tadley

Davis Martin starts for the White Sox on the mound. he has an impressive 2.04 ERA after four starts. That would normally give the Sox an edge, but not with the opposition's pitcher. Soriano has been sensational on the mound for the Angels with a 5-0 record and a 0.24 ERA. He has pitched 37.2 innings, struck out 43 batters, and given up just one earned run. He's bound to regress somewhat, but in this form it's hard to oppose him.

Globe Life Stadium is a hard place to score runs. Of the 13 matches played there, 11 have gone under. Schittler pitches for the Yankees, who had a sub-3.00 ERA last season and this season a 1.77 ERA, with just 7 earned runs in 31.1 innings work. deGrom starts for the Rangers; he is a quality pitcher who has posted impressive ERAs for years. This year he's pitched 20.2 innings and given up just 3 earned runs. In his last start he struck out 10 batters as well. Although the Yankees' bullpen is pretty average, the Rangers' bullpen is performing better than anyone's in April. So I like the under.

Veronika Erjavec has made her way into the top 100 for the first time this year and looks to have a very winnable game here. She does well on clay, with her last four years' form reading W109 L52. Lansere is better on hard court, with most of her clay wins coming at W35 or W50 level. She looks second best in this one.

Murphy was in sensational form in the last round, banging in 4 centuries plus 7 other breaks of 60 or more. He continued that form, reeling off 5 straight and turning the game around for a 5-3 lead over Xintong. However, Xintong showed at the recent Tour Championship that he can rattle off frames for fun, even against the elite, when beating Higgins 10-1 in the semi and Trump 10-3 in the final. A two-frame deficit won't phase him.

Darius van Driel's best performances have come on tree-lined fairways. It's little wonder, as he always ranks high in the driving accuracy rankings. His one win on the DP Tour came at the tree-lined Kenya Open, and it's not the only time he's performed well on courses such as this. He was a solid 8th last time, so he carries momentum into this.

Liv star David Puig tries his luck at the Turkish Open, and in fairness he is clearly the best player in it. He warmed up for this with a 2nd to Rahm in Mexico City, and if he produces his game he is surely the one to beat.

It's a chaotic PSL this season with no crowds, just two venues, and substandard players due to them bizarrely scheduling it against the IPL. Qalandars won last season and have won three of the last four. They retain a strong squad. They possibly have the best selection of bowlers, and although the batting could be said to be a bit too heavy, there is quality there. I expect a strong performance from them.

According to the bookies, Gujarat Titans are the second-worst side in the competition, but I don't see it. Jos Buttler is a concern after a poor T20 World Cup campaign, but he is too good a player to keep playing that badly. I see him enjoying the fresh start. Even if he underperforms, there are enough quality batters in the side to step up. I also like their mix of bowlers and can see them going deep.

Mumbai Indians look the strongest side on paper and should go well. They had the best net run rate last season but just missed out on the play-offs by one point. They have a wealth of batting talent to choose from, although perhaps they are over-reliant on Bumrah in the bowling department. That may not matter, as I see them posting consistently high scores.

I'm just not convinced by Boult at the moment and think Bumrah is a much more reliable option. You can guarantee he will play his full quota of overs each match and simply looks the best, most consistent wicket-taker.

Clare won in 2024, but last year it didn't go well. Severe injury problems probably took their toll. They look in better shape this time and can certainly mix it with the best.

Lancashire underperformed, finishing 5th despite having a strong squad. They've really impressed with signings over the winter, enrolling quality players at this level, so I see them doing a lot better than 5th.

Warwickshire finished down in 5th last season but were hampered by drawing nine games, the most in the league. They've strengthened their squad and look capable of a better performance this season.

Verstappen kept himself in the title race last season despite clearly not having the best car. That speaks volumes about his skill, which should see him once again go well this season. Despite him slamming the new regulation, it should be to his benefit as he has the skills to master the new designs. The Red Bull has looked very promising in practice, so I rate him as the most likely winner.