Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
THE FACTS
Where can I get tickets for the T20 Blast? Visit this link for the latest ticket information for the T20 Blast
What channel is the T20 Blast on in the UK? Sky Sports have the rights to show the T20 Blast so it is worth checking their schedule here
Where can I stream the T20 Blast in the UK? Matches that are televised on Sky Sports 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
THE FIXTURES
Below is a list of the day’s fixtures:
South Group
Gloucestershire vs Kent Spitfires – 19:00pm BST
GLOUCESTERSHIRE VS KENT SPITFIRES
THE LOWDOWN
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
At the halfway stage of the T20 Blast group stage, Gloucestershire have six points to their name, winning three and losing four of their seven encounters. They’ll know the importance of home form heading into the second half of the competition and this represents a must-win contest for them with Essex Eagles and Glamorgan, the two teams directly above them in the South group playing each other on the same night.
There has been a significant change within the Gloucestershire T20 setup over the course of the break, that being the replacement of Jack Taylor as captain. After four years in the role, Taylor has stepped down with batter Miles Hammond having been announced as his successor. Hammond’s first game in charge will be this one against Kent Spitfires and he’ll be hoping the captaincy perhaps serves as a boost to his batting in the process.
KENT SPITFIRES
You could argue that the week’s break in the T20 Blast came at just the wrong time for Kent Spitfires with them having just taken a huge scalp in beating Hampshire Hawks at Canterbury. Those two points have reignited their push for a top four spot in the South Group, although the Spitfires still have six points to make up on fourth-placed Essex Eagles, making this a must-win game for them.
Unfortunately for Kent though, they will come into this match with confidence and momentum having been sucked back out of their group following a horrific County Championship defeat at home to Surrey. After having dominated the game for a long period, Kent set Surrey 501 runs to win, the second-highest run chase in the competition’s history. Incredibly, Surrey completed the chase with five wickets remaining, three players reaching centuries in the process.
THE PREDICTION
It’s hard not to see Kent’s awful County Championship form and particularly that loss against Surrey spill over into their T20 Blast campaign with such a short turnaround in fixtures. A long journey to Gloucestershire is also less than ideal for them and the hosts may well utilise home advantage and strangle their opponents into submission. With that in mind, consider backing Gloucestershire to come out on top here.
TIP: GLOUCESTERSHIRE TO WIN
