WF vs AA Match Prediction & Betting Tips - Jan 24, 2023
The Wellington Firebirds will be fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive as they host the Auckland Aces in match number 23 in the ongoing season of the Ford Trophy.
The Firebirds are the clear front-runners to win this match but Auckland has enough firepower to spring a surprise and will not let their opponents have an easy time on the field.
WF vs AA Team Previews
Wellington Firebirds
After winning 2 of their first 3 matches this season, the Firebirds saw a sudden dip in form as they lost the next 3 matches on the trot. However, they made a strong comeback in their latest outing, defeating the Otago Volts by a handsome margin.
Rachin Ravindra scored a superb century in that game and was ably supported by Nick Kelly and Troy Johnson, both of whom scored half-centuries, as Wellington posted a mammoth total of 392. Rattled by some excellent bowling by Logan van Beek and Luke Georgeson, the Volts never really appeared to be in the race as they ultimately fell short by a whopping 110 runs.
Wellington is trailing the 2nd placed Canterbury by 7 points at this stage and they will need to win each of their last 3 matches to have a mathematical chance of making it to the next stage. While the batting for Wellington has been pretty strong, there have been some standout performances by the bowlers too.
Van Beek and Michael Snedden have both picked up 12 wickets each, while Ollie Newton is close on their heels with 11.
Wellington Firebirds Playing 11
Callum McLachlan, Luke Georgeson, Peter Younghusband, Jakob Bhula, Logan van Beek, Michael Snedden, Nick Kelly, Nathan Smith, Ollie Newton, Rachin Ravindra, Troy Johnson.
Auckland Aces
The Aces played exceedingly well in the previous season and went on to lift the title for the 13th time in their history.
However, they have failed to carry forward their form this season and are languishing at the bottom of the points table with no chance of making it to the next stage.
While the Aces' most recent match, scheduled against Otago, was washed out due to rains, they did manage to score a win in their most recent completed match played against the Central Districts. Except for Robert O’Donnell and George Worker, none of the batsmen have shown the intent to score big runs and that has been one of the major causes of the Aces’ downfall.
Players like Sean Solia, William O'Donnell, and Mark Chapman will have to play positively in the next few matches if the Aces want to salvage their reputation. The bowling effort has been equally disappointing as they have failed to build up pressure on the opposition batsmen.
Ben Lister and Adithya Ashok are the leading wicket-takers in the squad with 6 wickets each, while Danru Ferns has picked up 5.
Auckland Aces Playing 11
Adithya Ashok, Cole Briggs, Louis Delport, Matthew Gibson, Ross Ter Braak, Ryan Harrison, George Worker, Kyle Jamieson, Robert O'Donnell, Sean Solia, William O'Donnell.
WF vs AA Toss Prediction
The team winning the toss will likely bat first here.
Read our guide on toss predictions to learn how we analyze and come up with our tips.
Pitch and Conditions
The pitch at the Basin Reserve is a good surface to bat on. The even and predictable bounce provides the batsmen plenty of opportunities to score and the outfield is pretty quick too. That said, the pitch does slow down a bit as the game progresses, making it difficult to score off the spinners. The average first innings score here is about 255. The weather is expected to be humid with overcast skies but there is hardly any chance of rain.
The temperature will remain between 19-21 degrees Celsius.
WF vs AA Betting Tips
A look at the performances of both teams this season makes it pretty clear that there is only one team to back here. While the Auckland Aces did beat the Central Districts once, they simply lack the form and are likely to struggle against a quality bowling attack like Wellington. The home team also has a considerably stronger batting line-up when compared to the visitors.
Bet on the Wellington Firebirds to win.
Bonus Cricket Bets
Nick Kelly is the leading run-scorer for the Wellington Firebirds and is 3rd on the list for this season. He has scored 3 half-centuries in 7 innings and has an average of 45.16. With him facing a below-par bowling attack of the Aces, Nick Kelly is likely to make the most of the flat surface at home.
Who will win WF vs AA
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