The Hundred Men’s 2021 – Birmingham Phoenix vs Southern Brave– Final Match Preview
The carnival, which lasted many weeks, is finally coming to a close, and we have one more game to play before we receive the inaugural title holders in the Men’s Hundred. Southern Brave easily overcame Trent Rockets to qualify for the grand finals, bringing an anticlimactic end to what had otherwise been a hard-fought competition.
The final of the men’s Hundred is slated to take place between Birmingham Phoenix and Southern Brave. Given that these two teams ended at the top of the league table, the final draw could not have been more appropriate. The final will be held on Saturday, April 21, 2021, at Lord’s Cricket Ground in London.
Match Details to Note
Match: Birmingham Phoenix vs Southern Brave, The Hundred Men 2021
Date: August 21, 2021 (Saturday)
Time: 11:00 PM (IST)
Venue: Lord’s, London
Birmingham Phoenix vs Southern Brave Team Previews
Birmingham Phoenix
Birmingham Phoenix was the top team at the end of the league stage, and their point total reflected it. They finished first on the ladder with 12 points, having won six of their eight matches. Furthermore, their net run rate of 1.087 was the best among all sides, indicating how dominant they were.
The Phoenix appeared to be in total control in the previous league encounter when they thumped Northern Superchargers. They chased down a total of 144 with 26 balls to spare and eight wickets in hand, never taking their foot off the accelerator pedal.
However, Finn Allen will be unavailable for Birmingham Phoenix in the forthcoming encounter, but his absence will be compensated for by the return of Moeen Ali. Moeen Ali has played an important role in Phoenix’s journey up to this point, and his presence contributes to the sides’ balance. Liam Livingstone has been in excellent form for Phoenix, scoring a swashbuckling 92 in the most recent league encounter. In this next match, he will be the guy to keep an eye on from the Phoenix camp.
Despite the absence of some players, Birmingham Phoenix appears to be a complete team. The level of depth they have demonstrated thus far is remarkable. They will be bursting with confidence, and if they do not get complacent in preparation for this great confrontation, defeating them will be extremely tough.
Birmingham Phoenix Squad
Imran Tahir, Benny Howell, Miles Hammond, Liam Livingstone, Finn Allen, Chris Benjamin, Adam Milne, Tom Helm, Moeen Ali, Pat Brown, Will Smeed, Chris Cooke, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Dillon Pennington, Tom Abell, Chris Woakes, David Bedingham, Dominic Sibley, Adam Hose
In Phoenix’s previous game, Liam Livingstone was the star of the show. Not only did he take three wickets, but he also batted an unbeaten 92 to help his team reach the final. With Finn Allen departing for national duty, Phoenix will take a significant hit. Last time out, he scored a crucial 42 points. David Bedingham is expected to replace Allen in the starting XI.
Regular captain Moeen Ali, on the other hand, is returning to lead the team in the final, which is a major boost for Phoenix. The bowling assault will be led by Adam Milne, Imran Tahir, Benny Howell, and Livingstone.
Predicted XI: David Bedingham/Tom Abell, Will Smeed, Liam Livingstone, Miles Hammond, Chris Benjamin (wk), Moeen Ali (c), Benny Howell, Adam Milne, Dillon Pennington, Pat Brown, Imran Tahir
Southern Brave
Southern Brave would be overjoyed if they defeated Trent Rockets in the eliminator. They were one of the stronger teams in the league stage, finishing second with 11 points, and will be relieved to have secured a meeting at Cricket’s home ground. They were very steady in the league, and the experience of playing in a knockout game might be beneficial when they face Birmingham Phoenix tomorrow.
Southern Brave has a well-balanced team thanks to several outstanding white-ball cricketers. With Paul Stirling and Quinton de Kock available at the top, their batting appears to be aggressive enough. Besides, the sort of form James Vince has been in should be a huge boost to their morale. They have enviable batting depth with Chris Jordan available at eighth place.
On the bowling front, the Southern Brave boasts a plethora of limited-overs specialists. Chris Jordan and Tymal Mills have a lot of experience bowling in death overs, which may be useful in this next encounter. Furthermore, Craig Overton, Jake Lintott, and George Gardon have performed admirably in the competition thus far and should be overjoyed.
Overall, this James Vince-led squad is not only in excellent condition but also appears to be well balanced on paper. Birmingham Phoenix will have their job cut out for them if they continue to play as they did against the Rockets.
Southern Brave Squad
James Vince, Colin de Grandhomme, Chris Jordan, Ross Whiteley, Alex Davies, Tymal Mills, Quinton de Kock, George Garton, Jake Lintott, Danny Briggs, Liam Dawson, Paul Stirling, Devon Conway, Craig Overton, Delray Rawlins, Max Waller, Jofra Archer, Tim David, Gus Atkinson, Archie Lenham
Brave was led by skipper James Vince (45*) and Paul Stirling (31) in a very straightforward run-chase against the Rockets. Quinton de Kock had a poor performance and will have to fire from the top. The Brave put up a fantastic performance with the ball.
George Garton and Tymal Mills each took three wickets, while Overton and Chris Jordan both took two. They were outstanding as a unit and will aim to build on their overall performance.
Predicted XI: Paul Stirling, Quinton de Kock (wk), James Vince (c), Alex Davies, Tim David, Ross Whiteley, George Garton, Chris Jordan, Craig Overton, Tymal Mills, Jake Lintott
Birmingham Phoenix vs Southern Brave Toss Prediction
This season’s three games at this venue have all been won by teams that batted first. We’ve seen some of the flattest grounds here, where a lot of runs have been scored, but the weather is predicted to help quick bowling here, and with the pressure on the game, the team that wins the toss is likely to bowl first.
Pitch and Weather Conditions
So far in The Hundred, there haven’t been many high-scoring games at Lord’s. The Superchargers scored 155 points in the last game at this location, which they easily defended. Overcast weather will benefit the bowlers early on, although batting may be more difficult. In a huge game like the championship, runs on the board will be critical. As a result, the side that wins the toss will try to bowl first. A total of 150-160 should be excellent and difficult.
Lord’s is predicted to have cloud cover during the game. There is a chance of light rains, and there may be some disruptions. However, we don’t expect rain to be a big issue for the final. The temperature will range from 17 to 19 degrees Celsius.
Birmingham Phoenix vs Southern Brave Match Prediction
Both teams will be energized by the return of players who left to participate in England’s series against India. Furthermore, both teams are coming off of confidence-boosting results in their previous encounters and should be bursting with confidence. When the two teams are compared on paper and in person, Birmingham Phoenix looks to be a somewhat better-balanced side. Furthermore, they were more consistent in the league stage and are better suited to perform effectively in this high-pressure match, according to their experience. Given that, we’ll bet on the Birmingham Phoenix to win, and you should too.
