Breaking News - cricket

The best odds bookmakers would have given sports betting fans today would have been how long it would take England to seal a victory as the result look pretty much assured.

England took a commanding lead in the Ashes series in Adelaide winning the second test by an innings and 71 runs.

After a first innings run fest by the Australians and a poor 260 all out by England, the first Ashes Test looked like going the Aussies way. 

The Ashes series gets underway with the first test at the famous Gabba ground in Brisbane on Thursday. This means that finally all the talk and supposition will end and everyone can get to see just what the teams have to offer. 

The Australian selectors have announced the squad for the first Ashes Test against England at the Gabba in Brisbane. They have named a large seventeen-player squad to account for injuries and poor form in the lead-up to the all-important first test. 

The International Cricket Council has offered to help the Pakistan Cricket Board regarding accusations made by wicketkeeper Zulquarnain Haider about threats to his life. 

Andrew Straus, ahead of the England Ashes Tour of Australia admitted that it will be a tough challenge to be the first England team to bring the Ashes back from Australia since 1986-87. However, he believes punters should bet on England.

Pakistan cricketers have welcomed the conclusions of the investigation into allegations of bookmaking irregularities and spot bet fixing during the third one-day test during the summer.

The storm caused by the match rigging allegations by Pakistan during the recent cricket tour of England look set to have implications far beyond the bounds off the ICC boardrooms. The FA is looking into ways to counter corruption and match fixing within football as a result of the cricket spot-fixing charges.