Casino News: Repos underrated to to rise

Saturday, 4 July 2020

Repos underrated to to rise

South Castries Lions v Gros Islet Cannon Blasters
Saturday 4 May 17:30
TV: live on Dream 11 Fan App/YouTube

Blasters blow

The Lions are four from four and are putting down some strong performances. This is to be expected considering the talent bias they boast with Johnson Charles and Daren Sammy in the XI.

Charles top-scored against Central Castries on Friday in a nine-wicket stroll. He smashed 42 off just 20 balls. Kester Charlemagne had earlier starred with three wickets for nine as Central were restricted to 70.

Probable Lions XI J Charles, A Antoine, T Simon, C Callendar, D Sammy, K Charlemagne, X Gabriel, A Joseph, N Leo, D Baptise, T Edward

Blasters are the frontrunners on run rate and they also come into the game having hardly broken sweat against Mon Repo Stars. However, Kimani Melius, player of the tournament so far, missed the game and his absence would be a huge blow against the Lions. Melius is the leading runscorer and six hitter.

Probable Gros Islet Blasters XI J Goodman, T Gabriel, D Edward, D Polius, G Serieux, V Gabriel, L Solomon, Dane Edward, L Edwards, T Chicot, Dornan Edward

If Melius is missing, the [1.75] about Lions seems justified. The price will take a cut, however, if the Lions were to bat first. And a drift if they didn’t. This could be one of the rare occasions we get with an inflated price with the toss against a team.

Central Castries Mindoo v Mon Repos Stars
Saturday 4 May 19:30
TV: live on Dream 11 Fan App/YouTube

Mindoo beatable

Central would have been hugely disappointed with their limp batting effort against the Lions in what was a significant test of their title credentials. It was a big black mark.

Gaspard and Aleyne Prospere have to take responsibility with scores of 16 from 18 and 13 from 14. It’s just not smart enough when they know nine an over is the target.

Probable Castries Mindoo XI S Naitrim, G Prospere, K Lesporis, Aleyn Prospere, A Auguste, J James, J Eugene, K Arnold, Alvin Prospere, D John, E Elibox

A win for Repos would put them level on points with the loser of the Lions-Blasters contest. They’re a decent, competitive outfit who are right to consider themselves best of the rest considering the dominance by the top two. Remember, they ran the Lions extremely close and thrashed the Clay Pots but unfortunately came unstuck against the Blasters last time out.

Probable Repos XI S Charles, S Emmanuel (wkt), M Wells, K Augustin, R Lesmond, H Charlery, C Charlery, S Descartes, C Emmanuel, K Gaston, D Henry, J Lesmond

We’re happy to be with Repos at around [2.10] if that price was to hold with the toss in their favour. It seems unlikely, though. Instead book [2.00] in-play and keep fingers crossed they can bust the 90-run mark.

Clear strategy

Here are the first-innings scores so far at the Daren Sammy Cricket Stadium (1-2 denote match won by side batting first or second): 115-1/70-2/126-1/126-1/110-1/83-2/100-2/119-1/82-2/75-2/93-1/93-1/173-1/85-1/82-2/103-1/101-1/82-2/166-1/129-1/152-1/90-2. That is an average of 107. It is eight wins from 22 for the chaser. That is a bias of 64% for the side batting first.

It is a win-toss and bat strategy, then for captains although we could snaffle value on Lions if their strong bowling attack gets to work against a weakened Blasters line-up. Repos do need the toss on their side, though.

Nine an over is the target, allowing wearing tracks and scoreboard pressure to do the rest. Previously T10 sides have struggled to know what a decent score is. Not in the Caribbean, however. Only Suplhir (three times now) have failed to defend nine or more.

In the Vincy Premier League, where all matches were played at the same venue, there was a similar bias for the side batting first. Previously in T10 history, first-innings scores of 100 are enough 60% of the time and more than 110 returns a winner 80% of the time. Only once has a side lost posting 100 or more in this tourney.

The last ten first-innings T20 scores at the DSCS (1-2 denote match won by side bat-ting first or second) read: 103-2/185-1/165-2/172-1/160-2/109-1/115-2/185-1.

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