With the Test match summer now over, the international cricket concludes for the season with a T20 and ODI series between England and Australia for the remainder of the month, with the first T20 being played in Southampton on Wednesday night.
These two sides last met at the T20 World Cup where Australia were emphatic winners, putting England on the brink of elimination. Although there isn’t too much context in this series, the rivalry between the two should ensure this is a competitive three matches.
Where to watch
The match will be shown live and in full on the Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Cricket channels with the build-up to the contest beginning at 6pm ahead of the first ball at 6.30pm.
England
Having failed to make a successful defence of their World Cup title, England will begin an interim era in this match as their coach Matthew Mott has been the fall guy for what has been a disappointing 12 months or so in white ball cricket for an England side which had been dominant prior to that. Marcus Trescothick will be an interim coach until the end of the year and England will have a new captain for this series with Jos Buttler ruled out meaning that Phil Salt has the reins.
England will need to prove that they have the bowling depth to be able to get the job done in this format of the game again. They have gone around the park a few too many times for their liking. When you look at the depth that they have with the bat, and the performances that their batting order gave in The Hundred recently there is nothing to suggest that they won’t get the job done if their bowling can come to the party in these matches.
Australia
Although there is nothing tangible on this series for Australia in terms of the fact that the next World Cup isn’t on the horizon or anything like that, the tourists are clearly taken the next few weeks seriously. I say that because they have been up in Scotland preparing for these matches with three T20s against an improving Scottish side. You could argue that they didn’t fact much of a challenge in those outings but the fact they have got some competitive action in conditions not too dissimilar to what they’ll face here is a big thing.
In that series the Australia batting was absolutely brutal. It will do well to go as well again here because it will be up against a more competitive bowling unit but if it can get close to how they went in Scotland then they are going to be hard to beat. The win or loss might be determined by the Australia bowlers though. This isn’t a first choice Australia bowling unit but they will feel there is enough in their ranks to get the job done and open the England leg of their tour with a win.
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Team News
England are expected to open the batting with Phil Salt and Will Jacks but in the middle order the likes of Dan Mousley and Jacob Bethell will be hoping for their debuts. John Turner is in the same boat with the ball. Jofra Archer is in the squad too.
Australia have included Josh Hazlewood in their squad. He joins up with the team here having skipped the Scotland leg of proceedings. There is no Nathan Ellis, Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins so Sean Abbott could take the new ball.
Betting
I don’t think England are the team to be with over the course of these eight matches as a whole but I do wonder if they can catch Australia cold in this opening match. Maybe not cold but catch them off guard a little because their bowling unit is entitled to be a whole lot better than the Scotland one that the Australians have just feasted on. Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood, Reece Topley and Adil Rashid are much better than the Scotland attack and that might well be significant.
My concerns over this England side the longer we go in these two series is with their batting unit but over 20 overs I don’t think that will be the problem it might be over 50, especially with Jamie Overton playing as an out and out batter at seven in the batting order. England have four spin bowling options which on this huge ground is no bad thing and most importantly, unlike in some series England play in, nine of their 11 players a Vitality Blast quarter final last week so they are up to speed. I won’t be on England much over the remainder of this month but this might just be the time to get on them.
Tips
Back England to beat Australia for a 3/10 stake at 2.30 with William Hill
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