Setting the Odds for England vs. Australia ODI Series

England and Australia begin their five-match one-day international series on Friday morning with the opening encounter at Headingley, and we pick out some of the most eye-catching betting markets ahead of the eagerly anticipated clashes.

The tourists begin the series currently ranked as the second-best ODI side in world cricket, while the home team are only two points and one place behind their arch rivals in the standings.

However, the last time the two countries met in a 50-over contest was back in June, when England won by 48 runs in their opening Group A encounter of the ICC Champions Trophy at Edgbaston, although the make-up of the two squads are now fairly different, especially the hosts’ experimental and much-changed lineup.

Either way, though, the series is sure to be closely fought, with little to choose between these two evenly matched limited-overs sides. Each nation looks to finalise its preparations ahead of the 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

There is one note of caution, however, if you are an England fan and that relates to the previous two ODI contests that these two fierce enemies have contested immediately following an Ashes series, with games Down Under in 2010/11 and in the UK in 2009 resulting in an aggregate scoreline of 12-2 in Australia’s favour.

England squad: E Morgan (Middlesex, capt), R Bopara (Essex), J Buttler (Somerset), M Carberry (Hampshire), S Finn (Middlesex), C Jordan (Sussex), J Overton (Somerset), K Pietersen (Surrey), B Rankin (Warwickshire), J Root (Yorkshire), B Stokes (Durham), J Tredwell (Kent), J Trott (Warwickshire), L Wright (Sussex).

Australia squad: Michael Clarke (capt), George Bailey, Fawad Ahmed, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Josh Hazlewood, Phil Hughes, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, Adam Voges, Matthew Wade (wkt), Shane Watson.

Series Winner

England 11/10
Australia 8/11

No real surprises here, with this five-match series far too tight to call from the outset, although ODI cricket can be hard to predict in that when a side gains the upper hand, as we saw in both of the previous two seven-match series’ between these two teams which ended in 6-1 drubbings for England, they can be hard to stop.

However, England to just edge it for me.

Correct Series Score

England 5-0 16/1

England 4-1 11/2

England 3-2 2/1

Australia 5-0 16/1

Australia 4-1 5/1

Australia 3-2 15/8

I like the look of England winning the series with this new group of players eager to impress the team management as we approach the 2015 World Cup, but only just. This is still a strong-looking Australia squad they will be coming up against, who will equally be wanting to end their so far miserable tour on a high.

Top Australia Series Run Scorer

Shane Watson 10/3    

Phillip Hughes 9/1      

Mitchell Johnson 200/1

Michael Clarke 7/2    

Adam Voges 12/1      

Nathan Coulter-Nile 250/1

Aaron Finch 7/2         

Matthew Wade 22/1 

Clint McKay 375/1

Shaun Marsh 4/1      

Glenn Maxwell 22/1  

Josh Hazlewood 500/1

George Bailey 8/1      

James Faulkner 100/1

Fawad Ahmed 500/1

It is hard really to look much beyond top-order batsmen Clarke and Watson, however, if you were wanting to look outside that obvious pair, then there looks to be some value in Marsh at 4/1.

Top England Series Run Scorer

Jonathan Trott 10/3   

Ravi Bopara 11/1       

James Tredwell 250/1

Kevin Pietersen 7/2    

Luke Wright 14/1       

Jamie Overton 500/1

Michael Carberry 4/1           

Jos Buttler 20/1          

Steven Finn 500/1

Joe Root 4/1   

Ben Stokes 25/1         

Boyd Rankin 500/1

Eoin Morgan 5/1        

Chris Jordan 150/1     

Again, like with Australia, there are the usual bankers such as Trott, Pietersen, Root and Morgan, especially as they all bat high up the order, but on that basis then the in-form Carberry may well be worth a punt in what will be the Hampshire opener’s ODI debut.

Top Australia Series Wicket Taker

Mitchell Johnson 11/4

James Faulkner 10/3

Clint McKay 10/3

Fawad Ahmed 4/1

Shane Watson 6/1

Josh Hazlewood 7/1

Nathan Coulter-Nile 10/1

Glenn Maxwell 16/1

Adam Voges 33/1

Johnson is the clear favourite in this market (stop that sniggering I can hear at the back!), although this is partly a reflection of the inexperience of many of the other bowlers in the tourists’ squad.

However, with Ahmed the No 1 spinner for the Aussies, and therefore likely to play in all five games, coupled with the home side’s renowned weakness when it comes to attacking leg spinners in this form of the game, the man who will playing in just his second-ever ODI could be the smart bet in this category.

Top England Series Wicket Taker

James Tredwell 5/2

Steven Finn 11/4

Boyd Rankin 10/3

Chris Jordan 8/1

Ben Stokes 9/1

Jamie Overton 9/1

Luke Wright 16/1

Ravi Bopara 22/1

Joe Root 40/1

For me, it is a straight fight here between the hosts’ two giant opening bowlers in this series, Finn and Rankin, with the adopted Irish seamer just edging it, and at a great price too (11/4).

Top Series Run Scorer

Jonathan Trott 7/1     

Phillip Hughes 16/1    

Mitchell Johnson 300/1

Aaron Finch 7/1        

Ravi Bopara 22/1       

James Tredwell 375/1

Michael Clarke 7/1    

Adam Voges 22/1      

Nathan Coulter-Nile 400/1

Shane Watson 7/1      

Luke Wright 30/1       

Clint McKay 500/1

Kevin Pietersen 15/2  

Jos Buttler 35/1          

Steven Finn 1000/1

Shaun Marsh 17/2     

Matthew Wade 35/1 

Josh Hazlewood 1000/1

Michael Carberry 17/2          

Glenn Maxwell 40/1  

Jamie Overton 1000/1

Joe Root 17/2 

Ben Stokes 55/1         

Fawad Ahmed 1000/1

Eoin Morgan 9/1        

James Faulkner 175/1

Boyd Rankin 1000/1

George Bailey 14/1    

Chris Jordan 275/1     

One name stands out in this final section, and it is that of Australia’s big-hitting opener Finch, especially if he displays the devastating form which saw the left-handed opener blast 156 runs from just 63 balls in the opening Twenty20 international against England at the Rose Bowl last week.

And even if the Victorian only comes off in, say, two of the five internationals, he would already be well on his way to topping the run charts come the end of the series!

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