tadley

It's hard to ignore the form of Wessel Nijman. He may not have established himself as a TV-stage player, but on floor events he has been sensational. He won the recent Players events 8 and 10 and reached the semi-final of the European Tour last time. I'd expect him to be at the business end again.

Delhi failed to defend 264 against Punjab, which, as far as I know, is the highest total never defended. That doesn't overly worry me, as wickets like that are a bit of a joke and not a true representation of the strength of the teams. What was worrying, though, was how poorly they fielded. Kohli for RCB is always guaranteed a good score and seems to be batting at a faster rate these days. When you have the likes of Tim David and Krunal Pandya down the order, who are quality finishers, RCB are a tough side to beat.

Espanyol are strong favourites despite Levante's good form and the fact Espanyol haven't won a single game this year. Espanyol are now 15 games without a win, so look opposable, with Levante getting a start. Levante have won three of their last four and are giving themselves a chance of avoiding relegation. One of those wins was against European football-chasing Getafe, who are playing far better than Espanyol.

Brentford have drawn their last five games, and it wouldn't surprise me if this ended that way as well. Playing away doesn't seem to faze them, as they have just one defeat in their last eight games. Man United lost their last home game to Leeds, so they don't look appealing to win at such short odds.

With Yoro probably still out, Ayden Heaven should get another chance tonight. He played against Chelsea and had a solid game, not being afraid to put himself about. Despite playing very limited minutes this season, he has still picked up two yellows. I don't see him escaping one tonight

Yankees lost last time vs the Astros, but prior to that they had won eight on the trot. I think they bounce back tonight as I simply don't see the Rangers scoring many. Globe Life Park is a tricky place to bat. The excellent Max Fried starts on the mound for the Yankees, and the Yankees have conceded the second-lowest amount of runs conceded in the MLB. Jack Leiter starts for the Rangers, who is very hittable. As the Yankees are the better hitting team anyway, they look the clear favourites.

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.