The Ashes: Pink Ball Test Betting Preview

Australia landed the first punch of the series with a victory in Brisbane. Can they make it two-in-two in Adelaide? Bet Central and Ongama Gcwabe bring you all you need to know ahead of the second Ashes Test, with betting tips of course.  

Australia

The Ashes series continues down-under as the second Test match scheduled to take place in Adelaide will start tomorrow in what will be a Day-Night pink-ball Test. Considering that England have lost the first match of the series, it seems this series will be a typical down under nightmare for the visitors.  

The first Test was a horrible way to start a long series by a visiting team, one that England might find difficult to come back from. The heroics of Ben Stokes in the 2019 Ashes is still fresh in mind, Stuart Broad’s form against lefties is also fresh in mind, but I am still not convinced that England might come back guns blazing tomorrow given that they have a bad record in Australia in recent tours. 

Suggested Bet: Australia to win Second Test Match

Joe Root

Stokes is coming off an injury and that showed in the first Test with the 18 no-balls (only 3 were called by the umpires) he bowled in the first innings, while James Anderson and Stuart  Broad will be looking to find their feet in the second Test as they missed out on the first Test due to a strategic move to rest them and utilise their skills where conditions will suit them best, in Adelaide, with a seaming pink ball under lights.  

England’s batting woes are a big problem for them because apart from Joe Root, the rest of the batting order is yet to fire. Dawid Malan showed signs of good form with his 82 in the first Test, his 162-runs stand with Root (89) is just what England need, a batter or two to stand alongside the in-form Root and look to score big. The rest; Burns, Hameed, Pope, Stokes and Buttler have disappointed in the first Test. By the looks of it, Root will carry the entire batting order on his back in the second Test as he has done throughout the year.

Suggested Bet: Joe Root to be top run-scorer for the visiting team in first Innings

Stuart Broad & James Anderson

It’s clear as day, Broad and Anderson will come into the XI in Adelaide, perhaps for Jack  Leach who had a bad Test in Brisbane and Ollie Robinson respectively. It’s harsh to drop a fine bowler like Robbinson, but not playing Chris Woakes is riskier for England as Woakes brings depth in the batting aspect of the English team and right now, England need runs on the board. Broad and Anderson have over 1000 Test wickets between them, so their inclusion into the playing XI will be a huge boost for a team in desperate need of confidence.  

Broad will be eyeing Australia’s four left-handed batters. He will be licking his lips to execute the around-the-wicket line to the Aussie lefties. In the 2019 Ashes, he had David Warner seven times, Marcus Harris, three times and Travis Head three times as well. All three batters are likely to play, with Alex Carey being the fourth lefty in the top seven. Travis head was quoted by ESPNCRICINFO:

“No doubt he will be coming in excited about the Test and the pink ball. It does give the opportunity to swing it and he has had success against left-handers so he’ll be confident.” 

Clearly, Australian batters know the threat will come from Broad and Anderson in the second Test match in Adelaide. 

Suggested Bets: Stuart Broad to take the most with wickets for the visiting team in first innings. James Anderson to finish most wickets for the visiting team in second innings.

On the other hand, the Australians are flying high having won the first Test in Brisbane and having had Travis Head stand up for the team instead of the same faces carrying the team over the line once more. It is refreshing for the Aussies knowing that apart from Warner,  Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschane, there’s Head and Cameron Green waiting for an opportunity to take their good run of form into Test cricket from domestic cricket.  

On the team news, from the Australian camp – Warner awaits a fitness test ahead of the  Adelaide Test after being struck on the ribs during his 90-odd runs in Brisbane last week. If ruled out, Usman Khawaja might come in to open with Harris. Jye Richardson and Michael Nesser contest for a spot in the team as Josh Hazlewood is ruled out due to injury. 

Australia Probable XI

1. David Warner 

2. Marcus Harris 

3. Marnus Labuschane 

4. Steve Smith 

5. Travis Head 

6. Cameron Green 

7. Alex Carey (wk) 

8. Pat Cummins © 

9. Mitchell Starc 

10. Nathan Lyon 

11. Jye Richardson

Ben Stokes

From the English camp, If Leach is axed for the second Test, that will mean Joe Root will bowl a lot more overs in support of the four seamers. Ben Stokes’ injury might mean that he will feature in the playing eleven only as a batter, but his slip catching will come in handy in a Day-Night Test with Broad & Anderson steaming in from both ends. 

Suggested Bet: Ben Stokes to finish the second Test with most catches for the visiting team.

England Probable XI

1. Haseeb Hameed 

2. Rory Burns 

3. Dawid Malan 

4. Joe Root © 

5. Ben Stokes 

6. Ollie Pope 

7. Jos Buttler (wk) 

8. Chris Woakes 

9. Stuart Broad 

10. Mark Wood 

11. James Anderson

In closing, the question is – are we going to see yet another England Test side struggle in Australian conditions? A 5-0 series whitewash to Australia will definitely equate to 4.00 while a 4-1 series result, in favour of Australia, might get you odds at 5.00. 

Ashes Test Series Remaining Fixtures

2^nd Test (D/N) in Adelaide December 16^th to 20^th.  

3^rd Test in Melbourne December 26^th to 30^th.  

4^th Test in Sydney January 5^th to 9^th. 

5^th Test (D/N) in Hobart January 14^th to 18^th.