Defending champions Australia will take nothing for granted when they take on surprise package Bangladesh in the super eight in Antigua.

The Aussies have so far been merciless in their quest to retain their title, notching up 4 wins in as many games, which has included wins over South Africa and hosts West Indies.Bangladesh represent the first out of two games where they are expected by everybody to take full points out of the game- the other being Ireland. The way they went about their job against the West Indies was impressive. Matthew Hayden is in the form of his life and has been an key reason for the success of the Aussies. Bracken and Tait are going about their job with the new ball very well- Bracken keeps it tight while Tait is a threat with his fast yorkers. Brad Hogg and McGrath took three wickets apiece against the West Indies on the same ground and Bangladesh should expect no less from them in this game.

Bangaldesh have surprised everybody by reaching here in the first place. They qualified from the so called group of death, behind Sri lanka. They beat New Zealand in one of their warm up games and then beat India and Bermuda in the group B. They did get whacked by  Sri Lanka, but this is an altogether new day. Bangladesh would like to draw inspiration from the Natwest Series game in Cardiff, where they shocked Australia by successfully chasing down 250. Mohammad Ashraful scored a century that day, and he will again play a key role. The Bangladeshi bowlers have generally done their job well, and if Mortaza and Rasel can keep Gilchrist and Hayden quiet in the initial overs, the spinners could pose big problems for the remaining batsmen. Saqibul Hassan has showed great maturity in this tournament and his all round skills will come in handy for Whatmore’s side.

Given the form that Australia are in, a repeat of that will surely ensure a Bangladeshi defeat. Bangladesh, however have nothing to lose and will go all out to try and sneak in a win. Hayden, Bracken and Hogg the men to watch out for.

This will be the second game on Saturday night. The winner of this game will play the winner of the game that was played earlier between Georgetown and Ohio State.

Florida has been waiting to get back to the Final Four ever since they won the National Championship last year. And now here they are facing the very same team they beat in the Championship Game last year, the UCLA Bruins.

Last year’s game wasn’t very close. Florida won it easily behind the play of Joakim Noah. But this year may be a little different.

UCLA plays very good defense and the defense they play either leads them to victory or defeat. So the Bruins will try to slow down the Gators high-powered offense. The last thing UCLA wants to do is get into a running contest with Florida.

Florida has great size and their big guys, especially Noah and Al Horford, can run and handle the ball. That is what makes Florida so tough to beat. They have a lot of size and a lot of talent.

But in the last few games Florida has had a tendency to start slowly. If they do that against UCLA then they may find themselves in a lot of trouble. If UCLA builds a decent lead they will clamp down on defense and slow down the game. The Florida Gators will have to try to press the tempo and that could very well play right into the hands of the Bruins.

UCLA certainly has the athletes to compete against the Gators. They are very quick, especially on the defensive end of the floor. They will try to trap the ball handler and force Florida into turning the ball over.

It’s likely that UCLA will try to spread out the Gators defense. They will want to draw the Gators big men away from the basket so that other players can penetrate to the basket. By doing this they will hope to take away the Gators’ size advantage.

Florida will want to take good care of the ball when they have it. They’ll try to push the ball up the floor quickly so that UCLA doesn’t have time to set-up any type of trapping defense. The Gators will want to run their offense around Horford and Noah.

Florida has a lot of confidence heading into this game. They are the defending champs and they beat this UCLA team last year. But UCLA has revenge on their minds. They want to get back at Florida and win another Championship for the storied Bruins program.

This game should be a lot of fun to watch.

After more than two weeks of NCAA Tournament March Madness, it’s finally down to the Final Four. And the four teams that are surviving are all capable of winning it all.

The first game on Saturday night will feature the Georgetown Hoyas and the Ohio State Buckeyes. This is a match-up of the Big Ten champion (Ohio State) against the Big East champion (Georgetown). Ohio State is a number one seed while Georgetown is a number two seed.

This game may very well come down to the battle of two big men.

Ohio State has freshman Greg Oden while Georgetown has junior Roy Hibbert. Oden is an even seven feet tall while Hibbert is seven feet two inches tall.

This battle should be a blast to watch. There hasn’t been a match-up of big men like this in the Final Four in many years.

Ironically enough, this game that features these huge centers may be decided by whichever big man plays the least. They’ll both be going at each other when they’re both in the game. So, it will be important for each of them to play good defense and stay out of foul trouble. If one of them has to leave the game because of foul trouble then the balance of power may tip toward the other team.

But there will be plenty of other players to watch in this game as well.

The battle of the point guards will be fun to watch as well. Ohio State’s Mike Conley Jr. is another freshman who is quick and can penetrate. He will be counted on to push the ball up the court and to penetrate and score or dish to Oden or a shooter on the perimeter.

For Georgetown Jonathan Wallace is a sharp shooter from the outside. He’ll have to shoot well if the Buckeyes decide to double down on Hibbert and the Hoyas’ other big man Jeff Green.

The starters for both of these teams seem pretty well matched. So it may come down to the benches for each team. Ohio State’s bench is very deep and talented. The subs for the Buckeyes are almost as good as the starters. Meanwhile, Georgetown’s bench is adequate but it doesn’t come close to Ohio State’s level of talent or depth.

This first game should be a lot of fun to watch. Either of these teams is capable of winning it all on Monday night. It’ll be great to watch the big dog form the Big Team clash against the big dogs from the Big East.

The title of this post would have given you the impression that we are talking about a football game between England and Ireland. Surprisingly, the sport is not football but cricket and this is the first time that England has met any of its neighbours in the second stage of the World Cup.

England qualified second behind New Zealand in Group C. They won 2 out of their three games there-against Kenya and Canada. The English haven’t played such cricket that would set the alarm bells ringing in the opposition camps, and this is the right time for Michael Vaughan’s side to start peaking. Ireland’s first ODI was against England, and the man who made a century for England that day is not in the squad- Marcus Trescothick. England do have an ace up their sleeve in the form of Ed Joyce- who is Irish by birth and knows many of the Irish players. Joyce has played for Ireland in the ICC trophy, and England will need all the tips he can provide. Dalyrymple may be brought back to provide England the option of another spinner.
Ireland,who were expected to be back home by this stage of the tournament, have proved to be the surprise package of the tournament. An upset victory over Pakistan and a last ball tie against Zimbabwe have propelled Andy Birell’s side to the super eight. Captain Trent Johnston is back for the Irish after missing the last game against the West Indies. The strength of the Irish lies in their bowling. Boyd Rankin, with his height can unsettle many batsmen with the bounce he gets off the pitch. They bowl straight and the likes of Johnston, Botha and Langford Smith are pretty economical. Having said that, I feel that the Irish do have a slight problem with their batting.They can bat, but they do not look capable of posting a score above 250. 200 has been difficult for them to achieve, and when you come to these games, 200 won’t win you games.One of the reasons for that is their inability to string up a big, big partnership at the top of the order. Usually it is one man who holds the innings together, and the rest chip in with 10’s and 20’s. Eoin Morgan hasn’t fired in this tournament, and he will be keen to show why he is so highly regarded.

This IMO will be England’s game. They just have too much class for the Irish, and if the English play normally, there is no reason why they should not win. But if they do have an off day like the Pakistanis did, Ireland might pull off another upset here.Joyce to play a good innings at the top of the order, and Panesar to run through the Irish on a ground which appears to assist the slower bowlers

The last thing visiting teams see before running out in front of 45,000 Liverpool fans is an iconic sign which reads ‘This is Anfield’ they should really add a line stating ‘We usually win’. Liverpool have lost just once in 15 home league games this season, the same number of defeats inflicted the whole of last term. Fourth placed Liverpool face Arsenal, the team one point above them in the crucial 3rd automatic qualification spot for next season’s Champions league. This key clash is the pick of the weekend’s Premiership action, where as ever Pinnaclesports.com’s Asian Handicap pricing is up to 60% better than traditional bookmakers.

Gunners Planning Another Raid on Fortress Anfield
Though Anfield is a Premiership fortress, the Gunners recorded two humiliating Cup defeats over four days in January, with a 9-4 aggregate score, which is put in perspective by the fact that the Reds have only conceded four home league goals all season. Arsenal also dished out a humiliating 3-0 victory over the Scousers at the Emirates Stadium so Rafa Benitez will certainly be demanding retribution. His captain, Steven Gerrard, rescued England’s blushes with two goals against Andorra on Wednesday, and is likely to be instrumental here.

Arsenal’s season has gone downhill fast since those inspirational wins here in January. They have been knocked out of all cup competitions, including the Champions league, and must now focus on maintaining third place, for which this game will be critical. The Gunners are definitely without Thierry Henry and Theo Walcott for the remainder of the season, while Robin Van Persie is only expected to return toward the end of April. Though Arsene Wenger has plenty of talented cover, the 1-0 defeat just over the road at Goodison Park in the Londoners most recent Premiership outing, was the fourth loss in their five away games in all competitions, so heads look like they are dropping. Pinnaclesports.com see Liverpool as favourites 2.00 (0/scratch & -0.5) with Arsenal 1.926 (0/scratch & +0.5), and the slim Asian Handicap reflects the expectation of close game despite recent form suggesting otherwise.

Red Devils Sweating on Ronaldo Fitness
Alex Ferguson has been in football management for 33 years and his experience will have taught him that to succeed you sometimes need a little piece of good fortune. United have been playing fantastic attacking football this term producing 70 goals, which is 16 more than their nearest rivals Chelsea, and losing just once at Old Trafford, but they have also be lucky to avoid significant injuries - up until now that is. Cristiano Ronaldo is favourite for the Premiership Player of the Year having scored 16 league goals from midfield, and credited with 11 assists, but a heel injury picked up on midweek international duty has made him doubtful for this game, and that could be critical for the Red Devils, starting with their home game against Blackburn on Saturday. United are already short on strikers, with Saha and Solskjaer recovering, so the absence of Ronaldo would create a real problem, particularly with the Champions league on the horizon.

Rovers are coached by United legend, Mark Hughes, whose no-nonsense managerial style is modelled on his mentor, Alex Ferguson. Hughes delights in getting one over his old boss in this Lancashire derby, as with last season when Blackburn won 2-1 at the Theatre of Dreams, which followed a draw in the fixture in 2004. Blackburn are in rude form at present losing just one of their last seven games, their last outing at home to struggling West Ham, in which they were robbed by some astonishingly bad refereeing decisions. Man Utd are favoured by Pinnaclesports.com on their Asian Handicap 2.23 (-1.5) with Blackburn 1.752 (+1.5) but some punters will be prepared to oppose United on those terms should Ronaldo sit the game out.

Chelsea Expected to Swat Hornets
Chelsea are maintaining the pressure on United hoping that the Premiership leaders slip up soon. The current Champions have recorded six straight Premiership victories without conceding, their defensive invisibility should be helped by the return to form of John Terry and Peter Cech, while up front Andriy Shevchenko is finally finding his feet in English football opening the scoring in Chelsea’s last two wins. The Blues should be expected to pick up another three points at Vicarage Road, where Watford have won just twice this season.

The Hornets are bottom of the Premiership, a position they have occupied for virtually the entire season, and were on the end of a 4-0 hammering in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge. Even if Frank Lampard’s broken wrist keeps him out of the game, Jose Mourinho has more than enough quality in his squad to win this game, and Pinnaclesports.com rate Chelsea 2.11 (-1.5) on their Asian Handicap, with Watford 1.826 (+1.5).

After the international break, Barcelona’s multinational squad will reassemble to resume the defence of their La Liga title. Barca and Sevilla are locked together at the top of the Spanish top flight with the Catalans ahead by virtue of a superior goal-difference. They host Deportivo La Coruna at the Nou Camp on Saturday, looking to maintain the pressure on their rivals, and Pinnaclesports.com has priced this and every La Liga game, offering up to 60% better Odds than traditional bookmakers.

Barca Hoping to Take Advantage of Depor’s Away Day Blues
Comfortable in mid-table, courtesy of reliable home form, La Coruna’s season is all about their Copa del Ray semi-final against Sevilla, which should they pass could mean a final against Barcelona. The sides drew 1-1 at the Riazor earlier this season, but given that Depor have won just twice away from home all season, and Frank Rijkaard’s team are unbeaten at home, the bare form suggests a Barca win. Deportivo are however, better than that away record suggests. Their two away wins both came in February, and they have lost just once in seven road trips, while keeping clean sheets in five of their last eight games (home & away).

Barcelona’s exit from the Champion’s league rocked the club, which was already unsteady from rumours of internal friction. Recent key La Liga results have also been disappointing, including defeats by Sevilla and Valencia, along with a crazy 3-3 draw in El Classico with Real Madrid. Rijkaard will be looking for a return to form in this home tie, but judging on recent meetings Depor are unlikely to lie-down though they are without top-scorer Javier Arizmendu, who is suspended. Pinnaclesports.com price Barcelona 2.05 (-1.5) with Deportivo La Coruna 1.885 (+1.5) but in the last 15 meetings Deportivo have the advantage having won seven times against Barca’s six. Though the Catalans have won the last two meetings with home advantage, the victories were both by a single goal, and you have to go back to 1999 for the last occasion Barcelona would have covered Pinnacle’s Handicap in this particular fixture.

Success or Adios for Capello
Real Madrid are currently five points behind Sevilla and Barcelona, and unless coach, Fabio Capello, can galvanise his side to overhaul that gap by the end of the season, he is unlikely to be in charge next season. There has been continued speculation surrounding the Italian’s future, but that is nothing new for Real Madrid, where success is demanded not expected. This pressure may explain why Los Blancos have picked up more points on the road, and also have a better scoring record away from the expectations of the Bernabeu. Madrid have another opportunity to add to their away tally when they visit struggling Celta Vigo, who have the worst home record in La Liga.

Vigo have won just one game at home this season, and given their woeful form at the Balaidos, it is no surprise that the Celtinas are in a relegation battle, just one point above the relegation zone. Coach, Fernando Vazquez, will take some comfort from the 2-1 win in the reverse fixture, but Pinnaclesports.com see Madrid as favourites, 2.05 (-0.5) with Celta Vigo 1.885 (+0.5).

Sevilla Have Score to Settle with Osasuna
Sevilla’s season is entering a critical stage, with the club chasing realistic chances in three competitions. Coach, Juande Ramos, could be forgiven for thinking that luck is smiling on his side, after a header from goalkeeper, Andres Palop, kept alive their defence of the UEFA Cup. With such success however, comes the problems of fixture congestion, added to which Ramos will hope that his multi-national squad return safely from recent overseas duty.

Apart from the motivation of attempting to win La Liga, Sevilla have revenge on their mind. These clubs finished last season on the same number of points, but Osasuna grabbed the vital fourth place (allowing Champions league qualification) because of their head-to-head record with Sevilla. Osasuna failed to reach the group phase, but are still in the UEFA Cup, where these clubs could yet meet. In any case the game at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, looks likely to be a low scoring affair. Though Sevilla have an unrivalled home record, on the road they are less secure, failing to score in four of their last five away league fixtures, while Osasuna have notched up just one goal in their last four at home. In reaction to these sides’ poor goal-scoring form and the expected tension, Pinnaclesports.com have set the goals total at two, with the Over pegged at 1.769, and Under 2.20.