AUSTRALIA v ENGLAND: The Edge previews the 4th Ashes Test with a recommended BETDAQ bet.
Australia v England 4th Test 26th Dec
MATCH OVERVIEW:
One of the highlights of the sporting year arrives on Boxing Day as 100,000 pile into the MCG for the Boxing Day Test. It’s the 4th Ashes Test on Betdaq Betting Exchange , and unfortunately it’s effectively a dead-rubber as Australia lead the series 3-0 with England have a tour from hell so far. I’m sure the MCG will still be packed, but it is a shame that we arrive here with the series settled – although in fairness; can you call any Ashes Test a dead-rubber given the history between the sides? Not only that, England desperately need something good to happen before heading home. A 5-0 whitewash is looming.
Although England had their best batting performance of the tour in the 3rd Test, they were still comfortably outplayed and beaten by 82 runs. It was the flattest wicket, but England were always short when only managing 286 in their first innings. Australia took a big lead into the second innings and there was no way back for England. Ben Stokes was recorded having a go at Jofra Archer in the field and his press conference afterwards would suggest it’s not a happy camp at the moment. Australia were at their “weakest” coming into this series, and they’ve won the Ashes in record time – helped by the 1st Test only lasting two days of course!
England traded odds on in the 1st and 2nd Test, but I feel the 3rd Test was arguably the biggest negative. They played better, but were miles short. As I said after the 2nd Test, it feels like Australia know that England will just gift their wickets away at some stage; they play boring cricket and just wait for Bazball to implode. It feels like we’re heading towards 5-0, and once again all the Aussies will be shouting that Bazball is dead. Can England do something to turn the tide?
WEATHER AND PITCH WATCH:
There is no bigger occasion than the MCG Test on Boxing Day during an Ashes series. The atmosphere will be fantastic, and when you’re on a run that England are at the moment it’s probably the worst place to walk out into the middle. As we know, the MCG is a drop in pitch so we can get a range of conditions here year-on-year. The last time the MCG hosted a non Boxing Day Test was in 1990 – that might come up in a Pub Quiz some time! It has been a result venue though – the last seven Tests have had a result. We’ve only had two draws in the last 27 Tests going back to 1998. Given the way England have played, it’s hard to not see a result here anyway!
RECOMMENDED BET:
We landed a confident bet on Australia to win the 3rd Test, and I didn’t see any reason to change here. As I said above, the England batters have just gifted their wickets away at times this series. Ben Stokes changed tactics and tried to sit in with a strike rate of 41.91 from very close to 200 balls, so maybe Bazball is dead as they say, but the reality is he was probably keen to show the rest of the dressing room you should dig in under pressure. This Aussie team look so much stronger at the moment though, and I’m surprised they are trading just one tick below their price to win the 3rd Test. I’m happy with a Five Star NAP at 1.55.
The Edge Says:
Five points win Australia to beat England at 1.55 with Betdaq Exchange
View the market here -> https://betdaq.biz/Ashes4
IN-RUNNING STRATEGY:
It’s really paid to go against the England batting right through the series, and I don’t see that changing here. Even in the 1st Test when the market was swinging around, the batting was always the weak point. I was surprised to see Australia trading as high as 1.55 when I clicked into the market, so I do feel the market will offer value on Australia right throughout here. I’m just happy to be against the England batting again when the time comes.
