Perth Scorchers v Sydney Sixers
Big Bash Cricket – 10:35 am
BT Sport
I think an early look at the best bets of the day can start with some heavy hitting action from the T20 Big Bash. This is expected to be a tight battle between the two. Perth could really use a win as they are sat bottom of the table heading into the next round of action. But they are only two behind the Sixers who are up in fourth place. So there’s all to play for at around the halfway stage of the campaign. The Scorchers can take some inspiration from their big 6-wicket win at the Melbourne Stars in their last match.
That was a great effort with Andrew Tye taking 4/18 with the ball for the Scorchers. The last action that the Sixers had was a 6-wicket away win over the Adelaide Strikers with Joe Denly firing off an unbeaten 76 with the bat. This day/night clash from the Optus Stadium in Perth should be a tight battle. That’s highlighted by the fact that the visiting Sixers are at evens with the top bookmakers to win the fixture. The Sixers won by 17 runs at home over the Scorchers when they met back in December.
Everton v Bournemouth
Premier League – 2:15 pm
Sky Sports
Everton have not been able to shake themselves back into form. It’s been four defeats in their last five league games and no win in last four league outings at Goodison. An air of vulnerability has settled across the club. They get the chance to at least restore some temporary order on Sunday. The Toffees face Bournemouth on Merseyside. Everton have averaged over 1.5 goals per home game this season but will that be enough to push them past the leaky Bournemouth defence? The two played out a 2-2 draw at the Vitality Stadium back on August 25th last year. That was an entertaining scrap which I can only hope repeats here.
It should. Entertainment always seems to follow the Cherries. There have been a total of sixteen goals scored in of Bournemouth’s last three EPL games. The leading bookmakers have over 2.5 goals as short as 4/6 odds on. Problematically for Eddie Howe’s men, they have only taken one point from those three games. The Cherries have lost seven of their ten away games this season and are on a five-match slide away from home. But as I mentioned, Everton are rocky at the moment and could find themselves in an even duel with the Cherries.
Lyon v Saracens
European Champions Cup Rugby – 3.15 pm
BT Sport
Saracens could be taking a giant step towards sealing top spot in Pool 3 of the European Champions Cup this weekend. They are top of the pile by four points ahead of the Glasgow Warriors. This is the penultimate round of Pool action. Sarries will meet Glasgow in the final round of action in the Pool stage. Saracens have a perfect four-from four win record in the Pool so far.
They have amassed an untouchable fourteen tries in their campaign and back on matchday two they beat Lyon 29-10 at the Allianz Park. As for Lyon, they have just been outclassed along the way having lost all four games. Lyon have conceded 72 points in their two home games. While the outcome may not be in jeopardy it’s the perfect occasion to consider a handicap bet. For example, the top bookmakers have Saracens at 10/11 to cover a -13 handicap away from home. Can they run up an even bigger win for a bigger handicap?
Tottenham v Manchester United
Premier League – 4.30 pm
Sky Sports
Of course, I had to go there. It is the big feature for my best bets of the day. 13I’ve got one big eye on Wembley to see if Spurs can keep touch with the leaders in the Premier League. Spurs have won six of their last seven league games and they have been scoring for fun lately. They will be defending a six-match undefeated streak of home form against United in the top flight as well. Spurs go in the game trailing leaders Liverpool by six points so there is no room for them to be slipping up.
The top bookmakers have Spurs at 21/20 favourites to win the game. Doing so would see them keep their title challenge on track somewhat. Manchester United have rolled on to four straight EPL wins since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer got the hot seat. All four of those wins though were against sides currently in the bottom half of the table. This will be their first big test under Solskjaer and it is one of the toughest that they could get. The improved momentum has seen them close the gap on the top five. Three points would be absolutely huge for their confidence and their own goals of trying to reach the top four.
John Higgins v Ryan Day
Masters Snooker – 7.00 pm
BBC
The Masters is underway and fifth seed John Higgins will be taking on Welshman Ryan Day in the first round. Higgins is the 4/7 favourite for the match with leading bookmakers. Higgins and Day met four times last year and the first of those was in the Masters which Higgins won 6-1 in the quarterfinals. However, Day won the following two meetings.
He beat Higgins at the Romanian Masters and then at the Shanghai Masters before losing a decider against Higgins at the Champion of Champions tournament. So this may not be the walkover that the Scotsman produced last year at this very tournament over Day. This could be a very interesting duel with Day starting as the 11/8 underdog for the match.
