Canterbury vs Otago Prediction

CAN Team News

While they have not enjoyed much success on the pitch in this year’s Super Smash, Canterbury Kings are without four New Zealand internationals – Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Matt Henry and now Todd Astle having been called up for the ODI series against India. Jeremy Benton is likely to replace Astle from the side which faced Auckland last time out, while Leo Carter is also in the 12-man squad.

CAN Key Players

Kyle Jamieson’s stunning bowling led Canterbury Kings to their only victory in this year’s tournament, when he took 6-7 from four overs against Auckland Aces, and he has proved it was no flash in the pan by moving to 15 in total from his eight matches.

That makes him the joint-leading wicket-taker in this season’s tournament, while his economy rate of 7.61 runs per over is the best of Canterbury’s regular bowlers too.

Consistent runs have been their biggest downfall, particularly with Tom Latham only available for four games – during which he did hit a century. Their top run scorer is Cole McConchie with 222 runs from eight innings, including one half-century.

Chad Bowes has contributed 164 runs at the top of the order, again with one half-century to his name.

CAN Team Form

Canterbury Kings sit bottom of the points table with just one win from eight games, though that victory was one to savour when Kyle Jamieson took 6-7 from four overs as Auckland Aces were bowled out for 110 at Eden Park. In reply, Cole McConchie hit an unbeaten 47 to earn a five-wicket win.

McConchie followed that with 83 against Wellington Firebirds but he was the only batsman to get going as the Kings were bowled out for 135 in reply to 200/5. They then failed to defend 193/5 in a two-wicket defeat to Northern Knights with two balls to spare.

Next up, Central Stags restricted the Kings to just 112/8 from their 20 overs at the Hagley Oval, and won by six wickets, and Canterbury tasted defeat again next time out in a match reduced to 16 overs per side – finishing just six runs short of their revised target against Northern Knights.

Tom Latham hit a century in the next game, scoring 110 from 60 balls, but the Kings batsmen had been asked to do too much – finishing 18 runs short of Central Stags’ 225/3. They then posted just 122/8 in their most recent game, against Auckland Aces, on their way to a nine-wicket defeat.