ESS vs HAM Match Prediction & Betting Tips - Jul 15, 2023
It’s finally time for the Vitality T20 Blast Finals Day! As you might know, the UK’s T20 league plans two semi-finals and the Final all on the same day and venue, so there are three games to enjoy for T20 cricket fans.
To reach the semi-finals, Essex defeated Birmingham by 2 wickets, while Hampshire picked up a win against Worcestershire by 5 wickets. The winner of Essex vs. Hampshire will play the victor of Surrey vs. Somerset in the Final. All three games will be played one after the other at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Keep checking the latest betting odds to see where you can win big.
ESS vs HAM Team Previews
Essex
While the Essex batters performed well enough against Birmingham, it was certainly the bowlers who got the job done. Essex made a great choice to bowl first after winning the toss, and managed to remove Yates for a duck and Davies for 11.
It was a surprise to see Hain batting well for a half-century, as many thought he’d be sidelined with an injury. Still, the Essex bowlers kept Birmingham to just 7/167 runs after 20 overs, thanks largely to Cook (2/24) and Beard (1/11). Sams was a bit of a disappointment considering his great season of 23 wickets, as he was expensive at 1/41 (ER: 10.25). Sams has just 5 wickets in his last 5 matches, so we’re not sure to trust him just yet.
For the batsmen, Lawrence’s 62 runs were the biggest help, which shouldn’t have been such a shock, as he’s compiled 349 runs for the season and had 58 against Surrey. If Essex is to beat Hampshire, it’ll have to be via Lawrence or Pepper (391 runs for the season), as appear to be only two batters that can handle the spotlights.
Essex Playing 11
Adam Rossington, Dan Lawrence, Michael Pepper, Robin Das, Paul Walter, Matt Critchley, Daniel Sams, Simon Harmer, Shane Snater, Aaron Beard, Samuel Cook.
Hampshire
Hampshire has a chance to repeat as T20 Blast champions, as they are the current titleholders and certainly have what it takes to win all over again.
Hampshire’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss against Worcestershire was sheer genius, as they bowled them out for a measly 100 runs after 17.5 overs. Ellis (22 wickets) and Turner (20 wickets) have been the star bowlers all season for Hampshire, and they proved that they could handle the biggest moments.
Ellis simply dismantled the Worcestershire batters with an unbelievable performance of 4/6 (yes, four wickets for six runs) after only 2.5 overs. Turner (2/19) and Wood (2/23) helped clean up the rest of the batters, which goes to show just how formidable Hampshire can be when at least these three bowlers are in form.
Hampshire’s batters reached the total in 15.3 overs, although things could have been dicey after star batter Vince was removed for only 19 runs. For a batter with 657 runs for the season, Vince’s total was unusually low, but he’s still trustworthy at the right moments. Second-leading batter, McDermott, was injured with back spasms, but that allowed Weatherley to score 25 and seal the win. Weatherley is far behind Vince in runs scored (316), but Hampshire will need him to be aggressive in this next match.
Hampshire Playing 11
James Vince, Ben McDermott, Tom Prest, Joe Weatherley, Liam Dawson, Ross Whiteley, James Fuller, Benny Howell, Chris Wood, Nathan Ellis, John Turner.
ESS vs HAM Toss Prediction
Based on historical data, batting first is typically a more effective decision because 51 teams have triumphed in 92 games when this occurs. It wouldn't be terrible to bowl first because of good movement, but teams would still like to bat first.
Read our guide on toss predictions to learn how we analyze and come up with our tips.
Pitch and Conditions
One of the most balanced pitches in the UK is certainly Edgbaston, so it's not hard to see why it's chosen for the Finals Day. However, bowlers can gain some swing early on and this can trouble any batter not quite prepared enough. Although scores of about 160 are more frequent, it is not unheard of for a T20 game to go as high as 240 as batters generally love it here.
ESS vs HAM Betting Tips
Hampshire remains the favourite to win this semi-final matchup, and honestly, it’s hard to deny that. The Fun88 odds for Essex are tempting, but the fact remains that they barely squeezed past a depleted Birmingham side and may not have the firepower to take on a titan like Hampshire.
If Hampshire removes Lawrence or Pepper for a very low score, then we’re not sure that Essex has enough reliable batters to score against incredibly tough bowlers.
Hampshire will certainly not underestimate Essex, but with Ellis and Turner bowling so well, and Vince simply piling on the runs in nearly every match, it seems likely that Hampshire will win this easily. McDermott will be the X-Factor, as Hampshire needs him healthy to help take some batting pressure off Vince, but Weatherley has had his moments and can score when required.
Bet on Hampshire to win.
Bonus Cricket Bets
Vince already has two half-centuries in his last five games, and you have to think that he'll be in the zone against a slightly weaker bowling attack from Essex. Vince's 657 runs for the season haven't come by luck, and there are good odds for him to reach a half-century in this match, as he's averaging 65.70.
The odds for Ellis are decent, but we think it's a more exciting bet to choose Turner, as his odds are slightly more improved and can get you a bigger return. Turner has 20 wickets for the season and has had a great performance of 3/15 already, so it's not impossible that he'll do it again.
The Edgbaston pitch does get a bit of movement early on, but prepared batters can use this speed to knock one way down the side and use the ball's momentum to carry it down the ground. If the outfield is fast and the batters have their energy, then they could run for three easily enough from the first delivery.
Who will win ESS vs HAM
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Match Predictions
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We are eager to know what you think of our match predictions, if there is anything we can do better or if you want to let us know your own predictions for the match.