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After 30 league matches in Men's Super Smash, the knockouts are knocking at the door, with Auckland and Canterbury set to clash in the high-stakes eliminator match at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Friday. With a final seat vacant, both teams will be eyeing their place to make it to the finals. 

 

Auckland

 

Auckland Aces finished second on the points table with 24 points in their 10 matches, winning in five and losing three games, while two ended in no results. They are coming into this game after beating Central Districts by 8 runs via the DLS method in their recent match. While batting first, the Aces scored 219 runs for 5 wickets in their 19 overs--the match was shortened due to rain. Colin Munro and Lachlan Stackpole scored their respective half-centuries. While coming to defend the total, they held their nerves till the end, restricting the Districts to 210 runs in 19 overs. A victory here will lock their seats in the finals of the men's Super Smash this season.

 

 

Canterbury

 

Canterbury had a less win to their name than their opponents and finished third on the points table with 20 points in their 10 matches. Their last league of the tournament was abandoned due to rain. However, they had lost to the Wellington team by 13 run DLS method in their 9th game. While chasing a target of 150 in 16 overs due to rain, Canterbury were only able to score 136 for 8. Despite a good start, the team failed to chase down the total. LLB Harper showed good form as he took 4 wickets for 17 runs in this game, making him the best performer from the side. 

 

AUCK vs CANT Match Details

 

AUCK vs CANT Super Smash Match Details
Match	Auckland vs Canterbury Eliminator Match
Date and Time	Friday, January 30; 10:25 a.m. IST
Venue	Hagley Oval, Christchurch
Broadcasting and live streaming	TV-NA; Livestream-FanCode/SonyLIV

 

AUCK vs CANT Pitch Report

 

The Hagley Oval pitch has been known for helping fast bowlers throughout these years. Fast bowlers who deliver hard length deliveries will be able to extract good bounce and movement. Spin bowlers discover minimal assistance from this particular playing surface. Batters will find it easier to perform stroke play after they establish themselves in the batting crease. Big hitters can benefit from the straight boundaries, which extend beyond the standard distance. The pitch maintains its hard and dry condition throughout T20 matches, which allows both teams to achieve high scoring totals.

 

AUCK vs CANT Weather Report

 

The evening weather forecast for Christchurch predicts partly cloudy conditions with a temperature of 18°C. The wind will help the pacers in extracting good movement during the early hours. The humidity level is expected to be around 70%. There are 25% chances of rain predicted for the match.

 

AUCK vs CANT Head-to-Head Records

 

AUCK vs CANT head-to-head (in T20s)
Match Played	40
Won by Auckland	23
Won by Canterbury	14
Tied	2
No Result	2

 

AUCK vs CANT Eliminator Super Smash Probable XI

 

• Auckland: Sean Solia (c), Dale Phillips, Martin Guptill, Colin Munro, Lachlan Stackpole, Cam Fletcher (wk), Ryan Harrison, Adithya Ashok, Angus Olliver, Harjot Johal, Ben Lister

 

• Canterbury: Rhys Mariu, Henry Nicholls, Matthew Boyle, Cole McConchie (c), Mitchell Hay (wk), Leo Carter, Cameron Paul, LLB Harper, Raunaq Kapur, Travis Muller, Michael Rae

 

Players To Watch Out For In the AUCK vs CANT Eliminator Super Smash Match

 

• Dale Phillips | AUCK: Dale Phillips has scored 269 runs across 9 matches while maintaining a batting average of 33.63 and a strike rate of 159. He has established himself as one of Auckland's most dependable batters this season, scoring quick runs at the top with his hitting ability, using 34 fours and 10 sixes throughout the tournament. He will be the player to watchout for in this game.

 

• Matthew Boyle | CANT: Boyle has scored 196 runs in 8 matches at a strike rate of 161.98. He has been aggressive at the top and gives Canterbury fast starts. He serves as a vital batter because he can discover boundaries at the beginning of his innings. Considerin his consistent form in the tournament, he will be a player to keep an eye on. 

 

AUCK vs CANT Toss Prediction

 

Historical Toss-Winning Stats at the Venue

 

• In the last three T20 matches played at this venue this season so far, the teams that won the toss have opted to bat twice and bowl once.

 

Advantages of Batting First on This Pitch

 

• In 47 men's T20 matches played at this venue so far, the team batting first has recorded 23 victories, while the team chasing has won in 18 matches. This shows that batting first teams have an early advantage after winning the toss.

 

AUCK vs CANT Today's Match Scenario

 

Scenario 1

 

• Toss Winner: CANT (opts to bat first)
• Power-Play Score: 40-45
• CANT Total: 165-180
• Match Winner: Auckland

 

Scenario 2

 

• Toss Winner: AUCK (opts to bat first)
• Power-Play Score: 38-43
• AUCK Total: 165-185
• Match Winner: Auckland

 

Who will win today's AUCK vs CANT T20 match?

 

Auckland Aces enters the match as the favorites to win because their team has shown a better-equipped side and performance this season, finishing second on the table with one extra victory than Canterbury. However, this match is likely to be a competitive match, as both sides have registered one victory to their name this season against each other. Considering the overall squad depth and recent performances, the Aces are likely to pick a win here.