England and Pakistan are flying through what has already proven to be a worthwhile One Day International series and the rivals embark on the fourth leg on Friday afternoon. Trent Bridge in Nottingham provides the setting and followers can keep pace with the action live on Sky Sports from 13:00 GMT. A perfect way to get your weekend betting off to a winning start. Here are our top England v Pakistan 4th One Day International betting tips.
Punters have one eye on the upcoming World Cup that will be held in the UK and outright backers will find England pinned to the top of the market as favourites to land the trophy but there’s money to be made as the teams involved look to sharpen their tools. Coaches tinker with ideas before things get serious while a number of fringe players aim to impress enough to cement their place in the confirmed World Cup squad.
Bookmakers also help keep things interesting in the build-up and offer a number of exciting markets and betting opportunities on the matches taking place this spring. Traders have pushed the boat out here and as well as having your cash on the team you believe will win the 4th ODI, you can also wager on the player to be top England batsman, top England bowler, who will score most runs for Pakistan on the day and the visitor to claim most wickets.
Once the action is underway, you’ll be delighted to learn many of the more appealing markets are kept live thanks to in-play betting. This means a financial interest on the outcome is as exciting in the final few balls as it was before the coin toss, with prices and handicap lines moved to track the game.
1st ODI a Wash Out
There was a buzz of excitement in the air as these sides lined up for the first One Day International on Wednesday 8 May with home fans eager to get a close look at just how their team was looking before the World Cup. The wider cricket supporting community also wanted to see what the World Cup favourites looked like, keen to pick-out any frailties that could be exploited. There’s value to be had if taking on the shortest priced team in the line-up too, so it was no surprise to see sportsbook punters sniffing around.
We were never going to get an answer to the question of England being good enough to win the World Cup at this stage of their preparations and the weather ensured we didn’t get an early look with the 1st ODI a complete wash-out. Welcome to the great British weather. Hopefully things improve when the eyes of the watching world fall on us next month.
Pakistan got the chance to bat in the opener, but they didn’t manage much play, called back in with the scores at 80-2 (19.0). The teams didn’t re-emerge that day and the match was cancelled. Nothing could be taken from the small bit of play we seen that day, but that did boost the interest on the 2nd ODI as both teams were now desperate to get going. Thankfully we were able to enjoy a full day of cricket last Saurday.
England Hit the Ground Running
It was England who started best, and they won the 2nd ODI by a margin of 12 runs, with the scoreboard reading England 373-3 (50.0) against Pakistan’s 361-7 (50.0). An entertaining afternoon and there was no denying Pakistan held their own for long periods of the day but there could be no arguments over the result, and we were left with a deserving winner. A performance and result that injected confidence into the locals and they seemed to be enjoying their cricket.
It was marked down as a team effort by England but there were one or two star performers in the line-up, particularly Jos Buttler who shone when smashing a 50-ball century, a performance that saw him make headlines in the sporting press. He certainly picked the right time to chip in with a big performance and, on reflection, that was probably the main difference between two well-matched teams on the day. As well as the win, Buttler also landed a slice of personal glory as it was confirmed to be the second-fastest century scored by an England player in the ODI format. He certainly appeared to have enjoyed it too.
An individual performance that attracted praise from pundits, fans and fellow players. Speaking to the press at the conclusion of the game, Eoin Morgan credited the match winner, calling him freakish and possessing an extra gear not many other players have. Interestingly for England supporters, many believe there’s still more to come from Buttler.
Turned the Screw
With the frustration of a 1st ODI wash out followed by the ecstasy of a hard-fought win over Pakistan in the 2nd ODI, England turned the screw to win the 3rd and wrap things up. It was another close-run contest with the hosts getting over the line by six wickets, the scores settled at 359-4 (44.5) against Pakistan 358-9 (50.0).
Johnny Bairstow was the standout player that day when cracking a stunning century to see off the tourists. That was, again, a performance that separated the teams and although Pakistan go into this match without a win, they can take credit from the way they have performed so far. The match winner was simply sublime, and he will put any respected team to the sword when in that mood.
Bookmakers have seen enough from this ODI series so far and waste no time in pricing another England cheer as hot favourite. Ladbrokes offer another home win at 1/3 – one for your accumulators – with Pakistan trading 5/2. Those after a bit more of a price can try their luck on the 8/15 (Ladbrokes) on a century to be scored in the match.