We have had a look at the outright markets for the upcoming series of The Ashes and we have also covered the top batter offerings which just leaves the lists for the top bowlers for both sides ahead of the first ball on Friday.
These markets are probably the most complicated to assess and bet on because of all of the injuries that are in both camps or the threat of them down the line but there will be a winner of each and we’ll do our best to find them!
Australia
The Australia market would have been a really competitive one but the injuries to Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, which will rule both out of the first Test at the very least, in theory make things a little easier with Mitchell Starc now a fairly warm favourite. Nathan Lyon has shortened in the betting in recent days in light of those injuries with Scott Boland another who has seen his price reduce dramatically. Brendan Doggett is the only other single figure price in the squad aside from the injured pair.
You would imagine that Starc will be hard to beat as he is the one who is most likely to play all five matches but I’m not convinced that Australia will bring Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood back at the same time and face the threat of one of them breaking down and leaving the attack a bowler light so Scott Boland might actually play more than people think and in that situation the 11/4 on him being the top bowler for Australia in the series appeals. It is well-known that he averages 12 in Test cricket in Australia so if he has a big Test in Perth it might be that he plays the series even when the two injured men are back and Australia go in without a spinner. Either way, at 11/4 I think Boland has a better chance than maybe the market suggests.
Special Offer
Open a new Sporting Index account and bet £10 on the series (min odds 1/2) to get £20 in free bets (2x£10 free bets) to use on any sports market! Click the image below to take advantage of this great offer! 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Responsibly.
England
The market for the top England bowler is a much more competitive one because at the time of writing there are no injuries in their camp. The one thing we need to work out when getting involved in it though is who is likely to play in the most matches. The market has Jofra Archer as a 5/2 favourite with Gus Atkinson 11/4 and Brydon Carse 5/1. Ben Stokes is also 5/1 with Mark Wood a 15/2 shot and Shoaib Bashir an 8/1 poke.
You would think there is little chance that with their injury records that Archer or Wood play all five matches while Atkinson missed a lot of the English summer with an injury which might make him vulnerable for all five games. I want nothing to do with Bashir as he’ll be hit out of the attack which leaves Stokes and Carse. I think it is worth taking a chance that Stokes plays all five matches and if he does I would be surprised if he isn’t the leading English wicket taker in the series. He reminded us of his quality in the warm up match and he’ll run in all day. He might just win this market on activity alone but he could easily win it with the quality of his bowling. With doubts over the game time of all the other bowlers on this tour, I’m prepared to chance it that the England skipper’s body holds up in which case he is the likeliest top bowler for me.
Tips
Back S.Boland Top Australia Series Bowler for a 2/10 stake at 3.75 with Coral
Back B.Stokes Top England Series Bowler for a 1/10 stake at 6.00 with Sky Bet
