T20 Blast: betting preview and tips for Friday's North and South Group matches

North & South Group matches, from 6.30pm Friday

Northamptonshire had a golden period in the T20 Blast between 2013 and 2016, winning the Twenty20 competition twice and finishing as runners-up once, but the Steelbacks look set to struggle this summer.

Their batting unit has failed to spark in their first two North Group games, falling short of a target of 149 against Durham before posting a meagre 152-8 in Wednesday's seven-wicket defeat to Nottinghamshire.

They host Birmingham Bears on Friday and the visitors to Wantage Road look well worth backing.

The Bears will be full of confidence after winning their first two completed games convincingly. Birmingham's bowlers restricted Leicestershire to 115-9 before their batsmen piled up 205-5 to overwhelm Derbyshire by 49 runs on Wednesday.

In the South Group, Surrey look vulnerable against a well-balanced Sussex side who outplayed Hampshire at Hove on Wednesday and can claim another big scalp at the venue.

Sussex's bowling attack has been boosted by the form and fitness of left-arm quicks Tymal Mills and Reece Topley while Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan is one of the most feared bowlers in Twenty20 cricket.

Rashid thumped 22 off seven balls in the win over Hampshire, following a blistering 73 off 46 from opener Phil Salt, and Luke Wright, David Wiese and Laurie Evans, last season's leading Blast runscorer, are also threats with the bat.

Surrey were favourites to beat struggling Glamorgan at The Oval on Thursday night but they were well beaten by Essex and Middlesex in their first two games and face a daunting trip to Hove.

Recommendations
Birmingham Bears
3pts 8-11 Betfair, Paddy Power
Sussex
2pts 4-5 Sky Bet

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