Second Ashes Test: England vs Australia day three betting tips
Ben Stokes England v Australia 2nd Ashes Test
England will start day three of the second Ashes Test at Lord's on 278 for four - a 138-run deficit. See our suggested bets for the third day's play.
See our suggested bets for the third day's play as England start day three of the second Ashes Test at Lord's on 278 for four - a 138-run deficit.
England have done well to pull the game back courtesy a successful morning session with the ball on Thursday - and then made significant progress with bat to chip away at the Australian lead.
Ben Stokes over 74.5 at 9/4
Ben Stokes started off slowly before rapidly kicking on to a big score would be reminiscent of his innings in the famous Ashes Test at Headingley in 2019. So far the man for big occasions has looked in control for his 57-ball 17 and would be looking to cash in like he has done on many occasions.
Nathan Lyon being forced off through injury, most likely for the rest of the match, will also help Stokes' cause. He'll have one less worry with Australia being without their world-class off-spinner turning the ball away from him. Stokes under 74.5 would be at odds of 2/7.
Next wicket of dismissal - caught - at 4/9
Caught being the next dismissal would make sense when watching how three of the four English batters have fallen so far.
The catches have not been in the areas you would traditionally come to expect from a Test match. Alex Carey and the slips cordon have not been required yet.
England have not looked shy at taking on the short ball and who would argue against them continuing their attacking approach of hooking and pulling the short ball - perhaps to their downfall.
Bowled coming in with odds of 7/2 would be a fairly safe bet. With two batters who have the ability to go full throttle against bowling attacks - although Stokes has yet to kick into higher gears - there's every chance that one of them has their timber rattled from being overly aggressive.
Next man out - Harry Brook - at 10/11
Brook's short Test career has been defined by scoring big while striking at almost a run a ball. The issue for Brook is a sharp dip in form in all formats of the game since the end of the last World Test Championship cycle.
While Stokes has not necessarily lit the world on fire with his recent batting performances either to back up the odds of 5/6 in the same market, the left-hander has taken the more conservative approach. If Brook continues to go guns blazing, he might be walking back up the Lord's stairs sooner than Stokes.
