Top Batsman Betting

There is a long-held view in cricket that batters are the bricklayers of a team. They put in place the building blocks, and it's the bowler's job to protect the house! 

The importance of batting deep (having players who can score runs throughout the line-up) is now a fundamental element of most professional teams. Indeed, it's rare to see a lower-order batsman with no technical ability. In the older days, you would find many a tail-ender scraping the technique barrel, shuffling across their wickets and tentatively prodding away in the hope of flashing an edge over the slips for four runs. In the modern era, most teams focus on packing their teams with all-rounders, with exceptions for some undroppable bowling talent. 

With improving depth in international batting stocks, it does make predicting the top-scoring batsman a tricky affair.

In the article below, we will list the tips and tricks for picking winners in this market, indications of what constitutes a player in form, and examples of how to interpret the best value for money. 

What is the Likely Profile of a Top Batsman?

We don't have any past tournament Major League Cricket stats to pour over, so it's impossible to identify any trends. However, we can look to other competitions to establish a profile. 

For example, in the Indian Premier League (IPL), all previous top-scoring batters have been openers. In the Big Bash League in Australia, the five highest individual scores were all made by Australians. In the Pakistan Super League, there have been some insane totals. In the 2023 season, the Multan Sultans hit 262/3 at a run rate of just over 13 per over throughout the innings. 

We know opening batsman fare well in the top batsman betting market, but local knowledge can also go a long way! It may be worth checking out some US-based upper-order batters to top the scoring stakes. They will be attractively priced compared to their more illustrious counterparts and may surprise a few onlookers. 

Remember, the opening batsman is responsible for setting the tone of the innings, with the aim of scoring as many runs as possible while minimizing the loss of wickets. It makes the role of the opening batsman crucial in determining the match's outcome.

As a result, openers tend to face more deliveries than others in the team, giving them a greater opportunity to score runs and build a substantial innings. Additionally, they are often more skilled at facing the new ball, which can swing and seam more than an older ball, making it harder for other batters to score runs.

Moreover, opening batsmen are less likely to come into bat when the team is under pressure, such as when several wickets have fallen quickly or when the run rate is high. They tend to have more time to build their innings and score runs steadily, making them more consistent and reliable performers.

Overall, these factors make opening batters more likely to top the scoring ranks and, therefore, more attractive to bet on. However, it's worth noting that there are exceptions to this rule. Any player's performance can vary depending on various factors, such as the conditions, the quality of the opposition, and their form and confidence.

Research the Pitch

The pitch is one of the essential elements to consider when betting on the top batsman market. A pitch can be flat or slow and favor spin or pace bowlers. Before betting, it is integral to research the surface and determine its characteristics. A flat pitch favors batters, while a slow pitch can favor spin bowlers.

All the games will take place at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas, known to get spicy hot in the summer sun's heat. Expect dry pitches conducive to bouncy surfaces and spinning decks but with quick-scoring potential! 

Analyze the Form of Players

At first glance, interpreting a cricket player's performance seems simple. Even the most fairweather fan can identify form - they need only to check out the player's previous run of innings. 

However, a career average is crucial to a broader picture of their skill level. These averages capture a player's performance over many matches in a given format and indicate their ability in a much more comprehensive way. 

For example, Virat Kohli's ODI average of 59.00 signifies that, on average, he scores 24 more runs per innings than his teammate Ajinkya Rahane, who averages just 35.0 in the same format. It's evident that Kohli is more likely to succeed in the market than Rahane. 

Can Your Top Batsman Withstand the Stress?

Has a team lost a few games in a row? Is tension coursing through the team in a short and brutal tournament format that can see the pressure mount in no time? These are just some of the questions you must ask before betting on a batter to top score for any of the Major League Cricket franchises. 

Pressure plays a vital role in cricket, and batters often bear the brunt given that when they're at the crease, they are fending off 11 highly competitive and top-quality players desperate to claim their wicket. 

Ultimately, cricket is a game of skill as much as it is a game of mental strength. When players are under pressure, such as when the game is on the line, they must perform to the best of their abilities. Pressure can reveal a player's mental toughness, resilience, and ability to handle stress. It's a massive factor when placing your best top batsman bets ahead of betting on Major League Cricket. 

Evaluate the Opposing Bowlers

The quality of the opposing bowlers is another critical factor to consider when betting on the top batsman market. A top batter may struggle against quality bowlers who can exploit their weaknesses. For instance, if the opposing bowlers are excellent at bowling spin, a top batsman who struggles against spin may not be the best bet for the top scorer.

You can use online search tools to research a batter's record against a particular bowling style. We recommend using ESPN Cricinfo as a trustworthy and well-researched source on all your pre-match cricket betting strategies. 

Look for Value in the Odds

When betting on the top batsman market, looking for value in the odds is essential. Value betting involves finding odds higher than the actual probability of an event occurring. It is critical to compare the odds of different bookmakers and look for value in the odds - at CricketBetAmerica, we endeavour to do the bulk of the research for you. If a bookmaker offers higher odds for a top batsman we deem to have a better chance of emerging as top scorer, we will highlight it in our full match preview. 

Who will Represent Good Top Batsman Bets in the Major League Cricket season?

Despite its infancy, some massive names are making their debut in the Major League Cricket season, which will attract plenty of cricket bets in the top batsman market. 

We've earmarked the top five players who we think will prove the best top batsman bets whenever they play this season. 

Quinton de Kock

The South African international recently hit the fastest Twenty20 century for his country leading an incredible, world-record chase against the West Indies. 

Mitchell Marsh

A seasoned professional on the international stage, Marsh boasts an impressive T20I average in the late twenties and a strike rate of over 125. 

Aaron Finch 

A man that needs no introduction, even to the fair weather fan! The ex-Australian skipper has tormented bowling attacks around the world for over a decade and will always provide value for money in the top batsman market. His T20I average is in the mid-thirties, and he has an eye-boggling strike rate of more than 140. 

Steven Taylor

Arguably the greatest USA batsman of all time, Steven Taylor ticks some of the boxes we earmarked at the top of this article. He's a local player, with knowledge of US cricket grounds and the grounds people in charge. It will represent one of the biggest stages of his career, and we expect him to shine. 

Marcus Stoinis

A fearsome middle-order batsman with the ability to swing the momentum of a game within a few overs, Stoinis has hit the second-highest individual in Big Bash League history. His 147 not out from just 79 balls came for the Melbourne Stars against the Sydney Sixers in January 2020. Although bats as a middle-order batsman, don't be surprised to see him utilized up the order for the San Francisco Unicorns.