Cricket – Women’s Big Bash League – Sydney Sixers vs Brisbane Heat
Whilst the Big Bash has been keeping me entertained over the last month, I’ve also managed to keep an eye on the women’s tournament and Saturday’s final is the first of the my big betting events this weekend.
It’s the first time, I’ve followed the Women’s Big Bash League and I’m sad that it’s nearly over for another year. It’s been suitably competitive and I can’t wait to settle down and watch the final. The Sydney Sixers began the season as favourites and were always expected to reach the latter stages but they are likely to face a tough test against Brisbane Heat.
Brisbane have already seen off one Sydney side as they beat the Thunder by four wickets last weekend and they are playing some superb cricket at the moment. A exemplary catch from Haidee Birkett played a huge part in their victory and her catch helped settle a do-or-die semi-final which had me on the edge of the my seat throughout.
The Heat will have to bat slightly better this time around after only setting their opponents a target of 141 and they will need to be on top of their game here against the Sixers.
Having said that, the Sixers were hardly at their fluent best in the semis and their batting struggles were evident throughout. It went into sudden death territory and Elysse Perry was the hero with her smashing six which added to her 54 off 59 balls earlier in the contest.
This may not be high on the priorities of sports fans this weekend but it’s a must-watch and it’s also a great contest to bet on. A pre-match wager is a great way of keeping an interest throughout but there are also likely to be plenty of in-play opportunities too. It could be a topsy-turvy affair and plenty of drama is guaranteed.
UK Viewers can enjoy all of the Big Bash action on BT Sport this weekend
Soccer – FA Cup – Barnet vs Brentford
I love FA Cup weekends! The fourth round takes place this weekend and Monday night’s fixture at the Hive is the second of my big betting events.
This is a battle of the Bees as non-league giant-killers Barnet take on Championship Brentford. John Still’s side are the only fifth tier side left in the competition and they’ll fancy their chances of making the next round of the competition. They surprised Sheffield United at the beginning of the month courtesy of a Shaquille Coulthirst goal and they will not be fazed by the visitors.
Brentford have improved under Thomas Frank and they will come into this game full of confidence following an unbeaten run. However, a decent run of the form doesn’t always equate to FA Cup success as the Blades were playing well prior to their humbling at the hands of Barnet.
Brentford are likely to be odds-on for this game and many people will be backing them at a short price but I think Barnet will probably frustrate them for long periods of the game. This is a game which will require patience and that opens up a myriad of betting opportunities.
I always make sure I check team news before FA Cup matches as managers are often tempted to make changes and I often do my betting just an hour before kick-off.
I can’t wait to see how Barnet line-up and how they begin to tackle the in-form Bees. The West Londoners have been a joy to watch in recent weeks and I’ll be intrigued to see if the likes of Kamohelo Mokotjo and Rico Henry are included in the squad. Either way, it won’t be straightforward for the visitors and this is the archetypal banana skin for the second tier side.
BT Sport will have comprehensive FA Cup coverage throughout the weekend and will be showing this game live on Monday night
Boxing – WBO Junior Middleweight – Jaime Munguia vs Takeshi Inoue
I wouldn’t normally dip into the Junior Middleweight divisions but with the lack of top-class boxing until March, I can’t resist watching this bout on Saturday night. After reading up on this fight, I am going to be glued to my screen throughout. It is the third of my big betting events this weekend.
This is taking place at the Toyota Center in Houston and there should be a decent crowd in attendance for this bout. Jaime Munguia is on the way up and he’s definitely one to keep an eye on. He was in action four times in 2018 and his crushing defeat of Sadam Ali was absolutely mesmeric. He’s had two successful title defences since and he’s becoming incredibly tough to beat.
Inoue is a lesser known quantity and he’s only fought outside of his homeland on one occasion. The fact that he’s a bit of an unknown means that he could potentially be dangerous and maybe underestimated by the betting markets as a result. His victory over Yuki Nonaka means that he’s earned the right to be here and I reckon he’s going to put up a hell of a fight!
These two bright young stars may be meeting further down the line and they both have bright futures ahead of them. I want to get one step ahead of the traders by watching these two in action and studying them ahead of future bouts.
Unsurprisingly, Munguia is the red-hot favourite for this contest and he probably will win but there are numerous betting markets to explore ahead of this fascinating match-up.
DAZN are showing the full fight live on Saturday night as well as the undercard.
Soccer – League Two – Bury vs Lincoln City
This is a fantastic televised tie in League Two and I urge any football fan to tune in. Premier League supporters may baulk at the idea of watching fourth-tier football but this should be a high-quality affair between two of the promotion frontrunners. It is the fourth of my big betting events for Saturday.
Lincoln play in midweek and they may not be as sharp as their opponents for this one. The Imps are an extremely effective side under Danny Cowley and they aren’t to everyones tastes but they are riding high and should be able to occupy one of the top three spots come the end of the season.
Bury have been absolutely delightful to watch in recent weeks and they are superb at Gigg Lane. They score goals for fun and have two of the best midfielders in the division: Jay O’Shea and Danny Mayor. Ryan Lowe has got his side purring and although they were lucky to beat Forest Green Rovers last weekend, they are likely to be back to their best in Lancashire on Saturday night.
This game could go either way and it’s a fascinating tussle between two super sides. It’s also a clash of styles and it’ll be interesting to see which approach wins here. This game could have a big say on the promotion race and I can’t wait to settle down on Saturday night and enjoy this one.
Sky Sports are Showing Bury vs Lincoln on Saturday night for UK viewers
