Welsh Fire vs London Spirit Preview & Tips - The Fire to keep their Hundred playoff hopes alive with a win

London Spirit beat Birmingham Phoenix by seven wickets in their last outing as they brought a three-game losing run to an end. 

Following a brutal assault with the bat from the Sunrisers, the Fire were left with a mammoth task as they looked to chase down 202 to win. Despite boasting a range of excellent talent with the bat, the Fire slumped to a 71-run loss as none of their players could go at above 150.00 with the bat. Ultimately, the Fire were given a lesson in batting and bowling by a side that has hit form at the right time. 

By contrast, the Fire have lost that winning feeling. Defeats to the Manchester Super Giants and Sunrisers saw the pair move above the Fire, with the side now in need of a number of favours if they are to make it into the playoffs. 

I back the Fire to secure a comeback win over the Spirit, but I worry for the side on the ladder. Their poor recent run has seen them slide down the standings, with their hopes of playing in the off-season no longer in their hands. 

In only their second win in seven matches, the Spirit were able to restrict their opponents to 162/4 in a battling performance with the ball. With the bat, Liam Livingstone (66 from 30) and Dewald Brevis (55 not out from 31) starred as the Spirit won by seven wickets with 18 deliveries to spare. 

This win has pushed the Spirit onto eight points, four clear of the Phoenix at the bottom. A win in this one could see the Spirit finish above the Southern Brave, but it would not see them achieve parity across the season. Indeed, three wins in eight would still be a major disappointment, and I back the travelling side to lose again.