VITALITY T20
BLAST 2025 - SOUTH GROUP PREVIEW by Marcus Hook
My first taste of Twenty20 cricket was finals day in 2003. Okay,
confession time – I didn’t think T20 cricket would catch on, so I
booked a fortnight’s holiday in Italy to coincide with the group
phase. How wrong I was! I returned to virtually everyone telling me
it was the future. Surrey’s unbeaten run culminated with the first
ever domestic Twenty20 title. Indeed, their first defeat didn’t come
until the second final, a year later.
It now seems inconceivable for any team to
string together 13 successive T20 victories. However, despite
reaching a further 7 Twenty20 finals days (so 9 in all), Surrey have
won the competition just once – in its inaugural year.
The last four champions have all come from the
South. Unsurprisingly, the Oval outfit, beaten semi-finalists in each
of the last two seasons, are 11-4 to top their group and, at 6-1, the
bookies’ favourites overall.
The template for T20 success, refined over the
last 22 years, seems pretty simple. Delivering it is, however, easier
said than done.
First and foremost, don’t go too hard too early
with the bat. Instead, play yourself in. The stats show that the team
with the highest score at the fall of the third wicket in T20 cricket
invariably goes on to win. Conversely, aim to make early inroads with
the ball by deploying the bowlers boasting the best strike rates, i.e.
balls per wicket.
Second, give the batters in your side with the
superior runs per 100 deliveries stats every chance of facing as many
balls as possible. There’s no point in someone hitting a quick
half-century at number four or five if it leaves you wondering: ‘What
if they’d opened?’
Thirdly, if a bowler bowls really effective overs
back-to-back, given them a third on the trot, or even bowl them out.
How many times have you seen a bowler yanked out of the attack after
sending down one or two really good overs, only to go around the park
when they later return to the fold?
Fourth, turn ones into twos by running hard and,
when it’s there to hit, look to clear the rope. Another stat is the
team that hits the most sixes often goes on to win in T20. So, be
positive and if the ball is there to be hit, hit it – don’t check your
shot and end up picking out the man at deep long-on.
Fifth, when you’re if the field aim to dry up the
boundaries. If a batter hasn’t hit a four or six for a while
frustration could lead to their downfall. Conversely, don’t panic.
Look at last year’s semi-final between Somerset and Surrey, who made
153-9 and then had the Cidermen on the ropes at 7 for three. Slowly,
but surely, Sean Dickson and James Rew turned Somerset’s fortunes
around with a 144-run fourth-wicket stand in 16 overs.
Sixth, keep wides and no-balls to an absolute
minimum. Not only are they a gift for the opposition, they’re also
going to put you under pressure against the clock, in terms of the
cut-off time.
Seventh, look to secure the services of two
overseas bowlers, or possibly a bowler and an all-rounder. Why?
Generally speaking, the sides that reach finals day do so on the back
of having the best bowlers, rather than the best batters. Last
season’s winners, Gloucestershire finished up with two of the
competition’s top three wicket-takers (David Payne, with 33 at 12.75
runs apiece and Matt Taylor with 29 at 14.37).
Finally, get over the line in the close games. To
qualify for the knockout phase you only need to win 55-60 percent of
the matches in your group, so winning the nail-biters can make all the
difference. Once through to the final eight, it all comes down to what
happens on the day.
So let's take a look at
this year’s South Group…
ESSEX
Since winning the title six years ago, Essex have
only made it through to finals day once (in 2023, when they finished
runners-up to Somerset). These days they rely on ‘lesser-knowns’ like
Matt Critchley, Michael Pepper and Paul Walter. The fitness /
availability of Jordan Cox, with the bat, and Sam Cook, with the ball,
will be crucial to the Eagles’ chances.
Surrey clash: 6 July (Sun) at the Oval
Last ten T20s v Surrey: Surrey 4 wins, Essex 5 wins, plus 1 tied
Odds: 16-1
Overseas player(s): Mohammad Amir (Pakistan) and Simon Harmer (South
Africa)
Best finish: Winners (2019).
GLAMORGAN
The Welshmen have not progressed to the knockout
phase since reaching the semis in 2017, plus they’re the only team in
the South Group yet to lift the trophy. Unless Kiran Carlson and Colin
Ingram can deliver runs aplenty (given there will be no Marnus
Labuschagne this time around) it could be another case of: ‘Well,
there’s always next year’.
Surrey clashes: 3 June (Tue) at Cardiff and 11
July (Fri) at the Oval
Last ten T20s v Surrey: Surrey have won 8 out of the last ten,
Glamorgan once (by a solitary run) plus a no result
Odds: 40-1
Overseas player(s): Colin Ingram (South Africa) and Hayden Kerr
(Australia)
Best finish: Semi-finals (2004 and 2017).
GLOUCESTERSHIRE
The defending champions surprised everyone last
summer, following up three seasons in which they failed to progress to
the quarters by winning it. Once again, their success (or failure)
will hinge on the form, with the ball, of David Payne and Matt Taylor,
and Cameron Bancroft with the willow. The acquisition of D’Arcy Short
firmly underlines the Bristolians’ intentions.
Surrey clash: 9 July (Wed) at Bristol
Last ten T20s v Surrey: Surrey have 5 wins, Glos 4, with one tied
Odds: 16-1
Overseas player(s): Cameron Bancroft (Australia), Marchant De Lange
(South Africa) and D’Arcy Short (Australia)
Best finish: Winners (2024).
HAMPSHIRE
Their record of 10 finals day appearances
(including three titles) in the last 15 seasons speaks for itself.
James Vince, who recently retired from red-ball cricket, is back to
pep-up the batting; as, no doubt, will Brevis and Pretorius. However,
the big question, again, is who will star with the ball? Dawson?
Currie? Last year, their leading T20 wicket-taker was John Turner,
with just 15.
Surrey clashes: 5 June (Thu) at the Oval and 17
June (Tue) at the Utilita Bowl
Last ten T20s v Surrey: The South Londoners have won 8, Hampshire one,
with one abandoned
Odds: 14-1
Overseas player(s): Kyle Abbott, Dewald Brevis and Lhuan-dre Pretorius
(both South Africa)
Best finish: Winners (2010, 2012 and 2022).
KENT
A lack of proven match-winners, particularly with
the ball, could see the Spitfires fail to clamber out of their group
for a fourth season since winning the title in 2021. On their day,
Kent are capable of beating anyone – last summer, they trounced Surrey
by 86 runs at home – but one senses Bell-Drummond, Billings and
Crawley can’t be expected to do it all with the bat.
Surrey clashes: 6 June (Fri) at Canterbury and 12
June (Thu) at the Oval
Last ten T20s v Surrey: Kent have triumphed in 3, while Surrey have
won the other 7
Odds: 25-1
Overseas player(s): Wes Agar and Tom Rogers (both Australia)
Best finish: Winners (2007 and 2021).
MIDDLESEX
With just two quarter-final appearances since
winning the title in 2008, not much is expected of the North
Londoners; not least because they’ve either finished bottom or one
from bottom in the South Group in the last four years. Who knows,
maybe Kane Williamson will galvanise them, but they’re missing a trick
batting Ryan Higgins, a sweet striker of the ball, at five or six.
Surrey clashes: 20 June (Fri) at the Oval and 16
July (Wed) at Lord’s
Last ten T20s v Surrey: Surrey 8 victories, Middlesex one, one
abandonment
Odds: 40-1
Overseas player(s): Zafar Gohar (Pakistan), Josh Little (Ireland),
Dane Paterson (South Africa) and Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
Best finish: Winners (2008).
SOMERSET
Last summer's runners-up and winners before that,
it’ll be a major surprise if Somerset don’t make it through to the
last eight; especially as it looks like they’ll be able to field a
settled side. Tom Banton, Sean Dickson, Lewis Gregory, Tom Kohler-Cadmore
and Will Smeed all averaged more than 140 runs per 100 balls last
term, while their bowling attack just kept coming at you.
Surrey clashes: 30 May (Fri) at Taunton and 13
July (Sun) at the Oval
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 6 wins for Somerset, 4 for Surrey
Odds: 7-1
Overseas player(s): Matt Henry (New Zealand), Riley Meredith
(Australia) and Migael Pretorius (South Africa)
Best finish: Winners (2005 and 2023).
SURREY
Packed with talent, but, with more moving parts
than anyone else (e.g. they’ll start the Blast with Atkinson, Jacks,
Overton and Smith on England white-ball duty), the concern will be
making sure everyone knows their role. New skipper, Sam Curran will be
key. That said, Surrey have an abundance of all-rounders. The Kiwi
pair of Santner and Smith will give Curran junior even more options
with the ball.
Odds: 6-1
Overseas player(s): Mitchell Santner and Nathan Smith (both New
Zealand)
Best finish: Winners (2003).
SUSSEX
If their early championship form is anything to
go by – they’re back in Division One for the first time since 2015 –
last year’s semi-finalists are properly punching above their weight
again. The fitness of Jofra Archer will be key, but wickets shouldn’t
be hard to come by with some canny overseas signings to augment
Sussex’s other quicks – Tymal Mills and Ollie Robinson.
Surrey clashes: 18 June (Wed) at the Oval and 18
July (Fri) at Hove
Last ten T20s v Surrey: The Oval outfit have won 4, Sussex 3, while
the other three got started before weather intervened
Odds: 14-1
Overseas player(s): Daniel Hughes, Nathan McAndrew and Gurinder Sandhu
(all Australia), plus Jayden Seales (West Indies)
Best finish: Winners (2009).
GO
TO:
BACK TO:
|
