It’s the most high-profile match of the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup so far as bitter rivals England and Australia meet at Lords on Tuesday. We’re set for the standard 10.30am start time and armchair fans not able to make it along to the venue can join an audience of millions who will take in the live coverage provided by Sky Sports. It’ll be one not to be missed. Here are our top England v Australia betting tips.
This fixture will tell us a lot about the chances of either side going on to win the tournament outright as the defending champions take on the hosts and pre-competition favourites. Will we see England make a giant stride towards their first World Cup title and a place in the history books or will the Aussies prove they are finally over a nightmare year by sending out a message to the watching world? There’s only one way to find out.
Weather Must Live Up to the Occasion
Two of the biggest teams in international cricket playing at one of the best venues the sport has to offer, this will be a fascinating contest from the coin toss through to the deciding ball. You can mark the occasion and add a bit more spice to the day with a bet on the outcome. Wager your cash on the winner of this tussle or play one of the many specials. You can claim a profit from the afternoon by avoiding the unpredictability of the match betting. Back top batsman, top bowler, highest opening partnership, man of the match and even draw no bet.
We’re hoping the latter isn’t an issue as it would be a tragedy if this fixture was to fall victim to the recent wet weather we’ve been seeing in England this summer. Everything else is in place to provide us with a classic, we’re left to cross our fingers and hope its dry and conditions live up to the occasion as we’ve seen already organisers don’t appear to have put too much thought into a backup plan for abandoned matches.
England Have Confidence to Call Upon
England haven’t had things all their own way in this World Cup, but they do go into this match with their tails up thanks to an extended run of form. The hosts one defeat so far came at the hands of Pakistan on 3 June when falling to a surprise 14 runs reverse, a result that threatened to wreck their campaign almost before it began. The team showed the professionalism and determination needed to get back on track as soon as possible, however, and they rallied to beat Bangladesh by 106 runs next time out.
The locals then did what was expected of them against West Indies on 14 June when grinding out a victory by eight wickets and that proved this team will take all the stopping. They have been playing with flair, smashing run records in the process and improving with the passing of each match. The win over Windies showed the team have the skill needed to compete but can also do the dirty bit of the game, roll up their sleeves and fight for a result.
A match with Afghanistan who have proven to be the tournament’s whipping boys followed and it appeared to come at exactly the right time, providing the team with a jolt of confidence, just as things began to get serious. England smashed their guests by 150 runs on 18 June and although they didn’t get the credit they deserve due to the level of opposition, it was a worthwhile exercise. The victors were last seen suffering a shock loss to Sri Lanka on Friday afternoon when ending on the wrong side of a 232-9 v 212 all out score. Will we see England bounce back again?
Aussies Have Barely Put a Foot Wrong
The problems that have attached themselves to Australian cricket over the course of the last year have been well documented, but the team must get the credit they deserve for helping pull the sport back from the brink of destruction. We weren’t quite sure what to expect of this team going into the World Cup, due to their issues, but the Aussies have barely put a foot wrong since arriving in England to defend their crown.
The visitors have lost only one match so far with the spare coming against India on 9 June, a slip that is easy enough to forgive. India won that day thanks to a margin of 36 runs, but the beaten team have become experts in bouncing back and they did so again by hammering Pakistan by 41 runs just three days later. If you’re going to lose a match that’s exactly how you want to see your team respond. Oz built on that and were seen brushing past Sri Lanka next time with 87 runs the difference that day.
If this Australian team was showing any ill-effects of that surprise loss to India they were certainly hiding it well and they go into this match having won each of their three games since. Oz made light work of a decent Bangladesh on Thursday, breezing to a 48 runs win, exactly what was needed going into this make-or-break match with the host nation in front of an expectant Lords Who will we see come out on top? Bookmakers have had their say on how this one should go.
Betting as Tight as you Would Expect
The match winner betting for this contest is as tight as you would expect but England have been marked up as favourites and despite coming in on the back of that defeat, that stance from the odds compilers makes perfect sense. The locals are 8/11 with most firms, including William Hill and we’re sure that will be popular.
Fancy the upset? It’s not a bet for us but we would find it difficult to talk anyone out of backing Australia at 11/10 (Bet365) if that was their idea of a good bet. It would certainly come as no surprise if Oz were to win this match, but the location should make all the difference with England making home advantage pay.