Cricket

A marvellously hot weekend. Bet365 finally let me down yesterday with no prices on the polo! For the record I would have backed Australia to beat England, but the good news was that the convicts were dispatched 10-9. It must be tough to ride a horse with a ball and chain on your leg though! Just the one bet today on a quiet Monday...

4.10 Derbyshire to beat Essex 6/4 (LOST +20.58 - Derbyshire continued to bat well, only really falling away late on when chasing 304. But Bopara's 112* and 4-52 were the match winners)
Derbyshire have been scoring runs for fun in July. In the tour match against Bangladesh A last week 298-6 in 75 overs in first innings; knocking off 222 for 4 in 35 overs against a useful Northants attack including Hall, van der Wath, Klusener and Boje; 485-7 in just 113 overs, and 278 for 5 in 60 overs against the same attack in a championship game. In the Friends Provident Trophy they missed out on qualifying when they were the only side in the North Division to get rained off against Scotland and 3 of their 8 matches were rained off, none of which were against Durham who topped the group. Essex also amassed 9 points in the FP Trophy, but finished second so qualified and went on to beat Yorkshire in the semis, and beat the same side in their opening Pro40 match. However they are now without a win on the road since 17th June, 6 matches ago, after their 20/20 defeat to Kent on Saturday. Derbyshire are trialling a new screen to block the sun from stopping play tonight, and the weather in Derby is currently glorious so we can be confident of a full game. And in which case, Bet365's 6/4 looks tasty, with Corals as tight as 6/5.