It isn’t always the case, but such has been the lack of cricket over recent months that we have markets priced up for the top batsman and top bowler for the Vitality Blast and there is still time to delve into both ahead of the off, starting with the batters.
There is a lack of overseas players in the competition this season due to the quarantine rules so the next six weeks or so is a real chance for the domestic players to shine, or the ones not in the England bubbles are least!
Recent Winners
2019 – Babar Azam (578)
2018 – Laurie Evans (614)
2017 – Joe Denly (567)
2016 – Michael Klinger (548)
2015 – James Vince (710)
Market Leaders
Alex Hales is a 12/1 favourite to lead the run scoring in this competition but it has to be a concern that he hasn’t hit a competitive cricket ball in anger since lockdown. He doesn’t play red ball cricket and you can hit as many balls in the nets as you want but it isn’t the same as doing it out in the middle. Hales is one of the best T20 batsmen in the country so it wouldn’t be a complete surprise if he hits the ground running but the lack of reps concern is enough to swerve him.
Phil Salt and Colin Ingram are second favourites in the betting. The latter isn’t coming over so we can forget about him. Salt has plenty to prove in this tournament after being left out of the England T20 squad when he did enough in the warm up matches earlier in the summer to be in there. He is a hard hitting, fast scoring batsman and if Sussex go well he is sure to be there or thereabouts. The concern is that they won’t go as well without Jordan, Evans and Archer.
Liam Livingstone is high up in the betting as well but he is going to be with England in the early stages of the competition so that will hinder his chances considerably. Sam Hain is another one who is in a lofty position in the betting but the Central Group looks a minefield to predict and Birmingham at this time of year is no stranger to copious amounts of rain so that should hamper his chances it has to be said.
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Profile
As ever with this market in these T20 tournaments we can apply a couple of filters to try and whittle the field down. In an event that has 18 teams so more than 100 genuine runners we need to get that number down to a more manageable number and the first way of doing that is by getting rid of anyone who doesn’t bat in the top three for their side. We should remember that there are four fewer group matches this season so the opportunities for those outside the top three might not come as readily. If you look at the last five winners they all batted in the top three.
Other ways we can whittle the field down is by taking teams we expect to make the quarter finals and beyond as those extra innings give those players a huge advantage. Backing players who play on small grounds or on good pitches for batting is another way of whittling the field down somewhat so we should be able to restrict the field to a manageable number.
Betting
Given that I expect Derbyshire to go well in this competition it makes sense to take one of their players and the one I like is Wayne Madsen. Madsen is no stranger to scoring well in this competition. He has twice passed 500 runs in it in the last four seasons, one of those when Derbyshire didn’t reach finals day so that highlights how well he can go. He averages a shade over 30 per innings in this format and has to be advantaged by not playing a game at Derby this season. Instead he’ll get two games at a high scoring Trent Bridge as well as two at Grace Road and Headingley which are high scoring. He also plays at Liverpool that’s a club ground. Madsen already has a ton in the Bob Willis Trophy this term and is the one the Derbyshire players bat around. At 40/1 he’s a big price.
I expect Essex to go pretty well as well and although it isn’t ideal that they have had to give up a home game for one of the televised double headers this season, that match has moved to The Oval which is still a pretty small ground. That makes me think that Cameron Delport can go well. It isn’t ideal that he hasn’t hit a ball in anger so far this summer but he’s a T20 franchise player now so he is used to rolling in and get cracking. He was Essex’s top batsman last season and is a clean hitting opener that can take Chelmsford apart. At 28/1 he is my second fancy in this market.
Tips
Back W.Madsen Top Tournament Batsman (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 41.00 with BetVictor (1/4 1-4)
Back C.Delport Top Tournament Batsman (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 29.00 with BetVictor (1/4 1-4)
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