There is one match in the NatWest T20 Blast on Wednesday evening and it comes from the South Group where the leaders Gloucestershire look to take a step closer to the quarter final when they host Surrey at Bristol.
Surrey have hit a wall in this competition in recent times so will be hoping for a win here to breath a new injection of life into their campaign and rejuvenate their own quarter final hopes so this one is nicely poised.
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire are on a nice run in this competition at the minute having won their last four matches and another win here will almost secure a quarter final spot with plenty of matches to come. They will move seven points ahead of Surrey and the London side would only have five matches left.
It has been largely through their batsmen that Gloucestershire’s success has been formed on. Michael Klinger has been in excellent form and one or two others have chipped in at the right times around him. They will openly admit there is more to come from them with the ball and that probably excites them given how well they are going.
Surrey
In contrast Surrey have won just one of their last four matches in this competition and aren’t playing particularly well. That form has come as a result of their poor form in other competitions I believe and it won’t have helped that they have just been thrashed by Warwickshire in the County Championship earlier in the week.
Surrey’s batting has fallen apart in this competition and in their last two matches they have failed to make it to 120 and even in this tournament with all the rain that has been around you’re not going to win matches with such paltry totals so they have to improve in that area for sure.
Team News
Gloucestershire have sent David Payne to the second team so there are no massive changes to their squad. Michael Klinger and Andrew Tye are the overseas players while Matt Taylor has a chance to enhance his blossoming reputation.
Surrey welcome Jason Roy back from international duty which should help with their batting although it will be a bit of a comedown for him from the huge stages he has been playing on. Aaron Finch and Chris Morris have replaced Kumar Sangakkara and Dwayne Bravo who are away at the CPL. Ravi Rampaul is also there but Jade Dernbach has been included in the squad.
Betting
Surrey are shortening all the time for this match which isn’t too much of a surprise with the big names they have on show but they have had big names throughout the tournament and the ones currently in the squad have just replaced former ones. The only difference is Jason Roy but whether he can settle in straight away remains to be seen.
Gloucestershire are a very efficient outfit these days and Surrey will know all about that having been seen off by them in the 50 over final last season and if anything they are playing better now and looking stronger than they were then.
Gloucestershire’s batting is there for all to see but with the ball they have two excellent new ball bowlers while their spin and medium pace is perfectly suited to this wicket and I think they will really take it to Surrey here.
Surrey’s confidence can’t be too high at the minute and Gloucestershire can take advantage of that and keep their excellent run going with another win here.
Tips
WON – Back Gloucestershire to beat Surrey for a 4/10 stake at 2.25 with Paddy Power
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