Futures Bet: England are 5/2 outsiders to win The Ashes in Australia later this year - as Brendon McCullum's side look to put Monday's dramatic fifth Test loss to India behind them
England were heavily favoured to get the job done on the final day of the series - with Brendon McCullum's side having four wickets in hand and needing just 35 runs to win.
India's Mohammed Siraj had different ideas however - as the talented quick took three of England's final four wickets en route to a memorable victory for the visitors.
With us just a day removed from England's collapse in the fifth Test - attention immediately turns to how Ben Stokes and Co will fare in The Ashes in Australia later this year.
They aren't tipped to win back the urn when looking at the betting lines - with England 5/2 outsiders to reign supreme Down Under.
Meanwhile, Australia are odds-on favourites at 1/2 to claim their fourth straight Ashes series win on home soil.
Lastly, for those anticipating a drawn series, that is the widest result in the market at 7/1 odds.
Sky Bet odds to win The Ashes (2025-26):
Australia 1/2
England 5/2
Draw 7/1
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
28 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Manchester United rival Newcastle with Sesko bid and believe he prefers Old Trafford
Manchester United are battling with Newcastle to sign the RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko. Newcastle had appeared to be within touching distance of a deal for the 22-year-old but Manchester United made a rival bid on Tuesday and believe the player would prefer a move to Old Trafford. Newcastle submitted a second offer for Sesko of £69.7m, which with add-ons could rise to almost £75m, after receiving encouragement that he was potentially open to a transfer to Tyneside. But cautious optimism at St James' Park regarding an agreement was caveated by Manchester United's interest. Manchester United's bid is of a guaranteed £65.2m, rising to a possible £73.8m. They have been pursuing a striker all summer and missed out on targets including Viktor Gyökeres, Hugo Ekitiké and Liam Delap. Manchester United have spent more than £130m on Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha this summer and previous indications have been that they would need to sell at least one of Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho and Tyrell Malacia if they were to spend big again. Newcastle were also keen on Ekitiké and Delap, and it would be another significant transfer blow for them if Sesko were to end up at Old Trafford. With Eddie Howe's first‑choice centre-forward Alexander Isak having made plain his desire to leave, ideally for Liverpool, Newcastle are in the market for two forwards. Negotiations with Brentford are ongoing regarding Yoane Wissa, and Howe is also a longstanding admirer of Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins. Newcastle's negotiations with Leipzig have been led by the director and minority owner Jamie Reuben, who has stepped in to assist Howe's nephew Andy Howe with recruitment in the absence of a sporting director. Isak is scheduled for talks with Howe this week but chances of a real rapprochement look slender. After the Swede missed Newcastle's tour of Singapore and South Korea citing a minor thigh problem apparently undetectable on scans, and took the unilateral decision to train alone at his former club Real Sociedad, it is hard to envisage Isak playing for the club again. Liverpool's £110m bid for him was rejected last week. Howe said before leaving Seoul that he had known nothing of Isak's trip to Spain and warned that players exhibiting 'poor behaviour' would not be permitted to train with his first team. The Newcastle manager described the situation as 'far from ideal'. A series of potential signings, also including João Pedro and James Trafford, have turned down Newcastle but Howe, who is preparing for a Champions League campaign, has signed the Sweden winger Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest for £55m and the goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale on loan from Southampton. Ramsdale's arrival appears to have opened the door for Martin Dubravka to depart, with the Slovakia goalkeeper in advanced talks over a move to Burnley. Howe is also in the market for a right-sided centre-half and, should funds be released by Isak departing, Newcastle could revive a longstanding interest in Crystal Palace's Marc Guéhi. With Newcastle not thought to be Guéhi's first-choice destination a deal could be difficult and Marseille's Argentinian centre-half Leonardo Balerdi remains high on Howe's shortlist. Newcastle have made repeated attempts to recruit the defender Giorgio Scalvini from Atalanta but have been persistently rebuffed. Guéhi is understood to be willing to stay at Selhurst Park and see out his contract, which expires next summer. Liverpool are believed to be his preferred option, although they are reluctant to pay Palace's £40m valuation. Palace rejected an offer worth up to £70m from Tottenham in January and are facing the possibility of the England international leaving on a free transfer.
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Black Cap O'Rourke out of second Zimbabwe test with back injury
Aug 6 (Reuters) - Black Caps paceman Will O'Rourke has been ruled out of the second test against Zimbabwe by a back injury and will return to New Zealand for treatment, the team said on Wednesday. O'Rourke pulled up injured after taking 3-28 in the second innings of last week's first test in Bulawayo to help the tourists to a victory by nine wickets. Uncapped left-arm seamer Ben Lister was already in Zimbabwe as injury cover and will remain with the squad for the remainder of the tour. The second and final test starts at the same Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Thursday.
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Giants, Logan Webb cool down Pirates
August 6 - Logan Webb struck out 10 and allowed one run over six innings to lead the San Francisco Giants to an 8-1 victory over the host Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday night. Webb (10-8) put together his second consecutive solid start in less than a week against the Pirates to score the Giants' first win in five tries this season against Pittsburgh. It was Webb's sixth start with 10 or more strikeouts. He allowed seven hits and one walk. Bryan Reynolds had two hits to lead the Pirates, who had a brief two-game winning streak snapped and lost for only the fourth time in their past 14 games. Christian Koss hit a two-run home run to center field off Pirates starter Mike Burrows (1-4) in the third inning to open the scoring. Pittsburgh answered in the bottom of the inning when Reynolds singled with the bases loaded and one out to score Isiah Kiner-Falefa and cut the deficit to 2-1. But Oneil Cruz struck out and Nick Gonzales grounded out to end the threat. Jerar Encarnacion, who was called up from the minors on Monday, hit his first home run of the season in the fourth to extend the Giants' lead to 3-1. San Francisco broke the game open in the fifth with three more runs. Rafael Devers singled to drive in Heliot Ramos, who started a two-out rally with the second of his two hits. Willy Adames, who also had two hits, followed with a two-run home run off Burrows to push the Giants' lead to 6-1. Every starter in San Francisco's lineup recorded at least one hit. Burrows' three homers allowed were a career-high, and he walked three, struck out three and gave up six runs and five hits over 4 2/3 innings. It was Burrows' worst start in his rookie season since he also allowed six runs against the Minnesota Twins on July 12. --Field Level Media
