Cricket: One-Day Cup tournament preview, betting tips, analysis and predictions

It's only mid-April, but the county cricket circuit is already in full swing and Wednesday brings an unusually early start for the second competition of the season, the One-Day Cup.

The 50-over tournament has been brought forward a month due to this summer’s World Cup, and the final takes place at Lord’s on May 25.

Hampshire are the defending champions and they are among the bookmakers' favourites to win the competition again.

Best bet
Kent 14-1
There is a familiar look to the top of the market with 2017 champions Nottinghamshire narrow favourites ahead of Hampshire, Surrey - the losing finalists in 2015, 2016 and 2017 - and Yorkshire.

All are likely to be in contention for a place in the Lord’s showpiece but it would be unwise to dismiss the claims of last season’s runners-up, Kent.

Unlike some of the more fancied counties, the Spitfires are unlikely to be greatly troubled by World Cup preparations.

Kent have not won a limited-overs crown since their 2007 Twenty20 Cup triumph, but they have good recent pedigree in this competition.

The Spitfires have made it out of their section in all but one of the last five editions of the One-Day Cup, the exception being a calamitous 2017 campaign.

Last season’s leading runscorer Heino Kuhn will lead a balanced squad until skipper Sam Billings and vice-captain Joe Denly return from the IPL and Australian international Matt Renshaw is a reliable source of runs.

Old-stager Darren Stevens shows no signs of slowing down and took 16 wickets with his wily variations last term.

Add in Mitch Claydon and the unknown quantity of Holland international Fred Klaasen and Kent have a varied look about them with bat and ball. They certainly have the capability of outrunning their odds.

Next best
Worcestershire 12-1
Despite topping the North Group in each of the last two campaigns, Worcestershire continue to be somewhat ignored by the layers.

The loss of the talented Joe Clarke to Nottinghamshire is a blow and Moeen Ali will not be available until after the IPL, but they still possess a squad who know how to win limited-overs matches. They have recruited well to plug those gaps with the arrival of Rikki Wessels and former South Africa international Wayne Parnell on a Kolpak contract. Aussie blaster Callum Ferguson, who hit 192 against Leicestershire last term, is also back in their ranks.

The reigning T20 Blast champions were beaten by Kent in last season’s semi-finals in dramatic fashion and they can be a force again.

Recommendations
Kent
1pt each-way
Worcestershire
1pt each-way

Kent v Hampshire

Sky Sports Cricket, 2pm Wednesday

The 2019 One-Day Cup begins with a repeat of last year’s Lord’s showpiece as champions Hampshire travel to beaten finalists Kent.

Hampshire were comfortable 61-run victors at Lord’s last June but at 8-13 they look short enough in their opener against a capable Kent outfit.

The Spitfires have last year’s leading runscorer, captain Heino Kuhn, and the evergreen Darren Stevens, who took 16 wickets in the competition last year, in their ranks and they should offer Hampshire plenty of resistance, especially with the bat where Daniel Bell-Drummond can lead the way for the hosts.

Bell-Drummond has had a lean start to the County Championship season but averages over 41 in 85 one-day outings and hit three fifties in a recent five-game spell in New Zealand’s domestic T20 tournament with Auckland.

Recommendations
D Bell-Drummond top Kent runscorer
1pt 3-1 general

Today's top sports betting stories

Follow us on Twitter @racingpostsport

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport