Piers Morgan has publicly challenged Glenn McGrath to a £10,000 charity bet after the Australian great predicted England would be whitewashed in the 2025-26 Ashes.
The former fast bowler, a six-time Ashes winner, told BBC Radio 5 Live he was sticking with his trademark forecast of a 5-0 home win for Australia, despite conceding there are “issues” with the hosts’ batting. “It’s very rare for me to make a prediction, isn’t it? And I can’t make a different one – 5-0,” McGrath said.
Meanwhile, Morgan, never one to shy away from a sporting spat, responded on X: “I bet you £10,000 to charity that it won’t be 5-0, @glennmcgrath11 … put your money where your mouth is!”
I bet you £10,000 to charity that it won’t be 5-0, @glennmcgrath11 … put your money where your mouth is! https://t.co/nHHMWBisnJ
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) August 8, 2025
McGrath backs Aussie attack to dominate
McGrath tipped Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon to be decisive in home conditions, adding that England’s batting line-up would face a fierce examination. “It’s the top order or top and middle order of England against the Australian fast bowlers and Lyon. That’s going to be a big match-up,” he said.
The 55-year-old pinpointed Joe Root and Harry Brook as key wickets, noting Root’s lack of a century in Australia despite 892 runs there, and praising Brook’s attacking style.
Morgan, never one to shy away from a sporting spat, responded on X: “I bet you £10,000 to charity that it won’t be 5-0, @glennmcgrath11 … put your money where your mouth is!”
The last Ashes series in Australia ended 4-0 in 2021-22, with the tourists’ last win down under coming in 2010-11.