Wellington Firebirds vs Auckland Aces Prediction: Aces have advantange in head-to-head games

Wellington Firebirds and Auckland Aces are going head to head in the 4th Match of Super Smash T20 League at Basin Reserve, Wellington, New Zealand on 24 Dec 2023. Auckland Aces have narrow advantange in head to head games between two sides. Who will win this game of cricket?

In the recent match held in Wellington, the Wellington Firebirds team emerged victorious against the Otago outfit. The game, which took place during the day and night, began with Wellington batting first and amassing an impressive total of 234 runs for the loss of five wickets. From the start, Otago never seemed to pose a serious threat in their pursuit of a successful chase and eventually were bowled out for 160 runs in just 16.5 overs. Consequently, Wellington secured a resounding victory with a margin of 74 runs. Tim Robinson, the opening batsman for Wellington, was awarded the player of the match for his exceptional performance, scoring 139 runs from 64 deliveries. To achieve their massive total, Wellington heavily relied on Robinson's extraordinary innings, which included an impressive ten sixes and ten fours. Wellington's captain Nick Kelly also played a crucial role, contributing 48 runs from 34 balls with six fours. However, apart from these standout performances, the rest of the team did not make significant contributions. Looking ahead, Wellington will again rely on the batting prowess of Ian McPeake and Peter Younghusband, who led their bowling attack in the previous match, to score substantial runs in the upcoming game.

Nick Greenwood/Devon Conway, Tim Robinson, Nick Kelly (c), Muhammad Abbas/Troy Johnson, Jesse Tashkoff, Callum McLachlan (wk), Nathan Smith, Logan van Beek, Peter Younghusband, Michael Snedden, Ian McPeake

The Auckland team had a successful start to their campaign this year against Canterbury, winning the match. They batted first and scored 185 runs, losing five wickets from their allotted 20 overs. Canterbury made a spirited chase but were eventually bowled out for 158 runs from 17.5 overs. Danru Ferns was named the player of the match for taking three wickets for 30 runs. The Auckland openers, Finn Allen and Martin Guptill, had a strong start to their innings. Guptill scored 47 runs from 29 balls, including two sixes and five fours. Robert O'Donnell contributed 54 runs from 38 balls with four sixes and three boundaries. Near the end of the innings, wicketkeeper Cam Fletcher also hit a few boundaries. The best bowlers for Canterbury were Danru Ferns and James Neesham, who both took three wickets each. Ben Lister, the new ball bowler, picked up two wickets from his three overs. Lois Delport and Nikith Perera also took one wicket each in the game. These players will be relied upon to take more wickets in the upcoming match.

Martin Guptill, Finn Allen, Sean Solia, Robert ODonnell (c), James Neesham, Cam Fletcher (wk), Ryan Harrison, Danru Ferns, Louis Delport, Nikith Perera, Ben Lister

The pitch at Basin Reserve in Wellington offers a balanced playing field for both batsmen and bowlers. However, it is advisable to bat first as the pitch might deteriorate later on, providing assistance to spinners. There is also a chance of showers during the game with temperatures expected to be around 18 degrees and high humidity. In the event of rain interruptions, the Duckworth-Lewis equation might come into play. Both teams have started their campaigns with victories, but Wellington relied heavily on one batsman's performance, whereas Auckland Aces demonstrated a more well-rounded effort. Therefore, we predict that Auckland Aces will emerge victorious in this match.