James Milton's England v Australia 2nd T20I: Prediction, Tips and Odds

After Wednesday's 28-run win over England at the Rose Bowl, Australia are favourites to seal a T20 series win in Cardiff and Racing Post's James Milton delivers his best bets for Friday's second encounter. 

James Milton's England v Australia 2nd T20I betting tips and predictions

England opening partnership - Under 22.5 - 10/11

Australia's openers Matthew Short and Travis Head shared a rollicking stand of 86 in the first six overs of Wednesday's first T20 international at the Rose Bowl.

Batting appeared far more tricky after Head's dismissal, however, as the Aussies slipped from 86-0 to 179 all out and England were bowled out for 151 in reply.

Stand-in captain Phil Salt made a breezy 20 off 12 balls at the start of the England innings but he could have been out first ball.

Salt was caught off a Xavier Bartlett no-ball and his opening partner Will Jacks was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood in the second over of the run-chase, having made six from seven deliveries.

Jacks scored a 22-ball 40 on his T20 international debut against Pakistan in September 2022 but he has failed to reach 25 in 14 of his 15 subsequent innings.

The Surrey man may struggle to survive the new ball against the classy Hazlewood, who is leading the Australia pace attack in the absence of the rested Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.

The tall seamer almost dismissed Salt with the final ball of his first over on Wednesday and debutant Jordan Cox inside-edged a couple of streaky boundaries during Hazlewood's second over.

Cloudy, late-season conditions in Cardiff should help the new-ball bowlers. Australia's series in Scotland earlier this month featured opening partnerships of eight, nought, 11, 20, 18 and two so backing England to have a first-wicket stand of under 22.5 appeals. 

Jofra Archer over 20.5 performance points - 1/1

England fast bowler Jofra Archer suffered some Powerplay punishment at the Rose Bowl but returned to bowl lower-order batters Sean Abbott and Xavier Bartlett.

Archer came in at number eight when England batted, scoring four runs before being caught on the midwicket boundary, and he can clear a performance-points line of 20.5 at Sophia Gardens.

The market awards one point per run, 10 per catch and 20 per wicket and the paceman has taken at least two wickets in his last three appearances for England, Sussex in the T20 Blast quarter-finals and Southern Brave in The Hundred final.

He claimed 2-29 in Cardiff on his T20 international debut against Pakistan in May 2019 and two of his last three games at June's T20 World Cup yielded performance-point tallies of 61 against South Africa and 41 against India.        

Josh Inglis to be player of the match - 16/1

Australia opener Head was named player of the match at the Rose Bowl for his blistering half-century and he is favourite in the market again.

At the prices, though, Josh Inglis merits a small bet, having impressed in the top four during the white-ball tour of the UK.

The wicketkeeper scored 27 not out off 13 balls in the first T20 against Scotland before a brilliant 49-ball 103 in the second game in Edinburgh.

Inglis continued his fine form on Wednesday, making 37 off 27 balls, and he played a couple of sparkling T20 innings late last year, cracking 42 from 22 deliveries against South Africa in Durban and a dazzling 110 off 50 against India in Visakhapatnam. 

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England v Australia 2nd T20 odds

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.