The Hundred 2023, men's match preview: London Spirit v Trent Rockets

Team news, key matchups, TV and streaming information, weather forecast, odds, form rundown, start time, venue, squad lists and more

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What's the match?

London Spirit host Trent Rockets in the next match of the men's Hundred 2023.

When is it taking place?

The game is due to start at 2.30pm BST on Saturday, August 12.

Where is the match taking place?

London Spirit's home ground is Lord's in north London. 

Who's got the form?

Given London Spirit have only played one full game at this year's Hundred, and their other two fixtures have been abandoned due to the weather, it's difficult to assess their form. In their opening match against Oval Invincibles, Dan Lawrence's side only just fell short after a batting collapse towards the end of their innings resulted in them posting a total of 131, which the Invincibles chased down with a ball to spare.

Spirit's second match against Manchester Originals was abandoned after the first innings. Despite a bright start to their third match against Southern Brave at Lord's, which saw them pick up three wickets in 26 balls for just 34 runs, Spirit once again fell victim to the weather.

Prior to their match against Northern Superchargers on Wednesday, the Rockets were unbeaten at this year's Hundred, following an emphatic victory against Southern Brave on the opening day and the abandonment of their fixture against Birmingham Phoenix on Saturday.

At the beginning of the innings, it all looked as though the Rockets were going to continue their unbeaten run after an incredible start with the ball from Luke Wood, which saw him dismiss three of the Superchargers' destructive top order: Tom Banton, Matt Short, and Harry Brook. Joe Root was also in fine form with the ball, taking two wickets. However, the Rockets failed to get going with the bat; star men Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, and Root failed to chase down the 142 runs required, falling three short.

What's the key matchup?

Trent Rockets' bowling attack of Wood, Daniel Sams, and Sam Cook will be crucial in restricting a London Spirit top order that possesses a lot of quality. Zak Crawley has yet to play a full game for the Spirit at this year's Hundred since his return from the Ashes, so he will be eager to hit  runs, while Joe Root's spin may come in handy given the depth of quality in that top order, which includes Dan Lawrence, Matthew Wade, and Daryl Mitchell, who are all capable of scoring a large amount of runs at a quick rate.

However, the Spirit lack the depth that the Rockets have with their seamers, and there will be a heavy reliance on Nathan Ellis to take the key wickets of Hales and Root before they get comfortable.

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London Spirit take on Trent Rockets [ECB/Getty Images]

Can I get tickets?

There are still tickets remaining for this match but availability is described as limited. 

Tickets can be found by visiting The Hundred's website.

What's the weather forecast?

A dry day in north London. Temperatures topping out at 22 degrees Celsius. A small chance of an afternoon shower.

What are the squads?

London Spirit: Mark Wood, Nathan Ellis (Tim Southee from August 21), Liam Dawson, Dan Lawrence, Zak Crawley, Jordan Thompson, Mason Crane, Adam Rossington, Chris Wood, Ravi Bopara, Michael Pepper, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Matt Critchley, Matthew Wade, Daryl Mitchell, Dan Worrall

Trent Rockets: Joe Root, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Imad Wasim (Ish Sodhi from August 10), Dawid Malan, Alex Hales, Lewis Gregory, Luke Wood, Colin Munro, Sam Cook, Daniel Sams, Samit Patel, Sam Hain, Brad Wheal, Matt Carter, Tom Moores, John Turner

What's the team news?

Ish Sodhi has replaced Imad Wasim in the Trent Rockets squad. Mark Wood is not expected to feature for London Spirit. Daniel Bell-Drummond has been released to play for Kent in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup. Zak Crawley could feature.  

What are the possible starting XIs?

London Spirit: Zak Crawley, Adam Rossington, Dan Lawrence, Daryl Mitchell, Matthew Wade, Ravi Bopara, Matt Critchley, Jordan Thompson, Liam Dawson, Nathan Ellis, Dan Worrall

Trent Rockets: Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Tom Kolher-Cadmore, Sam Hain, Joe Root, Colin Munro, Lewis Gregory, Daniel Sams, Luke Wood, Ish Sodhi, Sam Cook

What are the odds?

Trent Rockets are the favourites at 4/5 in places, with London Spirit a best-price 11/10.

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Northern Superchargers beat Trent Rockets in their last outing [ECB/Getty Images]

What's the prediction?

Trent Rockets to bounce back from defeat.

Where can I watch?

Sky Sports has live coverage of the match on their dedicated cricket channel (Sky 404, Virgin 514).

Now TV offer daily access to Sky Sports for £11.99 or monthly access for £33.99.

On radio, Test Match Special will have ball-by-ball commentary on 5Live Sports Extra.

The Cricketer will have post-match analysis and reaction.

Visit The Cricketer's Hundred Hub for the latest news, team guides, competition information, squad listings and analysis.

Where can I watch the competition elsewhere in the world?

North America - Willow

Caribbean - Flow Sports

Sub Saharan Africa - SuperSport

Mainland Europe - ICC TV

Indian sub continent - Sony (broadcast) and FanCode (digital)

Australia - Fox

New Zealand - TVNZ

Singapore - Singtel

Hong Kong - PCCW

Malaysia - Astro

MENA - beIN Sports


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