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I like Hampshire over Essex as Ryan ten Doeschate is a big loss for Essex. He has averaged 74 for them in the competition this season and jetting in Dwayne Bravo for one game is unlikely to come off. Essex are also missing Scott Styris who is on international duty with New Zealand in Sri Lanka and Cook is seriously out of form.  All this means that two of Essex's top five run scorers in T20 this year aren't playing and one is badly out of form.  You can pick up Hampshire at evens at CricketBetLive.

Somerset - Nottinghamshire is much harder to pick. Both sides are packed with top quality talent and county experience. I like the match up of Trescrothick versus Nannes - Tresco has faced express pace before and as a left hander should find things easier against the J-rod's favourite cricketer. These sides have never faced each other in T20 cricket before and this season's two county championship games have been shared one each. However with Broad released to play I think Notts will have too much for Somerset but the odds at CBL reflect how tight a call it is (both teams 1.94).  Broad took 8-168 in the April game that he was available for and he will be the difference between the sides.

The hosting side have never won the T20 (hosting side have featured twice, Surrey in 2005 and Notts in 2006) and I don't think Hampshire will be able to buck this trend. Even if they beat Essex then I don't fancy them at all against Somerset or Notts. Somerset inflicted some serious psychological damage on Hampshire earlier this year when they took the last six wickets for 4 runs to win by 7 runs at the Rose Bowl.  Then, in the return fixture at Taunton, Somerset sauntered to Hampshire's 220, chasing it down in just 18 overs thanks to 78 in 27 balls from Tresco.

It looks like the winner of the second semi-final will take home the trophy for the 6th time in eight years and I think Hussey will be the man to hoist it for Notts.

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