The second season of The Hundred concludes on Saturday evening when the Trent Rockets take on the Manchester Originals in the final for the right to be the second team to get their hands on the newest trophy in the English game.
The Rockets dominated the group phase of the competition and booked their spot straight into this final as a result of that. Manchester were the second best team in the standings and won the Eliminator to make it through to this final.
Trent Rockets
The Trent Rockets will head into the final as the favourites to win it after a campaign which saw them win six of their eight matches. The losses came against the Birmingham Phoenix when Edgbaston was a fortress and the former champions Southern Brave so they weren’t exactly bad results. What I’ve liked about the Rockets this season is that they have always played positive cricket and when they have won they have generally done it emphatically.
A lot is made of their opening pairing and all eyes will be on Alex Hales in this match with a spot in the England World Cup squad having just opened up but the Rockets are brutal with the bat a fair way down. One concern though is their seamers have just taken a bit of tap at the end of the innings in the last couple of matches and that is a trend they will want to get rid of in case it comes back to bite them in this match.
Manchester Originals
The Manchester Originals must be full of confidence heading into this final. They have now won their last six matches and have come through a couple of knockout matches. In both of those games they handled the pressure of a run chase which got a little bit tight towards the end and there can’t be much more of a confidence boost than that. To overcome scoreboard pressure will give them a lot of belief whatever happens in this final.
The success of the Originals has been down to the freedom they have played with when they have had the bat in hand. They are getting off to flying starts and then the rest of the order can play the situation. I guess there is a concern over what happens if they don’t get off to a fast start but they have a top four in great form so it is only a minor doubt. Manchester have seen their bowling come to the party recently too and look a good side now.
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Key Players
You get the impression England are doing everything they can to repel the international career of Alex Hales resuming but the Nottinghamshire opener has the perfect audition platform here and if he scores big and does it in style the calls for him to be picked for England will grow so loud they can’t be ignored.
Phil Salt might be looking on with interest in that regard because he is having an excellent season and opens with Jos Buttler when the two play for Lancashire so he might be another option England have. He too has a great stage to show his worth.
Betting
Those who have been following our picks on this tournament will already be on the Manchester Originals to win this final as they were our pick for the tournament. Those who aren’t already on could do worse than back them to win this match as they are looking so good. I don’t need to back them again though so I’m going to take one from the side markets.
That comes in the form of over 37.5 boundaries which while looks on the high side I’d be staggered if a final of the competition the ECB is pushing the most is played on a poor pitch. On the assumption that it isn’t we know the outfield will be fast and we also know the philosophy of these two teams with the bat in hand is start hard and go harder. I don’t think there is anything in either bowling attack to worry about, especially with Tabraiz Shamsi ditching the final for the CPL. I like over 37.5 boundaries here.
Tips
Back Over 37.5 boundaries for a 3/10 stake at 2.10 with William Hill
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