Tremlett and Bresnan vie for empty spot in England Test team
Published:Chris Tremlett and Tim Bresnan have entered the race to be England’s top series wicket-taker after Stuart Broad confirmed he will miss the rest of the Ashes tour.
The loss of Broad has seen plenty of movement in the top England Ashes wicket-taker market, with Graeme Swann now the 4/7 favourite to take the title.
Tremlett and Bresnan have the three day Test with Victoria which starts on Friday to battle for Broad’s vacant Test spot, and the two are now 20/1 and 25/1 respectively to be England’s top series wicket-taker.
Swann and Steven Finn currently top the wicket taking charts with nine each and Tremlett and Bresnan would have to overhaul that if they were to win the accolade, but it’s possible considering the state of the Australian lower order.
Finn is the 5/1 third-favourite to be England’s top series wicket-taker and Anderson, who is one wicket behind Finn and Swann with eight wickets in the series, is the 3/1 second favourite.
Entering this Ashes series, Anderson was the only first team bowler with previous experience of bowling in Australia and the seamer has shown maturity on this tour leading the attack.
The loss of Broad is a blow considering his solid performances over the past three years at the heart of the attack, but considering he has taken just two wickets this series, his absence shouldn’t be a concern to England.
Tremlett and Bresnan are both adequate replacements, especially against a poor Australian middle-lower order, and England remain favourites at 2/5 to win the Ashes despite Broad’s absence.
With the Australian attack really struggling, it seems likely that the top series wicket-taker will be English and Swann is the 4/6 favourite to take the honour.
Siddle is Australia’s leading wicket-taker with six wickets and is 9/1 to be the leading series wicket-taker.
A £10 stake on Tremlett being England’s top series wicket-taker would return £210. New customers can sign up here for a free £10 bet.
