Bookies write off England chances

Kevin Pietersen's batting was one of few positives for England in the first Test at Lord's © Getty Images

The optimism didn't last long, did it? Australia's comprehensive victory in the first Test at Lord's has seen the bookies virtually abandon hope of an England Ashes series triumph. The Aussies, 2/5 (1.40) before Lord's, are now 1/8 (1.12) to clinch the five-match series again, while England are 9/1 (10.00) to produce a stirring comeback, having been 100/30 (4.33) in the run-up to last week's game. The draw, available at 11/2 (6.50), is now 8/1 (9.00).

England will make the best of the events at Lord's when it comes to building team confidence for the second Test at Edgbaston, but the fact is that Australia look superior in every department. What is more, in Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne they have two men who, far from being over the hill, look right at their best. That spells trouble for England, whose top six failed to fire in both iinnings. How the selectors must wish that Graham Thorpe had not announced his retirement after being overlooked for the first match.

Before Lord's, a 3-1 Australia series victory had been the 11/2 (6.50) favourite, and that is still the favoured score by bet365, but the price has shortened further to 4/1 (5.00), the same as a 4-0 win. A 3-0 win is now 5/1 (6.00) from 8/1 (9.00), while the big move has been for a 5-0 whitewash. Available at a whopping 18/1 (19.00) before Lord's, it's now just 13/2 (7.50).

For the record, 3-1 to Australia has been the correct score twice in the past six Ashes series, although both of those were at home. It's now just 6/1 (7.00) that the series ends 4-1, which was the correct score in 2002-03, 2001 and in 1993, though two of those were six-Test series.

Predictably, the odds on an England series triumph have lengthened considerably after the nature of their defeat. A 2-1 win, which had been just 11/1 (12.00), is now 25/1 (26.00), while a 3-1 win and a 3-2 win are both 33/1 (34.00). The 2-2 draw is out to 12/1 (13.00) from 7/1 (8.00).

bet365's novel "Series Score" market - where punters can predict the score of the series after the third and fourth Tests - have also changed, with the new favourite Australia winning 2-0, on offer at 11/5 (3.20). Perhaps the bookies have heard that one of the matches will be hit by rain.

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