Mr Cricket: Punjab v Bangalore

This is the clash between our favourite IPL side Punjab, the team we think will take out the whole kaboodle, and the dreadful bottom of the table Bangalore outfit. Bangalore have been so, so bad it's been hard to believe - winning just two of their eight IPL matches and just one of their last five. By contrast, Punjab have been performing brilliantly until their hurdle against Chennai the other night. Punjab have a sensational balance to their side, especially with their batting. Punjab's top-order of Shaun Marsh, James Hopes, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Yuvraj Singh and Mahela Jayawardene is hard not to fall in love with - especially the big hitting Aussies who open the innings. Their bowling has also been a handful - even without Brett Lee - and legspinner Piyush Chawla has been a surprise ace in the deck. This team is going to go a long way in this competition - it is jam-packed with talent, suited to 20-over cricket and full of youth and enthusiasm.

Bangalore on the other hand are total duds. Jacques Kallis went so badly he has now basically been sacked from the side while Rahul Dravid and Shiv Chanderpaul have generally been terrible. Spinner Anil Kumble hasn't even taken a wicket yet! Misbah-ul-Haq must come in for Bangalore here to give the batting at least a bit of dash, while Mark Boucher simply has to bat higher up the order. However Bangalore is a rabble and we are expecting nothing more from them than more tedious, ordinary, cricket here. Punjab are simply too good - although they are also skinny odds at around the $1.50 to $1.55 range. While we think Punjab will win here - and win well - we can't bring ourselves to back them at those odds in 20-over cricket. Because just when you are sure you are on a winner, the unexpected always happens.

So - with Punjab being too short for us - let's look to boost our bank balance with some more juicy odds. We love James Hopes as a batsman - especially in 20-over cricket - and we like the look of him in a head-to-head market against West Indian ""Ronny'' Sarwan. Both players have been quiet on the run front lately but we are certain Hopes has way more ability and class than Sarwan who always looks like he is only one ball away from getting out. Hopes performed well earlier in the tournament, and is comfortable opening with fellow Australian Shaun Marsh, while No.3 Sarwan has only reached 30 on one occasion in four IPL matches. Hopes missed out against Bangalore last time so he will be desperate to cash in here. Sarwan will have his mind on other things - Australia's imminent Test tour of the West Indies - rather than the IPL matters at hand. Hopes, not part of Australia's Test squad but part of the one-day squad, will be desperate to further enhance his claims in coloured clothes for Australia. We would have Hopes as the clear favourite in the head-to-head batting market against Sarwan, probably at $1.80 with Sarwan at $2. But we see Lasseters has listed both men at $1.90 and we think Hopes is a good bet here. The Australian has enormous talent and hits the ball cleaner than just about anyone we've seen. We would prefer to have one unit on him at $1.90 rather than go putting too much into the match result at much shorter odds.