It is Friday which means that there is a full set of matches in the Vitality Blast, with eight fixtures taking place in the competition, four in the North Group, which is becoming an interesting section, and four in the South where we have a runaway train setting the pace.
Although the Test match is taking up the TV coverage throughout the day, we do have a televised match when it concludes and there are a number of home sides who offer live streaming services so we are nicely stocked in terms of seeing as much of the action as possible.
North Group
The TV match comes from the North Group on Friday night as Northamptonshire take on Derbyshire in a big match for both sides with the top end of the table getting away from them. Lancashire currently lead the way in the group and they go to a Durham side who they have already convincingly beaten on Friday night while the defending champions Worcestershire head up to Headingley to take on Yorkshire. The other match in the group sees the Nottinghamshire Outlaws up against the Birmingham Bears in a tasty looking Trent Bridge tussle.
South Group
Down in the South Group, Kent are setting quite some pace and they will hope to continue that when they make the tricky trip to Hove to face Sussex. The pick of the matches could well come from Taunton where the 50 over winners and Championship pacesetters Somerset take on Surrey in a big match for both sides. Hampshire will look to follow up their win over Essex on Thursday evening when they entertain Glamorgan while Gloucestershire take on Essex in the other match of the night.
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TV Betting
I’m in no rush to get involved in the match betting when Northamptonshire take on Derbyshire but there is one bet that is hard to ignore and that comes in the top Derbyshire batsman market where Leus du Plooy looks a huge price at 7/1 to top score for the visitors in what is a fairly wide open betting heat.
Du Plooy has been on fire for Derbyshire in this campaign with scores of 30, 70, 27 and 52*, all of which could be top scoring knocks on certain days. He has 70 runs more than any other Derbyshire player and batting at four he probably avoids any danger there might be in the Northants bowling attack. He looks a clean hitting left-hander and good ball strikers tend to go well at Wantage Road. I think he’s a monster price at 7s.
Other Matches
Elsewhere I like a couple of bets in the South Group. Gloucestershire have performed a lot better than their record suggests and I fancy that can play out when they host Essex on Friday night. Essex suffered a mauling by Hampshire on Thursday night in a match where their extremely light looking batting line up was brutally exposed by classy slower bowling and that is exactly what they are going to get in Bristol too. Gloucestershire probably haven’t hit the heights with the bat yet but it is only a matter of time before they do fire with the willow. If that is here then they are major players at a tasty price in a two horse race.
I understand why Somerset are favourites for their match with Surrey in some quarters but I can’t agree with it and I’m happy to be on the Londoners at the prices. Somerset have suffered a massive blow with the absence of Lewis Gregory who is almost two players in one for them and that could have a big impact on this match. Surrey have taken some hammerings in this tournament already but a couple of them were in shortened games where they might have been on the wrong end of things. That won’t be the case here. They have a very good attack with the likes of Curran, Clarke, Tahir and even Batty who has begun the tournament well. Surrey are respectable with the bat too with Ben Foakes back. Somerset leak a lot of runs and if they are defending a score you would be nervous if you were on them. I won’t be though as I’m on Surrey here.
Tips
Back L.du Plooy Top Derbyshire Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 8.00 with Betfair
Back him here:
Back Gloucestershire to beat Essex for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with Coral
Back them here:
Back Surrey to beat Somerset for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with William Hill
Back them here:
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