An Ashes Summer...Get some Professional Advice...

Professional Punter and keen Cricket Fan Lee Keys thinks that the Ashes Series is heading for a draw. Lee previews the series and gives you his best bets for an Ashes Summer…

A Drawn Ashes Series Says Lee Keys...

The convicts have arrived on our shores to lay their claim to retaining the Ashes. After giving us ‘poms’ a good old 5-0 thrashing down under in 2007 at first glance it wouldn’t seem foolhardy to dive in and back the Aussies to repeat the dose at 8/5 to win the series, especially as England haven’t defeated Australia in a test match at Lords since 1934, not a good omen for England getting off to a good start.

Our guests though aren’t the same force now. No Mcgrath, Warne, Gilchrist, Langer, Hayden or Symonds, names that would put fear and self doubt in the minds of England’s players. The 2009 Ashes series has the makings of a very closely fought contest.

That’s why the drawn series makes plenty of appeal at around 5/1. It’s hard to see either side running away with the series and both sides could struggle to take the required twenty wickets per game. By taking the 5/1 it should become very tradable later in the series as long as there is only one match in it. If after four tests either side is one match to the good or it is a tied series then you would be looking at a juicy trade – plenty of upside to backing a drawn series.

The Aussies are still a good side despite the losses of the above cricketing legends. Expecting to play a big role will be quick lefty Mitchell Johnson, who will certainly cause many problems for our openers, particularly Andrew Strauss, who seems to have a problem with quick left arm swing bowlers after falling to Indian lefty Zaheer Khan five times in the last five matches against India. For that reason I am looking to take on the England captain in the series runs market. Not only has he Mitchell Johnson to contend with but the pressures of a first Ashes series as captain may also put pressure on his batting.

Sporting Bet have put the line at 375.5 series runs and we should look to a strong bet on Andrew Strauss scoring less runs than that throughout the series.

Simon Katich a Key Man...

Simon Katich looks in great nick at the moment and I’m predicting a big series for him. The last Ashes series over here he managed just 248 runs but he’s looked a different player since then. He scored 260 runs in six innings on the recent tour to South Africa. This was backed up previously by 340 runs in the four match series against India and a brilliant 131 not out against New Zealand.

His 132 runs in two innings against the English Lions last week shows that this is a man right at the top of his game. Katich plays swing and seam bowling very well and the lack of England having a truly world class spinner (his weakness) means we should be looking at a hefty bet on him to score more runs in the series than the advertised line.

Ladbrokes put the line at 335.5 series runs and we should be looking at a strong bet on that.

Twenty one year old Phil Hughes is being touted as the next Matthew Hayden. However we should be looking to seriously oppose this young talented lefty in the series runs market.

First of all his technique is most unorthodox as he tends to cut and slice through point, the England team will have done their homework on him and I expect him to be quite easy to set a field to. Yes he did get three first class centuries when batting for Middlesex recently but this is a different kettle of fish. I expect his lack of experience will play a big part in him failing to match the hype. Bowlers like Sidebottom and Anderson under a cloud cover will be too much at this moment in time for Hughes (only managed 15 runs in two innings against the English Lions) and we should look to be under the series runs line.

Bet 365 put Phil Hughes series runs line at 360.