Australia vs England tips and predictions: Buttler's boys to squeak home as white ball champions face off

When the T20 World Cup draw was made, this was the game that instantly grabbed the attention of cricket fans.

The bitter rivals played out a thrilling Ashes series last year and now attention turns to matters of the white ball.

England are the defending champions, while Australia stunned India to claim the 50-over world cup in November, so we should be in for a cracker...if the weather behaves.

England started their campaign with a washout against Scotland at Barbados with the Scots posting 90 in their 10 overs, which were already reduced from the usual 20 due to the weather, but England were unable to begin their chase.

That meant that we didn't see any of England's batting line up who have been in great form lately. 

Prior to the abandoned opener against Scotland, England looked in good nick in the two matches they played in the rain-interrupted T20 series with Pakistan, with captain Jos Buttler looking in good touch.

Buttler along with Phil Salt smashed 78 runs from the powerplay in the final T20 and sent a warning shot to the other contenders.

The England captain scored 123 runs across his two innings in that series and also had a good IPL and we're backing him to do well again and be England's top run scorer against the Aussies.

England's bowling attack took a bit of a pounding in those 10 overs against Scotland, but Mark Wood and Jofra Archer bowled economically and are key to England's chances here.

 

 

Australia, who comfortably beat Oman by 39 runs in their opener, are now under the stewardship of Mitch Marsh in the shortest format and he's made a good start to life as skipper with series wins against New Zealand and the West Indies in the months prior to this tournament. 

While the bulk of the Australian side are coming into the latter stages of their careers, they are still a team to be feared with Travis Head, who scored that fantastic hundred in the 50-over world cup final, coming into this one in great form. 

Head had a fantastic IPL, scoring 567 runs at an average of 40.5, and is one of the main candidates to be Australia's top run scorer. 

Marcus Stoinis walloped an unbeaten 67 off 36 and took three wickets in his man-of-the-match performance against Oman, but given the opposition probably not too much should be read into that.

Adam Zampa has become one of the best white ball bowlers in the world at the moment and only Mohammed Shami picked up more wickets than his tally of 23 in the 50-over world cup, so the leg-spinner is definitely worth a punt in the wicket-taking market. 

After taking only two for 24 against Oman, he'll want to make a bigger impact against England.

It's a tough one to call, but we're going to opt with England due to their fearsome batting line up, but only just as the Aussies have a great bowling attack. 

 

Suggested bets

England to win

England top run scorer- Jos Buttler

Australia top run scorer- Travis Head

Australia top wicket taker- Adam Zampa

 

ICC T20 World Cup offer: Bet £10 pre-match, get £5 free bet if either team scores over 180+ runs