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Pitch a leveller for Brave
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Buttler aims for sixth to-bat win
Manchester Originals v Southern Brave
Saturday 26 August, 18:00
TV: Live on Sky Sports
Manchester Originals v Southern Brave team news
Ashton Turner is a confirmed departure from the Originals squad. Turner has left to join Australian team-mates for the white-ball action in South Africa.
Zaman Khan, the expert death bowler, was supposed to be leaving, too but is believed to be staying put for the knockouts. Josh Little will only come back if they make Sunday's final against Oval Invincibles. With Turner out Max Holden is likely to come in.
Possible XI: Salt, Buttler, Holden, Evans, Walter, Madsen, J Overton, Harrison, Hartley, Tongue, Zaman
Brave have won three of their last four and they are almost entirely set up to squeeze teams in the field. They are the most economical bowling team in the competition.
They proved this on Thursday by expertly stifling Originals on an admittedly helpful pitch in what was a knockout for them. Devon Conway's careful 50 got them home. Mitchell Santner has replaced Tim David.
Probable XI: Conway, Vince, Du Plooy, Ackerman, Garton, Santner, Jordan, Ahmed, C Overtton, Mills
Manchester Originals v Southern Brave pitch report
A par line short at 145.5 in all editions at The Oval would have been a winner six times in the 13 first-innings. Rockets managed 148 last time against Invincibles which the finalists made light work of. Originals conceded 186 on this pitch and were then rolled for 96.
With Invincibles busting 180 twice there are clearly runs in the surface, then. Brave will have to be at their best to keep quiet an Originals team who crave a flat one. Still, if the par line is set at a high mark - say 152.5 - it may be a short.
Manchester Originals v Southern Brave match odds
Could the Kennington surface be a great leveller for Brave? We know they have struggles with the and a more true surface could bring the best out of their batters.
On decent tracks their brilliant bowling suddenly becomes far more valuable while simultaneously reducing the power gap with the bat.
Unsurprisingly, the match odds market cannot split the pair. Originals are 1.9720/21 with Brave 1.981/1.
Post powerplay with Originals batting first could be the time to act on a Brave price. They can turn the screw with restrictions from around 2.206/5. No rain is forecast.
Manchester Originals v Southern Brave player bets
Jos Buttler returned profits for the fifth time this season on the top Originals bat market against Brave. He gets a 21/10 quote from Sportsbook. Conway looked in good touch and few are likely to be put off by quotes of 3/13.95 for a repeat.
Zaman's slingy action at the death is tricky indeed and with wickets up front with the new ball too, the 3/13.95 that he takes most wickets for Originals will be popular.