The opening match of The Hundred League 2023 is set to take place at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Tuesday, August 1, 2023. The encounter will feature an exciting clash between Trent Rockets and Southern Brave. Cricket fans can look forward to witnessing a thrilling start to the tournament at this renowned venue.

Trent Rockets, the reigning champions of the previous edition of The Hundred League, are all set to defend their title. They emerged as the best-performing team during the league matches, securing six victories out of eight and leading the points table. Their dominant performance earned them a direct spot in the final, where they triumphed over Manchester Originals to clinch the championship.

On the other hand, Southern Brave struggled to find their form in the previous edition. They faced difficulties in securing wins, managing only three victories out of eight league matches. Unfortunately, their performance placed them second from the bottom of the points table, making them one of the weakest teams in the competition.

Trent Rockets, the defending champions, have made some significant changes in their squad, and fans can expect another outstanding performance similar to the previous season. Their batting order is impressively strong, with a lineup comprising key players. Joe Root will lead the batting unit, supported by Dawid Malan, Alex Hales, and Sam Hain. Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Tom Moores are also valuable assets to the batting squad, while Colin Munro and Samit Patel add strength as batting all-rounders.

In the bowling department, Trent Rockets have assembled a formidable lineup with some of the best T20 bowlers. Sam Cook, Brad Wheal, and John Turner are consistent performers. The return of Rashid Khan, who played a crucial role in the previous season, is expected to be a game-changer. Luke Wood, another experienced bowler, demonstrated his skills in the previous season. The team also boasts talents like Lewis Gregory, Daniel Sams, and Matthew Carter in their bowling squad.

With a strong and well-balanced team, Trent Rockets are poised to present a formidable challenge to all the teams in this tournament, just as they did in the previous edition. Fans can anticipate thrilling performances from the Rockets throughout the competition.

In the previous season of The Hundred League, Southern Brave struggled to find their form and ended up being the second worst-performing team. However, they have made some changes to their squad and are hopeful for a better performance in this tournament. While their top batting order is good, it may not be considered exceptionally strong. Tim David stands as the leading batsman, alongside Leus du Plooy, James Vince, and Finn Allen. The team has two capable wicket-keepers in Devon Conway and Alex Davies, with Conway likely to secure a spot in the playing eleven for this match.

Joe Weatherley and Rehan Ahmed contribute as batting all-rounders in the squad. Southern Brave has also acquired some promising bowlers for this tournament. Jofra Archer will lead the bowling unit, supported by Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, George Garton, James Fuller, and Matthew Fisher. Craig Overton is also part of the bowling squad. The key strength of the team lies in its bowling unit, which can be pivotal in defending a competitive total if their batting order can set one. The performances of Chris Jordan and Jofra Archer will be of utmost importance in this match.

On paper, Trent Rockets appear to be a stronger team compared to Southern Brave in The Hundred. According to predictions, Trent Rockets are the favorites to win this match, with several factors contributing to their advantage:

1. Trent Rockets boast a strong and experienced team.
2. They possess a well-balanced batting and bowling unit.
3. Trent Rockets have a favorable track record against Southern Brave, having won most of their previous encounters.
4. Southern Brave may not be as robust in their batting order.
5. Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan are key players who can play pivotal roles for Southern Brave.

With these factors in their favor, Trent Rockets hold a significant advantage heading into the match.

Trent Rockets boasts a roster of experienced and young players in the T20 format. Their batting order is also formidable, featuring well-known hitters of the T20 format, which significantly increases their chances of winning today’s match. The cricket match prediction for today’s game stands as follows:

Trent Rockets have a 56% chance of winning this match.
Southern Brave has a 44% chance of winning this match.

The outcome of the toss will carry significant weight in all matches of The Hundred League. Posting a strong total on the scoreboard is a considerable advantage in these high-stakes encounters. Based on the toss prediction, the team winning the toss is likely to opt for batting first.

The inaugural match of The Hundred League 2023 is scheduled to take place at Trent Bridge, Nottingham. Historically, this venue has favored batting, and we have seen some impressive performances on this pitch. However, the track tends to slow down as the game progresses, offering assistance to the spinners. We expect the surface to become even more challenging for batting in this match, making a score of 185 difficult to chase down.

The weather forecast for Nottingham on match day indicates some clouds, but there is no prediction of rain. Therefore, we anticipate a full and uninterrupted match to take place as scheduled.

Trent Rockets: Lewis Gregory (C), Daniel Sams, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Colin Munro, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Moores (wk), Luke Wood, Sam Cook, Tabraiz Shamsi.

Southern Brave: James Vince(C), Devon Conway, Finn Allen, Alex Davies(w), Leus du Plooy, Rehan Ahmed, Tim David, George Garton, Chris Jordan, Craig Overton, Tymal Mills, James Fuller.

• Date: Tuesday, 1st August 2023
• Time: 05:30 PM GMT / 06:30 PM LOCAL / 11:00 PM IST

• Stadium: Trent Bridge
• Location: Nottingham, England
• Opened: 1841
• Capacity: 15,350 (to be 17,000)
• Known as: Trent Bridge Ground
• Ends: Pavilion End, Radcliffe Road End
• Time Zone: UTC +01:00
• Home to: Nottinghamshire
• Other Sports: it is home to Football (Nottm Forest and Notts County) 1860-1910
• Floodlights: Yes

• Total matches: 14
• Matches won batting first: 9
• Matches won bowling first: 5
• Average 1st Inns scores: 163
• Average 2nd Inns scores: 143
• Highest total recorded: 232/6 (20 Ov) by PAK vs ENG
• The lowest total recorded: 110/10 (17 Ov) by NZ vs SL
• The highest score chased: 173/3 (19.4 Ov) by ENG vs WI
• Lowest score defended: 130/5 (20 Ov) by RSA vs IND

Dawid Malan, Alex Hales, Joe Root, Tom Kohler-Cadmore(w), Colin Munro, Sam Hain, Lewis Gregory(c), Rashid Khan, Samit Patel, Daniel Sams, Luke Wood, Brad Wheal, Matthew Carter, Tom Moores, Sam Cook, John Turner.