England vs. Australia Betting Tips: Top Tips for the Second Test
The Second Test of the 2023 Ashes series begins on Wednesday and we've got Matt Banks on hand to preview the action and provide us with his best bets.
The first Test was arguably one of the greatest Test matches of all time and if that game is a sign of things to come this could be an incredible summer.
Australia just snuck over the line thanks to a brilliant partnership by Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon to win the game by two wickets.
If England want to take the series, it’s imperative that they level the series at Lord’s, a ground that has historically been a very happy hunting ground for the Aussies.
These two sides are very incredibly evenly matched and the odds throughout the series will reflect that. Like the first test, Australia are very slight favourites - they are currently 11/10 with most betting sites, while England are 6/4.
England may have lost the first Test but will feel like they did all the running in that game and could easily have won if they’d had the rub of the green and had held on a few more chances. The main issue for England is they held Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith to 34 runs between them in the game and still lost - it would not be a surprise at all to see one or both of them go big at Lord’s.
Despite that, we’re going with England to win the second Test. England’s bowlers have got some overs in their legs after various injuries and will hopefully look more potent with the pitch expected to do a bit more than the featherbed they played on in Edgbaston. Expect Mark Wood to come in and provide England’s bowling attack with some much-needed pace to break through the tail.
England vs Australia Second Test Tips
The young Yorkshireman got starts in both innings where he threatened to take the game away from Australia.
In the first innings he got out in one of the most bizarre ways you’ll ever see, and in the second he was unfortunate to middle a long-hop directly to short mid-wicket.
This time, we’re expecting him to not make those mistakes twice and go big at Lord’s. The talent is so clearly there and he showed both Pakistan and New Zealand how good he can be over the winter.
This could be the game he announces himself onto the Ashes stage.
In a Pre-Bazball era, this would have been seen as a crazy pick, but since McCullum and Stokes have arrived Joe Root looks like a new batsman.
He’s scoring even more runs at a higher average and strike rate than before, and is a man in some serious form.
On top of that, his patented reverse scoop over the slip cordon often goes for six and he rarely misses it.
He hit five sixes in the first Test - three more than any of his other teammates and we’re backing him to do it again and have the most sixes in the England side.
We have another outside bet here, but we love the value.
Alex Carey looked in great touch in the first innings of the game at Edgbaston for his 66 and looks at home on English pitches.
If he arrives at the crease after a tough start for Australia, he may well be the man to steer the ship for them and go big.
Lord’s can be a tough place to bat for top-order batsman and Carey will arrive once the ball has lost some shine and the clouds have burned away.
Subscribe now for the latest previews, exclusive tips supported by stats, and top offers sent directly to your inbox.