Australia v England Third ODI: Full-strength England leave it late

• MCG surface could help bowlers

• Starc rested for Australia

• England a trade option on the Betfair Exchange

Australia v England
Tuesday 22 October, 03:20
TV: Live on BT Sports

Team news

Pat Cummins is expected to come back into the XI for the final game. Cummins missed the success in Sydney with Josh Hazlewood leading.

With Hazlewood sitting out game one, it's Mitchell Starc's turn to rest. Sean Abbott is standing by and is expected to get the nod ahead of Riley Meredith, who has been called up.

Ashton Agar and Cameron Green are also rested. Josh Inglis, the opener, is also in the squad but has been indoor netting so isn't expected to play.

Possible XI: Warner, Head, Smith, Labuschagne, Carey, M Marsh, Stoinis, Cummins, Abbott, Hazlewood, Zampa

England's leadership have made it quite clear to their board what they think about the scheduling for this series. First they rested their World Cup winners and then Jos Buttler took time away for the second match.

Presumably they will be at full-strength just in time for a dead rubber. They have at least learned some useful lessons. Chiefly that Jason Roy's struggles have not gone away and Phil Salt is looking out of his depth.

Buttler could come in for either of those two with Dawid Malan or James Vince opening the batting.

Possible XI: Malan, Salt, Vince, Billings, Buttler, Moeen, Woakes, S Curran, Willey, Dawson, rashid.

Pitch report

There have been only two ODI played at the 'G in the last five years. In 2018 Australia failed to defend 304 against England. A year later they failed to defend 230 against India. Neither scorecard appears to be particularly helpful. There have been no domestic Marsh Cup matches played at the venue in the previous two seasons. If the surface - and conditions - are anything like the World T20 bowlers should be in the game. The weather forecast is dry but it's far from tropical. It has the feel of an unders play on the par line at 270.5.

How to play

Australia are 1.654/6 with England 2.526/4. Despite being without Buttler, England made a decent fist of the chase in Sydney.

When James Vince and Sam Billings were together in the hunt for 281 they were cruising. Sadly they fell away. But it does provide a clue as to how best to play.

England are much happier chasing and, on a chasing ground, they should be capable of trading as jollies so a trade is a strong option.

Tops value

Steve Smith looks in sensational form and is 16/5 joint favourite with Sportsbook with David Warner for top Australia bat. Just in case we get a bowlers' paradise we've noted the 80/1 about Pat Cummins topping.

For England we're keen on Buttler to return with runs but are less happy with the 4/1 from Sportsbook about top England bat. Vicne and Billings are 9/2 and 6s respectively. Malan is 7/2.

Sportsbook go 10/11 under Roy runs at 23.5. That's a mark he's failed to bust six times in his last ten. And two of the innings when he did were against Netherlands in mismatches.