Essex vs Somerset Match Prediction

ESS

35%

Chance of Winning

SOM

65%

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Jul 15, 202308:45 PM

T20

Edgbaston Cricket Ground

Having beaten defending champions Hampshire, Essex will take on Somerset, who got the better of Surrey, for a chance of being crowned the T20 Blast Champions. The final is scheduled to take place on July 15, at Edgbaston, Birmingham. The game is slated to begin at 11:15 PM IST to decide who holds the bragging rights after a long season.

Essex vs Somerset Chances of Winning

Having been favoured to cme out of the South Group quite easily, Essex made a mess of things going into the business end. They lost four games in a row to leave them in trouble but a spirited win against Surrey allowed them to creep into the knockouts edging past Sussex. But since then they have been insatiable. A thrilling two wicket victory over Warwickshire in the quartefinals set up a date against defending champions Hampshire. Winning the toss, Essex decided to bowl first and the decision looked like it would backfire as Hampshire got off to a great start scoring 39 off just three overs. But much like their season, Essex fought back well as they were able to pick wickets at regular intervals to restrict Hampshire to just 170. After the game was reduced to 12 overs owing to a rain delay, Matthew Critchley (26*) and Daniel Sams (29) enured Essex had a place in the final booked.

Having lost just two matches in the group stage, Somerset found themselves in a spot of bother in their quarter final against Nottinghamshire. Chasing 158 for a place in the semi final, Somerset found themselves struggling at 62/5. However, Ben Green and Lewis Gregory stitched together an unbeaten stand to take them over the line. With rains disrupting proceedings in Edgbaston in the semi final, Somerset could only manage a score of 142 in 19 overs. However, their bowlers stepped upto the plate and ensured that the best team in the tournament played a part in the final.

Essex chance of winning - 35%

Somerset chance of winning - 65%

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Essex vs Somerset Betting Tips

Michael-Kyle Pepper has been the best batter for Essex this season and is the only player to score over 400 runs. We believe he will have a good outing yet again and is likely to score over 30 runs. If there is one major weakness in Essex’s game, it is their inability to score runs for the opening wicket. In the 16 games they have played this season, they have average a subpar 23.6 runs. With conditions in Edgbaston more suitable for bowlers, you can expect them to have another low score in the final.

Essex vs Somerset Toss Prediction

The upcoming semi-final is scheduled to be held at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Throughout this season, a total of 10 matches have been held at this venue, with an average first innings score of 162. Among these matches, five were won by teams that batted first. Nevertheless, Essex, Essex have now won two matches on the trot where they decided to field first. Considering the wet outfield due to the rains, it is more than likely that the toss winner will opt to field first.

Weather Report

With both semi finals suffering due to rains, the final will have to deal with the same problem as well. There is a likelihood of rains playing spoilsport yet again with 90% chance of precipitation predicted during the game

Essex Player List

Feroze Khushi, Josh Rymell, Nick Browne, Robin Das, Sir Alastair Cook, Aaron Beard. Dan Lawrence, Daniel Sams, Doug Bracewell, Jamal Richards, Luc Benkenstein, Matt Critchley, Paul Walter, Tom Westley, Adam Rossington (Wk), Michael Pepper (Wk), William Buttleman (Wk), Aron Nijjar, Ben Allison, Eshun Kalley, Jamie Porter, Sam Cook, Shane Snater, Simon Harmer (c)

Predicted Playing XI

Essex Team Form

In the last seven matches they have played, Essex lost four in a row. However, they came up with a win against Surrey that allowed them to make it into the playoffs. Since then they have beaten two teams who were arguably better than them on paper. Essex have proved that on their day, they can beat any team and Somerset will be vary of that.

Somerset Player List

Andrew Umeed, George Bartlett, George Thomas, Sean Dickson, Tom Abell, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Lammonby, Will Smeed, Ben Green, Craig Overton, Kasey Aldridge, Lewis Goldsworthy, Lewis Gregory (c), Ned Leonard, Roelof van der Merwe, James Rew (Wk), Steven Davies (Wk), Tom Banton (Wk), Alfie Ogborne, Jack Leach, Josh Davey, Matt Henry, Peter Siddle, Shoaib Bashir, Sonny Baker

Predicted Playing XI

Somerset Team Form

Somerset are hands down the best team in the competition. They have lost just two games and have even been able to pull off miracle wins as the tournament has progressed. They are currently on a seven match winning streak and could go down as one of the best teams to ever play in the Blast.

Essex vs Somerset Head-to-Head

As far as one sided rivalries go, this matchup is the poster boy for it. In the 16 matches that have been played between the two sides, Somerset have won 12 of the games. Even in the ongoing season, Somerset came out on top in both head to head games between the two sides.

T20 Head-to-Head Records

Total - 18

Essex - 6

Somerset - 12

Essex vs Somerset Betting Odds

Somerset to have a better opening partnership than Essex (Parimatch)

Somerset have been exceptional as far as their opening partnership is concerned. In Tom Banton and Will Smeed they have two exceptional batters which has seen them maintain a 38.33 run opening partnership in the Blast. Essex, on the other hand, have not been able to sort out their opening stand after 16 games and average a mere 23.6 in the competition. This is as easy a pick as there is and one we strongly believe can pay off.

Essex vs Somerset Best Batters

Michael-Kyle Pepper to be Essex’s Best Batter

You have to go for Michael-Kyle Pepper for this one. Even if we forget the fact that he is the only player in Essex to score over 400 runs this season, his performance against Somerset in the group game was quite a treat. In the game at Taunton, while no batsman was able to score more than 20 runs, Pepper amassed a cool 63 to guide his team to 139.

Will Smeed to be Somerset’s Best Batter

Will Smeed has had a memorable campaign thus far. Not only his he the top run scorer for the team with 514 runs, he has an impressive five half centuries. He has been the man to put his hand up when the chips were down, so it is expected that he does the same in the biggest game of the season.

Essex vs Somerset Best Bowlers

Daniel Sams to be Essex’s Best Bowler

Not only is the Aussie their top wicket taker this season, he was the top bowler in both matches against Somerset in the 2023 T20 Blast, including a fourfer, His confidence will be at an all time high after his exploits with the bat against Hampshire and in the over cast conditions at Edgbaston, he will be more than a handful.

Ben Green to be Somerset’s Best Bowler

Can you really pick anyone but Green? On a wicket where Henry and Overton were exceptional with the new ball, Green claimed a wicket on the very first ball he bowled. He ended the semi final with figures of 3/25. He is the highest wicket taker in the Blast this season and that makes us our pick for the top bowler for Somerset.

Our Prediction

Favorites to win: Somerset

The records speak for itself. Somerset have lost just two matches in 16 games played in the Blast this season. By comparison, Essex have lost thrice that number of games in the tournament. In the two games played between the two South Group rivals, Somerset came out on top on both occasions. While the first game could be called a close one, owing to Somerset’s 11 run victory, the second one was a proper blowout. Chasing a target of 187, Somerset got there at the cost of just three wicket with an astonishing 21 balls to spare.

It is hard to look beyond Somerset for this one. They have been the best team in the Blast this season as their record highlights. The smart money is on Somerset for this one.

Essex to win @ X.XX (Parimatch)

Somerset to win @ X.XX (Parimatch)

Shankar Shekh

Sportscafe's author

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