T20 Blast 2023: Gloucestershire vs Surrey – South Group Match Preview and Updates

Cricket

Gloucestershire’s Vitality Blast season is off to a shaky start. They are still in seventh place in the South Group point table after four games, with one win and three losses. Their net run rate is currently -0.965. Things will get tougher for them when they face Surrey on June 2 at the County Ground in Bristol. Surrey currently sits second in the table with three wins, one loss, and a net run rate of 1.543.

The South Group Match between Gloucestershire vs Surrey will take place on June 2nd, 2023 at County Ground, Bristol.

Match Details to Note

Match: Gloucestershire vs Surrey, South Group Match, T20 Blast 2023

Date: June 02, 2023 (Friday)

Time: 11:15 PM IST

Venue: County Ground, Bristol

Gloucestershire vs Surrey

Gloucestershire (Match Odds – 3.10):

Preview:

Gloucestershire were defeated by Essex by three wickets after a thrilling two-run victory against Middlesex earlier this week. After being asked to bat first, Gloucestershire posted a formidable 195-7 total. Essex, on the other hand, proved too strong for them, finishing with five balls to spare.

Gloucestershire’s previous game was highlighted by all-rounder Ben Charlesworth’s blistering cameo of 52 off 20 balls. Gloucestershire’s strong total was due to his outstanding knock.

Unfortunately, the majority of the team’s other batters have struggled this season. Charlesworth now leads the batting charts with 121 runs in three games at a strike rate of 177.94. The next best is 109 runs in four innings by starter Chris Dent. The departures of established stars Benny Howell, Ian Cockbain, and Ryan Higgins have clearly harmed the team’s balance.

Grant Roelofsen, a South African wicket-keeper batter, hasn’t scored many runs this season, but he has over 1400 runs in T20 cricket at an average of 33.02. The team is hoping for a quick recovery.

Off-spinner Oliver Price has made a strong impression in the bowling department, taking 7 wickets in 3 innings at an economy of 8.69. David Payne has also been fairly consistent, taking 5 wickets in 4 innings at an economy rate of 6.93.

Full Squad:

Chris Dent, Tom Lace, Miles Hammond, Tom Smith, Matt Taylor, Josh Shaw, James Bracey, Goodman, George Scott, Ajeet Dale, Marchant de Lange, Paul van Meekeren, Marcus Harris (Australia), Zafar Gohar (Pakistan)

Possible Playing XI:

Grant Roelofsen, Chris Dent, Miles Hammond, Oliver Price, Jack Taylor (c), James Bracey (wk), Ben Charlesworth, Marchant de Lange, Tom Smith, David Payne, Danny Lamb

Surrey (Match Odds – 1.37):

Preview:

Surrey’s only defeat this season came at the hands of Sussex. They are coming off a six-wicket win over the defending champions Hampshire Hawks in Southampton. Surrey easily chased down a 157-run target with six wickets and seven balls remaining. Will Jacks led the chase with a brilliant unbeaten 83 off 57 balls. Jacks had a fantastic season last year, finishing with 449 runs in 15 games. He is also Surrey’s leading run-scorer this season, with 156 runs in four innings at an average of 52.

Laurie Evans (190 runs in the last 10 matches at a strike rate of 131) hasn’t had the best start to the season, but we believe he’s due for a big knock, and this could be the game for him.

Surrey have a strong all-rounder lineup and bat deep, with Sean Abbott, who recently smashed a century off 34 balls, batting lower down the order.

Surrey’s main strength is bowling. Sunil Narine, the ever-dependable, is having a fantastic season. The astute off-spinner has taken 7 wickets in 4 innings at a fantastic economy rate of 6.56. He will be their main weapon in keeping the opposing batters at bay. Another bowler to keep an eye on is Gus Atkinson. In his last seven matches, the right-arm fast bowler has taken 12 wickets at an economy of 8.01.

Full Squad:

Rory Burns, Jamie Smith, Ollie Pope, Jordan Clark, Reece Topley, Amar Virdi, Jamie Overton, Matt Dunn, Gus Atkinson, Daniel Moriarty, Chris Jordan, Cameron Steel, Dan Worrall, Dom Sibley, Kemar Roach (West Indies – first six rounds of County Championship), Sean Abbott (Australia – County Championship and Vitality Blast, until the end of July), Tom Latham (New Zealand – County Championship, five games across June and July), Sunil Narine (West Indies – Vitality Blast)

Possible Playing XI:

Will Jacks, Laurie Evans, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Jamie Smith (wk), Sunil Narine, Jamie Overton, Tom Lawes, Gus Atkinson, Chris Jordan (c), Sean Abbott

Gloucestershire vs Surrey Batsmen Worth Watching

Gloucestershire’s batsmen are Chris Dent, James Bracey, and Ben Charlesworth. Bracey has played two Tests for England and has a best T20 score of 70. Many experts believe Charlesworth has a bright future in all formats.

Surrey’s batting options are Will Jacks, Sam Curran, and Laurie Evans. Evans is a world-class player in this format, with a best score of 108 not out. Sam Curran has a strike rate of 132.05 in T20 cricket and has 11 half-centuries.

Gloucestershire vs Surrey Bowlers Worth Watching

Our bowling picks for Gloucestershire are David Payne, Oliver Price, and Tom Smith. Price, 21, bowls accurate off-spin and took two wickets in the previous game. Smith is a seasoned left-arm spinner who started the season with 3-22 against Kent.

Surrey’s top bowlers are Sam Curran, Sean Abbott, and Chris Jordan, in our opinion. Jordan has played in all of the world’s top T20 leagues and has 318 wickets in this format. Abbott has 173 wickets to his name, with a best of 5-16.

Gloucestershire vs Surrey Toss Prediction

Bristol’s County Ground usually favors the chasing team. Teams batting second have won 58% of the games played here in the Vitality Blast. In this match, the team that wins the toss will most likely bowl first.

Gloucestershire vs Surrey Pitch Report

In the Vitality Blast, the average first innings score at Bristol’s County Ground is 155. Sussex’s highest total at the venue in the tournament is 242-5 against Gloucestershire in 2016. Pace bowlers have taken 66 wickets in the last ten Blast matches, while spinners have taken 36. The team batting first should aim for a target of around 175 runs.

The track at Bristol’s County Ground has something for both batters and bowlers. The pitch does have some seam movement, especially when the ball is new. Once it has calmed down, batters can play their shots by relying on the bounce of the wicket. Because of the shorter boundaries and the fast outfield, we could be in for a high-scoring game.

The weather in Bristol will be sunny with some clouds during the game.

Gloucestershire vs Surrey Prediction

In the Vitality Blast, Gloucestershire have a poor record against Surrey. In their head-to-head record against Surrey, they have won only five of the 15 matches played, while Surrey has dominated with ten wins.

Gloucestershire’s batting has struggled this season, and they will face a difficult task against Surrey’s potent bowling lineup. Surrey’s batting may not appear intimidating, but they get the job done thanks to their exceptional depth. What makes them more dangerous is the variety and skill with which they bowl. Check out the odds at Cricbaba!

Surrey is the favourite to beat Gloucestershire at the odds of 1.37.