Yorkshire v Durham: Twenty20 cricket betting preview, TV & free betting tips

Durham openers could make strong start at Headingley

Durham reached the 2018 T20 Blast quarter-finals and are in the hunt againCredit: Nigel Roddis

Yorkshire Vikings v Durham Jets
TV: Sky Sports Cricket, 7pm Friday

Headingley, Leeds

Durham's squad for their T20 Blast trip to Yorkshire includes all-rounder Ben Raine but his near-namesake is likely to have the most significant impact on this North Group fixture.

The weather forecast for Leeds looks grim, which is unfortunate as the battle for the four quarter-final spots in the North Group is building to a thrilling finale.

Leaders Lancashire are well clear but even Yorkshire, bottom of the table on six points, could still qualify for the knockout stage if they put together a sequence of wins.

Durham are aiming to enhance their top-four chances with a home win over holders Worcestershire on Thursday night, having won four and lost four of their first eight completed matches.

The weather casts a long shadow over Friday's game as a betting heat but it may be worth backing the visitors to have the higher opening partnership in what is likely to be a reduced-overs contest.

Australia star D'Arcy Short is a renowned T20 batsman, top-scoring in this year's Big Bash, but his 20-year-old opening partner Scott Steel has exceeded expectations for Durham.

Short shared opening stands of 133 with Steel and 118 with Graham Clark in two wins over Leicestershire while the Short-Steel axis combined for 114 against Derbyshire last time out.

Recommendation
Durham to have higher opening partnership
1pt 11-10 Betfair, Paddy Power

The rest of Friday's T20 Blast action

Friday's Blast coupon features a couple of intriguing derby matches between teams scrapping for top-four spots as Nottinghamshire host Derbyshire at Trent Bridge and in-form Somerset and Gloucestershire meet at Taunton.

The weather is likely to cause disruption all over the country but one bet that stands out is Hills's 10-11 about Essex posting a higher opening partnership than visitors Glamorgan at Chelmsford.

The orthodox Tom Westley and explosive Cameron Delport have formed a decent understanding at the top of the Essex order and their last three stands have been 30, 38 and 81.

Glamorgan's confidence must be on the wane after six defeats and four washouts from their first ten South Group games and Essex's Mohammad Amir is always a huge wicket-taking threat in the Powerplay overs.

Recommendation
Essex to have higher opening partnership
3pts 10-11 Hills