talkSPORT betting tips – Best bets and expert advice for T20 Blast Finals Day
09/11/2024 06:18 AM
The T20 Blast Finals Day is one of the highlights of the domestic cricket calendar, with four teams battling it out for the title at Edgbaston on Saturday.
The top four teams from the North Group and South Group progressed to the quarter-finals but it was a clean sweep for the South and Somerset, Surrey, Sussex and Gloucestershire face off for the crown.
Defending champions Somerset will be looking to win back-to-back titles for the first time in the history of the competition while Gloucestershire are aiming to win the tournament for the first time.
Sussex and Surrey have one title each but both of them came over 15 years ago.
T20 Blast Finals Daytips
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Absentees could hurt Surrey
Surrey have been the dominant force in domestic cricket in recent years and they tightened their grip over the game as they topped the South Group of this year's T20 Blast, losing just three games along the way.
However one of the issues of having such a dominant side is that the England selectors are guaranteed to come looking.
With a one-day series against Australia starting this week, Surrey stars such as Sam Curran, Reece Topley, Will Jacks and Jamie Overton are all set to miss out on the T20 Finals day.
By contrast no Somerset players have been called up to the England squad and so should be approaching full strength in this clash.
Somerset have also won four of the last six meetings between these two teams, including a six-wicket win last time they met.
Surrey wobbled at times in their quarter-final victory over Durham and given their notable absentees, Somerset could edge what should be a competitive affair.
Sussex can ease through to final
Gloucestershire squeezed into the knockout stage of the T20 Blast despite winning only seven of their 14 group games and they may find things tough when they take on Sussex.
The Sharks did the double over these opponents in the group stages and it's hard to make a case against them repeating the trick.
In Daniel Hughes, Sussex have the top run scorer in the competition with 595 this season and Tymal Mills is the joint-second highest wicket taker with 24.
They have a solid supporting cast and can complete a treble over Gloucestershire in this competition to reach the final.
Defending champions can go back-to-back
There have never been consecutive winners of the T20 Blast but this could be the year Somerset change that.
Tom Banton and Will Smeed are an eye-catching opening partnership and they are ably supported by a strong batting line-up.
Jake Ball, Craig Overton and Lewis Gregory are standout bowlers and they can lift the title once again.
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