Richard Mann is predicting another tough night for Welsh Fire when they travel to face Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred on Friday.
Cricket betting tips: Birmingham Phoenix vs Welsh Fire
2pts Welsh Fire under 154.5 total match runs at 5/6 (General)
1pt Chris Green top Welsh Fire batsman at 25/1 (General)
0.25pt Matt Henry top Welsh Fire batsman at 125/1 (Sky Bet)
Friday night’s offering from The Hundred sees Birmingham Phoenix welcome struggling Welsh Fire to Edgbaston at 6.30pm, UK time.
It has now become abundantly clear that if Jonny Bairstow doesn’t make runs, Fire won’t score very many, and things might not get any easier here.
I’ve been banging the anti-Fire drum since before this year’s tournament began, and the Welsh franchise currently sit at the bottom of the league table.
Quite simply, it’s a mess. A complete mess.
Quite how the likes of Tom Abell and Luke Well continue to be afforded opportunities, while someone as talented as Ben Kellaway sits on the sidelines, is beyond the comprehension of most clear-thinking people. But this is where we are with this outfit. Yet again.
If Kellaway does get the green light at some stage, which so far seems unlikely, we’ll be keeping him in mind in regards to the top Fire batsman market. The Glamorgan man is currently chalked up at 7/1.
Given just how poor this Fire batting line-up is – they couldn’t chase 130 against Southern Brave on Wednesday – I’ve been keen to bet the lower order in this market in the last few games.
Though we’ve let the cat out of the bag slightly and his price has tightened up from 33/1 to 25/1, I’m willing to have one more stab on CHRIS GREEN at the current odds.
The Australian has done me a favour or two in the past, and his batting is not to be underestimated – as demonstrated by a big hundred in the County Championship for Lancashire not so long ago.
Green has been batting around number seven and eight in this line-up, and his 32 not out against London Spirit is actually the best score any Fire batsman after Bairstow has managed all season. He also added a rapid 19 in the following game.
Bairstow has been the one bright spot for Fire, and is the obvious fly in the ointment to this project, but he is shouldering a heavy burden at present, and his high-risk game won’t always come off.
After him, this could be won by anyone, so it makes sense to chance our arm at big prices, and adding MATT HENRY to the staking plan at 125/1 might not be as crazy as it seems.
We’re only talking very small stakes here, but the New Zealand man can do no wrong at present, and it’s worth remembering that this is a man with four Test match half-centuries to his name who can hit the ball a long way.
Look out for that new-ball Phoenix attack headed by fellow Kiwis Trent Boult and Adam Milne, but the hosts have been very unpredictable themselves this term.
As ever in Birmingham, the runs lines might suggest big runs, but I wouldn’t be banking on it.
In fact, FIRE's current TOTAL MATCH RUNS line is 154.5, and I just couldn’t bet the overs with stolen money.
Fire have only beaten that line once (155-6) in five matches this season, when Bairstow went ballistic in a losing cause against fellow strugglers Spirit.
I’ve got plenty wrong on The Hundred in the last week or so, but my belief that Fire are a poor batting side has been unwavering and correct, and I’m happy to keep putting my money where my mouth is.
Preview published at 1330 BST on 21/08/25
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