Cricket Tips

Cricket: England v South Africa 1st Test Preview & Betting Tips

After some disappointing limited overs displays, it is back to England’s Test team to lift the mood


  • England v South Africa
  • LV= Insurance Test series, First Test (of three)
  • Wednesday August 17 - Sunday August 21, 2022, 11am
  • Lord’s
England v South Africa Cricket betting tips

South Africa are top of the current ICC World Test Championship table, just ahead of Australia, with five wins and two defeats in the current cycle of that competition.

England, meanwhile, are down in seventh with five wins, seven defeats and four draws.

The competition runs through to next year and is decided on percentage points given the discrepancy in number of fixtures each nation plays. South Africa and Australia sit on 71.43 and 70 at the top of the table and England are on 33.33 with a heap of work to do despite their recent good form.

In truth, I think most supporters find it a hard competition to follow and just treat series in isolation.


England can gallop ahead in battle between the form horses

Dating back to January 2021, South Africa have won four of their last six Test series, including beating India 2-1 at home earlier this year. But in that run of four in six, only one win has come away (against the West Indies).

With series wins against Sri Lanka, West Indies and Bangladesh, I’m not so sure the stats tell the full tale here and can see England disposing of them pretty comfortably - just as the Lions did in a warm-up game in Canterbury last week.

The only thing which would shy me away from backing Ben Stokes and co to win the series 3-0 is the weather, which looks like it’s becoming a bit more unsettled.

So I’m going to urge caution and margin for error and go with bet365′s 7/4 on England to win the series -1 on the handicap. That means that a 2-0 or 3-0 scoreline would bring home the bacon, allowing for a rainy draw somewhere along the way.

cricketbet365 logo
Graham Hardcastle's Cricket Tips

Cricket LV= Insurance Test Series

England -1 on the handicap could be the best way to go

fire

At 7/4 a £10 bet would return £27.50

England v South Africa First Test (of three)

August 17, 2022

11:00 am GMT+1


Kesh can cash in with Player Performance

When you talk about box office cricketers, Kagiso Rabada is the one South African who springs immediately to mind - and he is no certainty to play at Lord’s because of ankle issue.

I would, however, make a strong argument for Keshav Maharaj being right up there alongside him. Instead, he is someone who appears to fly under the radar.

The left-arm spinner, just awarded the honour of SA men’s player of the year, has taken 20 wickets in his last three matches, albeit in February through to April. But he has done it in varying conditions of South Africa and New Zealand.

He has also scored 148 runs in those matches against Bangladesh and the Kiwis.

I’m very keen on his bet365 Player Performance mark of over 85.5 at 5/6. That is 20 points per wicket, one per run and 10 per catch.

With the dry weather we’ve had, he should get plenty of overs, even at Lord’s, and I really like the 2/1 Ladbrokes have on him to take over 1.5 wickets in the first innings.

After all, his record in England is fantastic. He took 17 wickets in four Tests here in 2017 and in county cricket for Yorkshire and Lancashire in 2018 and 2019, he took an incredible 55 wickets in eight games.


Rooty’s love for Lord’s can continue

Joe Root just loves batting at Lord’s. His Test record there is excellent. In 17 Tests there, he has scored 1,610 runs, including five scores of 100 or more and five half-centuries.

He has scored three hundreds in eight innings this summer, including 115 not out against New Zealand at Lord’s, and there is no reason why he can’t continue that form.

I would be taking two prices on offer with bet365.

The first is the 9/4 on him to score a century in the match.

The second is the price boosted 10/3 from 11/4 on him to ton up in the first innings.

cricketbet365 logo
Graham Hardcastle's Cricket Tips

Cricket LV= Insurance Test Series

Joe Root has an excellent batting record at Lord's

fire

At 10/3 a £10 bet would return £43.33

England v South Africa First Test (of three)

August 17, 2022

11:00 am GMT+1


* All betting odds are subject to changes.

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Graham Hardcastle

Graham Hardcastle

Graham Hardcastle is our resident cricket and tennis betting expert at Freebets