Auckland Aces vs Wellington Firebirds, FT, Today Match Prediction 23 October 2024

AUCK vs WELL Match Prediction & Analysis

We have had a good start to The Ford Trophy 2024-25. The teams have had their early assessments of strengths and weaknesses. The 4th game of the season would see the Auckland Aces up against the Wellington Firebirds. The Aces defeated the Central Stags in their opening game, while the Firebirds started on a sore note and lost against the Canterbury Kings in the last game.  

The Auckland Aces will look to build on their record against the Wellington Firebirds. They have won the last three games against the Firebirds, which will make the team confident. Wellington Firebirds batted poorly in the last game, and confidence in the camp will be low. They need to win here, and it remains to be seen if the team is up for the challenge.  

RECENT PERFORMANCE

AUCK

W L W L L

CD

205/10 in 45.2 4.52

FT

Auckland Aces beat Central Stags by 39 runs

20 Oct 2024

AUCK

244/6 in 50.0 4.88

AUCK

216/10 in 67.0 3.22

PS

Canterbury Kings beat Auckland Aces by 6 wickets 24 Mar 2024

CANT

232/4 in 47.5 4.85

CD

340/10 in 111.3 3.05

PS

Auckland Aces beat Central Stags by 41 runs 16 Mar 2024

AUCK

140/10 in 45.3 3.08

ND

247/10 in 89.1 2.77

PS

Northern Districts beat Auckland Aces by 63 runs 08 Mar 2024

AUCK

360/10 in 138.4 2.6

CANT

208/5 in 37.1 5.6

FT

Canterbury Kings beat Auckland Aces by 5 wickets (D/L) method 24 Feb 2024

AUCK

264/5 in 50.0 5.28

WELL

L W W L L

WELL

129/10 in 40.2 3.2

FT

Canterbury Kings beat Wellington Firebirds by 6 wickets

20 Oct 2024

CANT

130/4 in 22.3 5.78

WELL

421/10 in 128.4 3.27

PS

Wellington Firebirds beat Otago Volts by 42 runs 16 Mar 2024

OV

0/0 in 0.0 0

CANT

526/10 in 127.3 4.13

PS

Wellington Firebirds beat Canterbury Kings by 5 wickets 29 Feb 2024

WELL

328/5 in 91.2 3.59

OV

60/2 in 9.5 6.1

FT

Otago Volts beat Wellington Firebirds by 8 wickets 18 Feb 2024

WELL

57/10 in 22.3 2.53

WELL

285/8 in 50.0 5.7

FT

Auckland Aces beat Wellington Firebirds by 4 wickets 14 Feb 2024

AUCK

289/6 in 50.0 5.78

HEAD TO HEAD

TEAMS PREVIEW

Auckland Aces Preview

Sean Solia's team has made a good start in the tournament. In a low-scoring game, they defeated the Central Stags by 39 runs. The top order did well in the last game, as did the bowling attack, which will make the team confident. Solia would like a good show from his players and strengthen their position on the points table.  

Sean Solia and Simon Keene missed out in the last game, and the team expects a better start from this pair. William O'Donnell hit a brilliant hundred in the last game and will look to build partnerships with Michael Sclanders and James Neesham. Cam Fletcher, Bevon Jacobs, and Jock McKenzie make it a formidable batting lineup.  

The bowlers put up an excellent performance in the last game. Lockie Ferguson and Danru Ferns were good with the new ball, and the team will expect early strikes. James Neesham picked 4 wickets in the last game, and he will look to do well in the middle overs with Jock McKenzie. Adithya Ashok, Simon Keen, and Solia add strength to this attack.

Auckland Aces Predicted Playing XI:

Sean Solia (c), Simon Keene, William O Donnell, Michael Sclanders, Jock McKenzie, James Neesham, Cam Fletcher (wk), Bevon Jacobs, Adithya Ashok, Danru Ferns, Lockie Ferguson

Auckland Aces Actual Playing XI:

Michael Sclanders, Sean Solia, William O'Donnell, Jock Mckenzie , Simon Keene, James Neesham, Bevon Jacobs, Cameron Fletcher, Adithya Ashok, Lockie Ferguson, Louis Delport

Wellington Firebirds Preview

Nick Kelly's team struggled in the last game against the Canterbury Kings. They got bowled out for 129 runs in the game and lost it by 7 wickets. The players must put this loss behind them and play positively in this game. Kelly wants a better show from his top order in this contest.  

The team will expect a good show at the top from Nick Greenwood and Tim Robinson, as their failure was one of the key contributors to the loss. The middle order must build partnerships, and the team expects a good show from Troy Johnson, Kelly, and  Muhammad Abbas. Callum McLachlan and Logan van Beek must do the heavy lifting in the lower middle order.  

The bowling attack is experienced for the team, and they need early breakthroughs from Adam Milne and Liam Dudding. Logan van Beek must bring his experience to play and do well in the middle of the innings, along with Michael Snedden. Peter Young-Husband and Kelly must do well in the ing role.

Wellington Firebirds Predicted Playing XI:

Nick Kelly (c), Tim Robinson, Nick Greenwood, Troy Johnson, Muhammad Abbas, Callum McLachlan (wk), Logan van Beek, Peter Young-Husband, Adam Milne, Michael Snedden, Liam Dudding

Wellington Firebirds Actual Playing XI:

Nick Greenwood, Troy Johnson, Tim Robinson, Muhammad Arslan Abbas, Nick Kelly, Peter Younghusband, Callum McLachlan, Liam Dudding, Michael Snedden, Nathan Smith, Yahya Zeb

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The skies over Mount Maunganui are likely to be cloudy. The wicket would be challenging to bat on, where the ball will bounce and move. The average first innings score at this venue is 234 runs, and the side batting first will need 280 on the board to feel safe.

AUCK vs WELL Pitch Report

Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, is a happy hunting ground for fast bowlers. They get the ball to seam and swing on this surface. However, the smaller dimensions of the venue also allow batsmen to play their strokes easily. Grass on the track makes it a very challenging place for the spinners to bowl.

Toss: To Bowl

There will be some moisture on the surface, this being the season's first game. In the past, we have seen batting getting easier as the game goes on. Hence, the side winning the toss in this game shouldn't hesitate to bowl first.