- Vitality Blast Finals Day
- Saturday July 15, 2023, 11am-6.45pm
- Edgbaston
For those who are well into the North v South argument in the Blast, which group’s the stronger, this year provides those on the Southern side of the fence with something to crow about.
Essex, Hampshire, Somerset and Surrey - the South Group’s top four sides - have all made it through.
Essex face Hampshire in the morning before Somerset and Surrey clash in the afternoon following the day’s most important event of all - The Mascot Race!
I jest, of course. Well, maybe only a little bit.
Anyway, history beckons for a Hampshire side whose 10th Finals Day appearance already stands them alone above all the other 17 counties. No one has qualified more often.
Now they chase the more important piece of history. Should they win, they will become the first county to win the Blast four times and the first county to defend their title.
But they’re not my tip. I think they will be beaten in the final by Surrey.
The afternoon semi between Somerset and Surrey is, to me, the clash of the day. Somerset have won 13 out of 15 games so far, while Surrey are the team with stars aplenty; Jacks, Roy, the Currans, Jamie Overton, Jordan, Narine, Abbott.
Surrey are actually the favourites to claim the title, their first since winning the first ever edition of the Blast in 2003.
Before looking at the odds, I was actually expecting Somerset to take that tag into the day following their stunning form. But Surrey are the ones for me, and you can get them at a best price of 9/4 with a host of firms, including 888sport.
Essex Eagles v Hampshire Hawks, Semi-final, 11am
I do expect Hampshire to win through this semi-final and keep their title hopes alive. They are available at 8/11 with William Hill.
There’s no doubt you could make strong arguments for both teams in both semi-finals. There isn’t a great deal to choose between them.
For example, if you fancy Essex, you will say, ‘They’ve just beaten Birmingham at Edgbaston in the quarter-finals. Surely that gives them an edge’.
Maybe. But I reckon Hampshire’s superior class will shine through. The Hawks finished two points clear of the Eagles in the South Group with nine wins compared to eight, and they beat them twice in that group phase.
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Essex Eagles v Hampshire Hawks
Hampshire Hawks are expected to come through their semi-final
At 8/11 a £10 bet would return £17.27
Cricket Vitality Blast
July 14, 2023
11:00 am GMT+1
I’m going to take on a price on success for Hampshire’s wicketkeeper opener Ben McDermott, who has scored four fifties in 14 games so far this season but missed last week’s quarter-final win over Worcestershire with a back spasm. Surely the powerful Australian will be fit more than a week on.
He hasn’t had a James Vince standard competition, the Hampshire captain leading the way with 657 runs. But overseas McDermott has been his county’s next best with 378.
I fancy him to top score for the Hawks in this fixture, and he’s on offer at 7/2 with Betfair Sportsbook.
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Essex Eagles v Hampshire Hawks
Graham fancies Ben McDermott to top score for the Hawks
At 7/2 a £10 bet would return £45
Cricket Vitality Blast
July 15, 2023
11:00 am GMT+1
Bet365 are offering two prices on bowler success which have caught my eye, one which I just can’t believe remains available.
The first is the 7/4 they have on Essex captain Simon Harmer, their South African off-spinner, to take over 1.5 wickets in the match. He has claimed 19 wickets in the competition.
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Essex Eagles v Hampshire Hawks
Graham is taking the 7/4 on Simon Harmer to take a couple of wickets
At 7/4 a £10 bet would return £27.50
Cricket Vitality Blast
July 15, 2023
11:00 am GMT+1
The second is the 5/2 bet365 have on Australian seamer Nathan Ellis to be Hampshire’s leading wicket-taker in this fixture.
Ellis is Hampshire’s leading wicket-taker in this competition with 22, including eight in his last four matches and four in their quarter-final win over Worcestershire last Friday night.
Essex Eagles v Hampshire Hawks
Nathan Ellis is Hampshire’s leading wicket-taker in this competition
At 5/2 a £10 bet would return £35
Cricket Vitality Blast
July 15, 2023
11:00 am GMT+1
Importantly, he bowls at the end of the innings, where he’s more likely to pick up wickets with all his variations. He would be my choice for success, especially given his recent form.
I would even be interested in taking the 12/1 on him to be the player of the match, which is available with Ladbrokes. That looks a juicy price on an international player with bagfuls of experience in big games.
Somerset v Surrey, Semi-final, 2.30pm
I reckon the winner of the Blast comes from this semi-final.
I think Surrey will win at a best price of 10/11 with Ladbrokes.
But if they don’t, I would be backing Somerset when the odds come out for the evening final.
I saw Surrey in the flesh at Lancashire in their quarter-final last week, and I thought they were damn impressive. In fact, they won pretty comfortably without being at their absolute best. They posted 187-5 and won by 13 runs, and they could have posted even more with the bat.
They’ve won all eight away matches in the Blast so far, including that quarter at Emirates Old Trafford, and I just think this is their time to shine.
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Somerset v Surrey
Graham is taking Surrey to win at a best price of 10/11
At 10/11 a £10 bet would return £19.09
Cricket Vitality Blast
July 15, 2023
2:30 pm GMT+1
You look at the power these two sides possess with the bat and the scores they’ve produced so far - 200 plus is not far off the norm for the pair of them - and I think bet365′s 1/1 on the highest individual score in the match to be over 76.5 is very much worth taking.
Somerset v Surrey
With so much power on display, this looks a bet worth taking
At 1/1 a £10 bet would return £20
Cricket Vitality Blast
July 15, 2023
2:30 pm GMT+1
I quite like the look of William Hill’s 7/4 on Somerset’s Will Smeed to hit over two fours and his opposition opener Laurie Evans to hit at least one six. That’s available through their #YourOdds selection.
Surrey have had two centurions in this competition - Evans and Sean Abbott - while Somerset have surprisingly had none. Their batting power suggests there should have been at least one. I’m going to suggest a low stakes approach on Ladbrokes’ 6/1 on there to be a century scored in this fixture.
Somerset v Surrey
Graham is having a nibble on Ladbrokes’ 6/1 on a century
At 6/1 a £10 bet would return £70
Cricket Vitality Blast
July 15, 2023
2:30 pm GMT+1
Double delight
And to finish, let’s return to the match results for each semi-final. If you, like me, fancy the Hampshire and Surrey win double, it’s on offer at 2.18/1 with Ladbrokes.
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Bet £5 Get £20 in Free Bets
18+ New UK+IRE Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 4x £5 free bets. Free bets available to use on selected sportsbook markets only. Free bets valid for 7 days, stake not returned. Restrictions + T&Cs apply.
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