T20 Blast Essentials: All you need to know ahead of Saturday's action

The Cricketer provides all the information you need ahead of a busy day in the South Group

SOUTH GROUP

Kent v Sussex

Where: Canterbury

When: Saturday, September 12, 2pm

Lowdown: The top two in the South Group meet for the second time; in their first instalment, they were separated by just a single run. It would be little surprise were these two sides to meet once more in this competition during the knockout stages, so impressive they have been.

Sussex have hit their straps and look a force to be reckoned with, while Kent could go a long way to securing qualification with a second win over Luke Wright’s side.

One to watch: No one has scored more runs in this year’s T20 Blast than Wright, but arguably Sussex’s star man so far has been David Wiese.

The allrounder missed the start of this shortened campaign due to travel restrictions out of South Africa, but he is making up for lost time now. His 201 runs have come at an average of 100.5 and a brutal strike rate of 151.12. His unbeaten 79 single-handedly won Sussex’s game against Middlesex.

Tickets: The match will be played behind closed doors.

Weather: Cloudy but dry.

Prediction: Sussex

^{Mason Crane has impressed for Hampshire}

Middlesex v Hampshire

Where: Lord’s

When: Saturday, September 12, 2pm

Lowdown: Two sides with a win each, but arguably playing better cricket than their results have shown. Hampshire finally have James Vince back in their ranks, while they wait for Shaheen Shah Afridi to fully hit his straps.

Mason Crane has been among the standout spinners in the competition. Middlesex have put much of their faith in youth: leg-spinning allrounder Luke Hollman has impressed, while Jack Davies made his Blast debut against Surrey last Saturday.

One to watch: Middlesex needed someone to step up in the absence of Eoin Morgan, Dawid Malan, AB de Villiers and Paul Stirling, who formed the crux of their batting line-up in 2019. In Stevie Eskinazi, they have found that man.

He is level with Luke Wright at the top of the run-scoring charts, having struck 240 in five innings. No other player has passed fifty three times, while he also sits atop the six-hitting ladder.

Tickets: The match will be played behind closed doors.

Weather: Cloudy but dry.

Prediction: Middlesex

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