Match Previews - The Men’s and Women’s Hundred 2022 Wednesday August 31st - Manchester Originals v Oval Invincibles

Manchester Originals Men host Oval Invincibles Men in the final game of The Hundred's league stage and a playoff place is on the line at Old Trafford.

Both teams have won four and lost three of their first seven games but the Originals are on a roll after four straight victories and they are 4/6 to see off the 11/10 Invincibles.

 

What    Manchester Originals Men v Oval Invincibles Men, The Hundred

Where  Old Trafford, Manchester

When   18:30, Wednesday 31st August 2022

How to watch   In UK -  Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sports Main Event & Sky Sports Mix

Odds     Manchester Originals Men 8/11, Oval Invincibles Men 11/10

 

 

 

Originals on the charge despite Buttler blow

Losing England's white-ball captain Jos Buttler to a calf injury last week could easily have derailed Manchester Originals' playoff push in the men's Hundred, especially as the opener had just slammed 68 off 42 balls in a win over Southern Brave.

Laurie Evans had big boots to fill, deputising for Buttler both as captain and opener, but he has enjoyed a dream start with thumping wins over Northern Superchargers and Birmingham Phoenix.

A third victory on the trot for the Evans-led Originals should be enough to secure a top-three finish and there is no lack of confidence coursing through the Manchester camp.

England opener Phil Salt has boosted his chances of making this year's Twenty20 World Cup squad with scores of 56, 55, 38, 38 and 70 not out in his last five Hundred innings.

Salt and Evans shared an opening stand of 102 off just 42 balls against the Superchargers at Leeds, propelling the Originals to a record total of 208-5, and they are a tempting bet at 10/11 to have the Highest First 25 Balls Score on Wednesday.

The Manchester bowlers are also in cracking form, dismissing the Phoenix for 75 – the lowest all-out score in men's Hundred history – in Sunday's 79-run win at Edgbaston and they look formidable opponents at Old Trafford.

 

Invincibles opener Jacks poses threat to hosts

After successive defeats to Trent Rockets and Birmingham Phoenix, Oval Invincibles kept themselves in the playoff hunt with an impressive derby win over London Spirit at Lord's last time out.

Left-arm seamer Sam Curran led the way with 3-16 off his 20 balls, helping to restrict the highflying Spirit to 122-7, before exciting opener Will Jacks broke the back of the chase with 54 from 38 deliveries.

Jacks's unbeaten 108 against Southern Brave is the highest score in men's Hundred history and it is 12/1 that any player scores a century in the clash at Old Trafford.

The quality of both teams' bowling attacks means it would take a special innings for that bet to land although the Invincibles are missing ace spinner Sunil Narine, who took 11 wickets in six appearances before returning to the Caribbean, and England paceman Reece Topley.

It is 5/6 that the Highest Individual Score is over 62.5 although that would have been a winning wager in only one of the five completed Hundred matches at Old Trafford – earlier this month, when Salt's unbeaten 70 was trumped by Dawid Malan's 98 not out in the Rockets' eight-wicket win.

Invincibles Women full of confidence for league finale

Oval Invincibles Women have won four of their five matches in The Hundred and they will be keeping a close eye on Wednesday's early game between Northern Superchargers and Southern Brave.

 

What    Manchester Originals Women v Oval Invincibles Women, The Hundred

Where  Old Trafford, Manchester

When   15:00, Wednesday 31st August 2022

How to watch   in UK Sky Sports Mix

Odds     Manchester Originals Women, Oval Invincibles Women

 

The Brave are 2/5 to make it six wins out of six and book their place in Saturday's final at Lord's but if they slip up then the Invincibles could finish top with a convincing win at Old Trafford.

The Invincibles' only defeat of the 2022 campaign was a 12-run loss to the table-topping Brave and they have nailed successful run-chases in their other four matches.

They crushed local rivals London Spirit last time out, rolling them over for just 80 and sealing a nine-wicket win with 42 balls to spare so the Brave will not be sitting comfortably even if the Invincibles need a wide-margin victory to pip them to top spot.

The Oval bowlers have been in miserly form this summer. Three of them have conceded less than a run a ball in the tournament while another, off-spinner Mady Villiers, took 4-12 from her 20 deliveries against the Spirit at Lord's on Saturday.

Manchester Originals have won two of their first five matches and one of those victories came against struggling Welsh Fire.

In their other home game this summer they were skittled for 76 against Trent Rockets so they face a difficult test against Wednesday's playoff-chasing visitors in the final league fixture of the women's Hundred.

 

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