England Ashes bet is a nice little urn-er

Sports and showbiz betting

I ARRIVED at work yesterday feeling a warm glow – and it wasn’t because the heater in my car had been on at full blast.

No, the reason for my contentment was Australia’s second successive defeat at the hands of South Africa.

Recommended in this column at 3-1 a few weeks ago, the Proteas clinched the series in style, confirming my belief that the Aussies are little more than an average Test team following the loss of matchwinners such as Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist.

Now I know the demise of a once-invincible team is not something to gloat about but, as a cricket-lover who has suffered at the hands of a nation which delights in Pommie-bashing, I cannot help but smirk now that the boot is on the other foot.

Australia are in freefall and people who know – such as former Test skipper Ian Chappell – reckon things will get a lot worse before they get better.

Let’s hope so, because the Ashes are just around the corner and England are a lot better team than recent results indicate.

I suggested you backed England when they were 5-2 and now they are a best-priced 7-4 (which won’t last long).

Australia are odds-against for the first time at 6-5 and I reckon they will be second favourites for the Ashes once they have lost the reverse series in South Africa in February/March and England have beaten the West Indies in the Caribbean around the same time.

On a more immediate note, Australia are 13-8 to win the final Test in Sydney, starting at 11.30pm on Friday, GMT.

Having been well beaten in Perth and Melbourne, this makes no sense, so snap up the 11-5 on offer about a third successive South African victory.

After being on the receiving end of Aussie maulings in the past, the Proteas will be in no mood to do anything but give their hosts a taste of their own medicine.

As for England’s series against the Windies, they should prove much too strong for a poor Test outfit, so the 8-11 about KP’s men winning the four-match series is fair enough.


AT last the bookmakers are convinced – Liverpool are a real threat in this year’s Premier League title race.

Sunday’s 5-1 demolition of Newcastle and Chelsea’s 2-2 slip at Fulham have seen the Merseysiders’ odds for the title slashed from 4-1 to 11-4.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have drifted from around evens to a season’s-longest 9-4, while reigning champions Manchester United, without doing anything dramatic, have been cut from 15-8 to 11-8.

Having recommended Fergie’s men a couple of weeks ago, I see no reason to change my opinion as Chelsea seem to be erratic under Phil Scolari and Liverpool – despite their place at the top of the table – will surely suffer from the fall-out of the Steven Gerrard affair.

ATHLETIC’S worrying home form has seen them drift to 25-1 for the League One title and a more realistic 7-2 for promotion.

Leicester are clearly the team to beat in this division and look a fair bet at evens to win the title.

Milton Keynes Dons, the only team able to keep tabs on them at present, are 100-30 to come out on top.

Athletic’s next league match is at Huddersfield on Saturday and the 2-1 Blue Square and Paddy Power offer about an away win is well worth considering bearing in mind the Latics’ recent form on their travels.


RECOMMENDATION: South Africa to beat Australia in third Test, 11-5 (Boylesports, William Hill).