Somerset vs Middlesex, VITALITY T20 BLAST 2021, Today Match Prediction 02 July 2021

som vs mdx Match Prediction & Analysis

On July 2nd, Somerset will host Middlesex for the first time this season at The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton to play their tenth game of this season. The match will kick off at 6:30 pm local time. A win will strengthen hosts’ chances to qualify for the playoffs. Playing back-to-back games finally halted Somerset were on the 4 match winning streak before being stopped by Essex at Chelmsford. Somerset set a target of 154 for the hosts in a rain-affected game. Devon Conway scored 53 runs in 47 balls to guide his team to a respectable total but the middle-order failure saw Somerset finish 15-20 runs below their planned target. Essex scored 151 runs in 18.1 overs to win the game by 6 wickets (D/L Method). A day before they beat then table-toppers Kent by 10 wickets. Tom Banton scored 107 runs in 51 balls with help of 8 fours and 7 sixes.

After losing 6 of their first 7 games, Middlesex won comfortably against Glamorgan at home by 7 wickets. Chasing 171 runs target set by the Gladiators, Middlesex opener Stephen Eskinazi hit 91 runs in 56 balls - a well-planned knock with 15 boundaries and a single six to comfortably reach the target in 17.4 overs. Kiwi all-rounder who was playing his third game of the season took 3 wickets in the first innings followed by an exploding knock of 32 runs in 13 balls. In 16 T20 matches between these two, Somerset have put a dominating performance by winning 9 times. But they have lost the last two games against Middlesex last time they met in the 2019 season. In their last game at The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton Somerset set a target of 228 runs for Middlesex. But they came under the wrath of the current world number one David Malan and England Skipper Eoin Morgan. Malan who opened the innings for Middlesex scored 14 balls 41 runs. Skipper Morgan quickly followed the footsteps of his national teammate to score 83 off 29 balls with 5 fours and 8 sixes. To everyone’s awe, Middlesex chased the target in 17 overs.

It will be interesting to see if Middlesex can continue their winning run in absence of their most prolific players against Somerset who also will be missing Tom Banton to the international duties and inform Tom Abell due to a hamstring injury.

TEAMS PREVIEW

Somerset Preview

After losing the first two games of this season, Somerset won 4 games in a row with 2 games being abandoned due to rain in the middle. All thanks to their Top-order with Tom Banton in the centre. Therefore Somerset management will have a headache finding the replacement for Banton who left the team to join the national side. Banton is currently their leading run-scorer with 236 runs in 7 games at a strike rate of 195.04. They already had a heartbreak when Tom Abell got sidelined by a hamstring injury last week. Though Devon Conway is in scintillating form with 2 fifties in the last 3 games, he will need a partner to hold up the other end. Somerset might bring back to James Hildreth in absence of their regular top-order. 

Merchant de Lang has been superb with the ball for the last two games. The most economical bowler for Somerset is their leading wicket-taker with 9 wickets. Skipper Lewis Gregory is not having a great season so far. Though he has 7 wickets in his pocket, he has given plenty of runs. Craig Overton and Josh Davey, therefore, have a difficult job of stopping the runs and taking wickets side by side to put a strong bowling show against Middlesex.

Key Players: Devon Conway, Josh Davey, Merchant de Lang

Somerset Predicted Playing XI:

Tom Banton (wk), Devon Conway, Will Smeed, Lewis Goldsworthy, Lewis Gregory (c), Tom Lammonby, Ben Green, Craig Overton, Marchant de Lange, Jack Brooks, Max Waller

Somerset Actual Playing XI:

Tom Lammonby, Marchant de Lange, Ben Green, Craig Overton, Max Waller, Will Smeed, Jack Brooks, Eddie Byrom, Devon Conway, Lewis Goldsworthy, George Bartlett

Middlesex Preview

Middlesex have finally found their messiah in Stephan Eskinazi. Eskinazi has scored 102*, 64, 91* in the last three games for Middlesex. But He is not getting enough support from the top-order to convert his innings into match-winning. Joe Cracknell has taken Paul Stirling’s place to open the innings with Eskinazi but his contribution is still in question because of his slow strike. Middlesex might opt for Max Holden to open the innings.

Middlesex are missing Eoin Morgan in the middle-order. Daryl Mitchell’s inclusion in 4th place is proving a sigh-of-relief for the Middlesex management. Kiwi all-rounder has shown his worth in Middlesex’s last game against Glamorgan to guide his team to a 7 wicket victory. Skipper Steve Finn is leading the bowling front with 13 wickets at an economy of 9.21. Mujeeb Ur Rahman who finally got his chance last game will be leading the spin attack at the turning Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.

Key Players: Daryl Mitchell, Stephen Eskinazi, Max Holden

Middlesex Predicted Playing XI:

Joe Cracknell, Stephen Eskinazi, Max Holden, Daryl Mitchell, John Simpson (wk), Luke Hollman, Blake Cullen, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Nathan Sowter, Tom Helm, Steven Finn (c)

Middlesex Actual Playing XI:

Max Holden, Tom Helm, Luke Hollman, Joe Cracknell, Blake Cullen, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Stephen Eskinazi, Daryl Mitchell, John Simpson, Nathan Sowter, ST Finn

PITCH AND WEATHER CONDITIONS

Weather Conditions

The pitch has become batsman’s paradise for the last few seasons. The pitch also assists swing and seam bowling in the early stages of the game. The weather will be partly cloudy throughout the day The temperature will vary between 20°C to 12°C. No rain is expected. The wind will be blowing at 15 km/h.

Venue Details

The venue for this match is The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton. It has a capacity of 6,000 spectators. Established in 1882, has already hosted 1 Test, 12 ODIs, and 5 T20Is. In 2006, Taunton ground became the home of the English Women’s Cricket.

Toss: To Bat

It’s a batting wicket. In 48 domestic T20 matches played here, the team batting first has won 26 times. The average score of 1st innings is 175. In the last two matches, the teams batting first have successfully defended the high-scoring targets. Therefore, the team winning the toss should bat first.