'm far from convinced and at home I take the twenty20 champions to open their 4 day account this week should the weather allow it.
10pts Surrey to beat Lancashire 6/5 Coral
Surrey have strengthened their squad going into this season and as I've already mentioned could take some beating, particularly if they start this season how they finished last season. Lancashire don't have the services of Murali this term and under a new captain could take a game or two to find their feet.
Usman Afzaal, Saqlain Mushtaq and Pedro Collins were all big name signings in the close season for the Brown Caps and they join the likes of Mark Butcher, Jon Batty and Matt Nicholson in the side here. Also in the side is run machine Mark Ramprakash and hot shot young all rounder Chris Jordan who could well be a star this season. Scott Newman is expected to start delivering soon. This Surrey XI have a lot of international experience and will be tough to beat here.
Lancashire have Andrew Flintoff available should they pick him. I'm sure they will but whether he's spot on remains to be seen. England haven't released Jimmy Anderson though so he misses out which means Sajid Mahmood and Glen Chapple will lead the attack after Dominic Cork was left out of the 12 man squad. Stuart Law has Brad Hodge at his disposal but other than he, Law himself and Mal Loye this is a pretty young batting lineup who could be pressured by Surrey's attack.
The weather is likely to play a part with Friday looking a bit grim in the capital but should a result occur I think Surrey will get it.
10pts Gloucestershire to beat Derbyshire 11/10 Stan James
All the talk in recent weeks has been about the side John Morris has put together at Derby. 4 players will make their debuts here but I still think Gloucester are worth backing. Gloucester have changed their coach and Jack Russell is back at Nevil Road as a "team mentor" whatever one of those is!!
If you put Gloucestershire's top 6 down on paper - Spearman, Ali, Marshall, North, Gidman, Taylor there isn't many in this division which can match that. Unfortunately it's the bowling where they are a bit light. They do have Jon Lewis though and hopefully Steve Kirby will be fit to go after getting KO'd last week. Anthony Ireland has played internationally for Zimbabwe and will need to step up to the plate should Kirby not pass a fitness test.
Derbyshire are like to have 4 debutants. Overseas player Chris Rogers, Dominic Telo, Nayan Doshi and new captain Rikki Clarke will all make their 1st class debuts for Derby who will be without Kevin Dean. Graham Wagg will still be a key player with the ball and lower down the order but their batting still looks a bit light, especially against Gloucester's top order. Tom Lungley is ever improving and Ian Hunter could fill Dean's place.
Bristol is a tough place to win at and although the weather isn't great I feel if a winner does emerge it will be Gloucestershire.
2pts O.Shah to top score in Leicestershire vs Middlesex match 7/2 Stan James (1st Inns Only) Stan James have introduced their sixshooter to county cricket and the 6 players they include in this match are Andrew Strauss, Owais Shah and Ed Joyce from Middlesex and HD Ackerman, Boeta Dippenaar and Paul Nixon from Leicestershire. We can immediately rule out Dippenaar as he's still in South Africa playing for his state side in the twenty20 out there.
That leaves us with 5 and while Ackerman and Nixon will know the track I'm going for Owais Shah. He's a player who plays well on low, slow wickets as his test and ODI performances in India and Sri Lanka testify. Leicester are missing two of their pace attack in Kruger and Du Preez who are still away with their state side back in South Africa so Leicester will have a couple of young bowlers playing. Andrew Strauss doesn't tend to play his best cricket on a typical Grace Rd pitch so we'll pass him over and with Shah hitting form last week for the MCC I'll take him to outscore this sixshooter.