The Ashes best bets for day two and odds: Lyon worth watching at the crease

Free cricket tips, best bets and analysis for the Ashes between Australia and England.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 11.30pm Sunday

Scoreboard
Australia 61-1 (Warner 38) trail England 185 all out (Root 50) by 124 runs

Best prices
1-8 Australia, 11-1 England, 12-1 Draw

Story of day one

Despite making four changes to the team which was hammered in Adelaide, England once again capitulated at the crease in the iconic Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

At the top of the order, Rory Burns was dropped by England with Zak Crawley coming in but his replacement could only manage 12 whilst Haseeb Hameed went for a duck.

Aussie captain Pat Cummins took both wickets before also dislodging Dawid Malan (14), leaving England on 61-3.

Skipper Joe Root, by far England's most polished batsman in the series so far, delivered 50 runs but was the next to fall after being caught behind off the bowling of Mitchell Starc.

Ben Stokes (25), Jonny Bairstow (35) and Ollie Robinson (22) added to the total but a fine spell from spinner Nathan Lyon, who finished with figures of 3-36, left England staring down the barrel at another thrashing down under.

Bowled out for 185, Root's men managed to at least dismiss David Warner (38) but on 61-1, Australia are in a strong position heading into day two.

Star of the day

Given he failed to push into the bigger numbers and was dismissed cheaply, Root fell short of being the player of the day and that label should instead go to captain Cummins, who finished with 3-36.

Introducing Crawley to the fold may have given some England fans renewed hope their top order could stick around for longer but Cummins quickly quashed that faith by dislodging the top three.

Moment of the day

Had Root stuck around and not wafted at Starc's delivery, England may have had half a chance in this Test.

But Stokes and Buttler followed their captain by example as both went easily and losing their captain seemed to hit England hard.

View from the camp

'It was a bit tacky under foot so I thought we bowled well and a fraction fuller than England did in that final session. Collectively, I think 185 was a pretty good day for us.'

Mitchell Starc, Australia fast bowler

Day two preview

Spinner Lyon was one of Australia's star performers with the ball on day one of the Boxing Day Test and he is unlikely to fold easily at the crease after being put in as night watchman.

Lyon faced five balls without scoring at the end of play on the first day and although a substantial score is unlikely, he could frustrate an under-pressure England attack.

In his only innings in this Ashes so far, Lyon struck 15 off 24 balls at the Gabba and could be a decent bet at a shade of odds-on to score ten or more runs in Melbourne.

He has done so in five of his last seven Test innings for his country and against India earlier this year, he fired 20 runs from 17 deliveries, including two fours and a six, in his first innings at the MCG.

There is little time pressure on the Aussies and that could play into the hands of Lyon, who may exceed expectations at the crease.

Best bet

Nathan Lyon to score ten or more runs
1pt 10-11 bet365

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