Second Ashes Test: England hoping to capitalise on Cardiff victory

Following their fantastic first Ashes Test victory over Australia at Cardiff, England are now the even-money favourites with Coral to win the series.

Next up, the two teams travel to Lord’s, where the hosts have triumphed in the last two matches against the Baggy Greens, and Trevor Bayliss’ men are tempting 7/4 outsiders.

In what was a fairly see-saw match in Cardiff, where England didn’t get off to the best of starts losing three wickets for 42 runs, Yorkshire duo Joe Root (134) and Gary Ballance (61) steadied the ship and ultimately saved the series.

You can take tempting odds of 3/1 and 11/2 respectively for the duo to be best England batsmen in the first innings. Root, meanwhile, is a more enticing 9/1 shout to be best batsman in the first innings for his team and the hosts win.

Others to shine for England with the bat were Ben Stokes (52) and Moeen Ali (77), who are respective 8/1 and 12/1 chances.

With the ball, the hosts spread the wickets out, especially in the first innings, but James Anderson, who took figures of 3-43, managed 4-55 in the 2009 Ashes series at Lord’s so is 5/2 to be best England bowler once more.

Ali also impressed, and is a 5/1 shout, while the likes of Stuart Broad (3/1), Mark Wood (3/1) and Stokes (4/1) will also be looking to impress.

Australia, meanwhile, have been hit with the news that their wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, who crucially dropped Root on 0 before the England vice-captain reached 134, is set to miss the match. That means that uncapped Peter Nevill will most likely take his place.