Australia vs England 1st ODI Preview & Tips
A large section of Australian sports fans are obsessed with the Big Bash League. An equally large section are waiting for the One Day International series to begin. After a 4-0 thumping in the Tests to regain the Ashes, the Aussies now get set to face a completely different England ODI side in a five-match series.
The first match is scheduled to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday, January 14 and will be a barometer of what’s in store for the rest of the summer.
Australia – a chance to fine tune 2019 World Cup preparations
With the 2019 World Cup set to be played in England, Australia will use these matches to start their preparations. ODI specialists like Aaron Finch, Marcus Stoinis, Travis Head and Adam Zampa will look to cement their spots.
Cameron White earned a recall to solidify the middle-order after Chris Lynn withdrew with injury. His experience will be valuable if the Aussies lose David Warner and Steve Smith cheaply! There will be a lot of talk about the bowlers’ rotation with Andrew Tye and Jhye Richardson providing a great bench to support the trio of Test quicks.
England – can the specialists improve the mood?
The scars of the Ashes loss should not be a worry for Eoin Morgan’s side who have a completely different outlook to that of the Test squad. The likes of Alex Hales, Jason Roy, Sam Billings, and Jos Buttler will try to bring a lot of positivity to the visitors – the need of the hour for them!
They are bound to miss Ben Stokes’ all-round skills, but in Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes they have a pair who can be dangerous. Bowling still looks short of a genuine pacer, but the arrival of Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, and David Willey will help the visitors.
Stats
Australia have an amazing record at the MCG having won 74 of the 122 (61%) of their games against all nations. Against England, they have won 16 of the 22 (73%) matches and have lost only one of their last eight encounters (W7, L1) played at the MCG.
Key players
No matter what the format is, Smith is the top dog for Australia. But, for someone who prides on being consistent, Smith hasn’t hit a century in almost a year (ten innings) in the ODI format. Considering his pristine run in the Ashes, England could be facing a determined Smith at the MCG.
Back Smith to score a fifty at odds of $2.10 at Ladbrokes
Talking of centuries, Smith’s opposite number Morgan too is in search of one! Over the last twelve months, he averaged 45.94 (SR 98.73) which is considerably more than his career numbers. And, he hasn’t scored a century in nine innings. Will he make Australia pay?
Betting Tips
Back Australia to continue their domination and win this match at odds of $1.53 at William Hill
With such hard-hitters in the side, England are a good chance to score more sixes than their hosts. Back England to hit the most sixes at odds of $2.30 at CrownBet.
* Tips are author’s opinion and provided for informational purposes only. Please gamble responsibily.
