Auckland Aces take on Canterbury Kings in the 20th match of this year's Super Smash competition. The match will be played at the Eden Park in Auckland. Currently, the Aces are in fifth place with twelve points from five matches, while the Kings are sitting comfortably in second place with sixteen points off six matches. Both the teams are enjoying their winning streaks and are confident going into this match.
In their previous encounters, the Aces thrashed the grappling Otago side by eight wickets with 17 balls to spare and the Kings made the mockery of a chase that was not expected by anyone. They crushed the Central Stags by five wickets with 16 balls to spare, chasing down a mammoth total of 218 - which was unbelievable.
Martin Guptill will miss this match due to injury while Mark Chapman is taking a leave due to his personal reasons. Thus, the Aces will have a tough task ahead as their main players are missing from the match against the Kings. They will heavily rely on Glenn Phillips and Lockie Ferguson for major contributions.
On the other hand, the Kings are fresh from their hefty chase against the Stags. Henry Shipley, Cam Fletcher, and Leo Carter fired for them in that match, taking the game away from their opponents in a blink of an eye. Although they are concerned about their bowling they should be fine to play the same squad as they did against the Stags.
So it will be interesting to see whether the Aces take advantage of the home ground or the Kings dominate the hosts.
Match Details
Auckland Aces vs Canterbury Kings- 20th Match
Date and Time: January 7, 2022, 7:10 AM IST
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Broadcast: Fan Code
Pitch Report
The Eden Park pitch is a batting-friendly deck. The seamers will get some assistance with the brand-new ball. The average first innings total is around 170. The toss-winning captain usually likes to chase here.
Weather Conditions
According to forecasts, there can be a hint of drizzle during the match and will remain cloudy most of the time.
Probable Playing XI
Auckland Aces
Cole Briggs, Graeme Beghin, George Worker, Glenn Phillips, Robert O’Donnell (c), Ben Horne (wk), William Somerville, Aditya Ashok, Lockie Ferguson, Sean Solia, Ben Lister.
Canterbury Kings
Chad Bowes, Ken McClure, Leo Carter, Cole McConchie (c), Cam Fletcher (wk), Todd Astle, Henry Shipley, Will Williams, Blake Coburn, Edward Nuttall, Mitchell Hay.
CE Fantasy XI
Henry Shipley, Cam Fletcher, Leo Carter, Edward Nuttall, Todd Astle, Aditya Ashok, George Worker, Robert O’Donnell, Chad Bowes
Captain- Glenn Phillips
Vice-Captain- Lockie Ferguson