Bat and ball / Editor / 23 August 2009 / Leave a comment

All the highs and lows on Betfair from yet another incredible Ashes series.

"Andrew Strauss led the way in the field and indeed with the bat as he finished the Series as the top scorer for England. He was matched at a high of 5.9."

England were matched at a high of [7.0] on Betfair to win the Ashes whilst looking set for a First Test defeat at Cardiff. Monty Panesar and Paul Collingwood were the two main heroes for England in saving that one but England were always in control from the first morning at the Lord's Test onwards and never dipped beneath that price of [7.0]. Australia were matched at a low of [1.39] during that same afternoon in Cardiff and the drawn series traded at just evens prior to the start of the final Test.

With the ghosts of Headingley still looming over England and rumours of a good wicket being prepared ahead of the final Test, England traded at a high of [5.9] to win it but never got bigger than that during the match.

The more surprising prices happened on some of the subsidiary markets. Ben Hilfenhaus was far from being guaranteed a game in the Series before the start yet ended up playing every one and became Australia's leading wicket-taker in the process, after being matched at [28.0]. The man almost certain to replace Ricky Ponting as skipper in the near future, Michael Clarke, led the way for Australia after he was laid at [12.5] when Simon Katich, Ponting and Marcus North all got centuries at Cardiff and he missed out.

For England, the much-criticised Stuart Broad ended top of the pile as regards taking wickets after being backed as high as [50.0]. But that price shouldn't come as too much of a surprise as almost all of his wickets came in the last two Tests. Andrew Strauss led the way in the field and indeed with the bat as he finished the Series as the top scorer for England. He was matched at a high of [5.9].