2021 Ashes Betting Preview: Australia vs England
One of the biggest rivalries in international cricket will be reignited as England and Australia do battle in the 2021 Ashes. England will need to secure their first win Down Under since 2010-11 to regain the historic urn.
THE FACTS
When is the Ashes 2021 taking place? Five Test matches will take place between November 2021 and January 2022.
Where are the Ashes 2021 behind held? It is hoped the likes of Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide will host the matches once again. This hasn’t been confirmed but could also come down to COVID-19 regulations at the time.
Who are the favourites? It is Australia that are made the favourites to secure an overall series victory.
They are priced at 8/15 with bet365, while England can be backed at 11/4 with the same betting site. The draw is available at 11/2.
Despite their short price, Tim Payne’s side are likely to prove a popular bet with cricket fans Down Under. Their formidable record on home soil could be seen as a good betting opportunity, especially for those using betting bonuses like the bet365 sign up bonus.
LAST MEETING
The last Ashes series saw Australia draw in England in 2019 to retain the title. The series, which ended 2-2, was the first to be drawn between the two sides since 1972.
THE TEAM NEWS
AUSTRALIA
- The home side are looking for a third straight home Ashes series success and will be keen to dish out more misery to their biggest sporting rivals.
- Australia will again be hoping batting duo Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne can prove a thorn in England’s side as they did in the previous Ashes series in England. Smith topped the run-scoring charts with a massive 774 in just seven innings. After he was injured, Labuschagne slotted in effortlessly to chalk up 353 runs of his own.
- Pat Cummins is expected to lead the Australia bowling attack again. He also starred in the previous series when bagging 29 wickets in five matches. Expect him to be supported by the searing pace of Mitchell Starc, the talented Josh Hazelwood and spin of Nathan Lyon.
ENGLAND
- England face an uphill task to come out on top in Australia but will be hoping their progressive side can do enough to secure a rare away win.
- Captain Joe Root and star all-rounder Ben Stokes will be crucial to their chances with the bat, while young guns Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Dan Lawrence could write themselves into the Ashes history books.
- Rapid pace options of Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Olly Stone could suit conditions. Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad have the experience necessary, and the likes of Chris Woakes and Sam Curran offer even more variation.
THE PREDICTION
This series could be a lot closer than the current betting odds suggest. England are an improving Test side at present and have a squad packed with potential and experience. It is that mix that could make for an intriguing contest. Of course, Australia have every chance of dominating in home conditions as we have seen so many times before. Still, it’s hard to see beyond anything other than a hard-fought encounter far removed from the 4-0 drubbing dished out by the Aussies in 2017-18. While Archer’s pace and guile of Broad could combine to good effect, Lyon’s superior spin could be just as vital for the hosts. The strength of each team’s opening pair come the end of the year could also be the difference. So, given how well matched the sides are, don’t be surprised to see a narrow success either way or even the first back-to-back drawn Ashes series since the mid-60s.
