Jets batsmen lack power to upset Notts

North Group matches
2.30pm Saturday

There are plenty of teams still in the hunt for quarter-final spots in the T20 Blast North Group although Worcestershire and Durham, two of the sides in action on Saturday, are propping up the table.

Durham started the season with a four-point deduction and still hadn’t clawed their way up to zero before Friday night’s clash with Yorkshire, losing seven of their first eight matches.

The Jets are 21-10 for their trip to a powerful Nottinghamshire side who looked set for a fifth win of the campaign after posting 210-8 against Leicestershire on Wednesday night.

Rain ended the contest after the first innings but an opening stand of 104 in 8.5 overs between Alex Hales and Riki Wessels was a reminder of the Outlaws’ destructive potential.

Notts chased down 224 to beat Yorkshire in their previous game at Trent Bridge, with a century from in-form England man Hales, and they were away at impressive Derbyshire on Friday.

The Outlaws won the sixes battle against Yorkshire 11-10 and their array of hitters should prove too strong for struggling Durham.

Notts eased to a nine-wicket win over the Jets in the reverse fixture and the underdogs averaged just over three sixes per innings in their first eight Blast matches.

Wessels cleared the ropes 17 times in his first eight knocks – just nine fewer than the entire Durham team managed – and it is hard to see the North Group’s whipping boys turning things around at Trent Bridge.

Worcestershire had a televised derby against Birmingham Bears at Edgbaston on Friday night and are 6-5 outsiders at home to holders Northamptonshire.

The Steelbacks had a day off after an impressive victory over Lancashire and they will be eager for a repeat of their seven-wicket win over Worcestershire at Wantage Road last week.

Northants cruised home in that game, reaching their target with 14 balls to spare after an excellent bowling display featuring figures of 3-12 from Richard Gleeson’s four overs.

The seamer was at it again in Thursday’s clash with Lancashire, picking up 3-29 as new-ball partner Rory Kleinveldt claimed 3-16.

The Steelbacks should be confident of an away win at the Rapids, who lost five of their first seven completed matches, but bookmakers are taking few chances with Alex Wakely’s men, who are 4-6 shots.

Recommendation
Nottinghamshire to hit more sixes
2pts 4-7 bet365