The biggest and best day of the county cricket season starts off with an intriguing semi-final as the Hampshire Hawks take on Somerset at Edgbaston with the aim of both sides pretty simple – win and return for the final later in the evening.
These two sides finished fourth and second in the South Group respectively and both overcame stiff challenges in the quarter final to book their spot at the big dance. Both teams are regular attendees to finals day so they will both know what it is all about.
Hampshire Hawks
This is shaping up to be quite a special campaign for the Hampshire Hawks. They are here at finals day and then next week they have the County Championship title in their own destiny when they head into the final match of the season with a chance of winning the four-day crown. I don’t think anyone would argue that Hampshire have been as dominant as the potential trophy haul this season would suggest but when the crunch times have come in each competition they have elevated their level.
Hampshire could head into this match thinking their name is on the trophy. They were effectively playing knockout cricket from five games from the end of the group phase. They had to win their last five group games, the last of which didn’t just involve winning but chasing down 185 in 13 overs, just to make the quarter finals. They achieved all of that and then when again looking dead and buried at Trent Bridge in the last eight, they successfully defended 125 against all the odds. If Hampshire do win this title it would be fitting if the trophy was engraved Houdini rather than Hampshire!
Somerset
The only team without a nickname could just be the spoilers to many parties over the course of the day. Somerset have a young squad at their disposal but what they might lack in experience they more than make up for in power, punch and talent and if you are writing Somerset off you are doing so at your peril. If you are taking them on then I suspect you’ll be doing it largely because they have stunk the place out in the County Championship recently but time will tell how much relevance that has on proceedings.
The main area of concern for the Somerset side is their bowling attack. It isn’t blessed with oceans of top class talent like one or two others on the day are but the return of Craig Overton will be a boost. What they might lack with the ball they more than make up for with the bat. They have three of the most talented players in the country in their top five and a couple of others who are more than effective at this level. If nerves don’t overcome Somerset they’re a huge threat here.
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Team News
Hampshire will be without D’Arcy Short from their miraculous quarter final win. He is in the UAE preparing for the resumption of the IPL. Tom Alsop or Ian Holland are in line to replace him. Kyle Abbott is in the squad but is more likely to play the Championship game.
Somerset have Craig Overton back from England duty to bolster their bowling resources but they will be without an overseas player as Devon Conway has left now. Overton is likely to replace Jack Brooks from the quarter final win in an otherwise unchanged side.
Betting
This is an intriguing opening semi-final. It has all the hallmarks of being one of those close and nervous affairs which this day is synonymous with. We have a young Somerset side against a fairly young Hampshire team devoid of its international stars so really the winners here are going to be the ones who adapt to the occasion the best. You’d have to think that is more likely to be Somerset but with the escapes Hampshire have performed in this competition I’m in no mood to go against them.
The bet I like is for under 38.5 boundaries. Hampshire have a very light batting unit on show here. They might have the best batsman on show on the day in James Vince but aside from him the depth isn’t great. Somerset have the better side on paper from a batting point of view but there aren’t too many of them who are in great form. What Hampshire lack is standout quality they make up in clever bowling and they’re not the easiest to score against. The wicket will be in the middle of the square here so unlike when Birmingham play on this ground short boundaries will be few and far between. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see both teams get in a bit of a hole with the bat so I like the under here.
Tips
Back Under 38.5 boundaries for a 3/10 stake at 1.80 with William Hill
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