It wouldn’t be the English county season if three formats weren’t being played at the same time. This week the Royal London One Day Cup returns for the second half of its group stage on Sunday.
On a busy return to the competition there are eight matches in total, four in each group. With the Test match getting the TV attention none are on television but that doesn’t mean to say we can’t bet on the matches!
North Group
The four matches in the North Group sees Yorkshire taking on Leicestershire at Grace Road, Northamptonshire host Durham at Wantage Road, Nottinghamshire go up against Derbyshire at Nettleworth and Warwickshire go up against Worcestershire in the west-midlands derby.
I’m not getting too involved in this set of matches. I’d rather see how everyone returns from the break before I get stuck in. Nothing really stands out in this set of matches so I’ll sit the North Group out on Sunday.
South Group
Matches in the South Group see Essex hosting Surrey at Chelmsford, Gloucestershire take on Sussex at Cheltenham, Middlesex face Kent at Lord’s and Somerset play host to Glamorgan at Taunton in an important day in the group.
I’m incredibly tempted by Essex against Surrey but there is something in the back of my mind just putting me off them. The Middlesex vs Kent game involves two sides both missing key men so I will leave that match alone too.
Gloucestershire are going great guns in the NatWest T20 Blast and the County Championship. Their title defence for this competition never got going before the break and I fancy Sussex might be able to take advantage here.
Sussex have Mustafizur Rahman available for this competition. This is a massive boost to their chances especially when you think that Gloucestershire don’t have their gun overseas bowler Andrew Tye in this tournament. Their overseas player is Michael Klinger. While he’s been a run machine this season he hasn’t been able to stop his bowling attack going around the park.
Gloucestershire have lost a couple of narrow matches not least that crazy first game at Somerset when that large last wicket stand got Somerset over the line. That doesn’t mean they won’t lose here too. Sussex have Ed Joyce back which is huge in their batting. Rahman, Shahzad, Jordan and the spinners can deliver enough with the ball to get Sussex over the line.
The other match has Somerset playing Glamorgan for the second time in three days. Glamorgan won their battle in the T20 on Friday night. I think they can do the same here, even though this match is in Taunton whereas the T20 game was in Cardiff.
Putting it simply Jamie Overton is a huge loss for this Somerset team. It is his absence that means I’m prepared to take them on. That and the fact Glamorgan are actually a really good one day side this season. They have qualified for the quarter-finals of the T20 competition and are on course to do the same here.
They have solid batsmen all the way down their line up. Their bowling attack rivals anything in this competition. When all is said and done that can equate to another win for the away side here.
Tips
Back Sussex to beat Gloucestershire for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Ladbrokes
Back them here:
Back Glamorgan to beat Somerset for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Skybet
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