Surrey head to Edgbaston for their first Vitality Blast Finals Day since 2020
Chris Jordan’s side face Somerset in the second semi-final at 2:30pm.
Hampshire Hawks and Essex Eagles contest the first semi-final, scheduled to take place at 11:00am.
All three games will be broadcast on Sky Sports, with the final scheduled to get underway at 18:45pm.
Should the weather disrupt play on Saturday, there is a reserve day on Sunday 16th June.
SURREY SQUAD
Surrey have named a 15-player for Vitality Blast Finals Day.
West Indies spinner Sunil Narine has ruled himself out of this weekend’s Vitality Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston. The West Indies spinner is currently in the US, where he is representing the LA Knight Riders franchise in the MLC.
SURREY
Laurie Evans sits top of the Surrey run-scoring charts in the 2023 Vitality Blast. The opener has been in imperious form, scoring 563 runs from 15 innings. Evans is averaging 40.21 at a strike rate of 162.71. Opening partner Will Jacks has impressed with 549 runs at an average of 39.21 – striking at 160.52. The opening pair have set important platforms for Surrey to break all kinds of records this season.
Surrey smashed their highest ever T20 score in the victory over Sussex Sharks at Hove. Surrey scored 258/6 as Laurie Evans (93) and Sam Curran (68) wreaked havoc by the seaside. Surrey went on to smash 238/5 at home to Glamorgan, their highest T20 score at The Kia Oval. Two days later they broke that record, scoring 252/7 at home in the defeat to Middlesex.
Chris Jordan has excelled with the ball this season. He’s taking 14 wickets in 12 games at an economy rate of 7.67. Sam Curran has had an excellent season too, taking 15 wickets as well many notable scores with the bat.
LAST TIME OUT
Surrey qualified for Vitality Blast Finals Day after inflicting a 13-run defeat on Lancashire Lightning at Emirates Old Trafford. Batting first, 70 from the in-form Laurie Evans and 50 from Jason Roy saw Surrey post a competitive total of 187/5.
Jos Buttler got Lancashire’s innings off to a flying start. However, Surrey began to grasp control of the innings when Dan Moriarty removed the England captain with Lancashire 97/2 in the 11th over. Despite 53 from Steven Croft, Lancashire were unable to stay up with the required run rate as Sam Curran, Chris Jordan and Sean Abbott kept things tight for Surrey.
Chris Jordan’s side inflicted a first home defeat on Lancashire in over three seasons of T20 cricket.
SOMERSET
Somerset have been in imperious this season in 2023. The west country county finished with 24 points from 14 games in the South Group – the highest tally in Blast history. They lost two games in the group stage, away at Hampshire Hawks and at home to Surrey.
Will Smeed has amassed 493 runs at a strike rate of 179.27, with fellow opener Tom Banton scoring 422. Tom Kohler-Cadmore – who joined the club from Yorkshire last winter, has impressed at number three, scoring 459 runs at an average of 38.25, at a rate of 168.
All-rounder Ben Green has taken 27 wickets so far this campaign, with Matt Henry taking 24 as Somerset have impressed with the ball.
Surrey and Somerset first met this season at Taunton, where Surrey won by 28 runs. The game was a tale of two overs – both involving Surrey captain Chris Jordan. Jordan took Matt Henry for 31 from the 19th over that helped Surrey to a competitive total 195/9. Somerset were always in the chase, until Chris Jordan took 2 wickets for 2 runs in the 17th over that put the squeeze on the Somerset lower order.
At The Kia Oval, Somerset beat Surrey by 18 runs at The Kia Oval. Tom Banton scored 84 as Somerset scored 208/5 from their 20 overs. Despite 50 from Will Jacks and 47 from Sam Curran, Surrey stuttered on their chase of Somerset, eventually finishing 18 short of Somerset.
HAMPSHIRE HAWKS VS ESSEX EAGLES
Hampshire Hawks take on Essex Eagles complete the all-south cast at Finals Day as they kick off Finals Day with an 11am. Reigning champions Hampshire Hawks finished second in the South Group, leap-frogging Surrey into a home quarter final on the final day of the group stage.
Hampshire convincingly beat the Worcestershire Rapids at the Ageas Bowl last Friday. Essex Eagles beat North Group winners Birmingham Bears in a thriller at Edgbaston last Thursday to book their spot at Finals Day.
