Wellington Firebirds vs Otago Volts Prediction: Wellington have better batters on paper

Wellington Firebirds and Otago Volts are going head to head in the 2nd Match of Super Smash T20 League at Basin Reserve, New Zealand on 21 Dec 2023. Wellington have better batters on paper and are favourites to win. Who will win this game of cricket?

Troy Johnson emerged as one of the top performers for the Wellington Firebirds in the previous season. As a right-handed batter, he managed to accumulate a total of 163 runs from eight innings, boasting an average of 27.16. Another promising player to keep an eye on in the upcoming Super Smash tournament is Rachin Ravindra. Known for his exceptional skills as a left-handed batsman, Ravindra had a stellar performance in the ODI World Cup and is expected to carry that momentum into the tournament. During the previous season, he scored 142 runs in eight matches, with an average of 20.28. It's worth noting that Finn Allen will not be participating for Wellington this year, which is a significant loss for the team.

In terms of the bowling attack, Nathan Smith will take charge for the Wellington Firebirds. As a right-arm medium-fast bowler, Smith has proven his worth by taking ten wickets in his last eight innings, averaging an impressive 19.90. Another standout bowler from the previous season was Logan van Beek, who managed to collect eight wickets in eight innings with an average of 31.00. Peter Younghusband also made a notable contribution by securing seven wickets in eight games, maintaining an average of 21.14.

Nick Kelly (c), Devon Conway, Callum McLachlan (wk), Troy Johnson, Muhammad Abbas, Nathan Smith, Michael Bracewell, Tim Robinson, Logan van Beek, Peter Younghusband, Ben Sears

In the previous season of Super Smash, Dean Foxcroft emerged as the top scorer for Otago Volts. As a right-handed batsman, he managed to accumulate 424 runs in his last ten matches, maintaining an average of 47.11. Another notable performer from the previous year is Jake Gibson, who also batted right-handed. Gibson scored a total of 266 runs in his nine innings, with an average of 33.25. Llew Johnson achieved a score of 156 runs in his last ten innings, averaging 17.33. As expected, these players are anticipated to be the key contributors in securing high scores in this year's competition.

Michael Rae, a talented right-arm-medium fast bowler, was the most successful wicket-taker for Otago Volts in the previous season. He managed to take 16 wickets in his ten games, boasting an average of 16.18. However, he will not be available to play for Otgao this year. Matthew Bacon, another impressive bowler, collected 13 wickets in his ten games last year, with an average of 23.23. Additionally, Dean Foxcroft showcased his versatility by also contributing with his off-break bowling, taking nine wickets from the same number of matches, with an average of 20.66.

Dale Phillips, Hamish Rutherford, Jake Gibson, Dean Foxcroft (c), Llew Johnson, Luke Georgeson, Max Chu (wk), Ben Lockrose, Matthew Bacon, Travis Muller, Andrew Hazeldine

The Basin Reserve venue in Wellington has hosted a total of 20 T20 games. Out of these, the team batting first has emerged victorious in 20 matches, while the team batting second has won 17 games. One match has ended in a tie.

The wicket at the Basin Reserve in Wellington is expected to be favorable for the batsmen. The venue is equipped with excellent facilities for T20 cricket, providing an outstanding experience for players and spectators alike. The team batting first will aim to score a minimum of 160 runs, considering it as a par score.

On the day of the match, we can expect partly cloudy conditions at the venue. However, the evenings will be bright and sunny. The temperature during the game will be around 18 degrees, with no chance of showers.

Playing on their home ground, the Wellington Firebirds team will be well acquainted with the conditions at this venue. Since it is the first game of the season for both teams, they will be determined to make a positive start by winning this match. Our prediction is that Wellington will emerge victorious and kickstart their season with a win.