Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Pakistan shine on bad day for cricket

Daily Result: £341.24

Well, I wouldn't put myself in the conspiracy theory camp. And I'm not normally overly cynical. So let's just say the timing of today's floodlight and complete stadium power failure in the ODI between South Africa and Pakistan - which didn't effect anywhere outside the ground - was unfortunate. Being just two balls before a result could be declared under a Duckworth Lewis ruling. And coming just after the fall of two key South African wickets. After there had been some very strange betting patterns during the game. Which saw hundreds of thousands of pounds holding up the Pakistan price to levels that mystified me and perplexed those far shrewder than I'll ever be. I mean, why be suspicious? It's not as if anything like this has ever happened before to stop there being a result in a sporting event. Is it?!

Either way it wasn't the best day for cricket. On the England front
Michael Vaughan's hamstring injury means he misses the CB Series final and is on his way home. More importantly for the wider game Darrell Hair, the umpire at the centre of the last year's 4th test controversy between England and Pakistan, has announced he's sueing the ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board for racial discrimination. Continuing the cricket / bookmaker theme Indian police claim they have a recording of West Indies batsmen Marlon Samuels handing over sensitive team news and tactics to a bookmaker. And to top it all, I kid you not, it's come to my attention that the Zimbabwe Cricket Board has ordered 3 players to have their dreadlocks cut off or they will no longer be selected to play for their country! Reports that Aussie star Andrew Symonds is thinking of striking in a display of unilateral brotherly support are as yet unverified!!

Not the best of days the world of cricket will ever have them. But, pervesely, not a bad day for me on the trading front! Very pleased with the £340 odd I managed to make on the the interrupted ODI between South Africa and Pakistan. Pakistan are just one of those strange teams. They either seem to turn up or they don't. Are brilliant or village. And today, they turned up alright. As headline writers the world over have it - the floodlight failure failed to dim them!

It all started so badly for Pakistan with Akmal out in the first over. But from there on there was simply some breathtaking batting. Nazir got the ball rolling with 57 off 39 balls. Khan and Yousuf put on nearly 200 between them with a strike rate in the 90s to cement the innings while Afridi proved once again he can be pure box office by smashing a quickfire 77 from just 35 balls for a strike rate of 220! By the time the innings ended Pakistan had smashed the record for the highest innings at the ground and posted 351/4.


Which all meant the Saffers had to make the second highest chase in the history of one day cricket to win. Under lights. Which may help explain why I was more than a little puzzled about why the Pakistan price was 1.31!!!! Sure, South Africa have talented batsmen. They can chase and have proved it recently. But Pakistan 1.31? OK, the price did push out after a pretty decent start from South Africa. But even that decent start never saw the required run rate *ever* drop below the starting requirement of 7.04. And in the end Pakistan walked it winning by a massive 141 runs. I don't know. It was all a bit odd. But made for some good trading so I'll just mark it down as a stange game and be thankful for the profit. After all, it all counts!

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

It has to be said the antics and betting patterns in that match were HIGHLY suspicious. I am convinced something was going on.

p.s. Well done on your continued success!

'trader pj'

The Betfair Trader said...

Cheers PJ :-) And I hope the trading gods are treating you well too!