James Milton’s best bets for the upcoming 2025-26 Ashes series as Australia host England Down Under.
The 2025-26 Ashes series between Australia and England starts on Friday and it promises to be a fascinating clash over the course of five Test matches.
England’s squad is packed with fiery fast bowlers, including the fit-again Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, and captain Ben Stokes is hoping to lead his side to a first away Ashes triumph since 2010-11.
The Aussies have won their last three home series against England by 5-0, 4-0 and 4-0 scorelines, but they are missing captain Pat Cummins and ace paceman Josh Hazlewood for the first Test in Perth.
Selections
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Australia to win 3-2 @ 7/1
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Harry Brook to be England’s top runscorer @ 13/5
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Australia to win the Ashes & Steve Smith to be series top runscorer @ 6/1
Depleted Aussies could come out on top in classic series
England captain Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum have been targeting Ashes glory ever since they came into their roles in 2022, but history suggests the tourists may come up short.
Their aggressive brand of cricket should cause Australia problems, especially given the Aussies’ depleted bowling attack for the first Test in Perth.
If England win the opening game, then we should be set for a thrilling series, and a 3-2 Australia victory is worth backing in the correct-score market.
There are question marks over Australia’s line-up, with two of their three legendary fast bowlers missing the start of the series.
The Aussies will assess the fitness of all-rounder Cameron Green before deciding whether to pick debutant opener Jake Weatherald in Perth, but there are also doubts over England.
Most of their success in the ‘Bazball’ era has come on flat pitches and their batsmen are likely to find conditions in Australia far tougher, so Stokes’s men could be edged out in a classic Ashes showdown.
Tip 1: Australia to win 3-2 @ 7/1
Back brilliant Brook to top England runscoring chart
Joe Root is chasing a first Test century in Australia, having scored nine fifties in 27 away Ashes innings, but Harry Brook could eclipse his fellow Yorkshireman as England’s top runscorer.
The rate at which Brook scores his runs is a huge concern for Australia and England’s vice-captain averages 80 after 11 Test matches abroad.
Most of those Tests were played in very different conditions to the ones Brook will face down under, but he is fearless against fast bowling and loves to attack the short ball.
His shot selection is improving and he had an impressive home series against Australia in 2023, making 32 and 46 at Edgbaston, 50 at Lord’s, 75 at Headingley, 61 at Old Trafford and 85 at The Oval.
Tip 2: Harry Brook to be England’s top runscorer @ 13/5
Smith set to break England’s hearts once again
One special Ashes bet that catches the eye is for Australia to win the series and Steve Smith to finish as the leading runscorer on either team.
The Ashes brings out the best in Smith, who plundered 687 runs at home in 2017-18 and 774 in just four matches in England in 2019.
His reunion with England quicks Archer and Wood should be unmissable viewing and he comes into the series in terrific form.
Smith scored two battling centuries in the 2024-25 series against India, following up with 141 and 131 against Sri Lanka in Galle, and his two Sheffield Shield outings for New South Wales this season produced scores of 118, 57 and 56 not out.
Tip 3: Australia to win the Ashes & Steve Smith to be series top runscorer @ 6/1
