It’s time to check out the Sri Lanka v England 4th ODI betting tips. The five-game One Day International Series between Sri Lanka and England moves onto the fourth leg when the teams renew rivalries on Saturday 20th October. Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy provides the backdrop and armchair fans can follow every ball, swing and score live on Sky Sports.
It’s an early start, with coverage beginning at 6am. It’s the perfect way to kick-off what will be a jam-packed Saturday of sport and, as you would imagine, there’s plenty for lovers of the betting to get involved with. Punters have options, they can bet on a number of markets in the 4th ODI or make their opinions count on the series outright.
Starting with the ODI: you can call the winner or delve into the specials and play coin toss; the highest first 15 overs; highest opening partnership; first ball; handicaps; most run-outs; highest individual scores; team to score most sixes; total sixes; team of top batsman, as well as plenty more.
Series Outright Betting
Those looking beyond Saturday’s match will find plenty to keep them entertained in the series betting. England, 4-0 in the correct score market, is 4/6 favourite with Bet365; 3-1 trades 7/4 and those after a prize worth shouting about can try their luck on England 3-0 at a stunning 14/1.
To get that over the line you’d need a fair share of luck. England needs to win the next completed match and the weather to play its part. It needs to force the abandonment of one of the two remaining ODIs – just as it did the opener.
Root leads the pack in the top England series batsman at 2/1 and he’s a firm favourite too. Denly is his nearest rival back at 5/1, a price shared by Jennings. We then get into the bigger prices: Burns is yours at 11/2, Buttler 13/2 and Stokes may just attract a few bets at interest stakes with 7/1 the quote. All prices provided by Bet365.
On the opposing side, you can gift yourself a series long bet by backing the top Sri Lankan run-scorer. Odds-makers have Karunaratne as 10/3 jolly, ahead of Mathews, Mendis and de Silva at 4/1. Chandimal can be found in the betting ring with a 9/2 price tag attached, Silva next best at 5/1.
1st ODI Recap
The 1st ODI last Wednesday ended with no result, play abandoned after just 15 overs due to heavy rainfall. We’re not too sure what organisers were thinking taking England to Sri Lanka at this time of year. However, it certainly hasn’t worked out well with the series suffering a number of stoppages on each of the three days.
The opener was by far the worst. We got very little action, but what did take place showed the locals to be in a sprightly mood. That suggested we could have a game on our hands. England reached 92-2 before play was suspended, and then abandoned. Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy would’ve been doing a rain dance after falling for 25 and 24 in five balls. It was left for Root to pick up the slack and he was only getting warmed up when the teams were ordered in.
2nd ODI Recap
We finally got a game of cricket on Saturday and it was one England dominated from the opener. They smashed their way to a convincing 31-run victory, 278-9 against the 140-5 of their hosts. The spring in Sri Lanka’s step that we saw glimpses of on day one seemed to completely disappear; almost to a man, they didn’t turn up. Games against a side of England’s class requires a big effort throughout the field. However, they didn’t produce it and were made to pay the price.
Eoin Morgan was the standout player on the field, supported by the ever-impressive Joe Root and Chris Woakes. All three men are supremely talented individuals. However, when you get them together, all in the mood and pulling in the right direction it would take a team much better than Sri Lanka to halt the tide. The victors are ranked number one in the world for their aggressive style. Having said that, this was a genuine all-rounder performance that left fans on both sides of the divide in awe.
3rd ODI Recap
Wednesday gave us our second completed game and third of the series with England doubling their advantage to 2-0, clinching victory by seven wickets. A more competitive match than the one that went before it, but on scoreline only. Conditions were more playable in Kandy, but only just. The skies hung heavy all match and the rain continued to come down in floods.
To get over the line England had to dig deep but that’s exactly what they did do. They once again proved why they sit perched on the top step. There was a six-hour rain delay, leaving fans and commentators back home furious. This meant that the match was reduced to 21 overs per side, not ideal. However, England made it pay thanks to another big performance from their captain. Morgan smashed 58 not out and, in the end, that proved to be a major difference.
What We Can Expect from Day Four
Bookies have seen enough and any value that was available on England winning either the series outright or the 4th ODI has been well and truly eaten up. The tiny cracks that seem to appear in that abandoned 1st ODI were greatly exaggerated. As the series has progressed, the tourists have grown in confidence, dealt admirably with difficult conditions and handed out a cricketing lesson to their hosts.
There was nothing that Sri Lanka could do; they have been mastered by a far superior team and one playing well together and looking like they are thoroughly enjoying their cricket. No one would’ve blamed the players for letting frustrations get the better of them during Wednesday’s marathon delay. However, it seemed to make them stronger.
What can we expect from the 4th ODI? Well, let’s hope the weather allows us another day of play and we could certainly do without more delays, even just as spectators. In the Sri Lankan dressing room, you’d imagine morale is low. They only had themselves to blame for the defeat in the 2nd ODI but seemed to rally for the 3rd. The fact it made no difference to the outcome would’ve knocked the stuffing out of them.
Bookies Have Tourists Nailed On
England to take a 3-0 lead is favourite and if you’re looking to get your money down you’ll have to make do with the 1/3 at Bet365 as there’s nothing better going. Most of the field sit around the 2/7 or 1/4 mark. Little for average punters to get excited about and we don’t think a home win will attract too much attention, even at 12/5 (Bet365).
There’s more to be had if playing the highest opening partnership and, given the mood amongst the tourists at the minute you’ve got to take William Hill’s 4/6 over the 6/5 (Bet365) of Sri Lanka. That looks bet of the day. Those with confidence in the series leaders can back them on the handicap and, if you’re sure they’ll win, that’ll give you something to keep an eye on.