BIP vs WEF Match Prediction & Analysis
Birmingham Phoenix is yet to secure their first victory this season. Although their opening two matches were abandoned due to rain, they suffered a comprehensive defeat in their most recent game against Manchester Originals. As a result, Birmingham currently sits in 7th place on the table with only 2 points and a disappointing net run rate of -2.450.
Next up, they will face Welsh Fire at Edgbaston on Thursday. Historically, their record against Welsh Fire has been perfect. However, Welsh Fire has performed better so far in the tournament, securing 4th place on the table with 1 win out of 3 matches.
TEAMS PREVIEW
Birmingham Phoenix Preview
After suffering a significant 49-run defeat against the Manchester Originals, the Birmingham Phoenix are eager to bounce back. In their previous match at Old Trafford, Birmingham failed to chase down a target of 161 and were all out for just 111 in 98 balls. Despite the team’s struggles, Liam Livingstone managed to put up a valiant effort by scoring 27 runs off 25 balls. The rest of the batting lineup unfortunately couldn’t provide much support.
Livingstone holds great significance for Birmingham, especially considering their batting lineup lacks a bit of depth. With an impressive record of 200 runs in his last 7 matches, averaging at 33.33 and maintaining a strike rate of 139, Livingstone has proved his mettle. Despite recently recovering from an injury, he seems to be finding his rhythm again. Keep a close eye on him as he takes to the pitch in this match
Another player worth watching is Will Smeed. In his last 10 matches, he has scored a total of 208 runs, with an average of 23.11 and an impressive strike rate of 158.77.
The bowling lineup of Birmingham appears to be in excellent condition. In the last match, Benny Howell stood out with figures of 3-21 off 20 balls, while Adam Milne also performed well with figures of 2-33 off 20 balls. Additionally, they have the reliable players Kane Richardson and Tom Helm, who have taken a total of 13 and 15 wickets respectively in their recent matches.
Birmingham Phoenix Predicted Playing XI:
The team lineup for the match includes Will Smeed, Ben Duckett, Moeen Ali as the captain, Liam Livingstone, Jamie Smith as the wicketkeeper, Dan Mousley, Shadab Khan, Benny Howell
Welsh Fire Preview
In their last match, Welsh Fire seemed to be heading towards a comfortable win against Oval Invincibles. They had limited them to a score of 100-6 while chasing 139. However, Tom Curran’s unbeaten 38 from just 18 balls disrupted their progress, and the game eventually ended in a tie.
Joe Clarke, the opener for the team, had an outstanding performance, scoring an unbeaten 69 runs from just 46 balls. This brings his total to 171 runs in the last 10 matches. However, the rest of the batters on the Welsh Fire team struggled to make an impact. This has been a recurring issue for them this season. Aside from Clarke, Luke Wells, another opener, has shown promise with 93 runs in just three innings at an impressive strike rate of almost 190.
There has been high anticipation for players like Stevie Eskinazi and Glenn Phillips to perform, but unfortunately, they have not lived up to expectations thus far.
The bowling attack of Welsh Fire is quite impressive. Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf have made a significant impact in the tournament, taking 5 and 3 wickets respectively in the first three games of Fire. Additionally, David Payne and David Willey are also part of the lineup, having taken 2 and 3 wickets respectively this season. However, it is worth mentioning that their economy rates have been relatively high.
Welsh Fire Predicted Playing XI:
The batting lineup for the team consists of Luke Wells, Joe Clarke as the wicketkeeper, Stephen Eskinazi, Tom Abell as the captain, Glenn Phillips, David Willey, Ben Green. The bowling attack includes Roelof van der Merwe
PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS
Weather Conditions
The pitch at Edgbaston favors batters, providing them with favorable conditions for scoring runs. While there is some initial assistance for seam bowlers, it settles down later on, making it easier for batters to accumulate runs. Only if the overhead conditions are clear, seamers might struggle to generate movement. However, spinners are unlikely to benefit from the pitch as it doesn’t offer much support for their deliveries. ###
Venue Details
In the men’s Hundred cricket matches at Edgbaston, the average score for the team batting first is 161, while it drops to 131 for the team batting second. The highest total in this competition was achieved by Birmingham Phoenix against Welsh Fire in 2021, scoring 184-5. Therefore, if a team bats first in an upcoming match at Edgbaston, they will aim to set a target of around 150-160 runs.
Toss: To Bat
In the previous eight completed matches of The Hundred at Edgbaston, both teams batting first and chasing have won an equal number of times – four each. Considering the clear weather for this match, the team that wins the toss might be inclined to bat first in order to set a formidable total.
Winning Prediction
The Welsh Fire team will Win this match
Birmingham Phoenix has emerged victorious in their previous encounters with Welsh Fire. However, this season could bring about a change as Birmingham’s batting unit faces a formidable challenge from the aggressive pace attack of Welsh Fire. While Fire’s own batting performance has been lackluster, it is their strong bowling that gives them an advantage in this match. Barring an exceptional performance from Livingstone, it is expected that Welsh Fire will dominate this encounter.
