The Ashes might be done and dusted, but there is still a lot of intrigue as we approach the fifth and final test in Sydney. While the Aussies have dominated proceedings, England will be hoping to use this final outing as an opportunity to hit the restart button and look to the future. Here, we pick out three tasty selections ahead of the New Year Test which begins on Saturday.
Australia vs England Fifth Test Betting Tips
England have an opportunity to salvage some pride when they take on Australia in the fifth and final Ashes Test. We have checked out some of the best online bookies to put together three tasty bets ahead of the action.
| Market | Odds | Return for £10 |
|---|---|---|
| Zak Crawley to be England top first-innings batter | 11/2 (bet365) | £65.00 |
| Josh Tongue to take 5+ wickets in the match | 11/10 (bet365) | £21.00 |
| Usman Khawaja to score 25+ Runs in First Innings | 3/4 (Betway) | £17.50 |
*Odds correct at 11:40 GMT on 02/01/2026. Odds subject to change.
Bet 1: Zak Crawley to be England’s top first-innings batter
Zak Crawley endured a dreadful start to his Ashes campaign, being dismissed for a duck in his first two innings of the opening Test in Perth. Since then, the 27-year-old has steadily improved.
The opener scored 76 and 44 in Brisbane before coming up with nine and 85 in Adelaide. Crawley also made a solid start in Melbourne, scoring 37 from 48 deliveries.
Sydney will bring back some happy memories for the England man, considering he scored an impressive second-innings 77 in the final game of the 2021/22 Ashes series.
Bearing all that in mind, we are backing Crawley to be England’s top batter in the opening innings at around the 11/2 mark.
No Expiry Date
Bet 2: Josh Tongue to take 5+ wickets in the match
Josh Tongue has been a bit of a revelation for the England side, leaving most to question why he wasn’t thrown into action sooner.
The tourists have lost three pacemen to injury, though that worked in Tongue’s favour, who became the star of the show in Adelaide with his five-wicket haul. On top of that, he was named man-of-the-match for his figures of 5-45 and 2-44 in Melbourne.
We are backing Tongue to continue his impressive run of form and take five or more wickets in Sydney. The Englishman is currently available at a tasty price of 11/10.
Bet 3: Usman Khawaja to score 25+ Runs in First Innings
Usman Khawaja announced his retirement from international cricket… but not before having one last crack at the English over in Sydney.
The 39-year-old is preparing for his 88th Test on the same ground where he made his debut all the way back in 2011.
Khawaja struggled with an injury early in this Ashes series, though he came back strong in the third Test to score a silky 82 in the first innings. Conditions in the following Test in Melbourne did not help, though the veteran batsman still managed a cool 29.
Expected to bat at number five this week, Khawaja will be shielded from the new ball and will have an opportunity to mark his final test in style. Middle order tends to be the most productive over in Sydney, and we are backing the legendary Usman to bag 25+ runs in the first innings.
