T20 preview: Surrey aim for glory on final day – Tom Curran a key player for Oval team – South London news

BY MARCUS HOOK

For the second year in a row, the T20 finals day will be an all-south affair, with all four teams from the northern group that qualified for the last eight crashing out in the quarter-finals.

Surrey beat Durham by two overs, but Sussex went one better a day later by bowling out Lancashire for 114.

Northants came closer than many thought to breaking Somerset's massive 215-3 (the Cidermen won by 17 runs). Gloucestershire surprised everyone – not least the Birmingham Bears – by somehow managing to defend a meagre 138 runs at Edgbaston, which once again hosts county cricket's showpiece event.

Sussex captain Tymal Mills' joy at his team's defeat to Lancashire was tempered by the prospect of being without fellow fast bowler Jofra Archer on the final day, which, incredible as it may sound, falls right in the middle of England's white-ball series against Australia.

“As far as I know, there will be no English players available on T20 Finals Day, which is quite stupid to be honest,” said Mills.

“Of course, there will be no English players from any team, but it is a real shame for us to lose a player like Jofra. Whoever steps in for him will have big shoes to fill.”

If Mills feels the loss of Archer is a blow, he should perhaps also think of Surrey, who are missing Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith and Reece Topley for the England-Australia series.

Smith, who has a batting average of 40.71 in this year's Blast and a strike rate of 205 (per 100 balls) – currently the best in the competition – is arguably the biggest loss. If not, then it must be down to Sam Curran's lack of inclination to impress with both the bat and the ball on the big occasions.

Nevertheless, Surrey starts as favourites with the oddsmakers, who also seem to have overlooked the fact that the last seven winners triumphed in the second semi-final.

First, Surrey will face Somerset, who played each other in the County Championship this week. After the mascot race and a fair bit of hype, it's Gloucestershire versus Sussex tomorrow at 11am.

All four protagonists deserve to be part of the T20 final day, which also means that with a bit of luck they can all add their names to the trophy.

Whatever happens, it promises to be a fantastic occasion.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

Odds: 9:2.

Key player: David Payne.

Runners-up once (2007) and twice semi-finalists, hardly anyone seems to be talking about Gloucestershire, even though they knocked out the winners of the Northern Group in the quarter-finals.

They certainly won't be there to fill in the numbers, after all the Bristolians are the only team in the last four with two batsmen who have scored more than 400 runs in this summer's T20s – Cameron Bancroft (442 runs at 31.57) and Miles Hammond (422 at 30.14).

David Payne is not only a reliable player who keeps the ball close, he is also the highest wicket-taker of the year in the Blast with 29 wickets at 13.27. Not far behind is Matt Taylor with 23 wickets at 16.26.

Prediction: If their key players continue to play so well, the cup could return to Bristol for the first time.

SOMERSET

Odds: 5:2.

Key player: Tom Banton.

The defending champions have made it to the T20 final day for the fourth year in a row. No top order in the county game is as powerful in T20 cricket as Somerset's leading willow sextet – Tom Banton, Will Smeed, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Sean Dickson, Lewis Gregory and Tom Abell, all of whom boast strike rates of over 140 (per 100 balls) this season.

The pick falls to Banton (515 runs at an average of 46.81), who many believe deserves another try at international level. The key to Somerset's bowling attack is captain Lewis Gregory and Craig Overton, who apply the brakes, coupled with Ben Green's ability to produce a wicket exactly when it is needed.

Prediction: If they knock out Surrey in the semi-finals like last year, Somerset will be on the verge of becoming the first county to win two T20 titles in a row.

SURREY

Odds: 2:1.

Key player: Tom Curran.

Surrey have won the County Championship in each of the last two seasons and appear to be on course to win their third consecutive title this summer, although they have not lifted the T20 trophy since their very first title in 2003.

The South Londoners are the only one of the four teams that do not have a batsman or bowler with more than 15 wickets who scored over 300 runs in this year's Blast.

This is because England and other commitments outside the Oval team's control force them to field a total of 24 players.

While captain Chris Jordan struggled with the ball, Jordan Clark, Tom Curran, Dan Lawrence and Dan Worrall gave him much-needed control.

Prediction: If Surrey learn from last year's semi-final and build a base with the bat rather than trying to hit every ball out of the park, the crème de la crème of the South Group could be unstoppable.

SUSSEX

Odds: 9-4.

Key player: Daniel Hughes.

This is only Sussex's fourth visit to the finals since winning the trophy in 2009. Daniel Hughes is the leading runmaker in this year's Blast, with 595 runs at an average of 42.50.

At various stages, the 35-year-old Australian has found useful allies in Tom Alsop (337 at 37.44), James Coles (342 at 34.20) and Harrison Ward (341 at 28.41).

But so often in T20 cricket, it's how well teams play with the ball that counts. Despite being without Jofra Archer, Tymal Mills (24 wickets at 17.91 runs each), the slow left-hander Coles (19 at 20.89) and Ollie Robinson (18 at 20.38), they are proven partnership breakers and hard to get to.

Prediction: No matter which team the Sharks field, all eleven players are capable of delivering a game-winning performance, making them real contenders.

PHOTOS: KEITH GILLARD

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