We head to the South Group of the Vitality Blast on Thursday after a couple of one-sided contests in the North Group on Wednesday evening, as the competition begins to ramp up a notch with the halfway mark looming large.
We have a TV match to enjoy after the day’s Test cricket at Edgbaston concludes while both the other two matches are at grounds where there is a live stream so there is no reason to miss out on any of the action. Even though it is the last match to start we’ll begin the preview with the TV game.
Glamorgan vs Gloucestershire (19.00)
The TV cameras make their way down to Cardiff on Thursday evening for the battle of the bridge between Glamorgan and Gloucestershire, a match which is huge for both sides but for slightly different reasons.
Gloucestershire are unbeaten in the tournament but they have had a couple of washouts which has stopped their position being stronger than it might be. Glamorgan have already lost three matches and are beginning to get cut adrift from the top four so they really need to get up and running and need to do it here as they are the only side in the South Group yet to win.
I’ll go with a couple of bets for this match. I expect Gloucestershire to win the match but they are a little short for my liking now but one man who has a performance line which isn’t short is Benny Howell. These two sides have already met this season when Gloucestershire had Glamorgan 96/8 before the rain came and Howell took five wickets. He has also clubbed a 30 odd in the tournament with the bat as well so you’ve got to think that a line of 38.5 is well within his range. I’ll take the over on one of the more underrated cricketers in the country.
The other bet I like is for Chris Cooke to be the top Glamorgan batsman. He top scored for the Welsh outfit last time out and has been within five runs of doing so in two other matches as well. At 9/1 he looks a standout bet in a batting line up which is not in good form whatsoever it has to be said, and who is up against a horrible attack to face.
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Middlesex vs Kent (18.15)
The top two teams in the South Group meet at Lord’s where second placed Middlesex take on the leaders Kent in a match where if you had said before a ball was bowled that these two would be occupying these positions you would have had the doctors called for you.
The old adage in this format of the game is that bowlers win matches and that has very much been the case for both these teams. You could make a strong case for these being the best two bowling attacks in the South, although Sussex and Gloucestershire might argue with you. I was initially lining up a punt on Kent but when you see Middlesex have AB de Villiers, Paul Stirling and Eoin Morgan back for this one they are not to be taken on. They’re probably a touch short to back though so I’m happy to sit this one out.
Essex vs Hampshire (19.00)
Two inconsistent sides meet at Chelmsford in the other match on the evening when Essex take on Hampshire in a battle of two sides with a decent pedigree in this competition but who both might not be as good as in campaigns gone by.
Essex probably have a bit of pep to their bowling attack for this match with Mohammad Amir having sorted out his visa issues but their batting line up looks very flimsy were Cameron Delport or Ryan ten Doeschate to have off nights. Hampshire have a lot more match winners with the bat so the question is whether they have enough with the ball. Their death bowling worries me, there is no hiding that, but if they have the lower order and tail in by then it shouldn’t be as much of an issue. There is enough juice in the Hampshire price to get involved here against an Essex batting line up which may well be overrated from that slap and tickle against Surrey.
Tips
Back B.Howell’s Performance – Over 38.5pts for a 4/10 stake at 1.83 with Bet365
Back C.Cooke Top Glamorgan Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 10.00 with Betfair
Back him here:
WON – Back Hampshire to beat Essex for a 4/10 stake at 1.91 with Boylesports
Back them here:
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