THE EDGE: Our cricket tipster The Edge previews Monday’s IPL clash between Lucknow Super Giants v Royal Challengers Bangalore with a recommended BETDAQ bet.
MATCH OVERVIEW:
After a hectic weekend at the IPL, we kick off a new week on BETDAQ Betting Exchange with Lucknow Super Giants taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore! We’re just about past the half way point in the IPL this year now, and these two sides look like they’ll be battling for the playoff spots. Lucknow Super Giants have started the tournament well with five wins from eight games, and RCB have a 50% record with four wins and four losses.
I know we’ve been through this debate time and time again, but RCB’s home ground at Bangalore really does them no favours. The wicket is so good, and we get a heavy dew too, that one innings can change the game. I know that applies to every game, but it’s just far easier to pluck an innings from anywhere when the ground is so high scoring. RCB are still playing good cricket though, and Faf du Plessis is leading the way at the top of the order. Virat Kohli is also scoring runs, but outside of Glenn Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik RCB always struggle. It’s the same story as usual – their stars shine or the side flops.
Lucknow have a much more balanced side, and their batters are in superb form too. They racked up 257/5 in their last innings. Stoinis and Pooran in their middle order are excellent when they fire – that score was even with KL Rahul failing at the top of the order and Hooda coming in very late. We already had one high scoring game between the sides, hopefully we get more drama today!
WEATHER AND PITCH WATCH:
When the sides met at Bangalore, RCB scored 212/2 and Lucknow chased it down off the final ball nine wickets down. The drama! This will be a different type of cricket however, and the scores will be different. We’ve only had one high score here and that was the first game when Lucknow batted first against Delhi Capitals without their South African bowlers too. That first inning score was 193/6 and they won by 50 runs. Since then the first inning scores have been 121/8 (chased), 159/8 (chased) and 135/6 (won). Lucknow failing to chase 135 is a worry, and I wouldn’t be expecting a high scoring game here.
RECOMMENDED BET:
We have a very close market here, and to be honest it’s hard to see anything bar a close game. If we have a difficult wicket to bat on, class will come to the fore. That does give RCB a little edge if Kohli and du Plessis stay in at the top of the order – the problem for RCB is if they get out then they are in massive trouble. I feel on balance that Lucknow have a better all-round batting line-up and I would have them marginal favourites. The market has RCB marginal favourites and I don’t agree with that, but at the same time there isn’t a lot between the sides so I am happy to keep stakes small.
The Edge Says:
One point win Lucknow Super Giants to beat Royal Challengers Bangalore at 2.02 with Betdaq Exchange
View the market here -> https://betdaq.biz/LckRoy
IN-RUNNING STRATEGY:
The team batting first hasn’t really fired in the last three games here, so I’d be bowling first if I won the toss. I’d be keen to support the team that bowls first, and then look to trade out at the inning breaks based on the unsuccessful chase in the last game here. I don’t really want to be on either batting side for long looking at conditions – obviously see if the conditions are the same and if not change tactics but from what we saw it looks like this will be a game for the bowlers. So far this IPL will the impact player, batting first has looked the thing to do, but maybe here that won’t be the case – it will be interesting to see what way the market moves at the toss. Because the IPL has been so high scoring everyone something just assumes every game will be like that, when that is not the case.
