Vitality T20 Blast 2019: South Group, Kent vs Gloucestershire: Dream11 Fantasy Cricket Tips – Playing XI, Pitch Report & Injury Update

Match Details:

The South Group game in the Vitality T20 Blast 2019 will be played between Kent and Gloucestershire at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury.

The match starts at 7:00 PM local time (11:30 PM IST) (6:00 PM GMT).

Preview:

In a crucial South Group match, Kent will host Gloucestershire at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury. Kent is currently placed at No.2 having earned 14 points with six victories thus far. All they need from here on is one win from the remaining two matches. Kent went down by 1 run against Surrey in the last game despite dominating the first 18 overs. They are now boosted by the inclusion of Faf du Plessis.

The South African skipper will be available for the remainder of the tournament including Quarter-final and Finals day. On the other hand, Gloucestershire is in a similar situation to Kent. They are placed at No.3 with 14 points but have only won five matches. They won need to win at least one of their two matches. They won’t have a chance if they lose their remaining two match and are tied on 14 points.

Weather Condition/Report:

There could be no rain during the match timings in Canterbury. The weather forecast predicts a little drizzle can be seen towards the fag end of the game but is not threatening. However, during the day time, the venue could be exposed to the sun.

Pitch Condition/Report:

The St Lawrence Ground is a good venue for chasing due to boundary shapes and conditions becoming good for batting under lights. In the previous match, Will Jacks hit 8 sixes without a four. This show how the shorter side can be used. Teams might prefer to chase at this venue but it could be tough against a team like Kent with a solid bowling line-up.

Average first innings score: 175 (T20 Blast matches since 2018)

Record of chasing teams: Won – 2, Lost – 4, Tie – 1

Injury and Availability News:

Faf du Plessis joins Kent for the remainder of the season.

Probable Playing XIs:

Kent:

Daniel Bell-Drummond, Zak Crawley, Faf du Plessis, Heino Kuhn, Sam Billings (C & WK), Alex Blake, Marcus O’Riordan, Hardus Viljoen, Matt Milnes, Fred Klaassen, Imran Qayyum.

Bench: Jordan Cox, Mitchell Claydon, Oliver Robinson.

Gloucestershire:

Miles Hammond, Michael Klinger (C), James Bracey (WK), Ian Cockbain, Ryan Higgins, Jack Taylor, Andrew Tye, Tom Smith, Chris Liddle, Graeme van Buuren, David Payne.

Bench: Chris Dent, John Shaw.

Top Picks:

Faf du Plessis has some impressive numbers and could add to the firepower of Kent in the top-order. James Bracey has been a trusted name over the last few matches. In the previous six games, he crossed 30+ on four instances. In two other matches, he scored 20+ and affected two dismissals.

Captain and Vice-Captain Selection:

Captain – Daniel Bell-Drummond, James Bracey, Faf du Plessis, Ryan Higgins

Vice-captain – Miles Hammond, Zak Crawley, Heino Kuhn, Michael Klinger

Everyone knows the consistency of Daniel Bell-Drummond with the bat in the T20 format. But this T20 Blast, his bowling skills especially at death have been on display.

Suggested Playing XI for Head to Head/Small Leagues:

Keeper – James Bracey (VC)

Batsmen – Zak Crawley, Miles Hammond, Michael Klinger, Faf du Plessis

All-Rounders – Daniel Bell-Drummond (C), Ryan Higgins

Bowlers – Imran Qayyum, Andrew Tye, David Payne, Hardus Viljoen

Suggested Playing XI for Grand Leagues/Mega Leagues:

Keeper – James Bracey

Batsmen – Miles Hammond, Heino Kuhn, Faf du Plessis (VC), Ian Cockbain

All-Rounders – Daniel Bell-Drummond (C), Ryan Higgins

Bowlers – Andrew Tye, Chris Liddle, Hardus Viljoen, Fred Klaassen

Expert Advice:

Michael Klinger had a good match with the bat in the last game. He was up against Somerset who has one of the easiest bowling attacks. Now he will be up against Kent, probably the strongest attack in the tournament. The veteran might struggle against them and in fact, any player who doesn’t have a tighter technique.

Probable Winners:

Kent is expected to get the better of Gloucestershire.

*Disclaimer: This team is based on the understanding, analysis and instinct of the author. While selecting your team, consider the points mentioned and make your own decision.