WF vs OV Match Preview
Last year, the Wellington Firebirds team had an entirely forgettable season and finished in 5th in the points table. They could muster up just three victories from their ten games. This season, the Wellington outfit will be led by Nick Kelly, and several exciting candidates are in their ranks. The top run-getter for Wellington Firebirds last year was Troy Johnson. He scored 163 runs from his eight innings with an average of 27.16 and a strike rate of 109. These two are expected to do well in the middle order for Wellington Firebirds.
Another crucial player for the Wellington Firebirds near the top of their batting line-up is Devon Conway. He has an excellent record at Basin Reserve after scoring 758 runs from 21 T20 games at this venue. The Wellington team will rely on Nathan Smith and Peter Younghusband to get crucial breakthroughs. Smith picked up ten wickets last season from his eight matches with an average of 19.90, while Younghusband picked up seven wickets from eight innings with an average of 21.14. Logan Van Beek also picked up eight wickets last season.
The Otago Volts finished the last season of Super Smash in second place in the league stage of the competition. As a result, they advanced to the Eliminator game but were beaten by Northern Knights. Otago Volts have retained most of their team members from the last season and are keen for a good start. The main batter to watch out for this season for Otago will be their skipper, Dean Foxcroft. He was the top run-getter in the last season’s competition, hitting 424 runs.
Another significant batter for Otago Volts last season was Jake Gibson, who scored 266 runs from his nine innings at an average of 33.25. The Otago team will depend on these batters to do well in the 2023-24 season; Matthew Bacon and Ben Lockrose will spearhead the Otago bowling attack. During last season, Bacon picked up thirteen wickets while Lockrose picked up nine. These two will once again be the top bowling contenders for Otago Volts this year.
Weather Report
We will likely get partially cloudy conditions at this venue on the matchday. The evenings, on the other hand, will be bright and sunny. The temperatures during the game will hover close to 18 degrees. There is no possibility of getting showers during the match.
Pitch Report
The wicket on offer at the Basin Reserve in Wellington will favor the batters. The ground has some good facilities for T20 cricket, making for a terrific experience for players and spectators alike. The team batting first will be looking to score 160 runs, at least as an at-par score.
Notable stats
Dean Foxcroft scored runs at an excellent average last season.
Dean Foxcroft scored runs with an average of 43.88 during the last season.
Matthew Bacon has an excellent strike rate for Otago during the last season.
Bacon picked up 13 wickets last season with a strike rate 14.76.
Team News
This is the season’s first game for both teams, so the entire team will be fit and available for this game.
WF vs OV Probable 11
WF Playing 11
- Nick Kelly (C)
- Devon Conway
- Callum McLachlan (Wk)
- Troy Johnson
- Muhammad Abbas
- Nathan Smith
- Michael Bracewell
- Tim Robinson
- Logan van Beek
- Peter Younghusband
- Ben Sears
OV Playing 11
- Dale Phillips
- Hamish Rutherford
- Jake Gibson
- Dean Foxcroft (C)
- Llew Johnson
- Luke Georgeson
- Max Chu (Wk)
- Ben Lockrose
- Matthew Bacon
- Travis Muller
- Andrew Hazeldine
Dream11 Prediction
The Wellington Firebirds team is playing at home and will be well aware of the conditions on offer at this venue. This is the first game of the new season for both of these outfits, and they will be looking to start the new season positively. We are betting on Firebirds to win this game and open their account.
Top Picks
Rachin Ravindra: Ravindra did not do well last year but is in great form this year.
Dean Foxcroft: Dean Foxcroft has scored 351 runs from his last ten games with a strike rate of 131.95 and an average of 43.88.
Jake Gibson: In his last ten appearances for Otago, Jake Gibson scored 265 runs with a strike rate of 149.71 and an average of 37.86.
Matthew Bacon: Matthew Bacon has picked up thirteen wickets from his last nine games with a strike rate of 14.76.
WF vs OV Dream11 Team 1
Keeper: D Conway
Batters: H Rutherford, D Phillips, N Kelly
All-rounders: M Bracewell, L van Beek, G Phillips (VC), R Ravindra (C)
Bowlers: A Milne, J Duffy, B Sears
