NatWest T20 Blast Quarter Final

Nottinghamshire are at the NatWest T20 Blast finals day and on Tuesday night either Northamptonshire or Middlesex will join the Outlaws at the Edgbaston showpiece when the two meet in the second quarter final at Wantage Road.

Northamptonshire were runners up in the North Group to secure home advantage in this match while Middlesex came through in third place in the South Group to escape that particular group for the first time since they won the tournament in 2008. They will hope that is an omen.

Northamptonshire

Despite losing David Willey in the close season the 2013 champions and last year’s beaten finalists have continued their excellent run in this tournament. Richard Levi and Adam Rossington have gone well at the top of the order with the bat but it is Josh Cobb who has really shone while Ben Duckett remains in sensational form.

However for me it is with the ball that Northants have done so well. We know all about the likes of Azharullah and Rory Kleinveldt but Seekkuge Prasanna was a clever find and Richard Gleeson is excelling in this side which is good to see.

Middlesex

You would have to say Middlesex rode their luck at times in the group stage but even though the South Group isn’t as strong as it once was you still don’t come out of it if you don’t deserve to. We saw Essex fail to do anything to frank the form of the group on Monday night so Middlesex will be looking to prove they have what it takes.

If Middlesex are going to win this match you would think their senior players – George Bailey and James Franklin are vital. The latter will be important with the bat and the ball but the likes of Toby Roland-Jones will also need to stand up and be counted.

Team News

Northants took the liberty of resting their key players for the Championship win over the weekend so they are totally fresh and fully fit going into this match. Richard Levi is back opening the batting and Seekkuge Prasanna has extended his overseas stint.

Middlesex are going to be without some key players. Brendon McCullum is out with an injury, as is Eoin Morgan while Steven Finn remains with England much to the annoyance of all at Middlesex I am sure.

Wantage Road

There has been a 200 and a 195 in the first innings on this ground this season so it has been a pretty high scoring place over the course of the campaign and I’m expecting that to continue here after the good run of weather we have had recently.

If anything the wicket can get a little slow against the older ball but by and large the batsmen should enjoy conditions here and the bowlers will have to work hard and use all of their change ups if they are to come out victorious in the match. This is the first ever meeting between the two sides in 20 over competition in this country.

Betting

I’ve thought all season long that the North Group has more than an edge on the South this season and we saw that emphatically on Monday night when Nottinghamshire took Essex to the cleaners and while I wouldn’t bank on this being as comfortable for Northants I do think it will be them who win the match.

I think with Eoin Morgan and Brendon McCullum away, Middlesex look a batsman light especially against this bowling attack and I also think they will struggle to contain an in form and deep batting line up that Northamptonshire have.

If this comes down to a battle of the bowlers like these matches so often do then I don’t see beyond Northants in this one so I’m with the home side to make it two North Group sides into finals day with two quarter finals still to come.