The Friends Life T20 is underway and the good people of The Middle Stump bring you their preview. For the third year, 18 teams battle it out for a place in finals day at Cardiff in August. This year sees the competition revert back to three groups of six (North, South and Midlands) with the top two from each progressing to the quarter finals along with the two best third placed teams. Surrey are favourites with William Hill at 5/1 but who will be celebrating come August 25th?
Midlands/ Wales/ West
![]() |
No Nico for the Foxes this year... |
![]() |
Big hitting Levi |
Outsiders for this group with a chance of getting through to the knock out stages are Worcestershire Royals. Phil Hughes and Vikram Solanki will be key for the men from New Road. The Royals are a massive 8/1 to win the group and a whopping 28/1 to win the whole thing.
North
![]() |
Taylor- Key for the Outlaws |
No outsiders for this group as I think It will be a formality with the big two battling it out although as holders, the Foxes are an incredible 12/1 just to win the group. I wouldn’t back them with stolen money!
South
![]() |
Bowlers will want to see the back of KP |
Middlesex are the outsiders of the group for me. 7/1 to win the group and 18/1 to be crowned champions appeals to me. No Malinga but I think that will be a good thing. They have a bunch of guys who seem a tight knit group and they will go far. Much will depend on the availability of Eoin Morgan and Stirling but I fancy the Panthers …
Outright Betting (William Hill)
5/1 Surrey
11/2 Somerset
6/1 Nottinghamshire
10/1 Sussex
10/1 Hampshire
12/1 Essex
12/1 Durham
12/1 Lancashire
14/1 Warwickshire
18/1 Middlesex
20/1 Kent
20/1 Northants
22/1 Yorkshire
25/1 Welsh Dragons
28/1 Gloucestershire
28/1 Leicestershire
28/1 Worcestershire
33/1 Derbyshire
3 Players to watch:
Owais Shah - Essex
Top English run scorer in the recent IPL, yes... a tournament that included a certain Kevin the Kev.
Shaun Marsh - Welsh Dragons (Glamorgan!)
Absolute run machine in this format. Will be key if Glamorgan are to get out of their tricky group. 12/1 favourite for top batsman.
Matt Coles - Kent
Bowls at a brisk pace and can tw*t a ball out of the ground. Could become dangerous in a partnership (bowling not civil) with Azhar Mahmood .
3 Players to watch:
Owais Shah - Essex
Top English run scorer in the recent IPL, yes... a tournament that included a certain Kevin the Kev.
Shaun Marsh - Welsh Dragons (Glamorgan!)
Absolute run machine in this format. Will be key if Glamorgan are to get out of their tricky group. 12/1 favourite for top batsman.
Matt Coles - Kent
Bowls at a brisk pace and can tw*t a ball out of the ground. Could become dangerous in a partnership (bowling not civil) with Azhar Mahmood .
No comments:
Post a comment