Beefy backs Jonny Bairstow's 'deserved' call-up for third Test
Tuesday 28 July 2015 18:11, UK
Sir Ian Botham insists England can regain the Investec Ashes despite their Lord's mauling by Australia and says the hosts will come out fighting at Edgbaston in the third Test.
The tourists levelled the series with an emphatic 405-run victory inside four days earlier this month and head to Birmingham as Sky Bet’s odds-on favourites to take a 2-1 lead.
England's performance at Lord's prompted a wave a criticism from plenty of pundits, but Botham insists any talk of the series being over is premature with little too choose between the teams, as shown by the wide margins of victory both have achieved so far.
"I'm getting a bit fed-up with people saying it's all over after the last match and England are a beaten side," said the Sky Sports expert.
"It's 1-1, we smashed them in the first game and then they smashed us. I've said all along it's going to be close and there is not going to be much between the sides in this series.
"England will come out fighting, it's a ground they have a good record on, and with a bit of luck maybe they can win the toss and get a good start rather than being 40-4 again."
Botham is delighted to see in-form Jonny Bairstow restored to the side after an 18-month absence in place of Yorkshire team-mate Gary Ballance.
Bairstow, who will bat at five, has been in magnificent form in the County Championships, averaging more than 100 after scoring five centuries, including a double hundred.
"He's in great nick and is at the top of his game and deserves his chance,” said the former England skipper.
"All we've got to do is start scoring some runs. We have been consistently awful at the top of the order and you can't keep doing that at Test level."
Botham is also hoping to see a wicket that would help England swing the tide back in their favour.
He added: "I'd love to see an English wicket, that would be a start. Wherever you go in the world, countries prepare wickets to suit their bowlers - why don't we?"
Despite the nature of England's defeat at Lord's, Beefy is backing Alastair Cook's men to bounce back at 100/30 in his Sky Bet tips.
He is also sticking with Cook to be England's top first-innings run scorer, which returned at odds of 4/1 after his 96 at the Home of Cricket - Cook averages 57.6 at Birmingham and is 7/2 to top score in the first innings.
Find all of Beefy's third Test bets here.
Watch the third Ashes Test from Edgbaston live on Sky Sports Ashes HD from 10am on Wednesday. You can also watch the third Test with a NOW TV Sports Day Pass. Plus, our Ashes Events Centre - the best of Sky Cricket's analysis at your fingertips - is available on our iPad app.
