2021 Vitality t20 Blast – Somerset vs Essex Eagles Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Somerset vs Essex Eagles taking place? Wednesday 9th June, 2021 – 18:30 (UK)
Where is Somerset vs Essex Eagles taking place? The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton
What is the expected weather for Somerset vs Essex Eagles? Temperatures likely to be just short of 20 degrees with very little chance of rain but it will be cloudy conditions
Where can I get tickets for Somerset vs Essex Eagles? Click here for the latest ticket information
What channel is Somerset vs Essex Eagles on? Sky Sports have the rights to show the T20 Blast so check their schedule here to see if they will be showing this match
Where can I stream Somerset vs Essex Eagles? If televised on Sky Sports, this match can be streamed live on Sky Go. If not televised on Sky, this match can be streamed live on the official websites and YouTube channels of each competing team, as well as the England Cricket app
THE LOWDOWN
Led by England-capped T20 specialist captain Lewis Gregory, Somerset will be hoping for a much better Blast than their 2020 campaign in which they failed to finish inside the top three in the central group and were knocked out after just ten matches. Eddie Byrom could be a player to keep an eye on in this tournament after an impressive ends to his 2019 and 2020 campaigns. They are up against an Essex Eagles side that are without their key T20 man in recent years in Ravi Bopara but still head into this with the bulk of their first-class side with Simon Harmer as captain and they will welcome Jimmy Neesham as their overseas all-rounder alongside Harmer. The Eagles won just two of their ten group stage matches as they fell out at the group stage of 2020.
THE PREDICTION
This is a match at a Taunton that has seen some relentlessly hard-hitting in the T20 Blast in recent years. However, that wasn’t necessarily the case in 2020 during a wet August in which 130-150 tended to be a par score at Somerset. A low-scoring and scrappy encounter will be likely between two sides that tend to be good at simply winning games - by any means. A low-scoring encounter would favour the visitors with the strength of that bowling attack led by Simon Harmer so an Essex win would be the favoured result in this one.
