England vs Australia Prediction: Australia has been flawless but with some lapse in concentration lost them the last game

England and Australia are going head to head against each other at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, United Kingdom on 19th July. With the Ashes on the line and a scoreline of 2-1, England will be looking forward to winning this game and setting up a finale in the last test. Australia has been flawless but with some lapse in concentration lost them the last game. Who will win this game?

England

After enduring consecutive defeats at the beginning of the series, the home team staged a remarkable comeback in the third Test at Headingley. They now trail Australia by 2-1, and a victory in the upcoming match will set up the series nicely for the final Test.

England has decided to stick with an unchanged 14-member squad for the fourth Test. Despite calls for replacing Johnny Bairstow due to his struggles behind the stumps, the selectors have shown faith in him and will hope for an improvement in his form. Bairstow has had difficulties, missing eight chances behind the stumps across the three matches. While he showed promise with a half-century in the first innings of the first Test, he has been inconsistent since then.

The opening pair of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley has also lacked consistency, adding to the challenges faced by the team. In such circumstances, the middle-order batsmen, including Harry Brook, Joe Root, and Ben Stokes, will play crucial roles. Turning to the bowling department, Ollie Robinson, who suffered a minor injury at Leeds, is likely to make way for the return of James Anderson.

However, all attention will be on Mark Wood and Chris Woakes, who were instrumental in the team's success in the last match, collectively taking 13 wickets. Stuart Broad is also in good form and currently leads the England bowling attack with 16 wickets.

England's batsmen have shown a fearless approach and aggression against the Australian bowlers. However, the team's success in the match will heavily rely on their bowlers, emphasizing the need for some grass on the pitch. Jimmy Anderson has been included in the lineup, replacing Ollie Robinson.

England Squad

Ben Stokes (C), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Moeen Ali, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Australia

Australia will look to rebound at Manchester after their disappointment of not being able to claim the series victory. They will consider the loss at Headingley as an anomaly and aim to regain their momentum.

Some changes are anticipated in the playing eleven. Despite David Warner's struggles this season, it is likely that he will retain his place and open the batting alongside Usman Khawaja. Cameron Green may contend for a spot, but accommodating both him and Marsh in the lineup remains to be seen. Khawaja's excellent form will be crucial for the visitors.

Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith will play vital roles in the middle order alongside Travis Head, while Mitchell Marsh, who scored a century in the previous match, is expected to retain his position.

Labuschagne has faced difficulties, and Smith has not performed up to his usual standards. It remains uncertain if we will witness their best performances in this match.

Mitchell Starc, who claimed a five-wicket haul in the second innings of the last match, will feature in the pace attack alongside Pat Cummins. However, it is anticipated that Scott Boland, who has had a tough time, will be dropped and replaced by Josh Hazlewood if the latter is fit.

Todd Murphy and Mitchell Marsh will be trying to spin their way through England's wickets.

Australia faces more selection dilemmas compared to England and will need to make some challenging decisions. Travis Head, already in exceptional form, could replace David Warner, and having two quality all-rounders will provide better balance to the team.

Australia Squad

Pat Cummins (C), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Marcus Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Todd Murphy, Michael Neser, Jimmy Pierson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner

Expert betting tips

The pitch at Old Trafford offers favourable batting conditions with a decent amount of pace and bounce. Teams batting first will aim to achieve a score near 400 runs. The surface has a layer of grass, causing the ball to skid onto the bat. Bowlers who maintain discipline with their line and length can expect rewards. Spinners will come into play during the later stages of the match. Chasing a target over 200 runs in the fourth inning will be challenging on this pitch. The upcoming week is expected to experience rain, which might result in delays during the match. 17 out of 30 games in recent years on this pitch have ended in a draw and we expect the same scenario to play out in this game. Australia will be hoping to turn the tide around after the last game defeat.