Vitality Blast 2019, Middlesex vs Surrey: Preview, predictions

The London Derby – between Middlesex and Surrey at Lord’s – will be the only match of the 2019 Vitality Blast to be played on August 8. Middlesex, third in the South Division, is 4 points behind Sussex Sharks and Kent Spitfires but have a match in hand. Surrey, on the other hand, are still looking for the second win, and are placed only above Glamorgan.

The sides have met earlier this season, at The Oval. Captain Dawid Malan’s 57-ball 117 had helped Middlesex pile up 209/3 that day before Toby Roland-Jones took 4/35 to restrict Surrey to 172/9.

Middlesex’s only defeat have come against Gloucestershire, but that was in absence of AB de Villiers. Even on that day, they needed to defend 4 from 8 balls when Steven Finn took 2 in 2. It took No. 10 batsman Tom Smith to seal a 2-wicket win. Since then they have won thrice in a row.

Surrey have won only once, but it was a massive win: having scored 141, they shot out Glamorgan for 44, Tom Curran taking a hat-trick. Their next match, against Sussex, ended in a tie. The next was a 7-over affair where Mohammad Nabi smashed a 12-ball 43 not out to lift Kent to an easy win. And they lost their most recent match despite scoring 203/4. It may take one good show for them to turn things around.

This season: Middlesex 209/3 (20) beat Surrey 172/9 (20) by 37 runs at The Oval

Key players: AB de Villiers (Middlesex), Imran Tahir (Surrey)

Prediction:Middlesex to win.