Betting strategy for One Day International cricket
100 overs of cricket in a day is still a long time for cricket bettors to be concentrating on a single match. With that in mind, there are some betting strategies that could help with preparing for a One Day International game as well as others for once the match gets underway.
Check on recent One Day cricket results at the ground
Knowing how easy it is to score runs at a ground is important for cricket bettors. While this isn’t a guaranteed method for beating markets such as run lines, it’s good to know the trends from recent encounters.
It’s more likely to be a high-scoring clash if the average first innings score is 300 at one stadium compared to 220 over a sustained period of time. This has an impact on plenty of other markets including the match winner and boundary totals.
What are the ground dimensions?
Shorter forms of cricket such as One Day Internationals and Twenty20 matches are sometimes played on a pitch which isn’t exactly in the centre of the ground. This could be because there has been a recent match on another strip, or that the one being played on has been specially prepared for what the home team would like.
This can often lead to a shorter boundary on one side of the ground. Sometimes there can be a fairly pronounced difference too. Batting teams are likely to target this side of the ground because the ball will have to travel less of a distance in going for four or six runs. Getting an understanding of the size of the boundaries on each side of the wicket will help bettors throughout the match.
Be aware of the weather conditions
As with other forms of cricket, ODIs are heavily influenced by the weather conditions. Having an idea of the weather at the ground and if this is likely to change throughout the course of the scheduled 100 over game is always a good idea. If there is a chance of bad weather, the captain winning the coin toss is likely to bowl first.
This is because the general consensus is that it’s better to know what target you’re chasing with the bat in the second innings when the match is affected by rain. This allows teams to gauge how aggressive to be and to know with some certainty how many overs they will have to reach a pre-determined target.
What happens in the event of a shortened game?
One day international matches are sometimes shortened by adverse weather conditions. As time is lost, the umpires will reduce the number of overs in the game in order to try and complete it. Usually, the minimum number of overs each team need to bowl in an ODI match for it to count as a contest is 20. Any fewer than this will mean no result.
Cricket betting sites will have their own rules about how bets are treated in this instance. For pre-match bets, there is usually a minimum number of overs that need to be bowled for the wager to stand. If this number isn’t reached, the bet will be voided unless the result is already decided. Other selections such as the match-winner will likely stand in the event of any official result. Therefore, knowing if there is a chance of a shortened game is key when betting on these markets. Always check the cricket betting rules on your betting site of choice prior to placing a bet too.
Are the conditions likely to change in the second innings?
With ODI matches spanning around 10 hours, playing conditions can vary throughout the match. Although not as pronounced as a Test match covering five days, it’s something worth keeping in mind. This can often be the case with Day/Night encounters. Factors such as dew or how the pitch reacts under floodlights will play a part. Being aware of these and how they impact the betting markets is key for those placing wagers.
Bide with your time with in-play markets (H3)
While there are dozens of potential bets to pick from before the action gets underway, that’s just the start for cricket fans. Betting sites in India offer hundreds of in-play prices so there should be no rush to get your wagers placed if you’d prefer to wait. Being able to assess the conditions and bet accordingly is a valuable skill, especially with a wide range of betting options throughout the match.
