There is one match in the NatWest T20 Blast on Thursday night with Middlesex hosting Somerset at Lord’s in the South Group where both sides are currently outside the qualification places and with that they both need the points desperately here.
Middlesex
Middlesex might be under slightly less pressure than Somerset in that they have only played five matches. They have five points in those matches with a couple of wins and a washout but the concerning thing would be that their two wins have been against Essex and Hampshire who are both at the bottom of the table.
Middlesex have largely had to rely on their batting in this tournament but when you’ve spent the coin needed to get Brendon McCullum over here you have to rely on your batting because there isn’t a lot left in the budget for the bowling attack.
Somerset
Having lost their opening two matches in this competition Somerset have responded well to post three wins in four completed games since then and they will head to the capital full of confidence. A win here will move them into the top four although this is their eighth game so they have played more than anyone in the group.
Somerset’s wins have come off the back of fast starts with the bat by Chris Gayle but he isn’t around anymore. That said he never really hit the heights of last season so whoever comes in won’t have to go like a bat out of hell to replace him.
Team News
Brendon McCullum will play his final home game for Middlesex here but his former New Zealand colleague Mitchell McClenaghan misses out with a hip injury. England have released Steven Finn to play which is a boost but there will be no Eoin Morgan as he remains with England.
Somerset will be looking to replace Chris Gayle. It is James Hildreth who is expected to come into the side with Johann Myburgh perhaps moving up to open the batting. Mahela Jayawardena is around for this match.
Betting
Middlesex are the slight favourites for this match although I would imagine that is based on the McCullum factor but we saw on TV last week that if McCullum doesn’t fire this Middlesex side are capable of making a mess of things.
Somerset go into the match in the better form of the two. While this is a better season for Middlesex they’ve only beaten the bottom two sides in the table so we can’t get carried away about their form just yet. My main concern with them is if you take Steven Finn out their bowling attack looks exposed and Somerset can exploit that.
Somerset have some really good bowling options and a number of them which is always helpful in this form of the game. They also bat deep as we’ve already seen in the 50 over format and that certainly isn’t a bad thing. Unlike Middlesex, Somerset have beaten a team of note so their form is more justified and at even money I’m on them in the hope they keep McCullum quiet which should be the key to victory.
Tips
Back Somerset to beat Middlesex for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Ladbrokes
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