VITALITY T20 BLAST 2019 - SOUTH
DIVISION PREVIEW
by Marcus Hook
A year from now, The Hundred will be installed as
the flagship domestic tournament; at least in the eyes of the
England and Wales Cricket Board. But, right now, it’s the Vitality
Blast that causes ticketing sites to crash (and that was before
England won the World Cup). It’s been seven years since a team
from the South Division won the domestic T20, but if that’s long
overdue then what about a second T20 title for Surrey? The South
Londoners won the inaugural Twenty20 Cup in 2003 and, once again,
look great on paper. But as we have seen in the other two
competitions this summer - with the Oval outfit chalking up just
three victories in total - cricket is not played on paper. It would
be boring if it was.
ESSEX
Varun Chopra is one of the most consistent run-makers in white-ball
cricket, but the likes of Ravi Bopara, Cameron Delport, Dan Lawrence
and Tom Westley invariably flatter to deceive. Bopara, a veteran of
171 appearances for England, even failed to make a half-century in
last summer’s Blast. So, yet again, it will all come down to what
Essex do with the ball - which is where they have gone ‘all in’
with their overseas signings. Of the two Mohammad Amir had a far
more memorable World Cup. Adam Zampa appeared in just four WC
matches, and only took two wickets at an average of 88.00 in his
last three.
Surrey clashes: 19 July (Fri) at Chelmsford and 29 August
(Thu) at the Oval.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 6 wins for the Oval outfit.
Odds: 16-1.
Overseas player(s): Mohammad Amir (Pakistan) and Adam Zampa
(Australia).
Best finish: Semi-finalists (2006, 2008, 2010 and 2013).
GLAMORGAN
Australia’s Shaun Marsh had been lined-up, along with his brother,
to continue Glamorgan’s resurgence this season. But Mitchell Marsh
now looks likely to make the Aussie’s Ashes Test squad and Shaun
is sidelined with a broken arm. The Welshmen have therefore dialled
up Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman to augment the run-making of skipper
Colin Ingram, Billy Root (the younger sibling of England skipper
Joe) and keeper-batsman Chris Cooke. The bowling looks wanting,
however. Glamorgan’s most economical bowler in last year’s Blast
was seamer Ruaidhri Smith, who conceded 7.50 per over.
Surrey clashes: 25 July (Thu) at the Oval and 11 August (Sun)
at Cardiff.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 6 wins for Glamorgan.
Odds: 20-1.
Overseas player(s): Mitchell Marsh (Australia) and Fakhar
Zaman (Pakistan).
Best finish: Semi-finalists (2004 and 2017).
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
The Bristolians’ trump card is that everyone under-estimates them
- like in their Royal London clash with Surrey at the start of the
season, when they skittled out the Oval outfit for just 88. The
Aussie duo of Michael Klinger and Andrew Tye are back to sprinkle
some gold dust, though; Klinger with the bat, abetted by the likes
of Jack Taylor, and Tye with the ball. The key to reaching the
quarter-finals for a third time in three years will be the ability
of David Payne and the dibbly-dobbly duo of Ryan Higgins and Benny
Howell giving the batters sub-200 totals to chase down.
Surrey clash: 9 August (Fri) at the Oval.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 6 wins for the South Londoners.
Odds: 20-1.
Overseas player(s): Michael Klinger and Andrew Tye (both
Australia).
Best finish: Runners-up (2007).
HAMPSHIRE
Gone are the days, it would seem, when Hampshire were shoe-ins to
reach the last four. They graced finals day every year between 2010
and 2015, winning the title twice. But, at the time of writing, they’re
the only team in Surrey’s Division with just the one overseas
player. On his day, Chris Morris can turn a game on its head with
bat and ball; as can James Fuller, who was an integral T20 player
for Middlesex last season. Slow left-armer Liam Dawson and fellow
southpaw, seamer Chris Wood, are white-ball experts. The concern is
that no one averaged more than 26 with the bat in 2018.
Surrey clash: 16 August (Fri) at the Ageas Bowl.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 5 wins apiece.
Odds: 8-1.
Overseas player(s): Chris Morris (South Africa).
Best finish: Winners (2010 and 2012).
KENT
If one man is capable of single-handedly catapulting his side into
the last eight of the Blast it’s Joe Denly, who hit 409 runs at an
average of 37.18 and took 20 wickets at 16.75 with his leg-spin last
year. Should Kent make the quarters for only the fourth time in 10
attempts, how much further can they go; especially in the absence of
keeper-batsman Sam Billings, who is out for most of the season due
to a dislocated left shoulder? But if a bowling attack that has
never really played together before gels instantly, the Spitfires
could really surprise a few people.
Surrey clashes: 30 July (Tue) at the Oval and 23 August (Fri)
at Canterbury.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 6 wins for Kent, 3 wins for the Oval
outfit and 1 no result.
Odds: 14-1.
Overseas player(s): Adam Milne (New Zealand) and Mohammad
Nabi (Afghanistan).
Best finish: Winners (2007).
MIDDLESEX
Last season, the North Londoners looked to Paul Stirling and Dawid
Malan to start the innings with a bang; but now they’ll have AB De
Villiers, one of the most explosive batsmen in Twenty20 cricket, to
come in at three. In the last two years alone, De Villiers has
scored 2,143 T20 runs at an average of 48.70. If England’s World
Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan features regularly and Max Holden
exchanges potential for performance, Middlesex won’t have to worry
about where the runs are coming from. The key will be bowling sides
out, which could come down to the spin duo of Nathan Sowter and
Mujeeb Ur Rahman.
Surrey clashes: 23 July (Tue) at the Oval and 8 August (Thu)
at Lord’s.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 6 wins for south of the river.
Odds: 14-1.
Overseas player(s): AB De Villiers (South Africa) and Mujeeb
Ur Rahman (Afghanistan).
Best finish: Winners (2008).
SOMERSET
The Championship leaders until recently and winners of the 50-over
Royal London look great value at 11-1. Captain and all-rounder Lewis
Gregory - who had a strike rate of 202.46 last term - is in the form
of his life. Tom Banton is one of this year’s potential stars, if
his 50-over batting form is anything to go by, and Roelof van der
Merwe is the ultimate utility player. Jamie Overton and Jerome
Taylor took a combined 46 wickets in last summer’s Blast, helped
in no small part by the likes of Abell and Waller taking catches for
fun. And don’t forget Babar Azam, whose career batting average in
T20 cricket (40.63) is the best in the world right now.
Surrey clashes: 2 August (Fri) at Taunton and 27 August (Tue)
at the Oval.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 7 wins for the Oval outfit.
Odds: 11-1.
Overseas player(s): Babar Azam (Pakistan) and Jerome Taylor
(West Indies).
Best finish: Winners (2005)..
SURREY
Despite Aaron Finch averaging 147.25 at the top of the order last
term, Surrey failed to qualify for the knockout phase for the ninth
time in 12 seasons. If Jason Roy makes the transition to Test
cricketer, Finch will turn to Will Jacks for support; backed by Sam
Curran - fresh from hitting a half-century and taking 6-95 for
England Lions against Australia A - and an engine room consisting of
all-rounders Jordan Clark (who averaged 47.75 with the bat for
Lancashire last year) and his almost namesake Rikki (47.00 for
Surrey in 2018). The bowling looks good too. Tom Curran, one the
stars of last winter’s Big Bash down under, and South African
leg-spinner Imran Tahir, in particular, should do more than keep
opposing batsmen honest.
Odds: 8-1.
Overseas player(s): Aaron Finch (Australia) and Imran Tahir
(South Africa).
Best finish: Winners (2003).
SUSSEX
Runners-up in 2018, the Sharks seem almost guaranteed to rack-up big
scores with the likes of Luke Wright, Laurie Evans - the leading
run-scorer in last year’s tournament, with 614 at an average of
68.22 - and, fingers crossed, Aussie keeper-batsman Alex Carey in
their top five. But, apart from spin twins Rashid Khan and Danny
Briggs, the bowling could be an issue. Sussex could really do with
England’s World Cup ‘super over’ hero Jofra Archer being
overlooked for the Ashes, and fellow seamers Chris Jordan, Tymal
Mills and Reece Topley shaking off injury concerns.
Surrey clashes: 26 July (Fri) at Hove and 15 August (Thu) at
the Oval.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 6 wins for the South Londoners, 2 no
results and 2 victories for Sussex.
Odds: 13-2 joint favourites.
Overseas player(s): Alex Carey (Australia) and Rashid Khan
(Afghanistan).
Best finish: Winners (2009).
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