The Ashes Sports Betting - Are Patriotic Punters Praying for Rain?

Somewhat unusually for when an England sporting team is involved Paddy Power's early betting ahead of Thursday's Third Test at Edgbaston is yet to see any significant wave of patriotic punting. Indeed, Australia are attracting all the early money for a comeback win at 7/4.

But with rain expected in Birmingham over the five days of the Test and a reportedly soft pitch the bookie is offering the draw at just Evens money – a result that would suit England and their fans just fine. A win for Andrew Strauss and the boys is the outsider at 10/3.

However, as the script of the Ashes summer starts to unfold its becoming clear that the two sides' supposed match-winners are enjoying various degrees of fortune.

Darren Haines, spokesman for Paddy Power, said: "The patriotic punters may have lost their bottle for now at the rare sight of England leading an Ashes series so early – but the big betting question is will the England team do the same?"

England's Andrew Flintoff has again led the way as the Three Lions Ashes hero and is 7/1 to take five wickets in the Australian's first innings at Edgbaston.

But Mitchell Johnson, the man who was billed to be bringing the urn back Down Under for the Aussies, can not seem to put a foot right in contrast to Freddie. The Aussie left-armer is 4/1 to not take a wicket in England's first innings.

The returning Ian Bell will no longer have his Aussie demons to contend with following the retirements of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath and the Warwickshire batsman is 5/4 to hit a first innings fifty and 7/2 for a century – with a duck at 9/1.