LONDON: One of Britain’s leading bookmakers has said that for the first time in the country over one million pounds will be gambled on a single cricket match in a single day when the fifth Test begins.

“This is already the biggest betting Test series ever, with up to a record 50 million pounds riding on the outcome of the five-match series, and with the unprecedented interest in the outcome of the final match we are expecting cricket punters to bet over a million pounds in a single day for the first time as the game gets underway,” said William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe.

Hills make England 1/2 favourites to win the Ashes — but as 12/5 outsiders to win the game, for which the draw is 11/8 favourite and the Aussies offered at 6/4 — with the chances of a dramatic tie 100/1.

They are also even quoting odds for the outcome of the toss — England are 10/11 to win it —and have offered one punter odds of 500/1 that after this series Shane Warne will desert Australia to apply for British citizenship and play for England against the Aussies next time round.

Hills are also offering 66/1 that serial catch-dropper Kevin Pietersen will redeem himself by clinching the Ashes for England by taking the match-winning catch and, on a lighter note, have Australian singer Jason Donovan and actor Mel Gibson at 1000/1 to be called up by the Aussies for the next Ashes series.—AFP