England v Australia Second T20 Tips: Cardiff runfest incoming?

• England need to bat first

• Sophia garden full of runs

• Weather is set fair

• Zampa a bet at 10/34.33

England v Australia
Friday 13 September 18.30
TV: live on Sky Sports

England v Australia Second T20 team news

Australia were excellent up front with the bat and likewise in the field. But with 86 on the board after six and 132 in the 13th, posting 179 was poor.

They are unlikely to panic, however and will back the likes of Marcus Stoinis and Tim David to finish better. It may be that Cameron Green moves up the order. Matt Short has usurped Jake Fraser-McGurk as David Warner's successor .

A side strain for Xavier Bartlett has ended his tour. Ben Dwarshuis has been called up as cover but his place is likely to go to Riley Meredith. If Aaron Hardie or Cooper Connolly are picked then we're wrong about them panicking about the finish.

Probable XI: Short, Head, Marsh, Green, Inglis, Stoinis, David, Abbott, Meredith, Zampa, Hazlewood

England v Australia Second T20 pitch report

In the Blast, Sophia Gardens has been road-like. In the last two years 20-overs first-innings scores read: 243-182-140-183-200-200-182-171-183-226-236-189. With the weather forecast bright, it is fair to expect Australia to do better and bust the par line. Failing to do so in Southampton was a bad beat. More than 200 was breched in the last T20i by South Africa. Sportsbook's 5/42.25 that both teams score 180 may prove popular but be ware: that's won twice in the stduy period. Better to stick with Aussies to maintain their recent form for fast scoring (more than nine an over in the last 12 months). The 20-over par line may be available to go over for them at around 184.5 at 2.001/1.

England v Australia Second T20 match prediction

England are 2.447/5 with Australia 1.684/6. Unsurprisingly that's little change from game one, which saw England bowled out for 151 going after 179. It is hard to argue that there's anything significantly wrong with those odds having seen the way England fell away.

Yet the best way to play the match odds is to put faith in England's top order on a flat one. If they win the toss they should bat first. Then they should be capable of posting a score big enough to make this close to a choice affair. That's a trade chance.

If Australia bat first it could be that the odds are the same pre-match as at the break. We are not keen on following England to chase under pressure with that batting line-up. In Blast cricket, unsurprisingly, there is a 63% bias for the defender in the last five years at this venue.

England v Australia Second T20 player bets

Prem Sisodiya, Mason Crane, Peter Hatzoglou and even Marnus Labuschagne have had spin success on this venue. So it would be remiss to lose faith in Adam Zampa for top Aussie bowler at 10/34.33, particularly as he claimed three wickets to win the market in The Hundred this season. There might be a bit of value on Green at 12/113.00 for top bat if we're right about a move up the order. Phil Salt doesn't have a lot to beat for top England bat at 16/54.20.

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