12 Jun 2019
Although the series has already been decided, Australian captain Steve Smith has no plans to let up on the dominance his side has displayed thus far. Ahead of the fourth Test in Melbourne, the 28-year-old this week asserted that he would love to whitewash England 5-0 in this Ashes series, heaping further misery on the tourists.
We bring you all the Ashes betting odds you need as Joe Root and co look to bounce back from a third consecutive defeat with victory at the MCG. The loss in Perth yielded yet another unwanted record for the travelling Poms, with England falling to an eighth consecutive Ashes defeat in Australia.
Huge importance is often put on winning the toss in Test match cricket. England’s record of late has proven that the toss isn’t the be-all and end-all, however, given that they have won the toss in six of their seven most recent Test matches away from home. And yet, they find themselves 3-0 down in this current Ashes series.
The MCG, which plays host to the fourth Ashes test, is known for its great atmosphere. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, and the pitch itself is one of the most competitive surfaces in world cricket. Generally the wickets don’t tend to favour either the batsmen or the bowlers, though spinners typically find it difficult to get much purchase.
Despite playing two fewer innings than his counterpart, Steve Smith has outscored Joe Root by some 250 runs. Smith is showing why he is the top ranked batsman in world cricket, leading by example and seemingly scoring for fun. It looks like a no brainer to back the captain to be Australia’s top run scorer in Melbourne at 23/10.
England, meanwhile, are expected to ring in the changes for the Boxing Day Test. Two of those may be enforced, with Stuart Broad and Craig Overton both dealing with injuries. One of those players that is set to keep his place, however, is Dawid Malan.
The Middlesex batsman played beautifully in Perth, building on much of the promise he had shown in the first two Tests. Malan to be top run scorer for England in Melbourne looks a good bet at 6/1.
One topic that has been at the forefront of the media’s minds recently is the form of Alastair Cook. Questions about his England future and how much cricket he has left in him don’t seem to be going away. England’s leading Test run scorer has been disappointing this tour by his own high standards, with just 83 runs to his name in six innings.
Whether Cook continues beyond this series is remain to be seen, but whatever happens, England’s pride is at stake ahead of the Melbourne Test as Joe Root looks to avoid succumbing to a humiliating 5-0 series whitewash.
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