England v Australia 5th Ashes Test betting preview and Odds
For the first time in the series, England are favourites to win a Test match as they look to complete a famous victory over their old adversaries.
It’s been an amazing few weeks for the tourists, who have largely controlled this Ashes series, registering impressive wins in Adelaide and Melbourne to ensure that they will be returning home with the smallest trophy in world sport.
England are clearly keen that they complete a series win in Sydney and William Hill offer 11/8 that they win this final Test against an Australia team missing Ricky Ponting. Many suspected that losing Stuart Broad so early in the tour would cost the visitors, although Chris Tremlett has stepped up brilliantly.
Tremlett is 3/1 with Ladbrokes to take the most wickets in Sydney and his form is as good as anyone else’s, with Tim Bresnan also impressing at the MCG and he’s available at 4/1 with Stan James. It will have pleased the England selectors that two bowlers who were not originally in the team have performed so well.
James Anderson has been in right from the start and can be backed at 5/2 (Ladbrokes) to be the top wicket taker, while Graeme Swann is on offer at 5/2 (Stan James) to continue supplementing the claim that he is the best spin bowler in the world.
There have been any number of quality batting performances throughout the series, although it’s Jonathan Trott who has currently amassed the most runs Down Under and the England number three can be backed at 4/1 with Sporting Bet to be the top batsman for his country.
Kevin Pietersen is predictably among the favourites at 4/1 (Ladbrokes) and the all-rounder has been claiming this week that England retaining the Ashes is down to the fact that he stood down as captain! The current skipper Andrew Strauss is a 4/1 poke with Sporting Bet although perhaps it’s worth having a crack at Ian Bell (7/1 Coral) considering that he’s nearly twice the price.
Australia will be captained by Michael Clarke and they will have fire in their bellies after the disappointment of the Melbourne Test where they were bowled out for 98 in the first innings. It’s amazing to see bet365 quote 13/5 about the home side winning in Sydney considering they were series favourites in December and perhaps it’s a value bet.
The draw could be a major player at 2/1 (Sporting Bet) and that would be enough to ensure that England record a 2-1 series victory. Captain Clarke is 5/1 (Ladbrokes) to lead by example and score the most Australia runs, although Mike Hussey (4/1 Ladbrokes) looks like an each-way bet to nothing considering he’s been such a stand-out performer throughout the series.