England struggling to find right combination
Australia come off the back of two convincing victories, the second coming without skipper Pat Cummins and quick bowler Josh Hazlewood. That they are the superior team in these conditions is beyond doubt. Australia are only set to strengthen the XI with the return of the two frontline bowlers and have odds of 1.19 to seal a third win at Melbourne.
England, on the other hand, have been mediocre to say the least. They have struggled to put up runs on the board with their top-order consistently failing and the bowling unit has been shuffled around too much. They will be lucky to walk away with a draw, but a win at 4.60 appears out of the equation.
Australia’s dominant record
Australia last lost a home Test to England in 2011 and are clearly superior at home with their strong fast bowling group and reliable batters. Marnus Labuschagne, recently promoted to No.1 Test batter, and Steve Smith showed glimpses of what they can do with the bat.
RECOMMENDED BET: Australia have been ruthless in the series so far and have odds of 1.19 to add another win in the series.
On top of this, there is England’s very ordinary record as a touring side in the last few years. They have struggled not just in Australia, but other countries too, and are far away from being the Test force they used to be a few years back.
Keep an eye on…
Marnus Labuschagne: The world’s No.1 Test batter has been superb in this series without really finding his best form yet. A smashing century last game gave an idea of what a peak Labuschagne could do and expect that theme to continue at the MCG.
Joe Root and Ben Stokes: England’s batting has long hinged around Joe Root, but if Ben Stokes can join his skipper and step up against a strong Aussie attack, the rest of the team can rally around the two. Stokes will be a key player for England going forward in this series.
TIP: Ben Stokes is known for making a huge impact with his batting when the team is in strife. Expect him to England’s top batter at 7.40
