Betting tips / Paul Bugeja / 28 April 2012 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

Ed Hawkins, SJA Betting Writer of the Year, previews the Eden Gardens showdown between Kolkata and Bangalore.

Kolkata
KKR have won four from five, not including their washed-out match against Deccan. They are in good shape although it might be a good time to replace Brendon McCullum with Eoin Morgan given the state of the wicket.

Bangalore
Bangalore, like Chennai, seem to have finally found their feet and before they were also victims of the weather they had taken six points from a possible six. They hammered Rajasthan, who had started well, last time and a top five which includes Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and AB De Villiers is frightening.

Venue and conditions
Eden Gardens has looked a sluggish wicket for the sloggers this IPL and it will be interesting to see how Gayle and co. cope. No side has scored more than 134 batting first and it could be wise to go under the 160 mark for first-innings runs. The weather is set fair.

Match odds
This promises to be a cracker. KKR are the marginal outsiders, priced at 2.16 with Bangalore 1.85. We have to side with the hosts because we feel they may be better equipped to cope with a slow surface. Certainly the Bangalore blasters will find it difficult and if KKR can take pace off the ball - and get their own team selection right - they will give us a good run for our money.

We would like to see Morgan in the side instead of McCullum while it may also pay to find room for Shakib-al-Hasan at the expense of Sunil Narine, the West Indian spinner

Top KKR batsman
With 209 runs Gautam Gambhir is KKR's top run-scorer. He will go off sub 4.00. Next best is Manoj Tiwary with 135.

Top Bangalore batsman
Leave this market well alone. Bangalore have infuriated bettors by shuffling their opening partnership three times in the last three games. Gayle did not bat until no.4 last time. A sickener for the majority.

Recommended bet
Kolkata at 2.16