Odds cut on England Ashes victory

We all know that just because you win a one-day series, it doesn't mean the success will translate to the Test arena. But the bookies are clearly monitoring the goings-on in the NatWest Series as they have cut England from 100/30 (4.30) to 5/2 (3.50) to regain the Ashes this summer.

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The bookies rarely make that big a cut based on just a couple of results, but bet365 now have Australia as (8/15) 1.53 favourites, out from 4/11 (1.36) to retain the Ashes, while the draw is back to 5/1 (6.00) from 11/2 (6.50). A couple more defeats in the next week and Australia could be around 8/13, a price that would have had most people jamming the phone lines and clogging up the betting shops to get on.

Of course, Australia are still worthy favourites for the Ashes and a few poor displays won't have the bookies running for cover just yet. In the last three one-day series between the two sides in England, Australia won 3-0 in 2001 and 1993, while England won the 1997 series 3-0. The Aussies went on to win each of the Ashes series.

However, though Ricky Ponting has picked up from where Steve Waugh left off in terms of his winning record as captain, the suspicion is that Australia, under Waugh, would never have lost to Bangladesh, and that for England, winning is beginning to become a habit. Watch this space.

Please note that odds are correct at time of publication and are subject to change.