SNOOKER analyst George Weyham (@GWSnookerTips) shares two selections from Thursday’s Champions of Champions action.
Barry Hawkins v Mark Allen | Thursday 8th November 2018, 14:30 | ITV4
Mark Allen captured ranking tournament number four of his career in Daqing last week, so comes to Coventry with real confidence and momentum. He faces Barry Hawkins in the second match on Thursday.
On his way to the title last week, Allen compiled a savage 14 centuries in his six victories – that’s an average of a century every three frames he won in the tournament. As well as his 14 tons, he also made 14 other breaks over 50.
Of his 14 centuries in China, nine were over 110 points, which leads me to one of my advised bet on Thursday. Allen looks generously priced at 5/2 to make a break of 111 or more against Hawkins with SkyBet. It’s a match, going on form, he’s entitled to win. Of his 20 tons this season, 10 have been over 110.
Allen is a best price 6/5 to make Over 0.5 centuries (Bet365). A break over 110 won’t necessarily require a total clearance. I think it’s a big jump from 6/5 to 5/2 for just 11 extra points. Plus, you know Allen is in blistering form. He’s an outstanding break-builder.
Allen and Hawkins have played each other 17 times. Allen leads the head-to-head 10-7. They have played each other twice in best of 25 matches at the World Championship. If you exclude the tons in those matches (contained seven), in the other 15 encounters, which include matches in best of 11/9/7/5, there’s been 16 centuries between them. Nine of them were in best of 7 or 5.
At the same stage in this event in 2015, Allen won 4-2, with two centuries in the match. Of the 23 altogether in 17 matches, Allen hit seven over 110. Hawkins grabbed five. So regularly there are centuries when these two collide (incidentally it’s 11/10 for the match Highest Break to be over 110 points with SkyBet, whilst Bet365 price 4/9 on there being a century or more in the match).
I was tempted by Allen to have most centuries in the match at 9/5 but Hawkins is a mean ton man himself this season with 14. And that’s why I don’t want to leave him untouched at 3/1 to net a break over 110 points as well (6/4 to get over 0.5 centuries with Bet365).
The Kent man is a very underrated break-builder. Of his 14 tons this season, he’s struck seven over 110. I’m more confident on the Northern Irishman out the pair, but Hawkins is too classy to ignore at 3/1. He also loves the one table set-ups as it is at Coventry.
The form ‘The Pistol’ is in, and the breaks he’s been making the last week or so, gives us plenty of encouragement, the 5/2 on a break over 110, is very doable indeed. It would be mad to leave Hawkins out of the same bet equation too.
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Barry Hawkins v Mark Allen – Mark Allen highest match break Over 110 points (5/2 SkyBet)
Barry Hawkins v Mark Allen – Barry Hawkins highest match break Over 110 points (3/1 SkyBet)
