The group stage of the Vitality Blast concludes on Friday night and we still have two quarter final spots to be filled on an evening where we have a full set of matches in both groups to round off the first phase of the domestic T20 competition.
Although the Test match is ongoing on Friday, we do still have a TV game once the match has concluded and then the other seven games as always are going to be available via the live stream provided by the home county.
North Group
It is from the North Group where the TV game will be from as we see if Leicestershire can go to Edgbaston and get the win over the Birmingham Bears that they need to secure a spot in the quarter final. Birmingham know they will host a last eight clash so they are playing out time somewhat there. If Leicestershire slip up then Derbyshire have the chance to make it into the last eight if they can beat Durham, however a Durham win in that match would put them in line to progress if Leicestershire have lost. For that to happen Durham would also need Yorkshire to lose at home to Nottinghamshire. Yorkshire are looking for Leicestershire and Derbyshire to lose and them to win to reach the quarter final. The other match sees second placed Lancashire hosting third placed Northamptonshire with both teams having their quarter final spots wrapped up.
South Group
The attention in the South Group will be on the Utilita Bowl on Friday night where Essex look to book their spot in the last eight when they travel to take on Hampshire. An Essex win will see them travelling to Birmingham or Lancashire in the quarter final but a defeat and they will have finished their campaign and Gloucestershire will go through. Somerset will be looking to secure a home quarter final when they head to Cardiff to take on Glamorgan. If the defending champions slip up then Sussex will have the opportunity to host a quarter final if they can beat Middlesex at Hove. The other match comes from Canterbury where bottom of the table Kent play host to the table toppers Surrey.
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TV Match Betting
I’ll go with a couple of bets in the TV match with the first of them coming in the form of the sixes where I’m a little surprised that the line is only 11.5 here. We know that there is a Test match on this ground next week and that pitch will also be being prepared so there is no way this match is going to take place in the centre of the square so there is going to be a short square boundary for this one. There is always a short boundary straight down the ground here since the current pavilion was put up so the sixes are going to be attainable. These are two pretty big hitting sides with plenty of six hitters on show and I have to be on the over on that line.
The other bet I like is the 14/1 on Ben Cox being the leading Leicestershire batter in the contest. He is actually their second highest run scorer this season and has three 50s to his name even though he bats down the order. Cox is the one player in this team who can offer a bit of glue and if it all goes wrong at the top of the batting then he is the one to put them up to post a score. He was formerly a Worcestershire player so there will be a bit of a determination to go well against Warwickshire and at this price I think he’s too big to ignore.
Other Match Betting
There is only one other bet that catches my eye on Friday and it comes in the big match at the Utilita Bowl where Essex will look to make it through to the last eight against Hampshire and at 4/5 I think they are backable to trust them to do it too. Hampshire aren’t playing for anything in this match and they have to back up what was a hard defeat to take at The Oval on Thursday night less than 24 hours later which as I always say is never the easiest thing to do.
Essex don’t have that problem. They have had the best part of a week to build up for probably needing to win this match and now they know that is exactly what they have to do if they are going to extend their season. They have already beaten Hampshire this season and the big problem for the home side is they have badly missed a closer with the ball at the death. With the depth of Essex batting things could get very nasty for Hampshire at the end of the innings if it hasn’t done before then. Essex look good things here.
Tips
Back Birmingham Bears vs Leicestershire – Over 11.5 sixes for a 3/10 stake at 1.91 with William Hill
Back B.Cox Top Leicestershire Batter for a 1/10 stake at 15.00 with William Hill
Back them here:
Back Essex to beat Hampshire for a 3/10 stake at 1.80 with Betway
