Hampshire vs Essex, VITALITY T20 BLAST 2021, Today Match Prediction 16 July 2021

ham vs ess Match Prediction & Analysis

Vitality Blast has come to the final stages with just 2-3 games remaining for every team. Hampshire and Essex are currently outside the top-4 position in the points table but has a mathematical chance to qualify for the play-offs. Both teams need to win all their remaining matches and hope two of Surrey, Gloucestershire, and Surrey lose all their remaining matches to qualify. The loser of this match will out of the contention and can never reach the knockouts by any means.   

TEAMS PREVIEW

Hampshire Preview

Hampshire made a competitive 175 runs in their last game despite losing 3 wickets for 22 runs in 4 overs. Colin De GrandHomme stabilized the innings with 19-ball 28 before Joe weatherly (50 runs) and Lewis McManus (62 runs) took the attack to the opposition bowlers. All 3 players scored runs at a strike rate of 140+ despite quick wickets at the top.

Their bowling attack put on a combined performance to bowl out the opposition for 100 runs in 16 overs. Pacers Chris Wood, Bradley Wheal, and Scott Curie had combined bowling figures of 8-0-38-7 in the match.  Spinners D Arcy Short and Mason Crane chipped in with 3 wickets to claim all 10 wickets.

Top players to bet on:

Lewis McManus – McManus came in and counter attacked the opposition with able partner at the other end to take his team to 175 runs. He will look to provide this impetus in the lower order to help his team post a big score in this match too.

Scott Curie – Scott Curie has 14 wickets in just 4 matches and at an economy rate of less than 7.5 RPO. His figures read 4/24, 4/31, 1/30, & 3/21 so far and his addition to their bowling attack has strengthened their unit many fold.

Hampshire Predicted Playing XI:

D Arcy Short, Tom Prest, Toby Albert, Joe Weatherley, Colin de Grandhomme, James Fuller, Lewis McManus (wk), Chris Wood (c), Scott Currie, Mason Crane, Bradley Wheal

Hampshire Actual Playing XI:

Mason Crane, James Vince, Scott Currie, Joe Weatherley, D'Arcy Short, Colin de Grandhomme, Liam Dawson, James Fuller, Lewis McManus, Bradley Wheal, Chris Wood

Essex Preview

Essex made a good start despite an early wicket as Westley (53 runs) and Michael Pepper (38 runs) made a superb 72-run partnership for the second wicket. Their middle order fell like a pack of dominoes as collapsed from 80/1 to 146/9 with no player barring the above duo crossing 10 runs.  

Similarly their bowlers too started the match on good note before it went out of their hands. Arron Nijjar and Simon Harmer shared 4 wickets between them and had the opposition at 67/4 in 10-over mark. But the other bowlers failed to keep up the pressure created and the opposition eventually won the match by 6 wickets comfortably.

Top players to bet on:

Michael Pepper – Pepper took the aggressor`s role as he scored 38 runs off 26 balls with 2 boundaries and 3 sixes. He will look to continue to dominate the opposition in this match too.   

Simon Harmer – Harmer was brilliant in the middle overs and had figures of 4-0-15-1 in the last game. He has claimed 10 wickets at an economy rate of nearly 8 RPO so far.

Essex Predicted Playing XI:

Adam Wheater (wk), Feroze Khushi, Tom Westley, Michael-Kyle Pepper, James Neesham, Ryan ten Doeschate, Paul Walter, Simon Harmer (c), Aron Nijjar, Jack Plom, Samuel Cook

Essex Actual Playing XI:

Paul Walter, Daniel Lawrence, Aron Nijjar, Samuel Cook, RN ten Doeschate, Tom Westley, Adam Wheater, Simon Harmer, Michael Pepper, James Neesham, Shane Snater

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

Southampton weather is expected to improve this week and we have just 10% chances of rain on the match day.  We expect rain to stay away from this game.   

Venue Details

Southampton will have balance between the bat and ball with some swing available for pacers. Batsmen will enjoy the true pace and bounce on this track once they survive the new ball.  We expect the runs to be around 160-180 runs in this match.

Toss: To Bat

Teams batting first has won all three matches played here so far and we expect both captains to continue the trend in this game too if they win the toss.