DUR vs NOT 58th Match - North Group Prediction

DUR vs NOT Team Previews

Durham

An incredible run with the bat by a couple of their players has helped Durham pull off upset after upset at the start of the Vitality Blast 2018. Tom Latham and Graham Clark have been the standout players for Durham with the bat so far. Both the players have over 200 runs to their name and have scored two fifties each in the competition.

Unlike a lot of other players, the two have been continuing after getting to fifty and converting their innings into real match winning ones.

The availability of Ben Stokes for a couple of matches has been a boon because he has come in and provided the side with plenty of runs as well. With the test summer for England starting, Stokes is not going to be available for Durham and that will leave a big hole for the side to fill.

Paul Collingwood continues to be evergreen and is still a force with the bat.

Just like Latham has helped Durham reach an all new level with the bat, Imran Tahir is doing the same with the ball. He has 10 wickets to his name from six matches and is giving away runs at an economy rate of just 6.70.

These are incredible figures. Add the performances of Weighell with 9 wickets and Rimmington with 7 wickets and we have a side with an in-form bowling lineup.

Durham will continue to ask individual brilliance from the players to win but so far they have not been disappointed.

Nottinghamshire

Three wins from the first four matches for the defending champions showed that the team is still in excellent shape. They have since lost two consecutive matches, including one to Durham, their opponent in this match.

Nottinghamshire’s fortunes seem to rise and fall with its batting. Dan Christian set the pace early on in the tournament by smashing runs in almost every game. He also scored a blistering century and hit 15 sixes to bolster the Nottinghamshire middle order.

Since then, his form has dipped a little and other players have stepped up.

Rikki Wessels, Tom Moores, and Samit Patel have contributed with the bat at different times to showcase the batting depth in this team. Nottinghamshire will be hoping that a couple of these players can perform in the same match so that they can counter a red-hot Durham batting side.

Nottinghamshire’s weaker suit has been its bowling. Samit Patel and Ish Sodhi were absolutely central to the success of the team last year but they have not quite got into the same rhythm this year. With Hurney, Ball, and Christian also a part of the attack, Nottinghamshire has an excellent bowling side.

It just needs its spinners to start doing the job more regularly.

In this match, Sodhi and Patel are going to be tested by Latham who is exceptional with the sweep shot.

How the spinners face up to the Durham batsmen could well be the decisive portion of the match.