The Hundred Tips Games 27 and 28: Spirit on the charge

• Originals eye play-offs

• New-look Fire

• Thompson underrated

Manchester Originals v Northern Superchargers
Sunday 20 August, 14:30
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Manchester Originals v Northern Superchargers team news

Originals' play-off hopes are in their hands. They could go second if Brave are beaten by Invincibles on Friday night. Usama Mir played in their last match - a win over Rockets - but he has left for the Asia Cup. Calvin Harrison comes in.

Possible XI: Salt, Buttler, Holden, Evans, Tunrer, Walter, Overton, Harrison, Hartley, Tongue, Zaman

Superchargers are going to need two wins from their last two to be in the race. Defeat by Spirit was damaging, conceding 160 on a bowler-friendly surface. There's still no sign of Ben Stokes. Maybe he'll have to retire from the competition first?

Possible XI: Lyth, Short, Banton, Brook, Zaib, Hose, Wiese, Parnell, Rashid, Potts, Topley

Manchester Originals v Northern Superchargers pitch report

In eight games completed at Old Trafford more than 145 was busted in four of the first-innings. Originals would have gone past that in ten balls fewer before the rain, however, against Spirit. Originals made 160 against Phoenix and they could go big again - possibly 150 or 155 overs - versus the most expensive bowling line-up in the competition.

Manchester Originals v Northern Superchargers match odds

Superchargers are a bat-first team. Otherwise they can come under significant pressure. Therefore the match odds market looks to have it about right with Originals 1.804/5. Perhaps with a flip in the chase we might be able to bet against that Superchargers attack.

Welsh Fire v London Spirit
Sunday 20 August, 18:00
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Welsh Fire v London Spirit team news

Fire's gamble on Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf winning them enough games looks unlikely to pay off. Their challenge could be done if Originals win earlier in the day. Matt Henry and Lockie Ferguson are their replacements:

Probable XI: Bairstow, Eskinazi, Clarke, Wells, Abell, Phillips, Willey, van der Merwe, Henry, Ferguson, Ball

Spirit have won two from their four completed matches but appear to have a belief which could carry them to the play-offs. Ravi Bopara is rolling back the years. And they got some match-turning knocks from Matthew Wade and Daryl Mitchell at some stage.

Probable XI: Crawley, Rossington, Lawrence, Wade, Mitchell, Bopara, Cricthley, Thompson, Dawson, Ellis, Worrall

Welsh Fire v London Spirit pitch report

There have been 10 full matches played at Sophia Gardens in The Hundred. Five of those first-innings runs have come in at 150 or fewer. The par line could be set in the high 140s. Five have also been won by the side batting second. Rockets defended 152 last time.

Welsh Fire v London Spirit match odds

Fire are 2.001/1 with Spirit 1.9210/11. That looks fair considering Fire's change in personnel. Henry and Ferguson are excellent replacements although one has to doubt Fire's energy given the season more than likely ends in failure again.

Spirit, therefore, can make use of this state of uncertainty and are worthy of support batting first by going hard. There is no rain forecast.

Welsh Fire v London Spirit player bets

Bairstow is as short as 9/43.25 for top Fire bat. Zak Crawley is 3/14.00 for Spirit. Jordan Thompson has been a go-to wager at big numbers for top Spirit bowler because he's been on death duty early in the campaign. He didn't do the job on his return against Superchargers but 5/16.00 looks toppy.