The Hundred, Match 3, MNR Vs WEF | Playing 11 Prediction, Cricket Tips, Preview And Live Streaming

Jonny Bairstow for Welsh Fire (X.com)

The fourth edition of The Hundred is up and running in style, and in the third game of the season, we have Manchester Originals up against Welsh Fire. The match will be played at the iconic Old Trafford, Manchester and it would be an intersting affair between two quality teams.

Team Previews: MNR Vs WEF

Manchester Originals

The home team will be without their full-time skipper Jos Buttler who is struggling from a calf injury. The magnitude of his injury is still unknown, but in the first game, Phil Salt is all set to lead the Originals. He will play a big role at the top of the order, and we might see Wayne Madsen opening alongside him while Max Holden is likely to bat at 3.

The all-round trio of Sikandar Raza, Paul Walter and the powerful Jamie Overton will provide the balance, but they all need to be at their best with the willow in hand. On the bowling front,  they have Afghan star Fazalhaq Farooqi and Josh Hull, the young star from Leicestershire will form a deadly pace duo. Tom Aspinwall and Scott Currie also provide handy options with their medium pace. 

Tom Hartley will have the experience of Usama Mir to handle the spin department alongside him, and overall, have plenty of bowling options, but with the loss of Buttler, they look thin on the batting front.

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Welsh Fire

The Red Army, on the other hand, have plenty of superstars in their arsenal. The likes of Jonny Bairstow, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Joe Clarke and Tom Abell and Glenn Phillips form a formidable batting line-up and if they all fire in unison, they can destroy any bowing attack. They have Eskinazi too in their ranks who can use the long handle to great effect while David Willey, over the years has been a force to reckon with the bat in English domestic cricket.

Willey will have to play a big role with the ball as well, and he has Matt Henry (may not be avaliable for the start of the season) and Joshua Little alongside him to form a quality pace trio. Little is a replacement for Haris Rauf who is playing MLC currently while Roelof van der Merwe with his experience would lead the spin-attack. So, on paper, Welsh Fire look a more potent unit, and let's see how they shape up in their opening game.

MNR vs WEF: Match Details

MNR vs WEF: Pitch Report

The pitch at Manchester is expected to be a good batting deck and if the conditions overhead are not overcast, the batters can hit the ball through the line, and we might see big scores. There could be help for the pacers if the conditions are overcast though, but overall, it will be a game where batters will dominate.

MNR vs WEF: Probable Playing XIs

Manchester Originals: Phil Salt (C), Max Holden, Wayne Madsen, Matthew Hurst (WK) Sikandar Raza, Jamie Overton, Paul Walter, Usama Mir, Tom Hartley, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Josh Hull

Welsh Fire: Jonny Bairstow (WK), Joe Clarke, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Abell (C), Glenn Phillips, Luke Wells, David Willey, Roelof van der Merwe, David Payne, Joshua Little, Mason Crane/Jake Ball.

MNR vs WEF: Fantoss Prediction

MNR vs WEF: Winner Prediction

Welsh Fire look a more balanced side with quality in both their batting and bowling, so expect them to start off the season with a win against the home team.

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