Betting Tips

The New Zealand-based Super Smash competition for the 2024-25 season got underway yesterday. In the third game of the competition, Otago will take on Auckland on December 29th, 2024. This game will be played at Molyneux Park in Alexandra, New Zealand. Let's look at the match preview, betting tips, pitch report, and match prediction for this contest.

Otago Volts vs Auckland Aces Head-to-Head Record

In the Super Smash competition, Otago Volts and Auckland Aces have played against each other on 32 occasions. Auckland holds a 19-13 edge in this head-to-head. If you look at the recent record, the two teams are tied at two wins apiece in the last five matches. Auckland won the previous game played between the two teams.

Otago Volts vs Auckland Aces Live-streaming and Broadcast

Unfortunately, this game between Auckland and Otago will not be aired in India. However, the live action of this contest and the entire Super Smash competition will be available on the FanCode app and website through live streaming.

OV vs AUK Team Previews

Otago Volts

The Otago team has made an excellent start to their campaign this year in the Super Smash competition. Today, they won their first game against Canterbury to kick-start their effort in the tournament. It was a closely fought affair, though; the victory margin was ten runs.

The Otago skipper Max Chu was in sublime touch in this game, scoring 82 runs from 46 balls with seven fours and three sixes. He single-handedly took his team to a good score. Leo Carter also scored 35 runs from 29 balls towards the end of the innings.

Ben Lockrose was the most successful bowler in the game, with three wickets from his quota of overs. Dean Foxcroft also bowled well to pick up two wickets. Other bowlers, such as Mason Clarke, Andrew Hazeldine, and Matthew Bacon, picked up one wicket each.

Max Chu and Dean Foxcroft will remain the top batters to watch in this game. Jacob Duffy will spearhead the Otago bowling attack, and together with Andrew Hazeldine, they will look to get breakthroughs for Otago in this game.

Otago Volts Expected Playing 11

Auckland Aces

Auckland Aces played their first game of the competition against Northern Districts. This game had to be abandoned without a ball being bowled. Auckland Aces collected two points and is in third place in the points table.

Cam Fletcher was the top batter for Auckland Aces last year, putting together 156 runs in five innings with an average of 52. He will also be leading the team in this year's Super Smash. The right-handed bat Robert Roux O'Donnell was another successful batter last year, but he will not play for Auckland this season.

The southpaw Sean Solia was the third most prolific batter last year with 136 runs from his previous seven innings in this format. The right-handed medium pacer Danru Ferns was the top bowler the prior year, picking up 15 wickets from eight innings with an average of 15.06.

The slow left-arm bower Louis Delport also bowled well to pick up 13 wickets from eight innings with an average of 15.69. The left-arm fast-medium bowler Ben Lister picked up 12 wickets from his eight games last year with an average of 14.75. These will be the go-to players for Auckland this year.

Auckland Aces Expected Playing 11

OV vs AUK Toss Prediction

Over the years, 12 T20 domestic games have been played at Molyneux Park in Alexandra. The teams chasing a target have won eight of them, while the team setting a target has won four. So, the skipper winning the coin flip is expected to opt to chase a score here.

Pitch and Conditions

The surface on offer at Molyneux Park will be helpful to the batters for the most part. The average first-inning score at this venue is close to 160 runs, so you can expect a lot of runs to be scored here. Seamers might get some early life with the new balls, but after the shine is off, batters will enjoy the conditions.

Some showers are expected in the afternoon in Alexandra.

We will get temperatures in the region of 26 degrees during the game.

OV vs AUK Betting Tips

Auckland Aces was the top team in Super Smash last year and were joint winners. Otago won their first game of the competition, but they lost the two competitive games last year before that. Although these are early days yet, both teams will look to establish their credentials with a win. Based on the evidence of last year's performance, we expect Auckland Aces to start as favorites to win this contest.

Bet on Auckland Aces to win.