• Manchester Originals were runners-up in The Hundred in 2022 and 2023

• Southern Brave hope to have Jofra Archer available to play

• Recommended bet: Manchester Originals to win

Southern Brave reached the final of The Hundred last season, losing to Oval Invincibles at Lord's, and they start the 2025 campaign with a trip to Manchester Originals.

Phil Salt will captain the Originals this summer and they are targeting significant improvement after losing seven of their eight matches in 2024.

They lost in the 2022 and 2023 finals but have assembled a talented squad including Jos Buttler, James Anderson and destructive South Africa batsman Heinrich Klaasen.

Team news

Manchester Originals have called up young spinner Farhan Ahmed to replace fast bowler Marchant de Lange. Mark Chapman will be available for the first four matches as cover for his fellow New Zealand international Rachin Ravindra.

Southern Brave are waiting to hear about the availability of England fast bowler Jofra Archer, who will be assessed after playing in the Test series against India.

South Africa veteran Faf du Plessis has withdrawn from the tournament and he has been replaced by Jason Roy.

The latest Manchester Originals vs Southern Brave odds are available on LiveScore Bet

The stats

Manchester Originals won only one of their eight games in The Hundred last season.

Originals batter Heinrich Klaasen has hit 17 sixes in seven innings in The Hundred.

Jos Buttler has scored 68, 45 and 82 in his last three matches against Southern Brave.

Southern Brave's James Vince scored 424 runs in The Hundred last summer — 155 more than any other player.

Brave batter Finn Allen was dismissed for four, seven, 23, one and four in his last five T20 innings.

Tymal Mills took 19 wickets at a rate of one every 9.7 balls for the Brave last season.

Prediction

A tight contest is expected in The Hundred on Wednesday, when Manchester Originals face Southern Brave in their first game of the season.

The Originals may have the edge at Old Trafford thanks to a top-class batting unit of Buttler, Salt and Klaasen as well as veteran fast bowler James Anderson, who impressed for Lancashire in the T20 Blast.

England's record Test wicket-taker showcased his rarely seen white-ball skills, picking up 17 wickets in nine Blast games for the county.

Anderson should trouble Southern Brave's batters, while Buttler has fond memories of this fixture after smashing 82 off 46 balls against the Brave in the 2023 play-off Eliminator at The Oval.

Lewis Gregory, who captained Trent Rockets to The Hundred title in 2022, is a smart signing for the Originals, whose spin department looks strong with Tom Hartley and Noor Ahmad joined by youngster Farhan Ahmed.

There is no shortage of experience in the Brave bowling attack but their batting is heavily reliant on opener James Vince and they could come up short at Old Trafford. 

Back Manchester Originals to win at 10/11 with LiveScore Bet