Australia will look to close out the 2017/18 Ashes series when they face England at the WACA from Thursday morning.
Australia took a 2-0 lead in the Ashes series after securing a 120-run victory over England in Adelaide last week and have placed one hand on the urn.
Appearing down and out on the third day of play, England rallied in Adelaide and while they were unable to secure the win, they have clearly taken a big confidence boost from their ability to put Australia on the ropes; albeit for a single innings. That fight will be necessary if they are to save the series in Perth, under conditions that look more-likely to suit the home side.
As always, you can find the best odds across a wide variety of markets for Game 3 of the Ashes series here at Neds, as well as a detailed betting preview below!
BET NOW: Australia vs England Third Ashes Test
Win-Draw-Win
Australia looked to be on track for a comfortable win in Adelaide last week, but a questionable decision by Captain Steve Smith not to enforce the follow-on allowed England to work back into the contest.
While the Aussies still managed to close out the game early on Day 5, they pretty much undid all their good work from Brisbane, whereby the completely shut England out of the contest on their way to a truly demoralising victory.
This is England’s final chance to salvage the series, but they will need to produce five flawless days of cricket and at the WACA, it is probably a bridge too far. The historically pace-friendly wicket will only increase Australia’s chances of early wickets and given that England has already struggled with the Hazlewood, Starc and Cummins in Brisbane and Adelaide, it could be a particularly dire scene in Perth.
There is still some meat on the bone for Australia to win at $1.60 and they are undoubtedly the best bet to win the Perth Ashes test.
Tip: Back Australia to win ($1.60)
Runscorer Markets
Australia
The Perth deck represents an opportunity for batsman who enjoy facing pace to make a real impact and for Australia, there is no better player of pace than David Warner.
The Aussie opener notched a career-high 252 against New Zealand in Perth in 2015 and has also scored a big ton against England here during the 2013/14 whitewash.
Warner notched 47 and 14 in Adelaide, but if he can get off to a good start in Perth he will be extremely difficult to dismiss and can bat for a long time. He is more than worth consideration to top Australia’s first-innings effort at a current $4 quote.
Steve Smith ($3.50) leads the market and is always a good bet, while local Cameron Bancroft ($7) has proven that he is not at all overdone by pressure or the situation and will lift in front of his home crowd.
Tip: Back David Warner to top score for Australia in the first innings ($4)
England
For England, the tale has so-far surrounded which batsman can survive the longest with captain Joe Root.
Root top scored for England in the first innings in Brisbane and the second innings in Adelaide and is always a danger when he makes his way to the middle. Root is extremely well-drilled and one of world cricket’s most patient batsman and if he is any chance of leading his nation to a win in Perth, he will need to get on the scoreboard in both innings.
Opener Mark Stoneman ($6) has shown glimpses of brilliant ability during the first two tests and while he has yet to go on to score a century, could find his most-ideal conditions to date in Perth.
The other batsman who has shown even a little fight in the middle-order is Dawid Malan ($9). Malan played a key role in England’s second-innings hunt in Adelaide and faced with a clean slate in Perth, represents value to top the runs in the first innings.
Tip: Back Joe Root to top score for England in the first innings ($3.50)
Player Of The Match
When considering the result of the two Ashes tests so far this summer and the general dominance of the home side, Australia looks likely to claim victory in the Perth test and subsequently secure the series win.
It is tough to imagine a scenario where that outcome could possibly still herald an England player as Player of the Match and that honour is therefore likely to fall with an Australian.
Should Warner top score, particularly in the first innings, then he is a live chance of claiming high personal honours, currently exhibiting a $7 quote. Similarly, if Shaun Marsh can replicate his Adelaide performance here, on a deck he knows extremely well, then he could secure his second-consecutive Player of the Match honours at generous $21 odds.