Ashes betting tips: England are underdogs Down Under
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Preview and odds for the Ashes series
It is 10 years since Andrew Strauss lifted the famous Ashes urn aloft in Sydney and Joe Root is hoping to record his first Ashes series win as captain as we pick out some Ashes betting tips.
England will be buoyed by the return of Ben Stokes to add vital runs and balance to their line-up, while Pat Cummins will skipper Australia for the first time following the resignation of Tim Paine.
All of the action can be seen on BT Sport as we take an early look at the most historic series in test cricket.
Who will lift the urn?
Australia are the 2/7 favourites to make it three straight Ashes victories on home soil, with it 6/1 for them to repeat the 4-0 win they secured in 2017/2018.
The last rendition of the Ashes resulted in the Aussies retaining the famous urn following a 2-2 series draw. The same scoreline is 8/1 this time, while a drawn series is 7/1 in Ashes betting tips.
England are 9/2 for a shock victory away from home, with the visitors 2/5 to win at least one Test but 7/4 to suffer a series defeat to nil.
If England are to be successful then Stokes could prove key and it is 10/1 for the all-rounder to top England’s run-scoring charts in an Ashes victory for the Three Lions.
Root runs are crucial
It is no surprise to see Root as 5/6 favourite to be top England runscorer on the back of a fine 2021.
The England skipper is yet to score a Test match hundred Down Under, but having racked up 1455 runs at 66.13 in 2021, it would be no surprise to see the Yorkshireman amend the record this winter.
Dawid Malan topped the England run-scoring charts the last time they visited Australia and he is 5/1 to do so once again in Ashes betting tips.
A fine stroke-player against fast bowling, he looks the perfect man to fill the tricky number three position, while Jos Buttler is 16/1 to replicate his white-ball form in the Test arena.
Warner’s last hurrah
David Warner’s days in an Australia shirt looked numbered heading into the recent T20 World Cup, but he answered his critics in style by powering Australia to the trophy with 289 runs and scooping the player-of-the-tournament award.
The flat Australian wickets, combined with the Kookaburra ball, can nullify the threat of his old nemesis Stuart Broad and he is 3/1 to lead the Australia run charts at the end of the series in Ashes betting tips.
Steve Smith notched up 687 runs in 2017/18 and 774 runs in 2019 and the recently appointed vice-captain is 5/2 to be the leading overall runscorer for a third straight Ashes series.
Pink ball tests could decide outcome
The Covid-19 situation in Australia could swing the balance in England’s favour if the final Test match, scheduled for Perth, is switched to Melbourne and under the lights of the MCG.
Indeed, swing is the crucial word and James Anderson will be licking his lips at the opportunity of a second Test with a pink ball in his hand.
England’s most decorated bowler is 11/4 to be his side’s leading wicket taker, while Ollie Robinson burst onto the scene this summer and the Sussex seamer is listed as joint favourite.
Mark Wood’s pace sees him a viable option at 9/2 in that market, while Stokes’ return could present an opportunity for Jack Leach to figure in the series and the Somerset spinner is 7/1 in the Ashes odds.
Cummins is 15/8 to be Australia’s leading wicket taker, but if the burden of captaincy weighs heavily on his shoulders, then Josh Hazelwood or Mitchell Starc could be the men to fight it out for that prize, both available at 3/1.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
