Month: July 2019

Ashes 2019: Ante-Post Series Preview

It doesn’t take a genius to conclude that this Ashes series is going to see ball dominate the bat: both sides’ bowling line-ups are full of talent, while their batting is flimsy at best, and that’s without adding in the Dukes ball and mid-September finish as factors.

England’s top order is a particular concern. Joe Denly and Rory Burns have shown no signs in their county careers – or indeed their international careers so far – of having the class to succeed in an Ashes series, so it’s somewhat of a mystery how they’ve claimed two of the top four slots in the order. And even though Jason Roy is clearly a player of sublime natural talent, his technique against the red ball has always been suspect, so much so that he has tended to bat as low as number six for Surrey. Joe Root’s move to number three is clearly the right move for the side, but he’ll be under immense pressure as captain in a home Ashes series, and is likely to be walking out to bat without having had much time to clear his head and focus on getting runs. He’s clearly England’s trump card, but odds of 2/1 for him to be their top scorer in the series look short in those circumstances.

With Jonny Bairstow currently unable to defend straight balls due to his (understandable) white-ball focus, and Moeen Ali in the sort of form that makes you wonder how he ever scored hundreds in the first place, there may be some value in England’s two big-game star men, Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler. While neither has a stellar test record, they are exactly the kind of characters who will relish the intensity of an Ashes battle. They won’t be batting against the new Dukes ball – or at least England will hope that’s the case! – and their chances have been underestimated in what might be an unusual Test series.

For Australia, the situation is far clearer. At his best, Steve Smith is a genuine run-machine, and he has consistently raised his game against England in the past. The World Cup should have allowed Smith to find some touch and form in foreign conditions, and without the pressure to score quickly, he can go back to accumulating runs in his irritatingly unorthodox fashion as slowly he pleases. Of course, Smith’s support of his side’s sandpaper antics means he hasn’t played test cricket for some time, but if he really gets going, he has no equals. It’s therefore logical to back him to be top overall scorer, rather than just the top Aussie batsman, as better prices are of course available.

In a similar vein, James Anderson should be backed to be the leading Ashes bowler overall rather than just England’s top man. His record in home tests is stunning, and Australians struggle badly against the moving ball. While it’s true that Anderson’s age means he’s more vulnerable to injury than in previous series, the Lancastrian is a tough customer, and with Joffra Archer waiting in the wings, Chris Woakes and Stuart Broad are unlikely to play all five tests. Meanwhile Australia are uncertain about their best fast-bowling line-up even at this late stage, and seem likely to rotate all options other than Pat Cummins, who has a poor career injury record himself. Anderson can take the spoils.

There is one more recommended bet, and that’s the big one: England to win the Ashes. The media’s focus on England’s undoubted batting weaknesses has diverted attention from Australia’s equally suspect top six. David Warner’s red-ball record in England is mediocre, and England’s attack will fear nobody else bar a rejuvenated Steve Smith. Only one of the last nine Ashes series has been won by the away team – with no draws – and that was achieved by England’s truly outstanding 2011 side boasting a top four of Strauss, Cook, Trott and Pietersen. This Australian team have nowhere near that level of mental or technical class, and while England’s 2019 test side is hardly of 2011 vintage, Joe Root’s men can still take advantage of favourable home conditions to take back the urn.

 

Ashes Series Recommended Bets Summary:

To Win Series – England – 3pts at Evens

Top England Batsman – Ben Stokes 0.5pts at 7/1 & Jos Buttler 0.5pts at 10/1

Top Ashes Batsman – Steve Smith – 1pt at 7/2

Top Ashes Bowler – James Anderson – 1pt at 9/2

England v Ireland Test Preview

The first Test Match of the Summer is here, and for World Champions England – their official title now, in the manner of a Lord – it’s time for batsmen to put away the switch hit and for bowlers to re-learn the skill of hitting the top of off stump. This won’t be an easy transition, especially for those who played a large part in the World Cup campaign, not least because whatever the main protagonists say to the media, the rush of four successive knock-out 50-over games in front of baying crowds will make the sedate blazers-and-champagne atmosphere seem rather low-key.

That’s particularly true because this game isn’t really a ‘normal’ test match at all, but a fairly standard County Championship Division One game masquerading as a fully-fledged test. Firstly, it’s against Ireland, whose line-up is made up largely by county stalwarts. Secondly, it’s scheduled over four days, just like county cricket, rather than five. And thirdly, England’s line-up looks far more like a strong county XI than a genuine international side; the strongest county sides of recent times (let’s say Yorkshire or Middlesex in 2015 or 2016) would give them a very good game.

As such, it makes far more sense from a betting perspective to view this as a glorified, televised county match that happens to have international status. That’s no offence to Ireland – it’s more that England’s team (and mental state) for this game is so weak.

In those circumstances, there is clearly one stand-out bet before we even look at the detail: Tim Murtagh to be top Ireland bowler (1st innings) at 100/30. To put it simply, Murtagh is a genius, even in the twilight of his magnificent career. He has the ball on a string, can swing it both ways at will, and has outfoxed the players in this England line-up for years. Just earlier this summer, he was far too good for some of the same players he’ll face today, including Joe Root. On top of that, he’s playing at his home ground, and he will bowl whenever he wants – rather than when the captain wants! – from his favoured Nursery End.

The joker in the pack with this theory is the weather, which is going to be – in the words of Arabella Weir’s Fast Show weathergirl – “scorchio” for the first two days at least. These are not the kind of conditions where Murtagh is seen at his best, but frankly they’re not the kind of conditions where any bowler is seen at their best, and he’s still Ireland’s best bowler available at generous odds.

Yet these hot and sunny conditions mean there could be some value around elsewhere. This is a four-day test due to be played on a slow wicket (as Lord’s is these days) in initially superb batting conditions, with the chance of thunderstorms on days three and four. To my mind, those circumstances scream “draw”, but that outcome is available at 8/1. With England’s attack missing Jimmy Anderson, to my judgment there’s more than a 12.5% chance of this result, and if there is any rain around it could become a good back-to-lay position too. This does mean we are relying on an Ireland batsman to bed in and make a substantial innings – something they have struggled with on the international scene in general – but there are some capable players in their line-up and we’ll take our chances on the draw, to small stakes, with a back-to-lay advised if possible during the game.

Jonny Bairstow was already advised on Twitter as Top England Batsman (1st Innings) at a ludicrous 13/2, but now those prices are gone, there doesn’t look to be much juice in this market. At the top of England’s order, both Roy and Burns have been notoriously slow starters in red-ball cricket, and as such it might be worth a very small and speculative bet on Ireland to have the higher opening partnership.

Already Advised (Twitter):

Jonny Bairstow – Top England Bat (1st Innings) – 1pt at 13/2 (Skybet)
Tim Murtagh – Top Ireland Bowler (1st Innings) – 2pts at 100/30 (Bet365)

Recommended Bets:

Draw – Match Result – 0.5pts at 8/1 (general)
Ireland – Highest Opening Partnership – 0.25pts at 4/1 (Betway & others)