Southern Brave vs Birmingham Phoenix Prediction & Match Preview – The Hundred
Match summary
Southern Brave host Birmingham Phoenix at the Rose Bowl on 30 July 2026 in The Hundred. Form guide, likely XIs, pitch and weather, plus our pick.
Match details
| Match | Southern Brave vs Birmingham Phoenix, 13th Match |
|---|---|
| Series | The Hundred Men’s 2026 |
| Date | 30 Jul 2026 |
| Start time | 5:30 pm GMT / 6:30 pm local |
| Venue | The Rose Bowl, Southampton |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Southern Brave |
| Toss pick | Birmingham Phoenix |
Matches in this series
Match preview
Southern Brave host Birmingham Phoenix in the 13th match of The Hundred Men’s Competition 2026 at the Rose Bowl on Thursday 30 July. Brave are short of time to rescue their campaign after three straight defeats, the latest a three-wicket loss to MI London. They can, however, draw on a strong head-to-head record against Phoenix.
Their batting has lacked consistency. Jamie Smith top-scored in the last game with 49 and is expected to open with Ben McKinney, while Tristan Stubbs, David Miller and Marcus Stoinis anchor the middle order, with Nikhil Chaudhary, Saif Zaib and captain Chris Jordan to finish. With the ball, Jofra Archer is the strike weapon, supported by Luke Wood and Adil Rashid.
Phoenix arrive after an 87-run loss to Manchester Super Giants in which they conceded 187. Captain Donovan Ferreira needs a better display from the bowlers, notably Saqib Mahmood, Ben Dwarshuis, Scott Currie and Usman Tariq. Joe Clarke scored 88 in his first two matches and should open with Will Smeed, with Rehan Ahmed, Laurie Evans, Mitchell Owen and Sean Dickson behind them.
Both sides have something to prove, but the home team’s record against Phoenix and the quality of Archer and Rashid give them the edge in our preview.
The Rose Bowl is generally a balanced T20 surface. Seamers often enjoy early swing and movement, especially in overcast English conditions, which makes the powerplay important. As the innings progresses the pitch settles and offers consistent bounce, so batters can play with confidence. Spinners come into the game in the middle overs as the surface slows, with variations and cutters proving effective. First-innings totals of about 165–180 are usually competitive, and 185–190 can be hard to chase.
Thursday evening should be ideal for cricket, with temperatures around 25–26°C and partly sunny to mostly clear skies. The chance of rain is only about 2–5%, so interruptions are very unlikely. A light west-southwesterly breeze of 13–15 km/h should give seamers little help. Dew is not expected to be a significant factor.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 155–170 | – |
| Second innings | 150–165 | – |
Southern Brave
Our preview picks Southern Brave on the strength of their head-to-head record against Phoenix, with Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid leading the attack, despite three straight defeats.
Toss pick: Birmingham Phoenix
FAQ
When is Southern Brave vs Birmingham Phoenix?
At the Rose Bowl in Southampton on 30 July 2026, with a 6:30 pm local start (5:30 pm GMT).
Who is predicted to win?
Our preview picks Southern Brave, while Birmingham Phoenix are expected to win the toss.
How has each side been playing?
Brave have lost three in a row, most recently by three wickets to MI London, while Phoenix come off an 87-run defeat to Manchester Super Giants.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Southern Brave
- Chris Jordan
- Jamie Smith
- Ben McKinney
- Marcus Stoinis
- Tristan Stubbs
- David Miller
- Nikhil Chaudhary
- Saif Zaib
- Jofra Archer
- Luke Wood
- Adil Rashid
Birmingham Phoenix
- Donovan Ferreira
- Joe Clarke
- Will Smeed
- Rehan Ahmed
- Laurie Evans
- Mitchell Owen
- Sean Dickson
- Ben Dwarshuis
- Scott Currie
- Saqib Mahmood
- Usman Tariq