The Metro Bank One Day Cup continues on Wednesday with another three matches in the domestic 50 over competition as we keep on the path towards the halfway stage of the group phase of the tournament.
The leading lights in both groups have already played this week so the chasing pack get their chance to move into the spotlight on Wednesday. That will all be on the county streams though with The Hundred getting the TV treatment.
Lancashire vs Kent (11.00)
The only match in Group A on Wednesday is a repeat of the final from last season when Lancashire take on Kent in Blackpool. Kent won that final a year ago and so Lancashire will be looking for some sort of revenge in this one.
Kent have managed to dodge the rain so far in this competition and have a win and a defeat from their two matches. Lancashire can’t seem to avoid the weather at the minute and have had two no results to open up their campaign. They will be delighted that the weather looks to have cleared up for Wednesday so they should be able to get their first full game in. I did think Kent would put up a decent title defence but the way they were thrashed by Leicestershire doesn’t exactly inspire much in the way of confidence behind them. We don’t really know much about Lancashire in this competition. They had a winning score on the board against Essex in their opener but Essex have been ordinary since then so we need to see them to learn about their strengths and weaknesses. That makes this a pretty easy one to leave alone.
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Derbyshire vs Sussex (11.00)
It is a little early for the competition to be on the line for a team but you do get the feeling that is the case for both Derbyshire and Sussex when they meet at the County Ground on a big Wednesday for both sides.
These two teams have both played two matches in the competition and lost them both so a third defeat, while it wouldn’t be completely campaign ending, will see whoever it is who does lose run out of wiggle room for the remainder of the tournament. The bowling has been the issue for both teams. Derbyshire have coughed up 299/4 and 299/3 in their two matches but the worrying thing is the opposition has had 40 balls and 17 balls left when those totals have been reached. Sussex have conceded a ridiculous 427/9 and 243/7 in just 43.4 overs so they are faring no better with the ball. That makes me think that a 550.5 run line could be in reach but there is a lot of pressure on both teams in this one and there has been a lot of rain around in the last couple of days so the pitch might be a bit tacky so I will tentatively leave that alone.
Northamptonshire vs Somerset (11.00)
The other match in Group B sees two sides who will be buoyed by wins last time out battling it out when Northamptonshire take on Somerset in what looks like and feels like it could be the tightest match of the day.
Northamptonshire got the better of Sussex in their win last time out but there isn’t much to suggest that they have beaten much there with Sussex really struggling with the ball at the minute. I think the Somerset win over Worcestershire holds a lot more merit as Worcestershire look like a good side and one who might well rebound from that loss and go on and qualify. I fancy Somerset here. The Northamptonshire attack looks like it is missing a leader with Ben Sanderson not currently involved and while their batting has been delivering and has a couple of overseas stars in it, should they fail the Steelbacks could struggle. In Sean Dickson and James Rew there are a couple of genuine stars in this Somerset side and the likes of Jack Brooks, Danny Lamb and Curtis Campher decent enough in swinging conditions and a couple of useful spinners there is more quality in the Somerset attack and they can lead them home.
Tips
Back Somerset to beat Northamptonshire for a 3/10 stake at 2.00 with Bet365
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