Ashes series top run-scorer betting predictions, best bets and form 2019

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The World Gambling List’s cricket specialists have analysed the betting and recent form to come up with predictions on top batsmen for the 2019 Ashes Test series between England and Australia.
We will look at the top contenders in three main betting markets: the top overall Ashes run-scorer; the top English batsman, and the top Australian batsman.

Just to be clear, in this article we are talking about the markets for top run-scorer for the entire five-match series. You of course can bet on leading run-scorer in each innings and we will provide tips for some of those markets in our previews for each Test.

With many pundits tipping ball to reign over bat in this series, we need to lean to the players with the ability to ride out difficult patches and then cash in when the ball ceases swinging or darting around off the pitch.

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Mind you, coming off a 50-over World Cup and with the abundance of T20 cricket these days, it’s not always easy for the batsmen to revert to Test mode where patience and concentration are required in equal measure.

Also the England and Wales Cricket Board has ordered bowler-friendly Duke balls made to 2018 specifications for this series rather than the Dukes used in this year’s County championship. The balls for the 2019 Ashes will have a more pronounced seam and are expected to make life uncomfortable for batsmen especially early in each innings.

First we will look at the betting markets for England vs Australia from leading British bookmaker William Hill.

For full odds visit the William Hill website or if you are in Australia, Beteasy will carry similar prices.

Betting on top run-scorer for the 2019 Ashes series

Overall top run-scorer
Joe Root $4.50
Steve Smith $5
David Warner $6
Usman Khawaja $10
Jonny Bairstow $11
Rory Burns $11
Jason Roy $11
Marcus Harris $13
Cameron Bancroft $17
Ben Stokes $21
Jos Buttler $26

Top overall run-scorer for England
Joe Root $3.25
Jonny Bairstow $5
Rory Burns $5.50
Jason Roy $6
Ben Stokes $9
Joe Denly $9
Jos Buttler $13
Dom Sibley $15

Top overall run-scorer for Australia
Steve Smith $3
David Warner $3.50
Usman Khawaja $5.50
Marcus Harris $7
Cameron Bancroft $9
Travis Head $13
Marnus Labuschagne $17

The short-list for leading run-scorers in the Ashes

Joe Root (England): The England captain averages a tick under 50 in Tests and, to be frank, that is light years ahead of the rest of the England batting line-up. Root is simply one of the top long-form batsmen in the game and will need to shine if England are to hold up with a largely unproven top order.

Jonny Bairstow (England): The slashing right-hander has proven himself one of the best one-day international players around. Now he has to prove he has the temperament to improve on his average in the mid 30s. He loves a scrap so we won’t rule him out from having a big series.

Jason Roy (England): Just like his ODI opening partner Bairstow, Roy is a much-feared short-form player. But can he bring that destructive scoring to Test matches where the ball is likely to move about early. We are not sure.

Ben Stokes (England): Has come back from a massive wake-up call off the field to be in the form of his life on it. We think Stokes will get plenty of opportunities to bat long stints in the middle-order, with early wickets expected to fall. He might be a better bet in the player of the series contest though.

David Warner (Australia): Has returned from a year’s ban for his part in the South Africa ball-tampering scandal to top-score in the Indian Premier League and almost do the same the ODI World Cup. How Warner performs in this series will go a long way to deciding the outcome. He is so damaging if he gets going in Test cricket.

Steve Smith (Australia): As with Warner, the former captain is on the comeback trail and has not been anywhere near as impressive as the left-hander. Smith looked shaky during the World Cup campaign but may appreciate being back in the red-ball game.

Usman Khawaja (Australia): A fine player but we want to check his injury status before placing any wagers on him. Big doubts on him lasting through a tough series given his recent hamstring issues.

Marcus Harris (Australia): Should get first crack at opening the batting for Australia alongside Warner, though there has been a late push for Cameron Bancroft, the third of the players returning from suspension for Sandpapergate. We like Harris as he looks like a Test batsmen with his compact technique.

Tip for overall leading Ashes run-scorer

We predict David Warner ($6 overall and $3.50 to top Australia’s run-scorers) will cop plenty of abuse from the terraces, as he did even before the whole South Africa disaster. But he has shown remarkable temperament in the IPL and World Cup to score heavily. No reason he can’t rack up more big scores here, especially if can survive some of the early onslaughts from the England bowlers.

Tip for top England run-scorer

Jonny Bairstow ($5 to top England’s run-scorers). He has proven his ability to score heavily once he gets a start and he is in the form of his life after being a key to England’s World Cup win. It’s his time now to establish himself as a serious Test batsman. We just love the fight he always shows. Root, of course, will be the key for England but it’s Bairstow for us to inflict more damage.

Other tips for leading run-scorers

Ben Stokes in selected matches. We are tipping the Kiwi-born all-rounder will at some stage get a hold of the Australian attack. Keep an eye on each Test and don’t be afraid to plunge on him to be leading run-scorer in an innings. He should always be reasonable value price-wise and will get more opportunities than normal batting at No.5.

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