The 2023 Ashes is set to be one of the most exciting in history, with a resurgent England taking on Test champions Australia.
Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum have led England to 11 victories in 13 matches since their appointments as captain and coach last summer, while Australia cemented their status as the best five-day team in the world by thrashing India by 209 runs in the World Test Championship final.
Here we pick out five key stats to help with Ashes betting tips ahead of the five-match series.
Travball
Freed up by Stokes’ and McCullum’s ultra-positive mindset, England’s batters account for seven of the eight fastest strike rates among players with more than 500 runs to their name since the New Zealander was installed as coach on May 12, 2022.
Australia batter Travis Head is the only non-Englishman in the list, with his strike rate of 83.75 runs per 100 balls ranking fourth behind Harry Brook, Ben Duckett and Jonny Bairstow.
Stokes described Head as “so hard to bowl to” in the previous Ashes in Australia, in which he scored 357 runs – the most by anyone on either side – from just 415 balls faced.
He has maintained that form ever since, most recently in a trademark counter-attacking innings of 163 from 174 deliveries against India.
Head’s performances have seen him climb to third spot in the Test batting rankings, behind countrymen Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith. Joe Root is the highest-ranked England batter in sixth.
The last time three batters from the same team were first, second and third in the Test rankings was in December 1984, when Gordon Greenidge, Clive Lloyd, and Larry Gomes from West Indies were at the top.
In terms of Ashes betting tips, Head looks a good option at 5/1 to be Australia’s top runscorer and he is 12/1 to score the most runs from either team.
All out attack
While England’s cavalier batting under Stokes and McCullum has attracted lots of attention, their bowlers have been equally destructive by dismissing the opposition in 25 consecutive innings.
This is their longest run since 1978 and 1979, when England bowled out 26 successive opponents in a sequence that brought series wins against Pakistan and New Zealand, plus a 5-1 Ashes success in Australia.
The wickets have been shared among 14 players during the current run, with veteran seamers James Anderson and Stuart Broad – as well as the injured Jack Leach – leading the way on 45 apiece.
Anderson has the best overall figures having claimed his scalps at an average of 17.62, ahead of Ollie Robinson who has 27 wickets at 21.25.
Matthew Potts has chipped in with 23 victims, ahead of captain and Durham team-mate Stokes on 20.
Then comes a bit of a gap to Root on nine wickets and Mark Wood – who has only played two Tests under Stokes and McCullum – on eight.
The overlooked Rehan Ahmed and Will Jacks took seven and six wickets in Pakistan respectively, while Josh Tongue claimed a five-for on debut against Ireland at Lord’s.
Jamie Overton (two), Brook (one) and Matt Parkinson (one) have also contributed, while there have been five run-outs and one retirement through injury.
Robinson is the 7/4 favourite to lead the way for England in the 2023 Ashes odds ahead of Anderson (11/4) and Broad (9/4).
Stokes fitness worries
Stokes’ bowling capability remains somewhat shrouded in mystery ahead of the first Test.
England’s captain has been recovering from a troublesome left knee and – despite insisting he is ready to bowl – has sent down only nine overs in six Test innings so far in 2023.
He also bowled only one over for Chennai Super Kings in this year’s Indian Premier League and was described by coach Stephen Fleming as “batting cover” during the second half of the tournament.
Stokes’ all-round abilities are key to the balance of England’s side, particularly given his preference for fast, flat pitches which could result in bowlers having to get through lots of overs.
Meanwhile, Australia all-rounder Cameron Green – who is playing in an Ashes in England for the first time – has enjoyed a promising start to his Test career.
He has lost only three of the 21 matches he has played in and Australia head into this series as the 10/11 favourites while they are 4/7 to retain the urn.
Indomitable Lyon
Nathan Lyon has played a remarkable 98 consecutive Tests for Australia, the joint-sixth longest run in history.
The 35-year-old off-spinner – who took four for 41 to help dismiss India in their second innings and clinch the World Test Championship – has not missed a single game since sitting out the opening two Tests of the 2013 Ashes in England.
While Lyon is unlikely to break the record held by former England captain Sir Alastair Cook (159), he is already out on his own among bowlers.
All-rounders Garry Sobers (85), Kapil Dev (66) and Ian Botham (65) have been surpassed, although India’s Dev can consider himself unlucky not to hold the bowlers’ record having missed only one Test in his 131-match career.
Lyon is 4/1 to be his team’s leading wicket taker in a series victory for the tourists.
Lyon’s omnipresence is in stark contrast with his opposite number Moeen Ali, who is returning to red-ball cricket after nearly two years away as an emergency replacement for the injured Leach.
Moeen admitted this week that he has “never been able to hold an end up” and the stats back this up – his economy rate of 3.61 runs per over is far worse than Lyon’s 2.92.
However, he has a better strike rate than his Australian counterpart, taking a wicket every 60.7 deliveries compared with Lyon’s 63.7.
In bwin’s Ashes series specials, Moeen is priced at 16/1 to take at least 15 wickets and score 400 or more runs.
Rivalry renewed
Australia opener David Warner is touring England for the last time and is the player that the Barmy Army love to hate, while Broad will relish renewing their long rivalry.
The pair have gone up against each other in 26 Test matches over the last decade, with Broad dismissing the Australian 14 times – more than any other bowler in the world.
Half of those wickets came in the 2019 Ashes, when Broad dismissed the left-hander seven times in 10 innings as he averaged just 9.5 runs per innings.
For punters expecting a repeat, Broad to dismiss Warner at least five times during the series is a tempting option for Ashes betting tips at 3/1.
Join bwin today and receive up to £20 money back as a FreeBet if your first wager (3+ selections at odds of 1/2 (1.5) or greater) is a loser! Terms and conditions apply.
