IPL Betting: Pune Warriors v Royal Challengers Bangalore

Gayle smashed records against Pune last time

Ed Hawkins previews an apparent mismatch in Pune on Thursday as Chris Gayle eyes another blitzkrieg against the hapless Warriops attack...

Pune Warriros v Royal Challengers Bangalore
Start time: 15.30BST
TV: live on ITV 4

Pune Warriors
The Warriors should be renamed the weaklings. They are bottom of the pile and with qualification hopes a fantasy we don't expect them to improve any time soon. They have lost five zip and there appears to be an alarming lack of planning or spirit in the camp. It is not surprising. Angelo Mathews has seemingly been ditched as skipper in favour of Australian Aaron Finch, who has hardly proved an academic of Antipodeans so far. It might be a decent idea to return Mathews to the line-up in place of the hapless Luke Wright, who has already snatched defeat from the jaws of victory against King's XI. In a hammering by Chennai Wright was run out for two off six balls and his only over went for 12 runs.

Royal Challengers Bangalore
Bangalore have never won IPL which seems extraordinary when you consider they have boasted the batting brutality of Chris Gayle for much of their existence. Yet sitting pretty in second spot, one gets the feeling this could be their year. What is to like about RCB is their willingness to eschew star talent, chiefly Tillakaratne Dilshan who has been unable to break into the side regularly. Gayle opened with Abhinav Mukund last time, albeit in defeat by Rajasthan Royals. Virat Kohli, the enfant terrible of Indian cricket, makes some headstrong decisions at times but is good value. He may need to start bashing his bowlers' heads together, though. They lack penetration and they might be wise to recall Zaheer Khan or Daniel Vettori.

First-innings runs
The Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium is one for the bowlers. Here are the first-innings scores on the ground from this term and last (most recent first): 162-119-145-99-136-173-125-120-177-146-155-166. That is an average of 144. For Pune's last home match against CSK we went under 150 on the basis of a long study period which showed batting was tricky. We knew that CSK might struggle on a stodgy wicket and they did - early on at least. So we have the same gamble with RCB's hitters. Will they cope on a wicket which is not as true? Let's retain faith one ore time in the surface and go low at around 2.1011/10.

Match odds
Pune are terrible. We know that. We don't like the balance of their squad, the individual form of players and indeed their apparently sulky attitude. But we don't need to like them for a 40-over contest. Just a few overs here and there will do. In a way Pune are the perfect side to trade because at odds of 2.526/4. Starting off at 2.747/4 against CSK their price went through the floor when they took two wickets inside the first six overs. Similarly when they started the chase well and were scoring at nine an over before Finsh fell. So, you see, a trade is comfortably the best way to have an interest in this market. IF RCB bat first, it may be wise to lay the after the powerplay (six overs) because their price will collapse if Gayle motors.

Top Pune batsman
Pune batsmen are a bit like Shergar...they disappear. Marlon Samuels has gone home and there has been no sight or sound of Ross Taylor or Tamim Iqbal for a while. Perhaps the Kiwi will come back to bolster a batting line-up which fared horribly against CSK, collapsing to 127 for nine. Steve Smith top scored in that game but we'd get rid of him in favour of Taylor. Smith also top-scored in the previous meeting between the sides.

Top Bangalore batsman
Gayle will be backed off the boards. The previous meeting was, of course, the match when he smashed the record for the fastest century of all time. He hit a ridiculous 175 off 66 balls, including 13 sixes. Just in case you ahd forgotten there are other RCB batters, AB De Villiers always strikes as good value and is around 5.004/1.

Recommended bet
Lay 150 or more at 2.206/5