There is another heavy round of matches in the NatWest T20 Blast on Friday night and as we head towards the end of the knockout stages every match increases in significance and importance from here on in.
Both groups are in the spotlight on Friday evening but the North will get most of the attention as that is where the TV game is situated but with seven matches taking place this is a really vital night for all teams playing.
North Group
The TV game comes from Headingley as the second Roses match of the season takes place. Yorkshire and Lancashire sit fifth and sixth respectively in the table so this is must win for both. Elsewhere Nottinghamshire will look to continue their good run when they host a Birmingham Bears side who are looking to stay in the top four while Northamptonshire welcome Leicestershire to Wantage Road. Worcestershire will be drinking in the last chance saloon when they head to Durham.
South Group
Hampshire will have the opportunity to take top spot in the South when they head to Canterbury to take on a stuttering Kent side who have to win. Middlesex head to Chelmsford knowing that a win will move them into the top four while Essex have to win to stay alive. The other match sees Sussex hosting Gloucestershire in another crucial battle.
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Betting
I’m going with four bets on the evening with the TV game taking two of them. I expect a high scoring Roses clash between Yorkshire and Lancashire. The first one was fairly high scoring until the rain came and there is no reason why this one won’t be either.
The runs line for this match is 325.5 and all but one match at Headingley has gone over that this season and many of them have gone way beyond 350. The match that stayed below that involved a useless at the time Durham side. It is usually a good wicket at Headingley and with the pride at stake I’m expecting a high scoring match.
Ryan McLaren looks overpriced to top score for Lancashire in the TV game. Earlier in the competition he made scores of 34*, 24* and 32* and he clobbered 77 against Northants last week too. He is a clean hitter of the ball and his recent good scoring could see him move up the order. At 20/1 we can afford a small bet.
Birmingham Bears have already seen off Nottinghamshire in this tournament this season on that fateful night when the Luke Fletcher injury occurred and I think they have it in them to win this one too. We know the match will be high scoring but we’ve seen with Nottinghamshire that if you can get through Wessels and Hales cheaply, easier said than done admittedly, then you can keep this Northants side quiet. Birmingham have a good attack and a deep batting line up with Hose and Sibley added to it and they look too big to beat Nottinghamshire again here.
I don’t usually back sides to win when they played the night before but the fact that Hampshire barely had to break sweat against Glamorgan makes me take the chance on them. When they met Kent in the reverse fixture Hampshire were cruising but an inspired last two overs saw Kent snatch a win. If you look at Kent’s form they could easily have lost their last four matches instead of two wins and two losses. They don’t seem to play spin brilliantly which is not good against a Hampshire side who will play three spinners and they rely too heavily on their opening pair and the captain. Hampshire only have one match left after his so they will become sitting ducks if they lose this one. I don’t think they will though.
Tips
WON – Back Yorkshire vs Lancashire – Over 325.5 runs for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with Bet365
Back them here:
Back R.McLaren Top Lancashire Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 21.00 with Paddy Power
Back him here:
Back Birmingham Bears to beat Nottinghamshire for a 4/10 stake at 2.63 with William Hill
Back them here:
WON – Back Hampshire to beat Kent for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with Betfred
Back them here:
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