Low Scores The Keys To Queenstown Profits

The manner in which the batsmen of New Zealand and the West Indies lost their wickets in the First One Day International and the scorecards of 50-overs-a-side games at the top level at the Queenstown Events Centre point to an exotic market presenting the best Third One Day International bet.

None of New Zealand’s top four batsmen reached double digits in the First One Day International and it was left to Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum batting at number five and his brother, Nathan, down at number nine to get the home team to 156 runs all out with more than seven overs thrown away.

Both of the West Indies openers failed and only one of the away side’s top seven scored more than 15 runs. If it was not for Darren Sammy’s unbeaten 43 runs, a blistering knock that included five fours and three sixes, the West Indies would have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

One cannot get excited about backing either New Zealand or the West Indies to win the Third One Day International. New Zealand looks short at best odds of 1.55 with Youwin given its awful performance in the First One Day International, while the West Indies was so bad in the recent Test series on Kiwi soil that one would want odds longer than the generally available 2.75 to support the touring team.

The Third One Day International exotic market that presents the premier punting opportunity is the one pertaining to an individual century. Bet365 is offering odds of 1.61 that no New Zealand or West Indies batsman reaches triple figures in the Third One Day International and that looks like a decent bet given the form of the two sides and the history, albeit limited, of matches at the Queenstown Events Centre.

The picturesque Queenstown Events Centre has staged nine One Day International games since New Zealand cricket officials used it for the first time in 2003. Three of those matches did not produce a result leaving six games to analyse from top to bottom. No batsman has hit a One Day International century at the Queenstown Events Centre, with the highest score being the 89 runs that Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara registered on New Year’s Eve in 2006. Five of the six One Day International matches at the Queenstown Events Centre have featured at least one half century but tons have been conspicuous by the absence, with a major reason being that the relatively low team totals have made it very hard for individuals to reach 100 runs before games are finished.

Also well worth considering are plays on low scoring opening partnerships for both New Zealand and the West Indies in the Third One Day International because one can back the Black Caps openers at score under 26 and a half runs before losing a wicket at odds of 1.91 with Sky Bet and one can back the West Indies openers to score under 24 and a half runs before losing a wicket at the same odds with the same bookmaker.

No side batting first in a One Day International at the Queenstown Events Centre has scored more than 38 runs for their first wicket, with the scores being one run, three runs, four runs, five runs, 23 runs and 38 runs. Teams batting second have fared better – their scores have been ten runs, 13 runs, 28 runs, 32 runs, 57 runs and 95 runs – but the statistics still support backing both New Zealand and the West Indies to go under their respective lines. Neither New Zealand nor the West Indies scored more than five runs for their first wicket in the First One Day International. The Second One Day International did not start because the McLean Park outfield was drenched.