Just months on from a thrilling Ashes series, Australia and England will renew their hostilities in the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup on Saturday night.
While both teams have experienced very different fortunes in this tournament, a couple of forced changes to the Aussie XI may turn this into a close encounter.
Check out our full preview of the match below, complete with betting tips and player props!
ICC Cricket World Cup Betting Tips
Australia vs England
Ahmedabad, Saturday 4th November, 7:30pm (AEDT)
Australia
Australia have surged towards the top of the 2023 World Cup pecking order after four consecutive wins, the most recent of which came in a thriller against New Zealand.
Despite setting a monstrous total of 388 thanks to Travis Head (109 off 67 balls), David Warner (81 off 65) and Pat Cummins (37 off 14), Australia were forced to defend to the bitter end, with the Black Caps ending up just five runs short.
The bowlers have often struggled for penetration in this tournament, but Adam Zampa was there to clean up the mess again, taking three wickets in a match winning spell.
As a result, the Aussies are now firmly entrenched in the top four and should qualify for the semi-finals.
It’s not all good news, however. A freak golf kart fall will see Glenn Maxwell miss the game against England with concussion, while Mitch Marsh has flown home for personal reasons. That’s two of Australia’s best players out, making the match against England a massive danger game.
Cameron Green and Marcus Stoinis will have to step up in the absence of Maxwell and Marsh, the only two changes likely to the XI.
Australia Predicted XI: David Warner, Travis Head, Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Marcus Stoinis, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa
England
The 2023 World Cup can’t get any worse for England, who are bottom of the table with just one win to their name.
Three consecutive sub-200 totals with the bat underline where England have struggled most, as the top teams continue to churn out scores well exceeding 350.
The bowlers have hardly excelled, but batting woes have defined the tournament for this all-conquering white ball side.
Given that England are all but out of contention for a top four berth, I wouldn’t be surprised if they give opportunities to some of the less experienced players in the squad such as Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Harry Brook.
Brook specifically has been hard done by this tournament, and England’s batting couldn’t possibly get worse.
England Predicted XI: Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, David Willey, Gus Atkinson, Adil Rashid
Betting Tips
A few days ago I would have tipped Australia quite easily, but the losses of Maxwell and Marsh cloud the picture. Both players have been key to Australia’s team structure throughout the tournament, and a significant reshuffle will now be required, which could unsettle things. Alongside that, England are now in a position where they have to win games to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy. As such, I’m actually predicting an upset here, with England presenting as strong value.
Player Prop Quick Tips
England Fall of Wicket 1 Over 29.5 - $1.83 (Ladbrokes) – While England have struggled badly with the bat in this tournament, their two most recent opening partnerships have been 30 and 45 runs. Furthermore, Australia have struggled to take wickets during the powerplay, often relying on Adam Zampa to change the narrative during the middle overs.
