Following the 2019 Cricket World Cup, the Ashes take part in England, as Australia look to defend the historic urn against their old rivals. However, England are the early favourites to win the series and regain the Ashes.
This is an international cricketing summer like no other. Having the World Cup and the Ashes is special, it is the sort of summer that English cricket fans dream of - particularly if England can do the double!
Without futher ado, here are five reasons why England WILL win the 2019 Ashes series.
Ashes 2019: Home Advantage Helps
The home team has won the last four Ashes series. Australia have not won a Test match series in England since 2001, suffering defeats in 2005, 2009, 2013 and 2015.
It’s not just the Ashes where home advantage is so significant. Hosts are enjoying the benefits of home series more and more across international cricket, and that’s as evident in England as it is anywhere on the planet.
England haven’t lost a home Test series since the 1-0 defeat to Sri Lanka in 2014. England are the sports betting favourites to make it five consecutive home Ashes series wins.
Australia have had the first part of the summer to get acclimatised, but white-ball cricket cannot prepare you for the grind of Test match cricket.
Stopping Anderson & Broad A Tough Task
Cricket doesn’t get much more challenging than facing Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad with the new ball in England. The pair have combined for over 1,000 Test match wickets and will undoubtedly see that number climb significantly during the 2019 Ashes series.
Anderson’s bowling average is below 24 in England, and it’s only improving in recent years. Despite losing a bit of pace, the veteran right-armer is getting better. In the last three years, his bowling average in home Test matches is an astonishing 17.13.
While Broad doesn’t have quite the same gawdy numbers of his new-ball partner, the Australians know very well that he can produce match-winning spells out of the blue. He did in 2009, and of course famously at Trent Bridge in 2015.
Several of the Australian batsmen have faced the Anderson and Broad battle before. It doesn’t get much easier, though, and we can expect a few magical new ball spells from England’s greatest bowling pairing.
The Jofra Archer Factor
Jofra Archer lit up the World Cup after shining in the Pakistan one-day international series. He rose to prominence for his white-ball brilliance, but he’s bowled himself into the reckoning for the third seamer spot in the Ashes.
Mark Wood, Chris Woakes and Sam Curran will all be hoping to bowl first-change after Broad and Anderson take the new ball. Archer, though, is the favourite for the spot at the time of writing, giving England the 90mph pace they have craved for several years.
Able to bowl a spell of sharp short stuff or glide in and move it away from the right-hander, Archer is a versatile bowler that could be used in any situation by Joe Root.
He’s an excellent fielder and a more than competent batsman down the order too, further lengthening England’s already deep line-up.
Up And Down Aussies Hard To Back?
Australia, including the Ashes win down under a couple of years ago, have won just three of their last 10 Test match series. They have fallen to fifth in ICC’s world rankings and are a long way behind fourth-placed England.
The returning David Warner and Steve Smith are a welcome boost to a batting line-up that has struggled, and they built some confidence with a series win against Sri Lanka last time out.
However, winning an Ashes series abroad a big ask, and Australia need to be at their very best if they are to defeat even this flawed England side. The latest betting odds ahead of the 2019 Ashes series out at 37/20 to win the series.
While their pace bowling attack will undoubtedly cause England problems, their batting line-up has plenty to prove if they are to even make this a competitive Ashes.
Team Balance Favours England
England have the luxury of a catalogue of all-rounders to choose from. Ben Stokes is a lock to bat in the middle order and bowl plenty of overs, while Sam Curran, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali are all more than capable with the bat.
Australia’s lower order can chip in with a few handy runs too, but it’s Stokes that gives England a notable advantage.
Stokes always finds a way to influence a Test match, whether with the bat, ball or in the field. He makes it easy to England to play five bowlers and brings that star power that all-rounders almost always possess.
Stokes has had his big moments in the Ashes before, and few would bet against a series-altering performance from him this summer like his predecessors Ian Botham and Freddie Flintoff have produced in years past.
*Odds subject to change - correct at time of writing*
