It is a pivotal night in the South Group in the NatWest T20 Blast on Thursday evening when the four sides chasing the last quarter final spot all meet in two matches. One of the matches is on TV which is the London derby at Lord’s and the other one, Essex vs Sussex isn’t on TV but is no less important.
Middlesex vs Surrey
Middlesex currently occupy the last of the qualifying spots but every side in action on Thursday can overtake them if they win and Middlesex lose so the pressure is really on the Lord’s based side here. Surrey will know full well that a win here would really revive their quarter final hopes.
Middlesex saw off Somerset in their last match but they did lose two prior to that so inconsistency is starting to get them. They have been a little unlucky with injury to Mitchell McClenaghan and international call ups to Steven Finn, Paul Stirling, Tim Murtagh and Toby-Roland Jones at various times. Finn and Roland-Jones are unavailable here.
Surrey don’t really have that problem. Any players they’ve lost they have had the finances to replace them and in Aaron Finch and Chris Morris they have two very good overseas players while Sam Curran and Azhar Mahmood offer plenty of quality with the ball for a side who have lost four of their last five matches.
That said when these two met earlier in the competition a Surrey side who weren’t really batting all that well demolished a disappointing Middlesex. Surrey are batting much better now and for me they do into this match with the better bowling attack and that can prove the difference. There are match winners wherever you look in this match but it is Surrey who have most of them and that can set them up to win here.
Essex vs Sussex
These two sides know they are playing no lose cricket now. To realistically make it into the knockout stages both teams have to win out so the stakes are really high here. Essex’s good run was curtailed by Gloucestershire last time out while Sussex have now lost their last four matches and after two washed out games that is quite some slide.
Essex won’t be too downbeat at losing to Gloucestershire as they look the standout side in the group but Jesse Ryder’s injury was a key factor in that and his absence here could yet be crucial. That said Essex do bat deep but can they restrict Sussex in this match? That is the big question.
After weeks of waiting Sussex finally have Mustafizur Rahman in their ranks and he’ll make his debut in this match. With Chris Jordan and Tymal Mills around too this is a strong looking bowling attack for Sussex now. Ross Taylor plays his final match in his Sussex stint here so he’ll want to go out with a bang.
We’ve got the age old batting heavy side against the quality bowling attack side here and I’m always leaning on the side of the bowlers whenever that scenario comes around so I’m on Sussex here. If any of their top five get going with the bat they could be away and gone but they are unlikely to be under as much pressure to score against an attack that has just shipped over 200.
Tips
Back Surrey to beat Middlesex for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Unibet
WON – Back Sussex to beat Essex for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Unibet
Back them here:
