It feels a bit weird saying it but England could well wrap up the Ashes tour as they enter the third test in the early hours of Thursday morning in Perth. The tabloids in both Australia and England seem more interested in Shane Warne – whether it be getting him back in the Aussie side or the fact that he’s banging Liz Hurley. If they’ve forgotten there’s still a test series then no one else in England has, and what better way to wrap up the little urn than at the first opportunity.
As far as the match itself goes the two sides are impossible to separate as far as the bookies are concerned. It’s all down to the fact that England has lost one of their three strike bowlers, Stuart Broad, to an injury. On the other side, Australia have called up the inexperienced Michael Beer for a test debut, and it’s hoped that the fans will have reason to get drunk on his success.
Head of PR at Stan James, Charlie McCann commented: “The Aussies are hurt and we think they will improve dramatically at the WACA with Mitchell Johnson, who looks certain of regaining his place in the side, having taken 21 wickets in his three Tests in Perth and likely to be a different proposition to the one we saw in Brisbane.
“We have been out to get England at 13/8 since the comprehensive victory in Adelaide and although they have been well backed we haven’t exactly been knocked over just yet. Alastair Cook got a hundred in the 2nd innings in Perth four years ago and he and Kevin Pietersen are our 7/2 joint favourites to be top England bat in the first innings.”
It will be interesting to see which way the middle test of the series goes but there will be no free beers for those Aussies if their side don’t come up with the goods in this test.
