Birmingham Phoenix Men vs London Spirit Men Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Birmingham Phoenix Men vs London Spirit Men taking place? Birmingham Phoenix Men vs London Spirit Men will take place on Friday 23rd July, 2021 at 18:30 (UK)
Where is Birmingham Phoenix Men vs London Spirit Men taking place? Birmingham Phoenix Men vs London Spirit Men will take place at Edgbaston in Birmingham
What is the expected weather for Birmingham Phoenix Men vs London Spirit Men? 22-24c with sunny intervals and a gentle breeze
Where can I get tickets for Birmingham Phoenix Men vs London Spirit Men? Click here for the latest ticket information for Birmingham Phoenix Men vs London Spirit Men
What TV channel is Birmingham Phoenix Men vs London Spirit Men on in the UK? Birmingham Phoenix Men vs London Spirit Men will be televised live on Sky Sports
Where can I stream Birmingham Phoenix Men vs London Spirit Men? Sky Sports subscribers can stream Birmingham Phoenix Men vs London Spirit Men live via Sky Go
THE TEAM NEWS
BIRMINGHAM PHOENIX MEN
- In Moeen Ali, Birmingham Phoenix are captained by one of the most underrated leaders in limited overs cricket, with Ali having skippered Worcestershire Rapids to a T20 Blast title in 2018 and a final in the following year.
- Opener Finn Allen has lit up the past year in T20 cricket both domestically and internationally and this format should suit him perfectly and could potentially open the batting with new Lancashire Lightning teammate and new England star Liam Livingstone, following his fireworks in the recent three-match series vs Pakistan.
- Veteren South African spin-bowler Imran Tahir will be key for Birmingham on an Edgbaston pitch that should offer some turn, especially with all-rounder Chris Woakes likely to miss out due to injury.
LONDON SPIRIT MEN
- Led by England limited overs captain Eoin Morgan, London Spirit’s squad are well stocked in all departments leading up to this opening match with young batters Zak Crawley and Dan Lawrence both set to play to play a big part here alongside fast bowler Mark Wood in first of two matches they will feature in before heading off for England test duty.
- Following an outstanding T20 Blast campaign as an overseas player for Leicestershire Foxes, explosive wicketkeeper batter Josh Inglis has been brought in as a replacement for fellow countryman Glenn Maxwell, whilst left-arm fast bowler Mohammad Amir and Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi complete the London Spirit overseas trio.
- The experience of domestic players such as Ravi Bopara, Chris Wood and Jade Dernbach is not to be underestimated with all three being strong performers in limited overs cricket, whilst Mason Crane has an excellent opportunity to remind people of his leg-spin bowling abilities.
THE PREDICTION
An intriguing clash awaits here with plenty of veterans within English domestic cricket set to feature. London Spirit’s squad looks the better one from top to bottom, however if one of Finn Allen, Liam Livingstone or Moeen Ali come off from Birmingham Phoenix at the top of the order, then the hosts will fancy accumulating a very big score if batting first, or chasing down whatever they’ve been set to win. Ultimately, this will likely be where the match is won or lost in what should be a very close contest. With their England players available, London Spirit are to be narrowly favoured due to their superior strength in depth down the order.
