England vs Australia Prediction: With the Aussies retaining the Ashes, England will be hoping to level the series

England and Australia are going head to head against each other at Kennington Oval, London, United Kingdom on 27th July. England came close in the second game but rain spoilt their plans for the potential series win. With the Aussies retaining the Ashes, England will be hoping to level the series. Who will win this game?

England

The outcome of the 4th Test match left England deeply disappointed, as they had a golden opportunity to secure a remarkable victory, but unfortunate weather conditions spoiled their chances. However, they now have one final chance to make amends at the Oval, and they are determined to seize it.

Zak Crawley's exceptional performance at Old Trafford, where he played a scintillating innings of 189 runs, set the stage for a substantial total. He is currently the leading run-scorer of the tournament and aims to carry his good form forward. On the other hand, his opening partner, Ben Duckett, has struggled with inconsistency.

England will heavily rely on their potent middle-order batsmen to contribute significantly to posting a formidable total. The attacking batting styles of Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Joe Root, and Johnny Bairstow have proved fruitful thus far. Shifting the focus to the bowling department, James Anderson hasn't been at his best, having taken just 4 wickets in 3 matches. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that he will be replaced, as this could potentially be his last Ashes Test on English soil. Stuart Broad, on the other hand, has been outstanding, claiming 18 wickets, and will receive support from Chris Woakes and Mark Wood.

Moeen Ali will spearhead the spin attack, with Joe Root providing support from the other end.

England Predicted Lineup

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

Following the draw at Manchester, Australia has successfully retained the Ashes urn for the 4th consecutive time. Nonetheless, they enter the field with a strong determination to achieve their first Ashes series victory in England since 2001.

In the previous match, Australia faced complete domination by the opposition, and if not for the weather, they might have suffered a defeat. David Warner has struggled to find his form on this tour, and it is anticipated that his difficulties may persist.

Usman Khawaja, who holds the record for being Australia's top run-scorer, was dismissed cheaply in both innings at Old Trafford. Similarly, Steve Smith has been lacking consistency. Consequently, there will be added pressure on Mitch Marsh, Marnus Labuschagne, and Travis Head to deliver significant innings.

As anticipated, Australia's pace attack has been their greatest strength during this tour. Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood have been the leading wicket-takers for the team in that order. However, they will need to devise strategies to counter the aggressive "Bazball" approach from England's batsmen and maintain tight bowling to put pressure on England's batting lineup.

There are indications that Todd Murphy will return to the playing eleven, which might lead to either Cameron Green or Mitchell Marsh missing out on the lineup.

Australia Predicted Lineup

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 Kennington Oval pitch is known to be one of the more batsman-friendly wickets in England, with an average first-inning score of around 350. However, if the weather remains overcast, the faster bowlers can expect some assistance. As the match progresses into the final two days, the spinners will likely come into action. Chasing a target of over 200 runs in the fourth inning could prove to be challenging. Unfortunately, the weather forecast predicts rain throughout the week, which may lead to delays during the match. With improved performances in last two games, we expect England to come away with a victory unless rain spoils their plan again.