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Cricket tips

Willey can continue wonderful form with the bat for Yorkshire

Vikings' offie Azeem Rafiq can put Durham in a spin

David Willey has been in fine six-hitting form in the T20Blast
David Willey has been in fine six-hitting form in the T20BlastCredit: Getty Images

Yorkshire v Durham
Sky Sports Cricket, 6.30pm Wednesday

David Willey set a new Yorkshire T20 record score on Sunday with 118 off 55 balls and he is worth a bet at 4-1 to follow up as the Vikings top-scorer in Wednesday's televised clash with Durham at Headingley.

The England limited-overs all-rounder is batting at number three so should have ample opportunity at the crease and Sunday's stunner against Worcestershire is not his only good knock at the Leeds venue in this shortest-format tournament. Willey made 70 on Friday night in a cosy win over Birmingham Bears and hit a handy cameo of 25 in their high-scoring opening success over Notts.

Inbetween on the road he cracked 42 in a narrow defeat to Derbyshire at Chestefield and was 23 not out and beginning to motor when rain washed out the Roses battle at Old Trafford with the scores tied on Duckworth-Lewis.

Have a wager too on off-spinner Azeem Rafiq being Yorkshire's leading wicket-taker. He took only 1-36 against the Rapids on Sunday but that was the first time that he has not claimed multiple victims in the tournament. On Friday night, he took 3-37 against the Bears and he dismissed Jos Buttler and Dane Vilas when Lancashire were motoring a fortnight ago.

Going into Tuesday's home game with Nottinghamshire, Durham were winless and struggling for top-order runs. That makes the 16-1 on offer about tournament skipper Paul Coughlin top-scoring from down in the middle-order look excellent value.

Coughlin headed the Jets' list with 42 not out against Leicestershire on Thursday and was their second-highest compiler on Sunday against Lancashire with 29. His last first-class innings at the start of the month was 73 not out and he has a four-day best of 85.

Back-to-back games should not stop Notts from extending Worcestershire's T20 Blast woes but in the South Group at Taunton, it is hard to separate the claims of Somerset and Hampshire. On form, it should be the hosts at evens. Somerset started slowly but are now looking for a third win in three completed matches whereas the visitors burst out of the blocks with three wins but have lost their last two completed outings.

Afternoon thunderstorms, after a cloudy morning, are now forecast for day one of the third Test between England and South Africa at The Oval on Thursday. The Three Lions are 6-5 to bounce back from their heavy defeat at Trent Bridge to take a 2-1 lead in the four-Test series. The Proteas are 15-8 to take a 2-1 lead. The draw is available at 10-3.

Recommendations
D Willey top Yorkshire runscorer
1pt 4-1 general
A Rafiq top Yorkshire wicket-taker
1pt 7-2 bet365
P Coughlin top Durham runscorer
0.5pt 16-1 bet365, BetBright

Max OramRacing Post Reporter

Published on 25 July 2017inCricket tips

Last updated 20:09, 25 July 2017

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