The Hundred Tips Matches 27 and 28: Back Sunrisers to win in style while Phoenix are a value bet to level spirit

Sunrisers Leeds v Welsh Fire The Hundred Tips

Click here for Sunrisers Leeds v Welsh Fire odds
Sunday 9 August, 14:30
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Sunrisers Leeds are marching on together. Four wins in five have shown that is on-field success that binds a team rather than pathetic attempt to engender spirit by singing a borrowed team song from another sporting team.

They beat Birmingham Phoenix last time out. Whacked them, in fact. Setting Phoenix 169 and hitting eight sixes in the process (from the top- and lower-order, to boot), they never looked like relinquishing control and got home with a massive 45 runs to spare.

They will be more than happy to be at home in Headingley again where their all-action style is suited to the flat surface. Woe betide the team that loses the toss and has to try to contain a supremely confident batting unit. Leeds smashed Spirit for 241 in a record-breaking show the last time they were on their own patch.

It is no surprise that Leeds are the best batting team in the competition. Striking at 173 they are way ahead of the next fastest, the Super Giants, who are on 157. They come up against a Welsh Fire team who strike at 133, the third slowest. That is a big enough gap to have concerns that Fire just won't be able to keep up. Leeds are the right favourites.

The gulf is big enough also to focus on the Leeds batting as the best option for betting even if Fire boast the third-best economy rate in the competition. Over 153.5 match runs for Leeds is an option. But we could get around 13/82.63 that Leeds win the match and hit the most sixes. Their tally this term is 70 compared to Fire's 28. It's a ridiculous stat. The 8/131.61 that the Betfair Sportsbook offer about Leeds hitting the most sixes is not a big enough price unfortunately.

Sportsbook also offer over 11/102.11 that Sunrisers hit over 8.5 sixes. They are averaging 11.6 per game. Back on a road of a wicket there's enough room for manoeuvre taking into account that Welsh bowling attack.

London Spirit v Birminham Phoenix The Hundred Tips

Click here for London Spirit v Birmingham Phoenix odds
Sunday 9 August 18.30
TV: Live on Sky Sports

London Spirit and Birmingham Phoenix clash in a contest which should decide the wooden spoon. It was not meant to end like this for either franchise with two solitary wins (one each) between them.

Spirit, in particular, have been hugely disappointing. Under the Royal Challengers Bangalore brains' trust and astute coach Andy Flower they have, frankly, been pathetic. They have made the basic error of failing to work out their best XI quickly enough and not giving the players the confidence to play with the freedom of defined roles.

They have used 16 players in just six games, a ludicrous number. Not once did they pair legspin duo Mason Crane and Adam Zampa on a helpful Lord's surface. James Coles, an expensive signing, has been a major flop.

Phoenix have an excuse. Losing Jacob Bethell before a ball was bowled was a hammer blow. Their batting has suffered as a result and it is now a consistent trend that they collapse. No team has scored fewer runs and no team has scored at a slower rate.

That might not be a massive problem against hapless Spirit, though. Their economy rate is the second-worst in the competition with Sunrisers bottom (understandable because of that Leeds wicket). But on a stodgy home surface like Lord's Spirit should be squeezing teams and keeping it tight. It's alarming that they have been so poor.

That's a strong enough angle to reckon that Phoenix should not be as big as 6/52.20 with the Betfair Sportsbook, particularly if they can bat first and make use of a toss bias. On the Betfair Exchange we should be able to bet them at at least 2.206/5.

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