We have a break in the Vitality Blast on Sunday but before we get there we have a double header of action on Saturday as the South Group takes the spotlight with a couple of key games in the quest for qualification from that section.
Three of the top four are live in action in the South Group on Saturday which means we have a good standard guaranteed and with both the matches being live on Sky in the UK there is no need for anyone to miss any of it.
Essex vs Kent (13.05)
Usually the derby match between Essex and Kent would take place at Chelmsford but this one has been shifted to The Oval for the TV coverage. In terms of the group it is the bottom side against the top one so it is a big game for both but for different reasons.
Essex are defending the title this season but they aren’t making a good fist of it so far having failed to win any of their first four matches. Kent are having no such problems. They have won two of their four and tied another and go into this match not only unbeaten but looking very good having polished off Sussex in their last outing. I can’t see Kent not winning this game. I get Essex are the champions and have a winning mentality but there is no hiding the fact that they are missing their overseas players while offloading Ravi Bopara isn’t looking the best move. Kent are flying. They are winning games chasing and defending and I expect them to have too much for Essex here.
Ryan ten Doeschate has the most runs for Essex in the competition this season and he is probably their best batsman in the format so the 11/2 on him to top score in this match looks a little on the high side to me. He has bags of experience so knows when to push and when not to and will have played at The Oval on plenty of occasions. It is rare that he doesn’t give himself time to get in and then when he is in he judges the situation well. That 11/2 looks too big.
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Surrey vs Middlesex (18.35)
The second part of the double header is the London derby and with Surrey and Middlesex sitting fourth and third in the table respectively, the winner here is going to go into the break in a good position to push for the quarter final spots while the losers will have some work to do.
Middlesex have been involved in some high scoring matches in this tournament and while that shows their batting line up is delivering the goods, it highlights that their bowlers have been expensive and that is an issue for me here. Surrey took a while to get going in this tournament but with big players beginning to return to their side they have slowly got into gear and could be about to go from strength to strength. It is a huge concern to me that the Middlesex openers are the only players with more than 100 runs for them this term. If one or both of them fail the rest of the order haven’t had much time in the middle. Ultimately this format is down to match winners and I think Surrey have one or two more of them so I’ll take them accordingly.
One of those match winners could very well be the left-arm spinner Dan Moriarty, who at 4/1 looks a big price to be the top Surrey bowler given that he has six wickets in the four innings that he has bowled in. Another reason why he might be overpriced is that he already has a five wicket haul against Middlesex this season in the Bob Willis Trophy and if the likes of Overton, Batty and Topley keep things tight Middlesex might target Moriarty, giving him cheap wickets in the process.
Tips
WON – Back Kent (-2.5wickets/6.5runs) to beat Essex for a 3/10 stake at 1.80 with Bet365
WON – Back R.ten Doeschate Top Essex Batsman for a 1/10 stake at 6.50 with Betfair
Back him here:
WON – Back Surrey to beat Middlesex for a 3/10 stake at 1.91 with William Hill
Back D.Moriarty Top Surrey Bowler for a 1/10 stake at 5.00 with William Hill
Back them here:
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