London Spirit vs Birmingham Phoenix Prediction & Match Preview – The Hundred 2026

London Spirit and Birmingham Phoenix meet at Lord’s on Sunday 9 August in the 28th match of The Hundred Men’s Competition 2026, with an early-evening start.

Spirit’s likely XI features Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Jonny Bairstow, captain Liam Livingstone and Dewald Brevis at the top of the order, backed by James Coles, Joseph Moores, David Willey and Jamie Overton. Mason Crane, Matthew Fisher and Adam Milne lead the bowling.

Birmingham Phoenix’s expected line-up has Will Smeed, Mitchell Owen and Joe Clarke at the top, with Rehan Ahmed, Laurie Evans, Donovan Ferreira as captain and Sean Dickson in the middle. Their attack includes Ben Dwarshuis, Chris Wood, Saqib Mahmood and Usman Tariq.

The ground’s true bounce and quick outfield should suit both batting groups, but the large dimensions at Lord’s demand smart running. Fast bowlers may find early movement in the cooler evening air. We expect the contest to be close, with Spirit holding a slight edge.

Probable playing XI

Pitch report

Lord’s usually offers an even contest. The pitch carries well and has good bounce, so batters can play their shots once set, while seamers find swing and movement with the new ball. Batting generally improves as the innings goes on and the outfield is quick. Spinners can have an impact in the middle overs with changes of pace.

Weather

Sunday 9 August is forecast to be dry with sunny intervals, around 23–25°C at the 6:00 pm local start. The chance of rain is very low. A light breeze could help the new-ball bowlers, and a little dew may appear in the evening, slightly favouring the side batting second.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 145–160
• 2nd innings: 140–155

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