T20 Blast Finals Day: Five fantastic tips to take at Edgbaston
Published:
Sam Barnard, Assistant Sports Editor | August 18, 2016
T20 Blast Finals Day tips
The most exciting occasion in English county cricket returns for another year, as four teams will battle it out for the 2016 T20 Blast crown on Finals Day.
Nottinghamshire face Northamptonshire before Durham’s Northeast derby duel with Yorkshire in the semis, with the winners of both to tussle for the title, currently held by Lancashire Lightning, at Edgbaston.
Read on to see Coral’s five picks on Finals Day, featuring four counties all from the North Division and some top England international stars…
Nottinghamshire v Northamptonshire
Saturday, 11:00 BST (live on Sky Sports 2)
Hales to be top Nottinghamshire batsman and his team win
Alex Hales may not have been at his best in the recent Test series draw with Pakistan, but he thrives in the short form of the game, being the only person ever to hit a hundred for England in a T20 international.
On top of that, Nottinghamshire finished top of their Division this season, four points ahead of upcoming opponents and 2013 champions Northamptonshire, who they beat in the regular season.
Hales, along with bowling duo Stuart Broad and Jake Ball, have returned to their side in attempt to win silverware with them, and you can back the opener at 5/1 in an enhanced wincast to be top Nottinghamshire batsman and his team triumph.
Duckett to be top Northamptonshire batsman
Northamptonshire may not have the luxury of being able to call upon any returning England players, which is why they are the outsiders for this semi-final, but they do have one rising star among the ranks.
Ben Duckett has been a revelation for them this season, in all forms of the game, and averages 43.22 in T20s.
The 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman is 3/1 to top score for his team, to further enhance his chances of representing his nation’s senior side after his exploits for the England Lions recently too.
Durham v Yorkshire
Saturday, 14:30 BST (live on Sky Sports 2)
Bairstow to be top Yorkshire batsman
Yorkshire’s title-chasing and already star-studded outfit have been handed a bigger boost, as England trio Joe Root, Gary Ballance and Jonny Bairstow are all set to feature for them.
The latter, in particular, loves playing for his county, and was apart of the team that reached the final in 2012.
Bairstow will be determined to help Yorkshire go one further and, after some outstanding performances for England, can transfer his form over to T20 Blast Finals Day and be top batsman for his team at 5/1.
Stokes to be top Durham bowler
Yorkshire’s batsmen could be tested by Durham’s bowling attack, though, consisting of Mark Wood and Ben Stokes, and the latter will be determined to prove to England that he is back to full fitness.
The New Zealand-born all-rounder is therefore an enticing 7/2 shout to be top Durham bowler.
Yorkshire to be outright winner
Final: Saturday, 18:30 BST (live on Sky Sports 2)
Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire look set to be the two finalists, and are both priced as the joint favourites to lift the trophy.
Neither side has ever won the competition before, even when previously known as the Twenty20 Cup and Friends Life t20, but both have been runners-up.
It’s hard to look past Yorkshire, though, with their star-studded side, as they chase the treble this season of being winners of the County Championship, Royal London One-Day Cup and T20 Blast.
Back them at 15/8 to be champions of this competition.
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