Richard Mann provides some betting advice and team pointers as the regular season of the T20 Blast reaches the halfway stage.
Who’s hot?
SURREY are now clear favourites having won seven of their eight matches so far, the other when rain cut short their clash with Glamorgan. With a host of England internationals in their ranks, Surrey have produced some outstanding cricket throughout and West Indian duo, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine, have added experience and some X-factor. England will no doubt have been keeping tracks on Sam Curran, fit again and with 186 runs and 11 wickets to his name already, while Jason Roy has looked in typically good touch.
In the North Group, LANCASHIRE are also flying high having survived a tie against Yorkshire, before beating their arch rivals in another pulsating finish to the return leg at Headingley only last week. Liam Livingstone and Tim David have combined to brutal effect and with Jos Buttler likely to return at some stage, the Lancashire batting will be feared by all.
Who’s not?
Reigning champions, KENT, have so far made a feeble title defence, with victories over Middlesex and Somerset their only cheer of the campaign so far. Well-drilled and so full of energy last term, Kent have been anything but this time around and desperately need more from captain Sam Billings.
It’s been similarly slim pickings for 2018 winners, Worcestershire, who have only won once all season and just haven’t been able to put the complete performance together. Moeen Ali’s return from the IPL will bolster their ranks, but he hasn’t pulled up any trees so far and will need to find his best form fast. With experienced heads, Dwayne Bravo and Colin Munro, on their roster, Worcestershire certainly have the quality to turn things around. Have they got the desire?
Who’s red hot?
It wasn’t so long ago that CHRIS LYNN was one of the hottest properties in T20 cricket, but injuries followed by steadily diminishing returns have seen the Australian’s star crash down to earth. Lynn has recently been axed by long-time Big Bash club, Brisbane Heat, and having not been part of the recent IPL, this summer’s Blast appearance for Northamptonshire suddenly took on greater importance. Lynn has responded in brilliant fashion, blasting two centuries and two fifties from only eight appearances, with his strike-rate of 166.22 telling the story of some grim nights for opposition bowlers. Lynn is by some way the current leading runscorer in the competition, and his 22 sixes also set the pace in that race. There should be plenty more to come.
One to avoid
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE boast a rich history in this competition, reaching the final in 2006 and then going one better in 2017 and 2020. Much of the same squad remains, but Harry Gurney is almost impossible to replace and the likes of Dan Christian and Samit Patel aren’t getting any younger. Much depends on the volatile Alex Hales, who generally operates between the sublime and the ridiculous and needs more support. Nottinghamshire have won three from seven so far this season, so aren't out of the running by any means, but they remain overrated by most bookmakers and look best avoided this year.
Two more to avoid
Middlesex have been slightly underwhelming so far, and EOIN MORGAN missing five matches through injury has certainly not helped. Morgan's form has taken up plenty of column inches over the last 18 months and following a lean IPL in 2021, and a quiet T20 World Cup to follow, he needs time in the middle. His fitness issues are making that more and more difficult and playing unders on his runs is the only way to go for now.
Another veteran who appears to be on the slide is RAVI BOPARA, and after a promising start to the new campaign, Bopara has turned in scores of 5, 6 and 10 as his own form has mirrored the struggles of his club, Sussex. More concerning is Bopara's strike-rate which is down at 112.40.
Finding enough firms to price up submarkets on non-Sky televised games is no easy task, but Betway continue to lead the way, and these two old boys look worth taking on when the competition resumes on Friday.
Cash cow in Cardiff
SAM NORTHEAST has made a promising start to life in Cardiff this summer, and the ex-Hampshire man is comfortably Glamorgan's leading runscorer in this year's T20 Blast. Northeast's 256 runs have only come at a shade faster than a run a ball, but the 32-year-old has simply been batting to orders as he controls the Glamorgan innings while those around him chip in with more aggressive cameos. With Australia star Marnus Labuschagne having now left for international duty, Northeast is the class act in this line-up and has top scored in four of Glamorgan's eight matches. As such, the 3/1 and 11/4 that has been available about Northeast in the top Glamorgan batsman market is well worth taking.
A maximum to get our boundary tally started! 💥
— Glamorgan Cricket 🏏 (@GlamCricket) June 7, 2022
𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲: https://t.co/rJszy6fxeJ#GLAMvGLO | #GoGlam pic.twitter.com/uGd617BEHG
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