Vitality Blast 2019, Essex Eagles vs Gloucestershire, Nottinghamshire Outlaws vs Leicestershire Foxes: Preview, predictions

After Friday’s octuple-header, Saturday will feature two Vitality Blast 2019 matches, at Trent Bridge and Chelmsford. Gloucestershire, one of the sides to miss out on Friday, will get match – but Yorkshire Vikings will not.

Essex Eagles vs Gloucestershire, County Ground, Chelmsford

Essex had started their season with a 7-wicket defeat against Middlesex. They came back strongly, putting up 226/4 – in 15 overs! – against Surrey and winning by 52 runs. Cameron Delport had slammed a 49-ball 129 that day.

Gloucestershire, on the other hand, had the misfortune of reducing Glamorgan to 96/8 before rain washed out the rest of the match. They then beat Middlesex in a close encounter, by 2 wickets, after Tom Smith lofted Toby Roland-Jones for six in the last over.

Last season: Essex 172/7 (18.2) vs Gloucestershire at Cheltenham, no play at Chelmsford

Key players: Cameron Delport (Essex), David Payne (Gloucestershire)

Prediction: Essex to win a close encounter after having to share points in both matches last season.

Nottinghamshire Outlaws vs Leicestershire Foxes, Trent Bridge, Nottingham

Nottinghamshire beat Northamptonshire by 7 wickets before losing to Birmingham Bears by 49 runs. Their match against Yorkshire was washed out. They will definitely look forward to getting full points against a winless Leicestershire.

Leicestershire had played two matches till Thursday and lost both, against Warwickshire and Yorkshire. In fact, they conceded 255/2 in their second match.

Last season: Nottinghamshire 199/8 (20) beat Leicestershire 180/9 (20) by 19 runs at Grace Road, Leicestershire 193/6 (20) beat Nottinghamshire 176/9 (20) by 17 runs at Trent Bridge.

Key players: Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire), Arron Lilley (Leicestershire)

Prediction: Nottinghamshire to drive home advantage to a win.