How the West Indies cricket schedule could help Everton win the FA Cup this year

The Times find an eerie coincidence that favours the Toffees

An interesting extract in today’s Times highlights an intriguing pattern that could bode well for Everton’s FA Cup prospects:

“Moyes would have hoped to avoid Sir Alex Ferguson’s team, who are on course for an unprecedented quadruple, but he may be comforted by the knowledge that on the five previous occasions Everton have won the FA Cup - in 1906, 1933, 1966, 1984 and 1995 - the West Indies cricket team have toured England. West Indies are due to play two Test matches in May.”

Posted: March 9th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Why England are unlikely to fight back against the Windies

Five useful betting links for the weekend

England’s second test in the Carribbean starts today, so here’s a reminder of why we think you shouldn’t back them
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Could Sean Penn still beat Mickey Rourke to the Best Actor gong at the Oscars?
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Our friends at The Money Bonzai think Middlesbrough will be relegated
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Posted: February 13th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Why Andrew Strauss’ England may struggle in the Caribbean

The first test against the West Indies starts tomorrow in Jamaica

Despite a turbulent few weeks, England travel to the Caribbean as 4/7 favourites to win the four-test series. Here are a few reasons why Andrew Strauss’ side will struggle:

» England have only won away to the West Indies once in the last 41 years.

» The visitors overall record from fourteen trips to the Caribbean reads: Played 14, Won 3, Tied 3 and Lost 3, giving them a win percentage of 21%.

» The West Indies have lost successive home test series on just one occasion in the last 38 years, which is a good omen for them as they lost their last one to Australia last year.

Posted: February 4th, 2009 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

England 33/1 to win ODI series after going 3-0 down

Improvement is not enough after light hands India D/L win

(Photo Credit: Anthony Devlin/PA Wire)

England delivered their best performance yet in India but it still wasn’t enough to earn victory after bad light stopped play, handing the hosts a sixteen-run win by the Duckworth-Lewis method.

The third straight loss means that England now need to win all four remaining ODIs to win the series and Bet365 have lengthened odds on that improbable recovery taking place to 33/1, while Ladbrokes are refusing to completely write Kevin Pietersen’s side off, instead placing them at 16/1.

Click here for all the latest odds.

Posted: November 20th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment

Five reasons to be upbeat about England’s chances of winning the series in India

Even though they are already about to lose ODI number one

England look almost certain to lose the first ODI in India but fear not, here at chickendinner we have uncovered five reasons why all hope is not yet lost:

1. England won a ODI series against India last year
It’s little over a year since England last clashed with India in a seven-game ODI series and on that occasion they were 4-3 victors. What made that achievement even more impressive was that India arrived on a great run of form having already beaten the West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and South Africa.

2. New captains fare well against India
England’s last two permanent one-day captains Michael Vaughan and Paul Collingwood were victorious in their first one day international series against India, while Vaughan’s predecessor Nasser Hussain led a comeback to salvage a 3-3 draw from a series that England were trailing 3-1 with two to play the first time he encountered India after taking over as captain.

3. India don’t have that great a home record against England
A lot of talk in the build-up to this series has been about the fact England haven’t won a series in India since 1985 but that negates to mention the fact India’s success two years ago marked their first home series win over England since 1982. In fact, if you take the aggregate score of England’s last four one-on-one ODI series in India then the hosts narrowly lead 12-11, which is hardly the massive home advantage that has been implied.

Posted: November 14th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | 2 Comments

Why KP could bring home the Ashes

England’s new captain could lead them to glory

It’s time to banish pessimism from the room and welcome his arch enemy optimism back to the table because Kevin Pietersen won his first test match as England captain. Of course, South Africa had nothing to play for because they’d already won the series but let’s just ignore that and drink in the good energy. Here’s why you should bet on England to win the Ashes:

» Sticking with Michael Vaughan would have been a bad decision - only twice since 1945 has anyone captained England to more than one Ashes victory.

» And the four men to captain England in more than one Ashes series since Mike Brearley’s third victory in 1981 have all lost their second series.

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» chickendinner superfact: England have won back-to-back home Ashes series on three occasions since 1945. On two of those occasions they switched captains between the two successes.

Posted: October 30th, 2008 by Michael Lintorn | Add Comment