Free cricket betting tips: Royal London One-Day Cup preview

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2pts Callum Ferguson top Worcestershire batsman at 3/1

4pts Derbyshire to beat Nottinghamshire at 15/8

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North Group table-toppers Worcestershire and Warwickshire meet in a mouthwatering clash in front of the Sky Sports cameras at Edgbaston on Thursday.

Warwickshire, the 8/11 favourites, have won each of their last four completed games and handsome recent victories over Durham and Leicestershire have seen veterans Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell right back to their very best.

With the exciting Olly Stone and Jeetan Patel leading a formidable bowling attack, they look to have most bases covered and will be handful for any side to face this year.

However, they play host to a Worcestershire (6/5) side that have made a fine habit of getting the better of tight matches in this year's competition and come into this clash having amassed 348 against Northamptonshire on Sunday.

Cameron Ferguson's arrival has been a huge boost to Worcestershire, the Australian making scores 192, 6 and 159 not out in his three outings for the club so far, and he looks best equipped to counter the formidable Warwickshire attack.

Ferguson is a high-class operator who has been criminally underused by Australia over the years - Ferguson averages 41.43 from 30 matches in ODI's - and he is unlucky not to have added to his sole Test appearance.

With next year's Ashes to be staged in England, it looks a shrewd move for Ferguson to gain some experience on these shores and don't be surprised if he were to make a late bid for a recall next summer.

Worcestershire's strong batting line up also includes Moeen Ali and Joe Clarke - two more players pushing hard for international honours - but the former hasn't been quite at his best with the bat of late while Clarke, for all he is a player of immense potential, is still developing in this form of the game.

Given his outstanding recent form, Ferguson looks the best bet at the 3/1 mark.

Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire are two teams from the North Group in the hunt for the knockout stages and they meet in a crunch encounter at Trent Bridge.

The hosts are best priced 1/2 favourites but they won't be taking Derbyshire lightly.

There is little between the sides in the table having won four apiece in the competition so far and at 15/8, Derbyshire have to be the bet.

Following a bright start to their campaign, Derbyshire have suffered a little bit of a wobble more recently but they did beat Northamptonshire in impressive fashion only a couple of games ago and remain an exciting white-ball outfit.

Following a fine run to the quarter-finals stage of last year's Natwest t20 Blast, Derbyshire appear to have maintained their white-ball progression and have registered big wins over the likes of Warwickshire and Durham in this competition already.

Key to their success has been the form of Ben Godleman, who has amassed 505 runs at an average of 84.16 so far, and his opening partner Ben Slater - 381 runs at 63.50.

Injury to Luis Reece has left them with a hole to fill in the middle order but the likes of Will Madsen and Gary Wilson have plenty of experience while the bowling - boasting names such as Duane Oliver, Ravi Rampaul and Hardus Viljoen - boasts plenty of pace and know how.

As ever, Nottinghamshire have a strong array of talent at their disposal but heavy defeats at the hands of Northamptonshire and Warwickshire illustrate that they are far from bombproof and Durham really ought to have chased down 256 against them most recently.

With plenty at stake and the pressure gauge sure to be ramped up, there won't be much between the two sides and therefore Derbyshire must be backed at the prices.

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