T20 Blast Quarter Final 2: Nottinghamshire vs Hampshire - Preview, Predicted XIs, Match Prediction, Weather Forecast and Pitch Report
Nottinghamshire and Hampshire will square off in the second quarter-final of the Vitality T20 Blast 2021 at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Wednesday, August 25.
The Notts Outlaws have enjoyed tremendous success so far in this edition of the Vitality T20 Blast. They sit atop the North Group points table with nine wins and 21 points to their name. Nottinghamshire have won four out of their last five fixtures and will be riding high on confidence as they look to book a semi-final spot.
Meanwhile, Hampshire Hawks finished fourth in the South Group with 15 points from fourteen games. After a topsy-turvy campaign for the majority of the season, the Hawks peaked at the business end of the tournament. They come into this contest on the back of five consecutive wins and will be hoping to continue their winning streak.
Alex Hales (463 runs), Ben Duckett (367 runs), and Joe Clarke (366 runs) have done the bulk of the scoring for the Outlaws in this edition. Jake Ball and Calvin Harrison, with 18 wickets apiece, have been the mainstays with the ball. All-rounder Samit Patel made his presence felt as well, with 305 runs and 15 wickets.
For the Hawks, it has been Joe Weatherley (333 runs), James Vince (365 runs), and D’Arcy Short (307 runs) who have wielded the willow well this season. Scott Currie, Mason Crane and Bradley Wheal have been amongst the wickets and have provided crucial breakthroughs.
Match Details:
Match: Nottinghamshire vs Hampshire, T20 Blast, 2021.
Date: August 25, 2021 (Wednesday)
Time: 11:30 PM (IST)
Venue: Trent Bridge, Nottingham
Weather Report:
The skies over Nottingham are likely to be partly cloudy throughout the game. However, we can expect a full game with a negligible chance of rain. The temperature will range from 14 to 19 degrees Celsius on Wednesday evening.
Pitch Report:
Trent Bridge is a fairly large ground. However, the quick outfield makes it viable for run-scoring. The fast bowlers will have some assistance and can extract some swing.
The venue has seen big totals being put on the board throughout the season and the wicket has been consistent in both innings. The teams batting first have won four games as compared to the three wins batting second so far. The skipper winning the toss can be expected to opt to bat in this all-important match.
Predicted Playing XIs:
Nottinghamshire:
Nottinghamshire have a formidable batting line-up comprising the likes of Alex Hales, Joe Clarke and Ben Duckett, who have scored heavily at the top. Samit Patel, Tom Moores and skipper Steven Mullaney provide stability in the middle order.
In Jake Ball, Calvin Harrison, Luke Fletcher, Dane Paterson and Samit Patel, they possess a fearsome bowling unit as well. The Outlaws have performed well as a unit and will look to carry on a good show.
Predicted XI: Steven Mullaney (c), Alex Hales, Joe Clarke, Ben Duckett, Samit Patel, Tom Moores (wk), Peter Trego, Calvin Harrison, Luke Fletcher, Jake Ball, Dane Paterson.
Hampshire:
Skipper James Vince and D’Arcy Short have been amongst the runs consistently throughout this season. Colin De Grandhomme will miss out due to international duties, which would be a huge blow for the Hawks.
In such a scenario, Toby Albert, Joe Weatherley, and Thomas Prest will need to step up in the middle order. Chris Wood, Mason Crane, Kyle Abbott, Bradley Wheal and Scott Currie will lead the bowling attack.
Predicted XI: James Vince (c), Chris Wood, D’Arcy Short, Toby Albert, Joe Weatherley, Thomas Prest, Kyle Abbott, Lewis McManus (wk), Scott Currie, Mason Crane, Bradley Wheal.
Match Prediction
Nottinghamshire finished atop the North Group table and have been very dominant this season. Hampshire may not have started well but they have five wins in a row coming into this game, which means they will be equally determined.
This could very well prove to be a closely fought and entertaining battle. Playing at home might just give Nottinghamshire a slight edge and they will start as the favorites.
TV and live streaming details:
TV: N/A.
Live Streaming: Fancode.