Ashes 3rd Test betting tips & best odds – England v Australia

Third Test Ashes predictions & best bets

England v Australia Ashes preview – Third Test

The third Test of the 2023 Ashes seres kicks off on Thursday night (AEST) after Australia took a 2-0 lead with a tense win at Lord’s.

The Lord’s Test match once again created a matchup of contrasting styles, beginning with England winning the toss and sending Australia into bat. Headed by a patient 110 from vice-captain Steve Smith, the Aussies adapted to the difficult batting conditions well as they put on 416 in the first innings.

The English first innings got off to a flying start as they sat at 4/277 at stumps on day two thanks to a rapid 98 from Ben Duckett. However, coming in the next day, England collapsed, losing 6/46 to trail by 91 runs heading into the second innings.

Four wickets to Stuart Broad in the second innings kept the Aussies contained to only 279, leaving England chasing 371 to win. Needing a solid base from their top order, the Aussie opening pairing of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins had them in pieces at 4/45 to start the innings.

However, a ridiculous innings from English captain Ben Stokes gave England hope, as he hit nine fours and nine sixes before eventually going out for 155. In the end, the hosts fell 43 runs short in another game that could’ve gone either way, and England now have to win all three remaining Test in order to reclaim the urn.

It’s a quick turnaround between Test matches and so there could be changes in the bowling attacks for both sides. One confirmed change for the Aussies is the loss of spinner Nathan Lyon, who suffered a calf injury in the field that has ruled him out for the rest of the series. His expected replacement is 22-year-old Todd Murphy, who made his debut in India earlier this year.

England will lose No.3 batter Ollie Pope, who injured his shoulder during the Lord’s Test. It is expected Harry Brook will be promoted from No.5 to first drop, with Stokes and Jonny Bairstow both shuffling up a position.

Rotation of the quicks may also be a factor for both sides. For Australia, Scott Boland could possibly replace Josh Hazlewood, who has now played back-to-back matches after playing limited red-ball cricket across the last 18 months.

For England, Moeen Ali is in line for a recall after recovering from the finger injury that kept him out of the last Test. England also have fast bowlers Chris Woakes and Mark Wood in the squad, with Jimmy Anderson expected to be rested following an indifferent start to the series.

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Ashes Third Test betting strategy – England v Australia

Australia return to Headingley for the first time since 2019, when Ben Stokes famously dragged England over the line and ultimately cost the visitors victory in the series. The wicket in that match heavily favoured the seamers, so we are looking at pace bowlers to do the damage in this one.

Despite struggling early in the previous Test, Mitch Starc bounced back in impressive fashion, reeling in his economy rate while also taking the most wickets. Coming in with a bit of confidence, he looks a good bet to take the most wickets in the first innings at $4 with top cricket bookmakers.

The top runscorer in the series so far, Usman Khawaja has been a class above the rest. Anchoring the innings for the Aussies, the opener scores his runs patiently, outlasting the new ball before he takes advantage of tiring bowlers. With a hundred and two fifties so far, look for Khawaja to keep his good run going as he top scores for the Aussies in the first innings at $4.40.

As Australia sit 2-0 in the series, it seems as though cracks are beginning to emerge in the English camp regarding their aggressive ‘Bazball’ style of cricket. With the tourists’ short-pitched bowling tactics seeming to draw out a weakness in the English batting lineup, expect more of it as the likes of Cummins and Starc use their height and pace to their advantage.

Meanwhile, with their comparatively patient approach, Australia’s batters will continue to wear down the English bowlers, who have put down a lot more overs than their counterparts this series. We like Australia to wrap up the series with a win at $2.20 with PlayUp.

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