Richard Mann has three bets for England's ODI series opener against Australia in Perth on Friday morning.
Cricket tips: Australia vs England
2pts No hundred in the match at 11/8 (bet365, betway)
0.5pt No fifty in the match at 40/1 (Paddy Power, Betfair)
2pts Jack Edwards top Australia bowler at 15/2 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power, Betfair)
With Australian cricket back in crisis, England couldn’t have wished for a better time for a tour Down Under as they begin their three-match ODI series in Perth on Friday morning (03:30).
Test captain Pat Cummins will no doubt be relieved to have been rested for this series as he continues to hide in his bunker following Usman Khawaja’s shocking revelations about the 2018 ball-tampering scandal earlier in the week, and with partners in crime, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, also missing in action, the home bowling does look light.
That promises to swing things in England’s favour, especially with Jofra Archer back in the fold following a few weeks off following a busy summer.
However, Harry Brook’s side flitted between the sublime to the ridiculous in an ultimately disappointing recent Tri-Series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka only last month, so I find it hard to trust the tourists with any real conviction.
Recent trends point to low scores
The other factor at play in Perth is the pitch at the Optus Stadium which has proven to be hard work for batting over the last few years, with plenty of sideways movement on offer from a surface that hasn’t been anything like as true as the old W.A.C.A used to be.
Last winter’s Ashes Test match was played a difficult wicket offering seam movement and variable bounce, and Australia were themselves rolled out for just 140 by Pakistan in an ODI on this ground in 2024.
More evidence of small totals in Perth came in last season’s Big Bash when this venue staged a plethora or low-scoring contests, including the Qualifier when the home team scrambled to 147-9 bating first, and Sydney Sixers were then bowled out for just 99 in reply.
In the final played between the same two teams again at the Optus, Perth Scorchers were victorious once more, though they had to work hard to chase down 133 in over 17 overs.
Oppose the milestones on Perth pitch
In all, in seven Big Bash fixtures here last season, NO FIFTY IN THE MATCH was a winning bet on five occasions.
Clearly, the chances of a fifty being scored is much higher in the 50-over format, but I reckon challenging batting conditions are almost a given, and with concerns about both batting units when the going is tough, I’ll roll the dice.
NO WAY! 🤯 Jack Edwards, that’s gotta be catch of the tournament! #BBL13 pic.twitter.com/Jzo8owbFly
— KFC Big Bash League (@BBL) January 19, 2024
Some may prefer to take 11/8 about NO HUNDRED IN THE MATCH, and this does look a particularly solid wager – so I’ll back both to differing stakes.
Edwards the value for Australia
With Australia missing those key big-name bowlers for this series, I can’t for the life of me understand why JACK EDWARDS is 15/2 for TOP AUSTRALIA BOWLER honours.
Edwards was Australia’s leading wicket-taker in the recent ODI series in South Africa, chalking up an impressive five-wicket haul in Johannesburg, and I’m sure he’ll be a key man for the hosts in these three games.
Interestingly, Edwards bowled really well in a trio of appearances at the Optus Stadium in last year’s Big Bash, his nagging accuracy and ability to seam the ball proving a good fit for conditions.
He should prove a handful again both up front and at the death, and the current odds look a couple of points too big at least.
Preview posted at 13:00 GMT on 11/11/26
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