Ashes Top Batsman Odds Shift With Smith’s 3rd Test Absence

Posted: August 23, 2019

Updated: March 31, 2020

Rory Burns Moves Up To 23/5 To Bat Best In The Ashes
The Ashes Top Batsman Odds Are Available At Bet365
Steve Smith Drops To 4/9 Missing Out At Headingley

Steve Smith has taken all the buoyancy English cricket had salvaged from winning the World Cup by the skin of their teeth and deflated it. Thus his absence from the 3rd Test at Headingley gave England the best chance they’ll have to win a match, and the bookies like bet365, one of the best online betting sites in the UK, instantly shifted the odds on them winning. However, his injury also shifted the Ashes top batsman odds as his chances eased out and others leant in. He is an undoubted master, and were it not for having been caught in the neck by a 92mph bouncer from Jofra Archer, the Ashes top batsman odds would incline in his direction like plants toward the sun. Steve Smith missed the 3rd Ashes Test at Headingley due to what everyone agree just had to be concussion. You don’t get hit anywhere in the head by a cricket ball moving that fast and not get a concussion. But if it left him dazed, his absence has left Australia vunerable.

Not that I’d necessarily rush off and bet on England winning the Ashes. It’s only the weather that has thus far prevented Australia strolling off into a 2-nil lead. Sure, they might do well at Headingley in Smith’s absence, but there’s still two tests and every chance Steve will get his head together in time to play in both. But missing two innings does leave his Ashes top batsman odds dwindling slightly, and those who regularly bet on sports in Australia may wish to think again.

Ashes Top Batsman Odds Available At Bet365

Of course he still gets massively short odds to be the best of the Australian batsmen regardless of how far he drifts in the Ashes top batsman odds, and bookies will give you barely 1/16 on his achieving that accolade. This is well ahead of Travis Head at 12/1 and Matthew Wader at 20/1. However Rory Burns is getting 13/8 to be best of the English batsmen, and that’s by no means as clear of his rivals. Ben Stokes is getting 2/1 and Joe Root a very tempting, if slightly risky, 5/2.

Ashes Top Australian Batsman

Cameron Bancroft – 66/1

Marnus Labuschagne – 50/1

David Warner – 33/1

Usman Khawaja – 25/1

Matthew Wade – 20/1

Travis Head – 12/1

Steve Smith – 1/16

It says much about the prowess of the England batting line up that Jonny Bairstow only gets 12/1, and frankly there’s been very little so far to make anyone think that isn’t deserving rather than parsimony. However the effect of this poor performance on the Ashes top batsman odds is quite drastic, so much so that even missing two whole innings won’t actually dent Smith’s chances, and those taking advantage of Australian gambling laws to back him will tell you as much too.

Ashes Top England Batsman

Chris Woakes – 40/1

Jason Roy – 25/1

Jos Buttler – 25/1

Joe Denly – 16/1

Jonny Bairstow – 12/1

Joe Root – 5/2

Ben Stokes – 2/1

Rory Burns – 13/8

Smith Misses 3rd Test And Sees Odds Drift

“We think we’ve got the best seven batters available to us at the moment in England.” Said Jason Roy as if that weren’t a damning indictment of English cricket. A quick glance at the Ashes top batsman odds would confirm it, but he was open to the idea of shuffling the order to see if that will help. A desperate act from a team out of ideas. “Whether we can change it around and make it any better, I’m not sure, but we’ll certainly have a discussion about it.” He confirmed Jason. The England selectors have, let us be honest, been blinded by the dazzling World Cup. They’ve been giving upper order places to batsmen who’ve been great in one day games or T20. Their Ashes top batsman odds at sites like Bet365, one of the best online sportsbook sites in Australia today, barely warranting optimism they can change easily to the red ball and provide the challenge Australia, and the astonishingly talented Steve Smith might actually worry about.