Two teams that could not have made more contrasting starts to their T20 Blast campaigns square off at Edgbaston on Sunday as Warwickshire Bears host Northampton Steelbacks in a Central & West Group showdown.
The Bears have reached the quarter-finals in each of the past five seasons but face a tall order to repeat that feat as they have lost each of their first three games in this season's competition, going down to Gloucestershire, Somerset and Worcestershire.
By contrast, the Steelbacks have a perfect winning record with three wins out of three, having beaten Glamorgan, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, to sit top of the group, at least four points better off than anyone else and 12 clear of Sunday's hosts.
Warwickshire Bears v Northamptonshire Steelbacks Tips Summary
Best Bet: Northants -3.5 wkts/10.5 runs Match Handicap @ 4/5
Alternative Bet: James Sales top Northants bowler @ 7/1
Bet Builder - Northants to win, JJG Sales to take 1+ Wickets, NA McSweeney to score over 21.5 Runs, RM Yates to score Over 19.5 Runs @ 13/2
Warwickshire Bears v Northamptonshire Steelbacks Prediction
Best Bet: Northants -3.5 wkts/10.5 runs Match Handicap @ 4/5
Northamptonshire Steelbacks could not have made a better start to the competition, perhaps galvanised by winning a 3-run thriller in their opener against Glamorgan as they have been much more emphatic since.
The Steelbacks thumped the Rapids by 100 runs before strolling to a seven-wicket win over Gloucestershire with more than three overs to spare, two teams that the Bears were dominated by.
In fact, Warwickshire were dismissed for just 74 against Gloucestershire in their first match, and things have not got any better since, with neither facet of their game in particularly good working order - with their three margins of defeat 47 runs, seven wickets and six wickets.
Of course T20 cricket does lend itself to shocks here and there, but having won the last three head-to-heads against the Bears - the most recent being by 64 runs - and making an emphatic start to this season's campaign, the Steelbacks look worth backing to win with a little to spare.
Alternative Bet: James Sales top Northants bowler @ 7/1
James Sales looks a massive price to finish as the Steelbacks top bowler on Sunday, not least because he leads the way in the tournament with nine wickets from three matches - three more than team-mate Calvin Harrison - having played a game fewer than some of his nearest challengers.
The 23-year-old has taken at least one wicket in each of his three games but has been getting better as the tournament has progressed, returning figures of 1-23, 3-28 and 5-21.
Sales has bowled his full allotment in every game too while he has been able to build pressure with his economy - his rate of 6.00 is bettered by only three bowlers - and he looks too big to ignore
Warwickshire Bears v Northamptonshire Steelbacks Bet Builder Tip
- Northants to win
- JJG Sales to take 1+ Wickets
- NA McSweeney to score over 21.5 Runs
- RM Yates to score Over 19.5 Runs
Pays 13/2
Backing a straight Northamptonshire win kicks off this four-legged Bet Builder, as does backing Sales to pick up at least one wicket, given he has done so in each of his three games so far.
Nathan McSweeney has made an excellent start to the campaign, despite missing the game-two win over Worcestershire, as he has registered scores of 27 and 53, and he can pass his run line against an attack that has so far struggled.
Rob Yates has arguably been the shining light with the bat for the Bears so far this season, registering knocks of 14, 42 and 45, and he can pass what looks a particularly low run line, regardless of his team's overall performance.
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Key Match Stats
- Northamptonshire have won three out of three to top the Central & West Group with 12 points
- Warwickshire have lost all three matches so far to prop up the table with zero points
- The Steelbacks three margins of victory have been by three runs (Glamorgan), 100 runs (Worcestershire) and seven wickets (Gloucestershire)
- The Bears have lost their three games by 47 runs (Gloucestershire), seven wickets (Somerset) and six wickets (Worcestershire)
- Northants have won the last three meetings with the Bears, triumphing by 64 runs in their most recent clash
- James Sales is the leading wicket-taker in this year's T20 Blast with nine wickets from three games
- Warwickshire's Rob Yates is the leading scorer of either of these two teams with 101 runs
Tactics, Form and Team News
The Bears may well have to persist with the same line-up with Jacob Bethell still recovering from a finger injury sustained in the IPL.
Predicted Warwickshire Bears XI: Davies (wk), Yates, Webster, Hain, Barnard (c), Jani, Thompson, Woakes, T Ali, Hannon-Dalby, Tariq.
The Steelbacks will be a lot happier to keep the faith given that they enjoyed a seven-wicket win last time out. Nathan McSweeney returned for that game and scored a fine 53 so there are unlikely to be any changes.
Predicted Northamptonshire Steelbacks XI: Vasconcelos, Lynn, McSweeney, Willey (c), Broad, Kimber, McManus (wk), Harrison, Sales, Sanderson, Scrimshaw.
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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.
