The Vitality Blast pauses for the final group games in the Bob Willis Trophy this week, with the matches beginning on Sunday. That means that by close of play on Wednesday we will know which two teams are heading to Lord’s for the final later in the month.
Heading into the final round of matches the winners of all three groups is still to be determined let alone the finalists so this is all set up to be a dramatic and extremely entertaining few days of cricket to round off the group stage.
North Group
Derbyshire are the team with their destiny in their own hands. They go into their final match away to Lancashire at Liverpool knowing that if they pick up a maximum point win they will be off to Lord’s for the final. Their momentum might have disappeared after a poor start to the Vitality Blast though so that is something to look out for. If Derbyshire slip up then Yorkshire will have the chance to top the group when they play host to Leicestershire at Headingley. The other match in this group sees the bottom two meeting at Trent Bridge when Nottinghamshire host Durham.
Central Group
We have a straight shootout for top spot in the Central Group this week when second placed Worcestershire host the leaders Somerset at New Road. The equation is really simple here. The winners will win the group and will most likely take their place in the final later in the month. The losers will be consigned to the Vitality Blast. Nobody else is in group winning contention but the match at Cardiff between Glamorgan and Warwickshire will mark the end of a fine career as it is the last red ball game Ian Bell will play. The other match sees Gloucestershire and Northants battling it out at Bristol.
South Group
It is all about the county champions Essex in the South Group this week. They host Middlesex knowing that if they win they will top the table and potentially head to Lord’s for the final but should they lose Middlesex will move above then. Kent lie in second so they will be hoping to take advantage of any Essex slip up when they host Hampshire at Canterbury. The other match in the group sees the bottom two meeting at The Oval where Surrey host Sussex.
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Betting
Two bets jump out at me in this last round of matches. In the North Group the odds against on Derbyshire can’t be ignored. Lancashire have rested a couple of senior players whose workload has been high in line with them competing in the Vitality Blast while another in Steven Croft is out injured. It is quite a young side which will take to the field for the Red Rose county here. Derbyshire took a bit of a beating here in the T20 on Friday which you would have to say isn’t completely ideal but they are unbeaten in red ball cricket this season with their top four all piling on the runs. Their bowling isn’t the cannon fodder in this format that it has transpired to be in the 20 over stuff and when you factor in the need and motivation to win I think Derbyshire are a little overpriced against a side for whom Friday is a bigger day this week than Sunday.
Surrey and Sussex have had dreadful red ball campaigns but one of them will end with a win and I fancy that will be Surrey. The problem both teams have had has been their inability to put up decent runs, in any innings really but especially the first one. You would think that is about to change for Surrey who have Hashim Amla and Rory Burns in their ranks for this one having been without them for the competition so far. David Wiese comes back from Sussex but they have made it a clear plan to go with a younger side in this competition to think ahead for the future and while they’ve been found out on the face of it, they might feel the rewards further down the line. In terms of this match, if Surrey can avoid Ollie Robinson doing too much damage they should have more than enough to win this one.
Tips
Back Derbyshire to beat Lancashire (DNB) for a 3/10 stake at 2.10 with Coral
WON – Back Surrey to beat Sussex (DNB) for a 3/10 stake at 1.91 with Coral
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