Tim Bresnan rallies late in an attempt to gain an Ashes Test place
Published:Should Steven Finn fail to live up to his potential when the Ashes gets under way next week, Tim Bresnan will be ready and willing to step into the fast bowler’s boots.
Whilst Ian Bell strode on from 121 overnight to a superb innings of 192 on the third days play, Bell has been cut from 8/1 to 6/1 to be England’s top Ashes batsman, Tim Bresnan played a superb supporting act with his knock of 36.
His fine batting performance must have been the catalyst for his bowling performance as England managed to bowl 44 overs at the Australian batsman before the end of the third day.
Bresnan took all three wickets, bowling Ed Cowan and Ashes hopeful Callum Ferguson before seeing Usman Khawaja edge one behind to Matt Prior, as Australia ended on 128/3 and the Yorkshireman has stepped up his search for a Test spot.
It seems Andy Flower was settled on his Test eleven before England departed for Australia, but if Steven Finn, or even James Anderson or Stuart Broad, do not produce the quality needed to attack the Australian top order, Bresnan could find himself shunted into the Test team.
And at 16/1, Bresnan is a big price to end the series as England’s top Ashes wicket-taker.
With England’s back-up bowlers continuing to produce the fine form that the first team bowlers showed in the first two warm-up games, it seems England are in a very strong position to win the Ashes series.
Australia are struggling as a unit, they are unsure of their best eleven, the batsman are out of form and only Mitchell Johnson has inspired any confidence in the Australian public.
Having drifted from 8/13 to 10/11 to win the Ashes, Australia are struggling to find confidence in the Ashes betting odds.
A £10 stake on England at 13/8 to win the Ashes would return £26.25. See the full Ashes betting odds here.
