Post by longstop on Jul 15, 2021 10:11:21 GMT
Two games left in the group stages of the T20 Blast and Sussex need just one point to be sure of qualifying for the Quarter Finals. Alternatively, a defeat for Surrey against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham would be good enough. However, a win puts Sussex in with a chance of winning the group and, more importantly perhaps, having a home tie in the Quarter Finals.
The first of these two games for Sussex means a trip along the coast to The Ageas Bowl to face Hampshire. Hampshire are playing two home games on the same day. I don't know if Hampshire are the first team to do this, but earlier in the day they face Essex. Hampshire could still feasibly qualify for the Quarter Finals if they finish with three home wins, but, after a poor start to their T20 campaign, they have won two consecutive games against Somerset and Gloucestershire. In their last outing against Somerset, they won by 75 runs as the visitors fell well short of their total of 175.
Mason Crane and Scott Currie have been Hampshire's most successful bowlers, taking 12 wickets apiece. Runs have been shared around but inconsistency has been Hampshire's problem, sometimes scoring well and other times falling short of competitive totals.
Earlier in the season at Hove, Sussex defeated Hampshire by 9 wickets. In that game, Archie Lenham took three of Hampshire's top order wickets to restrict the visitors to 154 for 7. The Sussex reply was led by Phil Salt (72 no) and Ravi Bopara (56 no) who took Sussex over the line in the 17th over. Can Sussex seal qualification at The Ageas? We are just going to have to wait and see, I guess.
Southern Group table
Kent P12 17 Pts
Sussex P12 15 Pts
Gloucestershire P12 14 Pts
Somerset P12 14 Pts
Surrey P13 13 Pts
Essex P12 11 Pts
Hampshire P11 9 Pts
Glamorgan P12 8 Pts
Middlesex P12 7 Pts
Remaining fixtures
Hampshire v Essex - Friday 1400 (Southampton)
Gloucestershire v Surrey Friday 1430 (Cheltenham)
Middlesex v Kent - Friday 1815 (Lord's)
Glamorgan v Somerset - Friday 1830 (Cardiff)
Hampshire v Sussex - Friday 1900 (Southampton)
Essex v Middlesex - Sunday 1430 (Chelmsford)
Hampshire v Glamorgan - Sunday 1430 (Southampton)
Kent v Sussex - Sunday 1830 (Canterbury)
Somerset v Gloucestershire - Sunday 1830 (Taunton)
The first of these two games for Sussex means a trip along the coast to The Ageas Bowl to face Hampshire. Hampshire are playing two home games on the same day. I don't know if Hampshire are the first team to do this, but earlier in the day they face Essex. Hampshire could still feasibly qualify for the Quarter Finals if they finish with three home wins, but, after a poor start to their T20 campaign, they have won two consecutive games against Somerset and Gloucestershire. In their last outing against Somerset, they won by 75 runs as the visitors fell well short of their total of 175.
Mason Crane and Scott Currie have been Hampshire's most successful bowlers, taking 12 wickets apiece. Runs have been shared around but inconsistency has been Hampshire's problem, sometimes scoring well and other times falling short of competitive totals.
Earlier in the season at Hove, Sussex defeated Hampshire by 9 wickets. In that game, Archie Lenham took three of Hampshire's top order wickets to restrict the visitors to 154 for 7. The Sussex reply was led by Phil Salt (72 no) and Ravi Bopara (56 no) who took Sussex over the line in the 17th over. Can Sussex seal qualification at The Ageas? We are just going to have to wait and see, I guess.
Southern Group table
Kent P12 17 Pts
Sussex P12 15 Pts
Gloucestershire P12 14 Pts
Somerset P12 14 Pts
Surrey P13 13 Pts
Essex P12 11 Pts
Hampshire P11 9 Pts
Glamorgan P12 8 Pts
Middlesex P12 7 Pts
Remaining fixtures
Hampshire v Essex - Friday 1400 (Southampton)
Gloucestershire v Surrey Friday 1430 (Cheltenham)
Middlesex v Kent - Friday 1815 (Lord's)
Glamorgan v Somerset - Friday 1830 (Cardiff)
Hampshire v Sussex - Friday 1900 (Southampton)
Essex v Middlesex - Sunday 1430 (Chelmsford)
Hampshire v Glamorgan - Sunday 1430 (Southampton)
Kent v Sussex - Sunday 1830 (Canterbury)
Somerset v Gloucestershire - Sunday 1830 (Taunton)