IPL Betting: Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Dardevils

Sehwag is no top-bat bet

Ed Hawkins, with another winner last time out, previews the clash at the Kotla as CSK look to assert authority again...

Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Dardevils
Start time: 15.30BST
TV: live on ITV

Chennai Super Kings

Chennai will be bristling following their usurping from top spot to their muscle-bound rivals, Mumbai Indians. So there is a school of thought which says that CSK will be 'up for it' to use football parlance against the sorry, ragged outfit that is Delhi Daredevils despite being assured of qualification. Having won seven straight matches, CSK have now lost two from three. Firstly they succumbed to Mumbai and then to those wonderfully tigerish Royals of Rajasthan. Sandwiched in between was a comprehensive win over Sunrisers. Of course, they should be far too strong for a disinterested Delhi but one just cannot ever tell with the Indian Premier League. Dirk Nannes is in the frame after Chris Morris was made to suffer against the Royals. Ravi Ashwin bowled only one over in that match and went for 23. Ouch!

Delhi Daedevils

It should not be forgotten that Delhi are dead and buried in this tournament. And how one can consider backing them when nothing is left to play for when they were truly atrocious when something was on the line is beyond us. However, they showed some gusto against the Royal Challengers Bangalore last time out. Twice they were in the game when they reduced RCB - including the key wicket of Chris Gayle - to two down for very little. They were then in control when Ben Rohrer and Unmukt Chand were going well. Of course, the optimist thought they might take the spoils. Predictably they folded. Viru Sehwag by the way, is a horror show and his fall from grace has been as rapid in living memory.

First-innings runs

The Feroz Shah Kotla gets a bad rap for being a truculent, awkward and slow surface to bat on. RCB rather exposed those viewpoints however when they went like a Porsche on ice in the last match there. They posted 183 for four with a super show at the death with Virat Kohli hitting the ball to all parts. Chennai's batting is strong so we are reluctant to go low of 160. Delhi, on the other hand, are unreliable, As ever, it is a toss call. If Delhi bat first fewer than 160 is a solid call considering they have been so hapless this term.

Match odds

The match odds market has collapsed in favour of Chennai. It is rare indeed that we see a side as big as Delhi at 3.02/1. Indeed, we cannot remember such a price for an outsider, and although in mitigation our memory is not superlative, it is difficult not to take notice. Delhi, let's be frank, are a poor, dispirited side who cannot wait for the tournament to end. But Chennai are often a lazy, arrogant outfit who take things easily. It would be dereliction of duty if we did not back Delhi at such whopping odds. Cripes, Sehwag, clutching at straws here, folks, may well come off. Mahela Jaywardene may shine. And that is not a rose-tinted view because class does out. They could trade at jollies at some point and it would be a shame, nay a crime, to miss out.

Top Chennai runscorer

Murali Vijay and Mike Hussey should continue to open for CSK in this contest. Vijay goes off at 4.707/2 and Hussey, in the hunt for the top batter honour, is 3.259/4. As ever, MS Dhoni is value at 6.6011/2 and Dwayne Bravo looks a whopper at 9.28/1.

Top Delhi runscorer

Sehwag we won't touch at 4.3100/30 but Chand comes across as value considering he is in nick at around 6.611/2. David Warner, who is leading the side these days, is 3.7511/4.

Recommended Bet

Back-to-lay Delhi @ 3.02/1 to 2.01/1