T20 Blast preview: Midlands derbies highlight the evening
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After a thrilling opening round of fixtures to the T20 Blast season, in which champions in three of the four Birmingham Bears, Northamptonshire Steelbacks and Leicestershire Foxes all lost, Coral preview the action on Week 2.
In the North Division, Nottinghamshire Outlaws (odds-on 4/5 favourites) and Yorkshire Vikings (evens) face an intriguing encounter at Trent Bridge, after winning their first respective matches of the season against Birmingham and Derbyshire Falcons.
The Vikings (6/1 in the competition outright market) triumphed convincingly with 3.2 overs to go, thanks to Andrew Gale’s knock of 41 and youngster Matthew Fisher’s five-wicket haul.
Alex Hales’ 86 from 43 balls, though, led the Outlaws (5/1 favourites) to a smashing win with more than five overs to spare against the Bears.
Elsewhere in this division, Lancashire Lightning (4/5 match favourites) host Durham Jets (evens), who both had victories in their opening matches, while Worcestershire Rapids (5/4) face their fist fixture of the season away to Birmingham (8/13).
Other Midlands counties Leicestershire and Derbyshire Falcons (both odds-on 10/11 chances for victory) also duel.
In the South Division, meanwhile, Hampshire (11/2 T20 second-favourites) are at home to Kent Spitfires (18/1) in the Sky Sports 2 live south coast derby clash. They are respective 8/15 and 6/4 chances for victory in this match.
Hampshire’s Jimmy Adams (10/3 to be best batsman for his team) and the Spitfires’ Sam Billings (4/1) top scored for their counties last time out, and are decent shouts at the Rose Bowl too.
In a top v bottom battle, Glamorgan (4/5) take on Essex Eagles (evens), who have lost both of their opening matches. Colin Ingram hit 91 off 47 for the Welsh outfit to help beat Surrey, and his side should have enough to beat their next opponents too.
Somerset (8/11), who have yet to play, face Sussex Sharks (11/10) in the last match on Friday. The latter will be hoping to rely on the likes of Mahela Jayawardene, who top scored in his team’s close six wicket win over Gloucestershire Gladiators.
On the NatWest #T20Blast menu tonight: a medley of maximums served with slow-cooked wrong 'uns in a switch-hit jus pic.twitter.com/yzlm54I67t
— NatWest T20 Blast (@NatWestT20Blast) May 22, 2015
Betting tip: Jimmy Adams top Hampshire batsman @ 10/3
