Somerset produced a miraculous win over Yorkshire in the quarter-finals to reach this point and now face off against Northants in the first semi-final, and the Racing Post's Joe Casey fancies the defending champions to make the most of their reprieve.
Hampshire are also veterans of T20 Blast Finals Day and they are making a record-breaking 12th appearance as they take on Nottinghamshire in the second semi-final, with the winners of the two semi-finals facing off later in the day.
T20 Blast Finals Day Tips Summary
Best Bet - Somerset to beat Northants in Semi-final 1 @ 4/5
Alternative Bet - Nottinghamshire to beat Hampshire in Semi-final 2 @ 1/1
Alternative Bet - Somerset to win T20 Blast @ 11/4
T20 Blast Finals Day Prediction
Best Bet: Somerset to beat Northants in Semi-final 1 @ 4/5
Craig Overton produced one of the greatest innings ever seen in the T20 Blast after rescuing Somerset in their quarter-final against Yorkshire. His team were 82-8 chasing 162 before Overton smashed 79 off 30 balls to see his team home in the most dramatic fashion.
That knock proved two things about this Somerset team, they never know when they are beaten and they bat very deep. Will Smeed, Thomas Rew, Tom Banton, James Rew and Tom Kohler-Cadmore are an impressive top order and would be the envy of the majority of teams in this tournament.
They also come into this first semi-final with a psychological advantage over Northants, who they beat twice in the group phase of this competition earlier this month.
Star Northants batter Chris Lynn, who made 475 runs at an average of 52.77 this season, is also a doubt with a foot injury sustained in the quarter-finals.
That could be a hammer blow and Somerset are fancied to come out on top in this first semi-final.
Alternative Bet: Nottinghamshire to beat Hampshire in Semi-final 2 @ 1/1
Nottinghamshire came out on top in a dramatic quarter-final win over ante-post favourites Surrey and can follow up in this semi-final against Hampshire.
Notts finished the season with a real rattle, winning nine of their last 10 games, but the same cannot be said of Hampshire.
The South Group winners started strongly but fell over the line with three defeats in their last five group games and they may struggle to live with an impressive Notts bowling attack.
Olly Stone, Mohammad Amir, George Linde and Liam Patterson-White represent a really testing bowling unit and one that can have a major say in this semi-final.
Side with Nottinghamshire as outsiders to win this one.
Alternative Bet: Somerset to win T20 Blast @ 11/4
The T20 Blast has never been a competition which teams have found easy to dominate year on year but Somerset have bucked the trend, reaching the final in four of the last five editions.
They have lifted the trophy in two of the last three seasons and it’s hard not to be positive about their chances of retaining their crown.
In the Rew brothers they have two of the most exciting English cricketers in the game, paired with England T20 regular Tom Banton and white-ball internationals Craig Overton, Daniel Sams and Riley Meredith.
That is without mentioning veteran performers Lewis Gregory, Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Jake Ball and this squad simply looks too strong for their opponents.
They have been there and done it and should be able to use their experience to lift another T20 Blast title at Edgbaston.
Key T20 Blast Finals Day Stats
- Somerset have won two of the last three T20 Blast Finals
- Hampshire have the joint-most T20 Blast Finals Days appearances with 12
- Somerset have reached the final in four of the last five editions of this tournament
- Nottinghamshire have won nine of their last ten T20 games
- Northants have lost three of their last five T20 outings
- Nottinghamshire’s George Munsey ranks third in runs scored this season with 488
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
