Australia

We keep waiting for Ireland to wake up and play like we know they can. They were made to look very laborious in their opening match against the USA, in which the Americans played with a tremendous amount of spirit, even though they never threatened that often themselves. The USA were more than happy to take on the Irish up front though, and if lesser teams are willing to do that, targeting weakness in the Irish game, then Ireland could be a lot of trouble. It is no secret that they are not in the greatest form of their lives, but they are still expected to follow Australia through from their pool. So this is being billed as the big clash, with first place at stake from this one. Ireland’s 22-10 win over the United States should have been more convincing from the Europeans, but they still look a long way short on confidence and a cohesive game plan. Still, coach Declan Kidney will  no doubt be happy to have at least gotten that first match win under his belt, so that he can move ahead. Ireland are still in with a more than reasonable chance to move ahead to the quarter finals, but their big match will come against Italy. As for Australia, well, our tip for the RWC title got off to a convincing enough start, thumping Italy 32-6 and picking up a bonus point in the process. Really Australia should not lose this group, as the Tri Nations team have been growing in stature all year. They are such an exciting young side, with great individual talent, superb running lines and with the ability to attack from deep. You would still want to see a world class goal kicker in their side to make them even better, but that shouldn’t effect them too much until later in the tournament when games get harder. Australia are firm favourites to take victory against the Irish here, the Wallabies will be more suited to the conditions and in much more of a confident mood than the Irish. You can see that in their body language and team spirit. The Wallabies have the strength to bully Ireland up front and smash through any cracks, but it is in the open where they will really be able to punish the Europeans.

Australia v Ireland Rugby World Cup betting odds
Australia to win: 1/5 at SkyBet
Draw: 28/1 at Bet365
Ireland to win: 11/2 at SportingBet

The two nations have come together 29 times before in internationals, with Australia winning 20 and Ireland winning just 8, with one draw. Their last meeting was a 22-15 win for the Wallabies back in June of 2010, and the match before that was a tense 20-20 draw. The last Irish success was back in 2006 when they won 21-6 at home, but we are not seeing the Ireland we are accustomed to at the moment. There have been some good tussles between these two, but Australia definitely have the edge, averaging 6.86 points more per game when the two sides meet.

The 2011 Tri Nations Rugby betting will serve as a good prelude to the Rugby World Cup which kicks off later in the year. This is the 16th annual running of this mini tournament, and this could very well become the Four Nations next year, with Argentina joining the fray, so there will be a bit of extra pride on the line in being the last winners of the current format. Each team plays the other twice, once at home and once away, so while the teams just run out four matches each, they are generally pretty epic ones. There is rarely less bruising encounters on the rugby field than when any two of New Zealand, Australian and South Africa come together. This is rugby played at the highest level, and the month long tournament will give us a good look at what could be in store from the nations at the 2011 Rugby World Cup. So this is worth watching, not only for quality rugby, but also for betting options. This year’s tournament has been cut down to each team playing each other twice instead of three times. Teams get points for a win, as well as bonus points for scoring 4 Tries in a match, and for losing by no more than 7 Points. There is a great window of opportunity to get your teeth into some rugby betting ahead of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, with three teams going into the Tri Nations in a different status. The Kiwis are the powerhouses, the ones which everyone wants to take down, but are their cracks if their top stars like Dan Carter and Richie McCaw don’t make it. The Wallabies suffered a bad defeat against Samoa in a warm up match, but they are packed with future explosive talent. As for the Springboks, they are sending just two regular starters to the Tri Nations for their first match in Australia. It is a mixed bag of approaches to the tournament, so who will prevail in 2011 Tri Nations betting? Here we take a look at the three nations and assess their chances.

New Zealand

Absolute favourites to win the 2011 Tri Nations and not surprising really. They really look untouchable at the moment, and have won seven of the last nine tournaments. They won last year’s event with a 100% record and the other nations just couldn’t get close to them. They ran up a massive points difference of +73, which is the largest in Tri Nations rugby history. Their dominance in the Tri Nations is superb, winning ten of the fifteen renewals of the event. They are the only team to have a positive points difference when all Tri Nations records are totalled up. They are the current IRB ranked number one team in the world and they play one warm up match against Fiji on July 22nd. That will be their first outing for the year, after successfully touring the UK last November and beating all of the home nations. So this is the first time we will get to see just how powerful they are again, and all signs are pointing to them running away with this year’s tournament. You have to look at the main man Dan Carter in the half backs, who pulls all the creative strings for New Zealand. The Kiwis do rely on him a lot, and they need him fully fit for the World Cup. They can be got at in the line outs, but otherwise they do have control in their pack, and once they secure quick ball, they can be devastating once they get out wide. Skipper Richie McCaw, who missed most of the Super 15 season with a foot injury, is an important cog in the Kiwi machine, and he is ready and fired up to prove himself for the Tri Nations and the World Cup of course. The Skipper is not in his best form, that’s understandable, but the more games he gets under his belt, the better the Kiwis can get. Well worth backing and the price on them is not too bad at the moment. There’s a big six weeks ahead for the Kiwis, in their Tri Nations hopes and their World Cup hopes.

New Zealand 2011 Tri Nations Fixtures
30th July: New Zealand v South Africa
6th August: New Zealand v Australia
20th August: South Africa v New Zealand
27th August: Australia v New Zealand

New Zealand 2011 Tri Nations Betting Odds: 1/2 at Boylesports

Australia

There is a bit of a weakened feel about Australia ahead of the Tri Nations. However, there is still a lot of raw, young talent in the Australian side. They are not the strongest which they can be, not by any stretch of the imagination, but look as if they are on the right side of their transition. One thing the Aussies will have is confidence, but they have been prone to whinging their way through the Tri Nations. They did upset the Kiwis in friendly match last October, which was something of a surprise given their status as underdogs, and the rise and rise of the Kiwis. However, if they were looking to challenge at the Tri Nations, then their warm up match, a shocking loss to Samoa won’t have done their confidence any good. They really came out sloppy, looking as if they felt the match was a foregone conclusion right from the kick off. But in slippery conditions, they really slipped up badly. Or will have been the wake up call which they really needed? Wallabies Coach Robbie Deans has selection problems, with prop Benn Robinson a major casualty. But it is not all doom and gloom for the Aussies, as there really is a wealth of young talent in the country. Whether they are ready or not to break through fully at international status to compete with the Kiwis, is a different matter although. The biggest thing that the Aussies can build upon here, is their defence. There is a train of thought, that the Aussies, because of their exciting crop of young players, can prove many people wrong if their defence holds up. The Tri Nations is actually all about defence. The best defence wins, and so that organisation is there for the Aussies, even if the team together needs to build cohesion which will only come through experience. The Aussies may be capable of causing an upset in the Tri Nations, but realistically you do not see them beating the Kiwis twice, so that will just hold them back in the title race here. May be worth a punt, because of value, and because there is an air that a new golden generation is brewing. The Wallabies are not as strong up front as the Kiwis, but we could see some brave performances from them. Watch out for Ashley Cooper and Will Genia as they will likely be the stand out stars for the Aussies. The Aussies have not won the Tri Nations since 2001, but how they would love to finish on top before the format of the competition changes. If they do happen to pull out the stops in the Tri Nations, they will be a strong bet for the World Cup.

Australia 2011 Tri Nations Fixtures
23rd July: Australia v South Africa
6th August: New Zealand v Australia
13th August: South Africa v Australia
27th August: Australia v New Zealand

Australia 2011 Tri Nations Betting Odds: 3/1 at Stan James

South Africa

Sadly, with South Africa announcing that they have 21 players who can’t participate in the tournament because of injury, it is a weakened Springboks which will be seeing in the Tri Nations. There is a massive amount of experience missing from their squad, so it really is not worth looking at them to win here. They were the last team to break New Zealand’s dominance in the Tri Nations, the Springboks winning it back in 2009. Their travel plans to Australia for their first match of the Tri Nations was disrupted when their plan had to turn around and head back because of engine failure. Coach Peter de Villiers and his crew made it though, and after seeing Australia lose to Samoa in one of the biggest international rugby shocks for some time, the young Boks may be ready to throw caution to the wind and upset some people. They certainly have nothing to lose going into the 2011 Tri Nations, because they are so short on first team talent and experience, that no-one is expecting them to produce anything. Some are criticising the Springboks for this, as it is what they did ahead of the 2007 World Cup, the year when they edged England in the final. They had players who were well rested for the World Cup, but it is always a risk to take over consistency in selection. One thing is for sure, is that it will give Peter de Villiers a very good look at his support staff, as most of the first team will be back for the World Cup. The Springboks on show will be fighting for places in the World Cup squad, so they could be inspired, but with just two regular starters in the squad, the Springboks aren’t going to win this. The Springboks are always rough and ready up front in the pack, and while they will bring size and power to the Tri Nations, but not so much quality perhaps. That will hurt them. They have three Tri Nations titles to their name, but don’t look capable of adding to it this year.

South Africa 2011 Tri Nations Fixtures
23rd July: Australia v South Africa
30th July: New Zealand v South Africa
13th August: South Africa v Australia
20th August: South Africa v New Zealand

South Africa 2011 Tri Nations Betting Odds: 10/1 at SportingBet

Well, now that England have failed miserably in the one day internationals against Australia Down Under (losing 6-1), it’s time to look at the impending action at the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Yes, it will be right on our screens before we know it, so it is time to look at the front runners for the tournament. This is some of the best cricket action which you will see all year, with the matches coming thick and fast from the World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The tournament runs from February 19th and the Final is over a month later on April 2nd in Mumbai and the host nations will take a huge advantage from playing under their familiar conditions. In particular India and Sri Lanka, who have to be looked at as the strongest bets to win outright. However, the Australians will be in the hunt and it is hard to back against them when it comes to tournaments like this. But the conditions may just tip the balance in favour of India and Sri Lanka. This is the World Cup and crazy things can happen. Ireland beating Pakistan in 2007. Kenya beating Sri Lanka in 2003! Zimbabwe beating England in 1992! Expect some thrills and spills in the enduring tournament. India and Sri Lanka look as if they will be the teams to beat, and here we take a look over the chances of all the entering nations, and offer our valuable tips as to how the tournament may play itself out.

ICC ODI Rankings
1st Australia, 2nd India, 3rd Sri Lanka, 4th South Africa, 5th England, 6th Pakistan, 7th New Zealand, 8th Bangladesh, 9th West Indies

Australia 11/2 at Bet365

The defending Champions and after brushing the challenge of England aside, they will be a major threat at the tournament. Are they the best team in the world? Probably not, certainly not by the looks of it anyway, but is there a more driven, committed and confident team when it comes to winning cricket tournaments than Australia? Again, probably not. They went into the last World Cup on the back of a poor run of form, but once they got a sniff of tournament cricket, they turned into a completely different side and blew away the competition. Dangle that golden carrot in front of their faces and they will be a dangerous side, and one teams will want to avoid. Favourites? No, it is still hard to look at them as favourites, as you will discover when you read on down the page, but the fact is that Australia will not give up their crown easily. They are the world champions, and will fight tooth and nail to hang on to that status. Not in their prime at the moment, but they will be dangerous. The one thing which may let them down, is the lack of quality spin bowling in the side, something which will be need out east. The Aussies are used to fast, flat tracks, and really don’t carry a threat in the spinning conditions. Still ranked as the world number one ODI team and they will take some beating when it comes to the crunch.
Australia World Cup History: Won the World Cup 4 times, including the last three

India 13/4 at Unibet

Here are the favourites. They will be helped out by the tournament being partly held in their own back yard. The Indian side have historically been one which looks to have consummate quality in every position and in every aspect of their game. They have seldom lived up to their status as tournament favourites in the past, and that is pretty much the only question about them. However, this time around it should be all so very different, because they have home territory, and their exciting bowling attack should come up trumps. They sometimes look a bit hesitant and vulnerable at the top of the batting order, but once they get going, then they should be out of side. Sehwag has declared himself fit (he’s vice captain) and should be one of the batting stars at the 2011 World Cup. It has been a lot wait since 1983 for India to lift a World Cup, and really they should be one of the front runners here, they have to be. There is probably not a better batting line up in the tournament, than which India can field. Just edged out at the beginning of January in a five match series in South Africa. They will be much stronger on their home turf. Should see a much more composed India, even with the added pressure of playing at home. Will be out to score big revenge against Bangladesh who beat them at the 2007 World Cup.
India World Cup History: Winners, 1983

Sri Lanka 5/1 at William Hill

Have to admire what Sri Lanka bring to the One Day International side. They are arguably the most talented, most explosive and most talented side in this format of the game. They are actually ranked third in the world, but will make their presence known here. They have tasted victory before, back in 1996 when the tournament was held in India, Pakistan and yes, Sri Lanka. If they were to land the big prize again, they would be worthy winners. What Sri Lanka have is an ideal balance, and some of the most attacking batsmen in this format of the game. They are a dangerous batting side, who can quickly run up big totals, and they will be a big threat here. They really make a good tip to go all of the way, simply because of home advantage. You wouldn’t back them as being as steady as India, or as hardened as Australia, but they have their own style of cricket and they will rush and harass and put opposition to the sword. One of the best ODI sides in the world to watch, would be worthy winners and are the cricket betting tip here. Have just beaten the West Indies in a ODI series as a warm up, and should get stronger through the tournament.
Sri Lanka World Cup History: Winners 1996

Pakistan 9/1 at Victor Chandler

You never really know which Pakistan are going to turn up, just to coin a popular sporting cliché. They are one of those teams who look to have the perfect balance of batting and bowling in their side, but there is still a fragility about them which makes you hesitant to lay down too much money on them. But, that having been said, they have won before in the face of adversity, and you would expect them to be in the latter stages of the tournament, with conditions favoring them. Perhaps not quite as settled or as strong as they could be, but they can turn on the power when it matters most. They just look more beatable than any of the aforementioned teams though. They are immensely talented, but they just seem to self implode, and almost seem impossible to play together as a unit, something which is naturally an asset when it comes to tournament cricket. They will win games, they will give the higher ranked teams here a good run for their money, but at some point down the line, you just expect them to come off the rails. Just enjoyed a tight series victory over New Zealand as a warm up, and will be led at the tournament by Afridi. Probably just too much frailty to gel together and win this one. Was supposed to be co-hosting the event as well, but was stripped of the rights after attacks on a visiting Sri Lanka team in 2009.
Pakistan World Cup History: Winners in 1992

South Africa 11/2 at Totesport

Have always been a big fan and admirer of the South African power cricket. They are not afraid to have a go at teams, yet they don’t always look the most comfortable sides in action. Have been on top of their game though of late, beating India, and should be able to go close here with form and a good draw. On their day, South Africa are a team to be feared, when they are having an off day though, they seem to fall apart quickly as a unit. However, they recently beat India in South Africa, and that will have given them an immense amount of confidence. Weaker in the batting line up than in the bowling department, but their bowlers may struggle out in the sub continent conditions. They haven’t been to the final of a World Cup before, and like India in a way, they have fallen short of potential when it has come to the big games. Still, they will bat hard and give it all they have. It is just that big match potential. They have quality in their side, but they still have to play up at their very best to beat the best, and when not at their peak, they look vulnerable and completely beatable. India have done well against South Africa before and you would expect the home nation to edge things over the South Hemisphere team at the 2011 World Cup. An outside threat. They’ll be in the knockouts, and it will depend on the draw from there.
South Africa World Cup History: No finals

England 15/2 at SportingBet

Well, they stunned the world last year when they won the Twenty20 World Cup against all of the odds. Do they stand much of a chance at the 2011 Cricket World Cup? Sadly no. As their showing against Australia in the ODI series has proven, they are not one of the better teams in the world at this format. Yes, they went into the series against the Aussies having not lost a ODI series since the 2009 Ashes, but then, the level of opposition wasn’t of the standard of any of the above teams. England do have decent batting power, but they lack a genuine ODI opener, and with so many injury problems in the bowling department, it is unlikely that they will pose too much of a threat. Should qualify from their group, one would hope, as they are  teamed up with Bangladesh, Ireland, Netherlands, West Indies, South Africa and India and four teams go through from each of the two groups to the quarter finals. You would expect England to fall in the knockouts quickly though. Before the Australian series, they looked good value, right now, they look depleted, tired and out of sorts. There is also a major injury worry over Eoin Morgan, their best ODI performer with the bat during 2010. That would be a huge blow. They just don’t look as if they have the right balance and form at the moment to win, their confidence must also be shot too after the Aussies destroyed them.
England World Cup History: Lost back to back finals in 1987 and 1992

Group A Outright Winner

Sri Lanka: 15/8 at SportingBet
Australia: 2/1 at Bet365
Pakistan: 7/2 at Victor Chandler
New Zealand: 8/1 at SkyBet
Zimbabwe: 66/1 at Stan James
Kenya: 750/1 at Bodog
Canada: 1000/1 at Bodog

As we’ve tipped them to go all the way and win the tournament, would look for Sri Lanka to win the group really. They are better than Australian and better than Pakistan at the moment, and they should be able to take out both of them.  Australia really don’t represent bad value though in this tournament, but really should have been taken in a stronger priced ante post bet before their trouncing of the in form England after the Ashes series. This is an interesting group really, and top spot should be fought out between Sri Lanka and Australia. Everyone will just wondering what Pakistan bring to the table. New Zealand will make a nuisance of themselves and should be able to battle for third place.

Group B Outright Winner

India: 2/1 at Victor Chandler
South Africa: 11/4 at Bet365
England: 10/3 at Totesport
West Indies: 8/1 at Blue Square
Bangladesh: 20/1 at Bodog
Netherlands: 500/1 at Totesport
Ireland: 500/1 at Bodog

Really, you would expect India, being the home side to take control of this group. The matches against West Indies, Bangladesh, Netherland and Ireland are winnable for India, South Africa and England. So it may come down to who will take points off each other between those three. India will be helped by their support and their conditions, and are capable of taking out both England and SA, and that is what will tip the balance of power in this group. The best bet behind them is South Africa, who should be able to overpower England.

England’s cricketers have come back to down to earth in the past couple of matches, after the euphoric high of their 3-1 series victory in the Ashes against Australia. After a thrilling win in the first of two Twenty20 matches against the hosts, England lost the second encounter, ending their unbeaten streak. Prior to that defeat, England had set a world record of consecutive Twenty20 wins. Now the One Day International series is in swing, and a century knock by Australia’s Shane Watson, was enough to see off England’s first innings total. That was the first of seven ODI matches between Australia and England, and while the victory in the first match will have given the Aussies a hope of winning something, they are really struggling to hold on to their number one ODI ranking status. The ODI’s may not have as much importance as the Test Matches of course, but they do offer some great entertainment, and more than that, there are bigger fish to fry this year, which these matches will prepare both sides for. In the not too distant future, England and Australia will be heading to the World Cup, which starts on February 19th, so while both sides will want victories and to build momentum, there may be one eye on that World Cup. England are currently second favourites to win the Cricket World Cup priced at 5/1 with Bet365, and that has to be worth a dabble.

Australia started the ODI series against England as favourites, and while that may be a surprise to many, especially English fans, they are still a major threat in that format of the game. Certainly their 2010 wasn’t covered in glory, but they are still the number one ranked team in the world. England? Well they are the fifth ranked team, even though their form in the ODI format has been much better than that of Australia, and England have won all five of their last ODI series. That is some impressive form, and with good knocks from Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen, England could not hold on to their total of 249, and the Aussies took the win with the first ball in the 50th over. So, it was a close contest, but opener Watson’s knock of 161 was the highlight of the match. There was no James Anderson in the England bowling attack, and of course are without the injured Stuart Broad. The England attack led by Tim Bresnan and Chris Tremlett, really never made enough of an impact, and even Graeme Swann was largely ineffective, although he was economical. Swann will now be out of action for a couple of weeks with an injury. While this is a long run of games for both Australia and England, especially with the World Cup in mind, the conditions in Australia are completely different to what the tracks will be out in India and Sri Lanka in February. But there is a good contest for places in the England world cup squad now, and it should be an exciting proposition to see them in action, to see if they can back up their Twenty20 victory in beating the world last year. There is a genuine call for a top all rounder in the squad, something they are lacking.

Australia v England 2nd ODI Match Odds

Australia to win: 10/11 at SkyBet
England to win: Evens at Bet365

As for the ODI International series against Australia, you may see players being shuffled around, as the England selectors get a look at some of the players who are knocking on the door of a World Cup spot. Will this make England more competitive on the pitch, enough so to take down Australia? Well, there is the general consensus that Australia will be wagging their tail here. The pressure of winning back the Ashes has gone, and having to perform on the Test stage, with all the problems surrounding their selection and captain Ricky Ponting, so they have a chance to cut lose. They are not in great form, especially with the bat, but there is a big opportunity here for them, and they should be backed to take it. They are the home side naturally, who will be perfectly suited to their own conditions. The fast bouncy pitches play into their hands, and if they can find their aggressive swagger again, then they will be OK. There really shouldn’t be too much to chose between them, and while England are brimming with confidence, and have some players in great form, but the Aussies have to give their home fans something to cheer about. Beating England in the ODI series, even though it is really long and enduring will be the perfect tonic for them. The wounded beast is well worth a punt, and remember their 6-1 hammering of England in the ODI following the Ashes in 2009.

Next Three ODI Dates….
January 21st, 2nd ODI, Hobart
January 23rd, 3rd ODI, Sydney
January 26th, 4th ODI, Adelaide

Australia v England ODI Series Outright Winner

Australia to Win: 3/5 at SportingBet
England to Win: 6/4 at Totesport

Australia v England ODI Series Correct Score

Australia 4-3: 2/1 at Bet365
England 4-3: 11/4 at Stan James
Australia 5-2: 11/4 at Paddy Power
England 5-2: 8/1 at Totesport
Australia 6-1: 9/1 at SportingBet

The fifth and final Test of the Ashes series is turning into a thriller. England, bowling first again, had Australia well and truly on the ropes at 189-8, but some stubborn resistance saw the Aussies claw their way back to a respectable total of 280. The match is finely in the balance at the moment, with England finishing the second day on 167 for 3, with Alastair Cook in amongst the runs again, being shepherded along by night watchman Jimmy Anderson. With Andrew Strauss, Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen all back in the pavilion, this match could really swing either way. A lot is in the hands of Cook now, as England look to avoid defeat, which will see them actually win the Ashes series. The wicket of Kevin Pietersen could be the crucial one that really put the game in such a fine balance. If he had stuck around until the end of the day with Cook, then England would be looking a bit stronger. With Trott going for a duck, there is only the out of form Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell and Matt Prior to come. There is potentially a lot of runs still to come for the tourists, but they really let Australia off the hook and could be in a much stronger position. The England batsmen have to watch out for Mitchell Johnson, who got rid of Trott and Pietersen, and the England batsmen seemed to be backing off him quite a bit, being far too respectful of his dangerous swing. England really need a good day at the crease now to put themselves in a strong position to walk away triumphant from the Ashes series.

Jimmy Anderson had done the bulk of the damage with the ball for England, taking 4-66, backed up by Tim Bresnan with 3-89. It was really Mitchell Johnson’s resistance with the bat, top scoring for his side for the second time in the series, that kept Australia in the game. There is also a warning to come for England, because when Mitchell has broken half centuries with the bat, he has invariably gone on to do a huge amount of damage in a match with the ball in hand. England just need to stick around on day three and make as big of a nuisance of themselves as they can. Jimmy Anderson in particular is in a position to really frustrate the Australian bowlers early on day three, and his one run from fifteen balls last night suggest that he could eat up valuable time, as long as Alastair Cook continues his fine form. Cook is on an unbeaten 61 at the moment, and he has become just the sixth Englishman to score over 600 runs in a series in Australia. He did have an appeal from Aussie spinner Michael Beer turned down on a catch, as the bowler had stepped over the line for a no-ball. That is something which Australia have been extremely sloppy with throughout the series. So the game is well poised, and is a fitting end to a great series. Australia are looking to new captain Michael Clarke to give them something special in this last match. Fortunately the pitch has quite a bit of life in it for the bowlers to really attack. England are in the driving seat though, at least to avoid the defeat, but a good day on the third day of the test could really see them push for home.

Australia v England 5th Test Winner
England: 4/5 at Unibet
Draw: 3/1 at Bet365
Australia: 7/2 at SkyBet

Next Man Out
James Anderson: 1/2 at Bet365
Alastair Cook: 9/4 at Totesport

Nope, England’s Ashes plans didn’t go well as they were crushed in Perth in the Third Test of the series. Going into the match on the back of a win, and needing only one more win to secure that the Ashes stayed with them, for the first time on Tour, England’s batting really let them down. After dominating with the bat in the Second Test, there was to be no repeat of the heroics from the likes of Alastair Cook or Kevin Pietersen, as the tourists could only manage 187 and 123 in their two innings. Things just didn’t come together for Andrew Strauss and his men, and now they need to not panic with just two games remaining. England were left with a bruising chase of 391 to win in their second innings, but at the end of day three they were 81-5 and out of the running. It didn’t take the Aussies long on the fourth morning to skittle out the rest of the England attack. Now there are whispers that England may consider changing a pretty settled line up for the Fourth Test which starts on Boxing Day in Melbourne. There is nothing wrong with the batting line up and as mentioned on these pages before, an England collapse had to happen at some point. It was unlikely that they were going to go through all five Tests without having to face some kind of disaster. It is better that it happened here than in a fifth and deciding Test. Now the measure of how good a side they are, will be down to how well they can picked themselves up.

Ashes Series Outright Winner

Australia to win: 8/5 at Bet365
Draw: 5/2 at Coral
England to win: 15/8 at BetFred

While it was England’s batting which let the tourists down, the bowling has to be scrutinised heavily. England’s trump card Graeme Swann was inexpensive and ineffective again (although the pitch didn’t help him at all) and without Stuart Broad in the attack, England looked to be struggling. Chris Tremlett filled in for Broad and made an immediate impact, but Australian bowler Peter Siddle proclaimed that England’s bowlers were looking tired during the Third Test, and he was right. Steve Finn, who is making his Ashes debut at just 21, looked shattered at times after all the work he has put in. He is England’s top wicket taker in the series so far, but looks as if he needs to spend a week or so off his feet with a hot cup of tea in his hand. England need him fresh and fit if they are going to keep themselves in the hunt to retain the Ashes. England have just about a week now to get everything sorted out, but they must not panic. When you look at the bowling options that England have in reserve, such as Tim Bresnan, it really makes sense to stick with Finn, as he is showing great promise and to pull him now could hurt his confidence. Yes, he was expensive in the second innings, but he still took vital match wickets. He needs more support as the England bowling attack, although they have cut through the Aussie batting line up with great aplomb, hasn’t operated fully as a four man attack yet. Someone has stepped up to carry the can, where they need a team effort.

To be honest the Aussies needed this and it happened with a certain amount of inevitability. They needed this win after looking hopeless in the second test. Their bowlers, by and large, have been extremely ineffectual throughout the series, highlighted by the big scores that England have posted against them. There are still calls around the Australian Media that captain Ricky Ponting’s captaincy is hurting the Australian side, and now there is doubt about his fitness for the Fourth Test in Melbourne. Ponting has broken a bone in his little finger, and has said that he will only play if it is to the benefit of his country. This really is a story to watch, as he was included in an unchanged Aussies squad for the fourth test. Pointing hasn’t been in great form with the bat, but the Aussie captain believes that he has a pretty good chance of playing nonetheless. This is where Stuart Broad (the one England bowler to whom the Perth track was suited) will be missed. England would need his aggression to get after the Australian captain who could be nursing a bit of an injury. The hard, Perth track really suited the Australians and that is what has allowed them to get back into the series.

However, it has been damper in Melbourne, and the pitch will not be as hard as it was in Perth, and it could swing back a little advantage to England. Being similar to the conditions in Adelaide where England won convincingly, the conditions may just help England hang onto the Ashes. They need just one more win now to ensure they go back home triumphant, but with a bit of life being shown by the Aussies, there is still a huge amount of cricket to played. The odds at your online bookmaker for cricket betting may have just edged back towards Australia again, but this series is far from settled.

Ashes Correct Score

Australia 2-1: 10/3 at Coral
England 2-1: 7/2 at Bet365
Draw 2-2: 15/4 at Blue Square
Australia 3-1: 6/1 at Coral
England 3-1: 7/1 at SportingBet

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More infos about 888 betting.

The Ashes continues in just a few day’s time, with England one up in the best of five series after two Test Matches. After some superlative batting in the second innings of the First Test from Alastair Cook and Jonathan Trott to save England from potential defeat, it was the bowlers turn to shine in the Second Test, skittling out the Aussies in Adelaide for just 245 in their first innings. Jimmy Anderson did most of the damage, taking 4 for 51. Then it was the turn of the England batsmen to show the Aussies just how it is done. Opener Alistair Cook continued his fine form with a second century in successive innings, by knocking off 148, but the star of the show was Kevin Pietersen, who emulated Cook’s efforts in the First Test by hitting a double century. It is ironic that these two players have made the biggest impact with the bat, as they were the two who were being specifically targeted by the Australians as the potential weak links in the England batting line up. It was a return of the old Kevin Pietersen, as he hit 227 in just 308 balls, including 33 fours and one six, before falling to spinner Xavier Doherty. That set up England for a massive 620 declared in their first innings, putting the pressure firmly back on the Australians. England needed their bowlers to perform again, with threats from the weather to deprive them victory, but Graeme Swann and James Anderson again, took down the Australians for just 304, giving England an innings and 71 run victory. That is massive in the Ashes, and now puts England in the driving seat.

The Australians are all over the place, it has to be said. After failing to win at the Gabba in the First Test, which is their fortress, they weren’t at the running in the Second Test either. With their bowling attack looking confused, disjointed and uncertain, there have been rumours that legendary spinner Shane Warne would come out of retirement and into the remaining three games of the Ashes. That, realistically is not going to happen, and captain Ricky Ponting has to find a different way to dig his nation out of a hole. The Australian media are turning on him and his side, as with all the hype of a Warne return, really is just playing into England’s hands. It shows just what a mess Australia are in at the moment. If England needed any further signals that they are in the supremacy, then they just have to look at the selections Australia have made for the Third Test. The Aussies have brought in left arm spinner Michael Beer, who has played just five first class matches in his career. This is clutching at straws time, as the selectors are turning to a journeyman who really doesn’t look as if he has the qualifications to be playing at this ultimate cricket test. Again Australia have changed up the bowling attack, after dropping Doug Bollinger and Xavier Doherty, along with Marcus North, a potential future captain who is having a rough time. In the squad of twelve for the Third Test, Ben Hilfenhaus and Mitchell Johnson, both of who were dropped after the First Test for underperforming, come back in, along with leg spinner Steve Smith. At the top of the batting order, Phillip Hughes is likely to come back to replace Simon Katich, who has been ruled out because of an Achilles injury.

The Australians don’t look as if they know where to turn too, but while England have enjoyed a settled side, they will have to go with a different eleven when the Third Test starts on December 16th in Perth, because Stuart Broad has been ruled out of the Ashes with injury. He couldn’t bowl in Australia’s second innings, and now the England selectors have an interesting decision to make, as to who will replace him. In a Tour Match this week against Victoria, none of the back up crew really seized upon their chance to replace Broad in the attack, as Chris Tremlett, Tim Bresnan and Ajmal Shahzad failed to take a wicket between them. Tremlett posted the most economical figures out of the trio, but Bresnan may be the man England turn too, just because has that little bit experience in the England side. He has performed well for England, but he has never really threatened to look like a top class elite wicket taker on the international stage. But, if England are looking for dependable and solid, then they will probably just slot him into the line up. If they are braver, then Shahzad may get more out of the Perth track. This may not affect the chances of England remaining unbeaten in the Third Test, because Jimmy Anderson, Steve Finn and Graeme Swann should have enough to really take the game to the Australians.

You could visibly see it in action, England growing in confidence. Wrapping the Second Test up in such an emphatic manner has really seen them take the initiative. They just need one more win out of the three remaining fixtures to secure the Ashes, as the Australians won’t be able to beat them. As for the Australians, they need to at least win two and draw one of the remaining three matches to take back the Ashes. For them to lose on their home turf would be one of the most stunning outcomes in an Ashes series for many, many years. Australia simply do not lose Test Series at home, but England came into the event full of confidence after a strong year, and very united as a team. There really was no threat of another 5-0 whitewash happening, such as it did the last time they went Down Under to contest the Ashes, and now their fate is really in their own hands. There is still a lot of cricket to play, and you really would have to expect England to have a bad match as some point in the series, it is just the way things go. They still have much work to do and cannot be complacent about the task ahead. Although the Aussies aren’t in great nick, you should expect a comeback, a bit of a fight back at some point. It is hard to see England losing in Perth though, where they should enjoy a bit of shorter bowling at the Aussies, with Steve Finn perhaps a big key.

Ashes Third Test Outright Odds

England to win: 13/8 at BetFred
Draw: 23/18 at Bwin
Australia to win: 39/19 at Unibet
England have Australia on the ropes, and they need to press home this advantage. They can’t let their foot off the gas and let the hosts get back into this one. For the first time England are favourites at the bookies to win a Test Match in the Ashes series. Worth a punt.

Top England Batsman

Kevin Pietersen: 7/2 at Totesport
Andrew Strauss: 4/1 at SkyBet
Alastair Cook: 4/1 at Bet365
Jonathan Trott: 9/2 at Boylesports
Ian Bell: 11/2 at Bet365
Well, who to punt for here? The England batsmen are in fine form, with Cook going so strongly and Pietersen weighing in heavily. His experience is crucial, along with that of captain Strauss. England look strong at the top of the order, and Strauss really is due to come up big for his side as top scorer.

Top England Bowler

James Anderson: 5/2 at Totesport
Graeme Swann: 11/4 at Stan James
Steven Finn: 7/2 at BetFred
Anderson and Swann have to perform if England are going to succeed, so they should be in the running. However, the pitch in Perth may suit Finn well as he can pump the ball in shorter with his speed and height. Good odds, worth a punt.

Ashes Outright Odds

England to win: 10/21 at Bwin
Draw: 7/2 at Bet365
Australia: 6/1 at SkyBet

Alright, so Alistair Cook can bat a bit. He had been pencilled in as the potential big weak link in the England team, but he responded to all critics, and everything that the Aussies bowling attack could throw at him, as he cracked off a double century in England’s second innings of the First Test. So what have we learnt from the first test? One of the most stand out things is that the bowling attack from Australia is little more than average. Even during England’s first inning, Australia really didn’t bowl enough quality balls that really warranted the wickets that they took early on. Perhaps it was down to a bit of English nerves. The tourists were skittled out for 260 in the first innings, with Alistair Cook (67) and Ian Bell (76) really the only ones looking as if they would be able to pull something out of the bag. Australia’s Peter Siddle did all the damage, taking six wickets for 54 runs. After England struggled to take Australian wickets, there was a 221 deficit by the time England came to bat for their second innings. It was a different story this time around, as Andrew Strauss, Alistair Cook and Jonathan Trott all hit centuries to post 517 for 1 declared. That remarkable second innings, with the highlight being Cook’s wonderful unbeaten 235, saved the match for England, and the home side wasn’t happy. You could see the frustration working its way into the Australian game, the long England’s second inning went on.

Ashes Second Test Betting Outright Winner Odds

England: 9/4 at BetFred
Draw: 15/8 at SkyBet
Australia: 5/2 at 888Sport

In the bowling department for England, an extra edge needs to be found really. Ashes debutant Steven Finn bagged himself 6 for 125, but worryingly for England, could perhaps be the form of spinner Graeme Swann. Touring spin bowlers have an incredibly tough time in Australia, more so than in any other test country. The Swann that turned up for the first Ashes test, really wasn’t the great man who has worked his way into the shortlist for the Sports Personality of the year. Cocky and confident though, you can expect him to bounce back, and you still get the feeling that he will have a big contribution to play in the series. The same has to be said of Stuart Broad, who didn’t really deliver much with either bat or ball. Still, the teams overall looked pretty evenly matched. There were highlights and big lows for both sides, and there are clear weaknesses and strengths in both camps. There really may not be many victories in this Ashes series, so it will probably all go down to the fifth test unless something unexpected happens.

So what of the Australians? Well, captain Ricky Ponting has a great deal of pondering to do (coupled with a Golden Duck in the first innings of the Second Test!). He was upset that video technology worked against him, as he apparently caught Alistair Cook down low in the second innings (although Cook had already past his double century). The video referral disagreed, and Ponting, who has petitioned test sides to have a gentleman’s’ agreement to trust in the fielder’s word, was keen to moan about his misgivings. Anyway, Ponting is not leading a confident side at the moment, and they will have been rocked by the superb recovery and resistance that England put up in the first test. The Aussies had been bragging that the match at the Gabba was a banker, because visitors just don’t get the better of the hosts there. England, although not winning the match, certainly scored a major moral victory in the Ashes series. There are problems with the Australia line up, notably pace man Mitchell Johnson, who had a horrible test, and spinner Xavier Doherty failed to impress as well. With Nathan Hauritz being dropped out of favour, the Australians look weak here. The Australian’s do have options, but they seem unsure of themselves. If they used Marcus North as their spinner, it would open another window for a specialist batsman. North, batting at number six, really hasn’t posted significant scores this season with the bat, but if used right, he could have a bigger role to play than he has been given.

There have been changes in the attacking line up from the Australians, as they called up Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris to the squad. Bollinger has arguably been Australia’s best bowler over the last year, and is back from injury worries. Ryan Harris has also booked a spot in the eleven, because of his natural ability to swing the ball both ways, and he should get a lot of help from the pitch in Adelaide for the second test. Doherty, Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus should all be looking over their shoulders for the rest of the series, as poor performances from all really put a dampener on Australia’s Ashes hopes. Australia have put both Bollinger and Harris in at the expense of Hilfenhaus and Mitchell, as expected, but with the Aussies batting first in Adelaide, we will have to wait to see the impact that they will have on the match. Perhaps for Australia, going back full circle a lot of the problems lies with Captain Ricky Ponting. They have had a tough year on the road under his captaincy, and the media and fans are putting him under a lot of pressure. The face of Australia cricket really isn’t smiling all that much at the moment, and his tactics in the field during England’s second innings left a lot to be desired. He simply did not get enough out of his bowlers, and after only managing 10 in the first innings, falling to James Anderson, and watching England post a big score in their second innings, he will feel the stress even more. His quick fire 50 in Australia’s second innings, should have saved his face a little bit. He’s a tough competitor and passionate about the game, expect some fireworks and arguments from him.

So England generally look in pretty good shape for Adelaide for the second test. They gained some big momentum at the Gabba and really now need to take advantage of that and press home any whiff of an advantage that they can get in Adelaide. The conditions just may suit the England bowlers a little better than it did in Brisbane, with Jimmy Anderson being able to get a bit more swing from the track. There may also be a bit more there for Graeme Swann to work with as well, especially in the second spell. England lost in Adelaide on the last visit during the horrendous white-wash Ashes series, and they have to avoid that. A win here for England would really see them take a massive step towards retaining the coveted urn. The Aussies are not going to lie down and roll over easily though. They were still the team who were in a position to actually win the first test, and playing in their own conditions, they are incredibly tough to beat. Any stat will back that up. If this one is drawn as well, then the series will really be on the wire, as the Aussies will be the more desperate of the two. Expect the Australian batting to be strong, especially in the top four of five, there are weaknesses beneath that though. How much will the changed Australian side, have any influence over the settled, confident England team? All to play for. England to edge this one.

Ashes Second Test Top England Batsman

Well, obviously Alistair Cook is in fine shape, but Australia really didn’t bowl to his weaknesses, and they are there. Cricket is a big confidence game, but it will be hard to reproduce as well. Andrew Strauss will always be in amongst the runs, but finally England have a solid number three in Jonathan Trott. Physically and mentally strong, he has the best betting average at number three for ages for England. His second century against the Aussies will have settled his tour nerves, and well worth a punt for another big knock.
Jonathan Trott: 9/2 at Totesport

Ashes Second Test Top England Bowler

Jimmy Anderson was head and shoulders England’s best bowler in the First Test. His control was magnificent, although the conditions didn’t really offer him the chance to take many wickets. Has taken two early on in the second test, so his value is down. Debutant Steven Finn, after a shaky start, settled down magnificently to take six wickets. His speed and bounce will continue to pose a huge threat to the Aussies batsmen, and will look for him to take another good haul.
Steven Finn: 11/2 at Boylesports

Ashes Correct Series Score

The much favoured outcome is 2-1 victory for England. That really is the good average for a five test series, and Australia don’t give much away on their home turf. There are signs that this is going to be close, but England have the potential to cause a big shock and upset here, and at a decent price is worth backing.
England 2-1 for 9/2 at Bet365

Ashes Series Outright

Taking a drawn series does make a lot of sense considering how closely matched the two sides are. It is decent value for 7/2 at BetFred. Australia are still favorites priced 11/8 at Coral to actually win the series, so let’s look for England with value for 6/4 at BetFred.

UPDATE: England have taken three quick wickets from the Aussies at the start of the Second Test. Half hour in and Australia are 61-3. One run out and two wickets for Jimmy Anderson, and are the Aussies really on the ropes?

Ashes 2010 Cricket Betting - Australia are making themselves look like outsiders in the run up to the Ashes, as Ricky Ponting captains a 17 man Australian Ashes party. What is unique about this? Well, it’s bigger than the England touring party of sixteen, which have hit Australian soil, keen to defend the Ashes. What this message simply does is say that Australia really do not know what their best side is. They certainly are not a Test Match side in any kind of form at the moment. This year they have drawn a series with Pakistan, lost in England and in India, and England, returning to the scene of a humiliating 5-0 series whitewash, actually start as favorites. Australia’s batting line up has not been as formidable as you would expect from an Aussie side, and with the mix of blowers they have tried, there is a lot of uncertainty around the Australian camp, and even Ponting himself has come under fire. One area in which England could have the upper hand, is in the spin bowling department. Aussie spinner Nathan Hauritz isn’t living up to reputation at the moment, and has been struggling for a while. While spin from the tourists have barely ever made a dent in the Australian batting attack in Ashes series Down Under, this time there is the enigma of Graeme Swann. Could Swann make all the difference this time around? He certainly could be, and although the Aussie tracks are generally flatter, Swann has enough in his artillery to cause massive problems, especially if he can get extra bounce off the harder surface.

This is one area of attack which England should be able to exploit, and won’t have to worry too much about coming back at them. Hauritz probably will get the nod, but Xavier Doherty has been called into the squad nonetheless, just in case Hauritz can’t raise his game when the Australians need him to the most. Steve Smith will be first back up though, and England will be looking at the Australian spin bowling problems and smiling because they have an ace up their own sleeve. While the Australian party will get chopped down in size before the two sides meet in Brisbane on November 25th for the series opener, the squad selection as it stands, really does hint that there could be surprising changes on the cards. Michael Hussey has failed with the bat this year, and his place could really be under threat in the middle order. Australia have drafted in Callum Ferguson and Usman Khawaja, both young batsmen would be thrown to the England lions if they get to make their Ashes debut on home soil. The Australian selectors are still watching players for form and injury, notably Phil Hughes and Michael Clarke. England should also get their first look at pace bowler Doug Bollinger during the series, as he is about the only Aussie bowler with any consistency this year. The bowler hasn’t squared off against England in a Test Match before. There may not be so many familiar Aussies names this year. Ponting, Clarke, Haddin, Hauritz, Hussey, Hilfenhaus, Johnson, Katich, Siddle and Watson pretty much sum them up. Will the Aussies rise to the occasion?

England v Australia A Tour Match – November 17

England to win: 9/4 at Bet365
Draw: 5/4 at Totesport
Australia A: 7/2 at Paddy Power

The thing working against England will be the conditions. The tracks are flatter and harder in Australia, and that doesn’t always suit the England bowling attack. The degree of swing bowling which the likes of Jimmy Anderson produces, is not going to be there for them, so extra work has to be done. That having been said, in their warm up match against South Australia, all four front line bowlers showed immediate signs of being up for the task. Swann took 4 for 68, while Anderson weighed in with 3 for 62, and Steve Finn who could be the big surprise package of the tour, taking 2 for 47. More good news coming out of the match, which ended in a draw, was that Alastair Cook finally found a bit of form, and cracked off a century. There have been serious questions asked of Cook’s place in the team after failing with the bat for most of the year. The worrying thing for England, is that they really don’t have an established back up opener to be able to pull Cook out of the line up. Australia have already made remarks that they are going to be gunning for him, and if ever there was a time to sort out his footwork, then it will be now. England need a big showing from the opener to support captain Andrew Strauss. England are suggesting that their front line bowlers will be rested for their final warm up match in Hobart to play Australia A, starting on November 17th. Following that, the selectors will  have to come up with their final plans, as the two sides head straight for Brisbane and opening clash of the 2010 Ashes series.

England look the more stable of the two nations, and have largely enjoyed a more successful year than their Australian counterparts. Can England retain the Ashes on Australian soil? Whatever the state of the Australian form, teams don’t often go Down Under and walk out with victories. One of the hardest things in world cricket is to win a Test Series in Australia. The tension is building, and the bookmakers are leaning towards Australia wrestling back the little urn. Remember that England only need to draw the series to retain the Ashes.

Australia v England Ashes Outright Betting Odds

Australia to win: 10/11 at Victor Chandler
Draw: 5/1 at Bet365
England to win: 2/1 at SkyBet

Series Correct Score

Draw 2-2: 8/1 at Stan James
Australia 2-1: 8/1 at Ladbrokes
Australia 3-1: 17/2 at Blue Square
England 2-1: 10/1 at Totesport
England 3-1: 12/1 at Bet365
Australia 3-2: 12/1 at Victor Chandler

England to Retain Ashes: 21/20 at ExtraBet
England NOT to retain Ashes: 10/11 at Stan James