Table-toppers Welsh Fire have a great chance to consolidate their position at the top if they manage to beat Northern Superchargers at Cardiff on Thursday. Fire have won four matches out of five while the second-placed Superchargers emerged victorious on three occasions with one match ending in a tie.

LAST 5 MATCHES

WELSH FIRE: W L W W W

NORTHERN SUPERCHARGERS: L T W W W

THE LIKELY PLAYING XIs FOR WELSH FIRE AND NORTHERN SUPERCHARGERS

WELSH FIRE likely XI

Batters: Sophia Dunkley, Ella McCaughan

Allrounders: Hayley Matthews, Jess Jonassen, Georgia Elwiss, Phoebe Franklin

Wicketkeeper: Tammy Beaumont, Sarah Bryce

Bowlers: Beth Langston, Freya Davies, Georgia Davis

NORTHERN SUPERCHARGERS likely XI

Batters: Davina Perrin, Hollie Armitage, Phoebe Litchfield

Allrounders: Annabel Sutherland, Alice Davidson-Richards, Georgia Wareham

Wicketkeeper: Bess Heath

Bowlers: Linsey Smith, Lucy Higham, Grace Ballinger, Kate Cross

Statistical Performance (Welsh Fire)

1. Sarah Bryce

In 20 innings, Sarah Bryce has scored 385 runs in The Hundred at an average of 35.00. Her strike rate stands at 109.68, including one fifty. She is a key batter in the Fire lineup.

SARAH BRYCE IN THE HUNDRED

INNINGS - 20

RUNS - 385

AVERAGE – 35.00

STRIKE RATE – 109.68

50s/100s – 1/0

2. Freya Davies

In 25 innings, Freya Davies has taken 23 wickets in the tournament. She maintains a strike rate of 18.69, with an economy rate of 7.54 and an average of 23.52.

FREYA DAVIES IN THE HUNDRED

INNINGS - 25

WICKETS - 23

STRIKE RATE – 18.69

ECONOMY RATE – 7.54

AVERAGE – 23.52

Players Who Can Make a Difference (Welsh Fire)

1. Hayley Matthews

Hayley Matthews has been in good form in this Hundred edition so far, by scoring more than hundred runs and chipping in with wickets too.

2. Sophia Dunkley

An experienced batter in the Fire top-order, also having had success in the tournament history as one of the leading run-scorers. In this edition, she has score 125 runs off five matches including a fifty.

Statistical Performance (Northern Superchargers)

1. Phoebe Litchfield

In 14 innings, Phoebe Litchfield has amassed 404 runs in the women’s Hundred, with an average of 31.07 and a strike rate of 131.16.

PHOEBE LITCHFIELD IN THE HUNDRED

INNINGS - 14

RUNS - 404

AVERAGE – 31.07

STRIKE RATE - 131.16

50s/100s – 1/0

2. Linsey Smith

In 25 innings, Linsey Smith has claimed 31 wickets in The Hundred. Her strike rate is an impressive 15.19, with an economy rate of 6.59 and an average of 16.70.

LINSEY SMITH IN THE HUNDRED

INNINGS - 25

WICKETS - 31

STRIKE RATE – 15.19

ECONOMY RATE – 6.59

AVERAGE – 16.70

Players Who Can Make a Difference (Northern Superchargers)

1. Annabel Sutherland

Annabel Sutherland has been brilliant for the Superchargers this season contributing in both the departments. She has scored more than 160 runs and picked 10 wickets.

2. Kate Cross

The top-three wicket-takers this season of the tournament are from the Superchargers. Kate Cross is one of them, having picked eight wickets in five innings at an average of 12.12.

Team Head to Head

Both teams have played three matches against each other in The Hundred, with Northern Superchargers having won two matches and Welsh Fire one.

FIRE V SUPERCHARGERS - HEAD TO HEAD RECORD

MATCHES: 3

FIRE WON: 1

SUPERCHARGERS WON: 2

NO RESULT: 0

Venue and Pitch

Sophia Gardens in Cardiff has hosted 12 matches in the Women’s Hundred, of which nine times teams winning the toss have opted to bowl. The average first innings score at this venue is 126 and in second innings is 118. The highest score in Women’s Hundred at Cardiff is 181 and the lowest score is 84.

MATCH PREDICTION

There is not much to separate both teams on current form this season, however, Welsh Fire will have a slight edge with 70% chance to win the match.

Fantasy XI

Wicketkeeper: Sarah Bryce

Batters: Sophia Dunkley, Phoebe Litchfield, Ella McCaughan, Davina Perrin

Allrounders: Hayley Matthews (VC), Jess Jonassen, Annabel Sutherland (C)

Bowlers: Linsey Smith, Freya Davies, Georgia Davis

BACKUP PLAYERS:

BATTER – Hollie Armitage

BOWLER – Lucy Higham

ALL-ROUNDER – Alice Davidson-Richards