Cricket: Royal London Cup Preview & Betting Tips

• Royal London Cup (RL50)
• Tuesday August 2 - Saturday September 17, 2022

All counties will be affected by availability, with their star players featuring in the Hundred.

Obviously, some are hit more than others. Champions Glamorgan, for example, only miss one player in veteran Australian seamer Michael Hogan, while Surrey miss a dozen.

Lancashire are the favourites to win this event, and for me rightly so.

Keaton Jennings is their stand-in captain with Dane Vilas out injured (finger), while names such as Tom Bailey, Josh Bohannon, Steven Croft, Danny Lamb, Will Williams and Washington Sundar are amongst those available.

They are 8/1 to win the competition with bet365, and that is a price I would be taking. Despite them missing seven players to Hundred duty, they have a squad which can cope.

Graham Hardcastle's Cricket Tips

Royal London Cup

Lancashire look the justified favourites to win the event

Get 8/1 on Lancashire to win the Royal London Cup at bet365

At 8/1 a £10 bet would return £90

Royal London Cup 2022

August 02, 2022

10:00 am BST

The Format

The 18 counties are split into two groups. The top team in each advances directly to the semi-finals, while second plays third in the other group in an effective quarter-final.

It is a surprise to me that Yorkshire are joint favourites alongside Lancashire. They have lost nine players to the Hundred and have other injuries to contend with. Their bowling attack is light.

Equally, I’m very surprised to see their opening day opponents tomorrow Northamptonshire as rank outsiders at 33/1. Like 10/1 shot Glamorgan, they have only lost one player to the Hundred - all-rounder Josh Cobb - and made a decent fist of the Vitality Blast earlier this season. They were on course for quarter-final qualification before falling away late on.

I would be having on a couple of quid on them each way. bet365′s e/w for this tournament is the first two places. So, Northants need to reach next month’s final to return money.

Graham Hardcastle's Cricket Tips

Royal London Cup

Rank outsiders Northants look worth an each way punt

Get 33/1 Northants (ew) to win the Royal London Cup at bet365

At 33/1 a £10 win bet would return £340

Royal London Cup 2022

August 02, 2022

10:00 am BST

* Odds correct at the time of writing. Subject to changes.

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