2017 Ashes betting: Shane Warne picks Pat Cummins for man of the series, most wickets

TEST legend Shane Warne says a lightning quick Aussie fast bowler will be the Ashes destroyer — and his name is not Mitchell Starc.

TEST legend Shane Warne says lightning quick fast bowler Pat Cummins will be the Ashes destroyer for the Aussies.

Warne says the powerful, yet oft-injured seamer can emerge from the pack as the man of the series by tormenting the English batting line-up throughout the summer.

“I think Pat Cummins is the man,” Warne said.

“(He) has been bowling so well without much luck.

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Is this the man to lead Australia to Ashes victory? Picture: Getty Images

“He’s finally fit, firing, he’s had a bit of experience over the last 12 months, he’s bowled some hard overs (and) he’s got to trust his body, now, in some tough conditions.

“So I think he feels confident with his body and I think he’ll let go some thunderbolts.”

Warne, who so often ran through the English batting with his mastery of spin, wants to see Cummins take on the Mitchell Johnson enforcer role for the Aussies.

“I hope that (Australian captain) Steve Smith uses him in the same way that (former captain) Michael Clarke used Mitchell Johnson in the last ashes series in Austrtalia as a real enforcer,” he said.

“I’m tipping Pat Cummins to be the leading wicket-taker of the whole series and I think he’ll be the man of the series.”

Three Aussies head the list in the player of the series market at TAB.com.au, the punters unable to split Smith, Starc and vice-captain David Warner.

Whether with red or pink ball, Shane Warne says Pat Cummins can tear apart the Poms’ batting line-up. Picture: David Caird

Cummins has never played a Test on Australian soil, despite making his debut way back in 2011 when he tore apart the South Africans. He’s been injured or recovering for every home series since.

He’s played four Tests in 2017, all on the sub-continent, two in India and then two in Bangladesh.

If Warne is right, Cummins is great value at $11, behind fellow seamer Josh Hazlewood ($11) and the only Englishman in single digit odds, captain and best bat Joe Root.

Cummins is again behind both Starc ($3.50 favourite) and Hazlewood ($4.25) in the most wickets market, at $8, with a pair of Poms in Jimmy Anderson ($4.50) and Stuart Broad ($7) also ahead of him.

As far as the batting goes, the big leftie goes all right with the stick, but you can’t get a market for him as Smith ($4), Warner ($4.50) and Root ($5.50) head the market.

The Ashes First Test begins at the Gabba on November 23 and can be watched live on the Nine Network.

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Ashes series result

Result	Odds
Australia	$1.40
Draw	$9
England	$4

Player of the series

Player	Country	Odds
Steve Smith	Australia	$6
Mitchell Starc	Australia	$6
David Warner	Australia	$6
Joe Root	England	$9
Josh Hazlewood	Australia	$10
Pat Cummins	Australia	$11
Jimmy Anderson	England	$13
Alistair Cook	England	$13
Usman Khawaja	Australia	$13
Stuart Broad	England	$17

Series most wickets

Player	Country	Odds
Mitchell Starc	Australia	$3.50
Josh Hazlewood	Australia	$4.25
Jimmy Anderson	England	$4.50
Stuart Broad	England	$7
Pat Cummins	Australia	$8
Chris Woakes	England	$10
Nathan Lyon	Australia	$11
Moeen Ali	England	$13

Series most runs

Player	Country	Odds
Steve Smith	Australia	$4
David Warner	Australia	$4.50
Joe Root	England	$5.50
Alistair Cook	England	$7.50
Usman Khawaja	Australia	$9
Matt Renshaw	Australia	$13
Peter Handscomb	Australia	$15
Jonny Bairstow	England	$17
Mark Stoneman	England	$17

***All odds provided by TAB.com.au