Eng v Aus Third ODI: Rankin to boost Ashes claims at home

After impressing against both Ireland and Australia in his opening two England ODIs, Warwickshire fast-bowler Boyd Rankin can do more damage at his home ground of Edgbaston as the hosts look to level the series 1-1.

It’s easy to see why an 88-run defeat in the second ODI at Old Trafford has left some England fans with a bitter taste in their mouths after a number of high-profile bowlers were left out of the squad for this series.

However, in the absence of England’s leading men with the cherry in James Anderson, Graeme Swann and Stuart Broad, others on the periphery of the set-up have their chance to shine.

At 29 Boyd Rankin is finally getting a tilt at the highest level after a career plagued by injury, but impressive displays against Ireland and then Australia, where he picked up four and two wickets respectively, suggest he’s taking his moment in the sunshine.

The 6ft 7in quickie is attractively priced at 6/5 to breach the 1.5 wickets marker against the Aussies when he runs out in his home surroundings of Edgbaston.

During his injury-hit time with the Bears since 2008, the Northern Ireland-born bowler has taken three first class five-wicket hauls at his home ground, recording career best figures of 5-16 against Essex in 2010 in Birmingham.

With a couple of bowling places still up for grabs on the forthcoming winter Ashes tour, Rankin is already being talked about as a threat to the likes of other outside chances Graham Onions and Warwickshire team-mate Chris Woakes.

Meanwhile, Aussie bat George Bailey, who registered 82 runs in that recent Old Trafford triumph, is just 30 short of the 1000 ODI runs mark, making his 5/6 to go past 25.5 runs at Edgbaston stand out also.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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