Birmingham Phoenix v Manchester Originals: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Birmingham Phoenix face Manchester Originals in the final league fixture of The Hundred season and a win for the home side at Edgbaston on Thursday would secure their place in the play-offs.

Birmingham Phoenix v Manchester Originals betting tips and predictions

Ben Duckett to be Birmingham Phoenix top batter @ 13/5

England will be missing injured captain Ben Stokes and opening batter Zak Crawley for the Test series against Sri Lanka.

However, Crawley's opening partner Ben Duckett should return to the national set-up in good heart after a prolific campaign for the Phoenix in The Hundred.

A home victory over the Originals on Thursday will ensure that Birmingham finish in the top three, qualifying for the play-offs, and Duckett is worth backing to lead the charge at Edgbaston.

He joined the squad late after playing in England's third Test against the West Indies, but has made up for lost time with scores of 21 and 54 not out in away games against Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire.

The left-hander's record at Edgbaston is even more impressive. He made 92 in a total of just 137-9 against Southern Brave, before cracking 43 not out off 20 balls in a 10-wicket win over Northern Superchargers.

Duckett's 16-ball 30 in Monday's home win over the Rockets was eclipsed only by number six Jacob Bethell's measured innings of 38 not out and the England opener is a worthy favourite to top-score against the Originals.

Manchester Originals opening partnership - over 20.5 @ 10/11

Duckett is not the only in-form opener on show at Edgbaston as the Originals, runners-up in 2023, have made strong starts to three of their last four games.

The absence of injured captain Jos Buttler undermined their chances, but Phil Salt and Matthew Hurst have restored some pride at the top of the order.

The pair put on 90 in 54 balls against Northern Superchargers at Headingley before a stand of 89 against defending champions - and title favourites - Oval Invincibles.

Hurst was dismissed early in the victory over fellow strugglers London Spirit at Lord's, where Salt made 58, but the pair gave the Originals a blistering start to their most recent fixture against the Superchargers.

They had scored 45 runs from just 14 balls before Hurst fell, on the way to a record Powerplay total of 73-1, and they should be backed to post a partnership of over 20.5 against the Phoenix.

Chris Wood over 1.5 wickets @ 13/8

Birmingham's seam attack have proved too hot to handle for the last two teams who visited Edgbaston in The Hundred.

New Zealand internationals Tim Southee and Adam Milne shared six wickets as the Superchargers were skittled for 83 and Southee recorded figures of 5-12 in the Rockets' total of 118 all out on Monday.

Australia's Sean Abbott is another classy threat, but county stalwart Chris Wood has also impressed in recent games and the left-armer should be backed to take two or more wickets on Thursday.

Wood's last appearance for Hampshire in the T20 Blast saw him dismiss Essex openers Adam Rossington and Dean Elgar in the first over of the match and he has claimed 2-18 and 2-30 in his two outings at Edgbaston in The Hundred this season.

His victims in the 100-ball competition include England star Harry Brook, T20 World Cup winner Alex Hales, New Zealand international Glenn Phillips and West Indies T20 captain Rovman Powell, so he looks capable of troubling the Originals batters.

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Birmingham Phoenix v Manchester Originals odds

Birmingham Phoenix - 4/6
Manchester Originals - 6/5

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.