The Hundred Tips Matches 30 and 31: Keep faith with big-priced batters

• Brave no better than 1.664/6

• They need big win to make top spot

• Invincibles need just to avoid heavy loss

• Thompson genuine all-rounder

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Southern Brave v Welsh Fire
Wednesday 14 August, 15.00
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Southern Brave v Welsh Fire team news

Brave need big net run rate swings in victory over Fire - and defeat for Invincibles against Rockets - if they are to steal top spot and go straight to the final. With everything on the line we expect Jofra Archer, who has been rested at times, to play again.

Probable XI: Davies, Vince, Fletcher, du Plooy, Evans, Pollard, Hosein, Jordan, Archer, Briggs, Mills

Steve Eskinazi has replaced Jonny Bairstow. It's a switch which has happened too late to save qualification hopes. Ross Whiteley has added batting depth and they really need it.

Possible XI: Eskinazi, L Wells, J Clarke, Abell, Kohler-Cadmore, Phillips, Whiteley, Willey, Payne, Henry, Rauf

Southern Brave v Welsh Fire pitch report

There have been scores of 138-116-126 at Southampton so far. We don't expect the surface to have got any flatter. Fire have the lowest run rate in the comp and up against a very mean Brave attack there's an easy runs sell if we get low 140s on the par line.

Southern Brave v Welsh Fire match prediction

Brave are 1.664/6 with Fire 2.3811/8. These are the odds we would expect. Brave look to be the nearest challengers to Invincibles and have decent balance with bat and ball.

Fire have been awful and their batting has struggled consistently. Against a pacey attack with fair variation, it seems unlikely they do enough at the crease to even make much of a shift south in terms of odds.

Southern Brave v Welsh Fire player bets

One last chance for Glenn Phillips, who has underperformed, at 11/112.00 for top Fire bat. Whiteley is another who has the ability to win the market given that 30-odd might be enough. He is 16/117.00. For Brave, Akeal Hosein catches the eye at 60/161.00 considering promotion last time.

Trent Rockets v Oval Invincibles
Wednesday 14 August, 18.30
TV: Live on Sky Sports

Trent Rockets v Oval Invincibles team news

After a sensational comeback win against Originals, Rockets looked like they had something. They then decided to rip players out to make room for Joe Root and the result has been indecision and low-confidence. They've used 16 so far and have dropped Adam Lyth, Sam Hain and Jordan Thompson. Rashid Khan is out injured so Chris Green comes in.

Probable XI: Banton, Hales, Root, Alsop, Powell, Imad, C Green, Gregory, L Wood, Cook, Turner

Invincibles can book a final spot even with a defeat because of net run rate. But they are still likely to be at full-strength. The only odd selection is Tom Lammonby who doesn't do much batting or bowling. He could be replaced for a specialist pacer at some stage.

Probable XI: Jacks, Malan, Cox, Billings, S Curran, Ferreira, T Curran, Lammonby, Sowter, Zampa, Johnson

Trent Rockets v Oval Invincibles pitch report

Rockets made 166 versus Spirit last time. Previously we saw scores of 138-129. There's more than a suspicion that this is a tricky batting wicket in this tournament and Oval have a bowling attack too good to pass up an opportunity to keep the hosts to unders 140-odd.

Trent Rockets v Oval Invincibles match prediction

Oval are value here at 1.768/11 to beat a disappointing Rockets outfit. They had their campaign ended on Monday night with insipid defeat by Phoenix.

We had Oval chalked down in the 1.608/13 region and they are unlikely to let their foot off the gas to allow Brave in through the back door for a final spot.

Trent Rockets v Oval Invincibles player bets

We don't think Jordan Thompson plays but if he was a wrong price at 80/181.00 for top Rockets bat against Phoenix the same applies here. He strikes at 156 in T20 and it was only last month he notched a fifty for Yorkshire. He's a proper all-rounder. That he is not the fulcum of this team says a lot about selection.

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