Date: 23rd February 2025
Venue: Queen’s Park, Invercargill
Competition: The Ford Trophy 2024-25
Match Overview: This game will be crucial for Otago Volts, who still have a chance to reach the playoffs, while Northern Brave has already been eliminated with a dreadful season, having lost 7 of their 9 matches. Otago, with 4 wins in 9 games, will be looking to secure a win to stay in contention for the top spots. Northern Brave, on the other hand, are struggling to find form and will be aiming to salvage some pride in their final game.
Recent Form:
- Otago Volts (OV): W-L-L-L-L (3 wins in the last 5 games, but they need a win here to stay in the playoff race)
- Northern Brave (ND): L-L-L-L-L (On a 6-match losing streak, with just one win from 9 games)
Head-to-Head:
- In the last 9 encounters, Otago has won 3 matches, while Northern Brave has won 4, with 2 matches ending in no-result.
Otago Volts Preview:
- Strengths: Otago Volts have been impressive with the bat, with Dale Phillips (418 runs) and Llew Johnson (305 runs) being in excellent form. Their bowling attack has been led by Matthew Bacon, who has 19 wickets in 8 innings, making them a balanced side.
- Weaknesses: Otago has shown some inconsistency, losing tight matches such as their one-run defeat against Canterbury. However, they have been dominant in most of their wins, and this should give them confidence going into the game.
- Key Players:
- Dale Phillips: Leading run-scorer of the tournament with over 400 runs.
- Matthew Bacon: The tournament’s top wicket-taker, crucial for breaking key partnerships.
- Llew Johnson: A reliable contributor with the bat in recent games.
Otago Volts Predicted Playing XI: Dale Phillips, Jamal Todd, Llew Johnson, Dean Foxcroft, Leo Carter, Max Chu (c & wk), Jake Gibson, Ben Lockrose, Andrew Hazeldine, Jarrod McKay, Matthew Bacon
Northern Brave Preview:
- Strengths: The Brave’s batting is led by Brett Hampton, who has scored 333 runs in 8 innings, and Henry Cooper, with 297 runs. Their bowlers, particularly Brett Hampton and Kristian Clarke, have been consistent despite the team’s poor overall performance.
- Weaknesses: Northern Brave’s batting has been dismal in recent matches, failing to consistently post competitive scores. They have only crossed 250 twice in the last 6 games and are currently on a 6-match losing streak.
- Key Players:
- Brett Hampton: Top-scorer for his team and can turn things around with the bat.
- Henry Cooper: Another key batsman, capable of scoring quickly.
- Scott Kuggeleijn: A bowler with the potential to take wickets and change the game.
Northern Brave Predicted Playing XI: Joe Carter (c), Fergus Lellman, Tim Seifert (wk), Robert ODonnell, Henry Cooper, Brett Hampton, Ben Pomare, Scott Kuggeleijn, Kristian Clarke, Frederick Walker, Matthew Fisher
Pitch and Weather Conditions:
- Pitch Report: Queen’s Park has hosted several limited-overs matches, and the conditions typically favor bowlers early on, especially in the first innings. Given that both women’s ODI games here saw the team bowling first win, we can expect similar trends for this match. The pitch might assist the seamers, and the team bowling first will likely have an advantage.
- Weather: The weather is expected to be partly cloudy with no significant chance of rain, which is good for cricket. Temperatures will range from 10°C to 19°C, with light winds.
Toss Prediction: The team winning the toss will likely choose to bowl first, considering the early assistance for the bowlers.
Winning Prediction:
- Otago Volts come into this match with a solid chance of making it to the playoffs. They have a better record and form, along with strong batting and bowling performances from players like Dale Phillips and Matthew Bacon.
- Northern Brave, however, have been poor this season, struggling to post competitive totals and suffering from a lack of consistency in both batting and bowling.
Prediction: Otago Volts to win this game and maintain their playoff hopes.