It’s not often we visit The Grange in Edinburgh for our cricketing fix but that’s the setting for this weekend’s interest as Scotland host Sri Lanka in the first of two One Day International matches involving the sides. As expected, the home win has been written off by all major bookmakers and the majority of sane punters, but we do know this side is capable of a shock or two. Here are our top Scotland v Sri Lanka 1st ODI betting tips.
Getting started at 11.00am GMT, this match will kick-start a busy summer of ODI cricket for the Scots who aim to keep themselves sharp while the game’s major players are preoccupied with the World Cup in England. It was no shock when Scotland failed to make it to the final list of contenders, but they will be eager to improve in the coming months and close the gap between themselves and the big boys of the sport.
This will be an interesting match as it offers cricket lovers the chance to measure where this Scotland team is with their progress and how much work still needs to be done before we see them involved in major competitions. It’ll also grant us a look at how Sri Lanka are getting on as we approach a crucial period. If they play to the best of their abilities, they should have no problem crushing an opponent of Scotland’s standing in the game. Is that how this match will go?
Ramp Up Your Interest
You can ramp up your interest by playing one of the many interesting markets offered by bookmakers, with punters invited to get involved in calling the match winner, top Sri Lanka batsman, top visiting bowler, the player to score most runs for the hosts and the top Scottish bowler. There are dozens of popular markets, enhanced by a few match specials to ensure you won’t be left without an interest in this 1st One Day International.
Where is the value and how should you invest your cash to give yourself the best chance of landing a pay-out from the bookies on a busy afternoon of UK and Irish sport? We’ve called in the help of our team of cricket tipsters and sports betting experts who offer their views on where the smart money goes, as well as which traders can be found in a generous mood when pricing this fixture.
Scots Lose a Tight Match
Scotland were last seen in action when falling to a surprise defeat vs Afghanistan earlier this month in front of their own fans. The Afghans are a side well-matched with Scotland at this time and the match reflected that with very little between the sides, both in terms of play and in the final score. It was the visitors who edged it though, winning by a margin of two wickets. The scoreboard read Afghanistan 269-3 (44.5) against Scotland’s 325-7 (50.0) (DLS Method) (D/L).
It couldn’t have been tighter, and the Scots were left kicking themselves for a host of failed opportunities but there is something to build on there and they performed well with the bat in hand. The home team will go away and build on the positives as well as work on the mistakes of that outing. They lost the two-game ODI series by a score of 1-0 after the first match was cancelled without a ball being bowled. Something followers of Scottish cricket have become used to.
Home Win Written off by Traders
Scotland’s last international win of note came over Oman back in February of this year in the Twenty20 form of the game. They rallied to collect a seven wickets cheer that day, the scores settled at Scotland 115-3 (15.3) against the 111 all out (19.3). A confidence booster for the side and it’s a shame they missed out on the chance to move on from that, losing to Afghanistan by a wafer-thin margin. A return to winning ways over Sri Lanka would help get them back on track.
Few punters, if indeed any, are in the mood to support a Scotland victory with hard cash and the general idea in the betting ring at the moment is if the team are losing to an opponent of Afghanistan’s level then surely Sri Lanka will wipe the floor with them. To be fair, it’s difficult to argue against that stance. Bookmakers have priced the home win at 2/1 (Bet365) and that gives an idea of how those in the know expect this one to pan-out.
Tourists Expected to Bounce Back
Sri Lanka arrive in the Scottish capital for a match that should inject confidence into the ranks ahead of an action-packed summer. Like their hosts, Sri Lanka won’t be playing World Cup cricket in the coming weeks and that’s a loss to the tournament as they bring real energy and colour to the game. Mistakes have been made by the tourists in recent times and they will be determined to wipe the slate clean and move forward.
The best way to do that is by winning cricket matches and performing well in front of fans. Bigger tests than this one lie ahead but the team must remain professional and go and do a job in Edinburgh. They were last seen losing to South Africa in March by a score of 45 runs in what turned out to be an entertaining contest. The Sri Lankan support would’ve hoped to have been a little more competitive in the T20 cricket played between the nations that day but, in the end, they were beaten by a better side and couldn’t argue with the final result.
The majority of those getting their cash down on this match fancy Sri Lanka to win and that has been priced as favourite, bookmakers offering no more than the 2/5 you’ll find at Bet365. One for your weekend sports accumulators, it seems. There’s more to be had in the specials and we’re having Sri Lanka to score the highest first 15 overs at 8/13 (Ladbrokes).