Match South Group
English T20 Blast 2025
July 8, 2025, 11:00 pm
Somerset Logo
Somerset
Odds » 1.50
VS.
Essex Logo
Essex
Odds » 2.50
The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton

SOM vs ESS Today’s Match Prediction & Cricket Betting Tips: English T20 Blast 2025, South Group Match, July 8th

Published on: Jul 7, 2025 11:00 pm IST | Updated on: Jul 8, 2025 2:12 pm IST

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The Cooper Associates County Ground in Taunton is all set to host the next game of the South Group. The table toppers, Somerset, will be in action against the bottom-placed Essex in the next match of the South Group. Somerset are on a roll with 8 wins and are playing against an out-of-sorts Essex unit, making them the favorites in this fixture. In this post, we have come up with free expert tips for the English T20 Blast 2025 SOM vs ESS.

Win Probability: SOM vs ESS

Somerset will be the firm favorites to win this contest, as they are the current table toppers and are heading into this contest on the back of a win over Hampshire by 4 wickets. Essex, on the other hand, with only a solitary win from 10 matches to their name, are languishing right at the bottom of the South group table and will be down on confidence going up against the table toppers. Therefore, the win probability will be in favor of Somerset. Let’s continue with the post and find out the best cricket tips for the SOM vs ESS English T20 Blast 2025 match.

SOM: 62% win chance
ESS: 38% win chance

  • Somerset has been at the top of their game with 8 wins and 2 losses from 10 matches.
  • They are heading into this contest on the back of a win over Hampshire by 4 wickets.
  • Essex is languishing right at the bottom with only a solitary win from 10 matches.
  • Their only win came in their previous fixture against Surrey by 4 wickets in a rain-curtailed 12-over-per-side match.

Cricket Betting Tips for SOM vs ESS- English T20 Blast, South Group

Will Smeed to score Over 22.5

Somerset opener is the leading run-getter of the tournament with 396 runs from 10 innings. He will be a key wicket for the opposition.

Jordan Cox to score Over 22.5

Jordan Cox is a key figure in the middle for Essex. He will be the most crucial wicket for the team.

Riley Meredith to be the Top Bowler

The Somerset pacer from Australia has scalped 22 wickets in 10 matches this season and is second on the list for most wickets this season.

Tom Banton to score Over 26.5

The Somerset opener Tom Banton is eyeing a spot in the English side. He hasn't been at his best in this edition of T20 Blast but still will be a key at the top with Smeed.

SOM vs ESS Today’s Match Prediction

Check out the English T20 Blast prediction for the SOM vs ESS match.

Somerset will look to continue their dominant run

Somerset will aim to extend their commanding form in the 2025 T20 Blast as they gear up to face Essex, the current bottom-placed side in the South Group. With a string of clinical performances under their belt—including a confident five-wicket win over Surrey—Somerset have emerged as one of the most balanced and dangerous teams this season. Their top order, led by the explosive Will Smeed and the ever-reliable Tom Abell, has consistently laid strong foundations, while the pace duo of Matt Henry and Riley Meredith has kept opposition batters in check with early breakthroughs.

In contrast, Essex have endured a turbulent campaign, struggling to find rhythm with both bat and ball. Despite flashes of brilliance from veterans like Dean Elgar and Simon Harmer, they’ve failed to convert moments into match-winning performances. Their recent heavy defeats, including a 47-run loss to Kent, underline the challenges they face.

With momentum firmly on their side, Somerset will look to capitalize on Essex’s vulnerabilities and consolidate their position at the top of the table. However, in the unpredictable world of T20 cricket, complacency could be costly, something Somerset will be keen to avoid as they chase another dominant display.

Essex would hope to bank on the momentum they have gained after a win in the last encounter against Surrey

Essex will be eager to ride the wave of momentum after finally breaking their winless streak in the 2025 T20 Blast with a thrilling last-ball victory over Surrey. In a rain-shortened 12-over contest at The Oval, Paul Walter’s explosive 55 off 26 balls and a fiery opening stand with Michael Pepper set the tone for a much-needed four-wicket win. It was Essex’s first triumph in the South Group after nine consecutive losses, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.

The team will now look to build on that confidence as they prepare for their next challenge. With the likes of Matt Critchley showing composure under pressure and Mohammad Amir offering experience with the ball, Essex have the tools to turn their campaign around. The batting unit, which had struggled for fluency earlier in the season, finally clicked, chasing down 142 with nerves of steel.

While they still sit at the bottom of the table, Essex will take heart from their resilience and the belief that one win can spark a late surge. If they can replicate the same intensity and intent, they might just cause a few upsets in the matches to come. Let’s move ahead and check the cricket tips.

SOM vs ESS Head-to-Head

Matches Played: 20
ESS won:
13
SOM won: 6
No Result: 1

A total of 20 matches have been played between the Essex Eagles and Somerset in T20 Blast history. The current table-toppers, Somerset, have the upper hand with 13 wins, whereas the Essex Eagles have managed only 6 wins. One match between the two ended in a no-result.

Team Analysis: Somerset and Essex Eagles

How will the two teams, i.e., Somerset and Essex Eagles, fare in the English T20 Blast 2025 South Group? Let’s take a look.

Somerset (SOM)

  • Somerset is yet to announce a squad for this game. Therefore, we can predict that they are expected to remain unchanged for this game.
  • Tom Banton and Will Smeed will open the innings.
  • Skipper Tom Kohler-Cadmore will bat at 3.
  • The rest of the batting lineup will include Tom Abell, Sean Dickson, Tom Lammonby, and Ben Green.
  • In the bowling unit, the onus would be on the international stars Riley Meredith, Craig Overton, and Matt Henry.

Expected Starting 11

Tom Banton (wk), Will Smeed, Tom Kohler-Cadmore (c), Tom Abell, Sean Dickson, Tom Lammonby, Ben Green, Craig Overton, Lewis Goldsworthy, Matt Henry, Riley Meredith

Essex (ESS)

  • After a win in their previous fixture, their first win of the season, there is no need for Essex to tinker with their winning combo.
  • Michael-Kyle Pepper will be opening the innings with Paul Walter.
  • The rest of the batting lineup will include Jordan Cox, Charlie Allison, Luc Benkenstein, and skipper Simon Harmer.
  • Mohammad Amir, Sam Cook, and Matt Critchley will be the key picks in the bowling unit.

Expected Starting 11:

Michael-Kyle Pepper, Paul Walter, Jordan Cox (wk), Charlie Allison, Matthew Critchley, Luc Benkenstein, Robin Das, Noah Thain, Simon Harmer (c), Sam James Cook, Mohammad Amir

Weather Conditions and Pitch Report

Here’s the pitch and weather report for the English T20 Blast 2025 South Group Match, SOM vs ESS at The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton:

Pitch ReportWeather Report
The Taunton surface is known for being batting-friendly, with short square boundaries and a quick outfield.Conditions are expected to be partly cloudy with brief sunny intervals.
Seamers may get some early swing, but bowlers often struggle once the ball gets older.Temperature will range between 18°C and 22°C, ideal for cricket.
Spinners can come into play in the middle overs, especially if the surface dries out.Humidity will hover around 70%, which may aid swing early on.
The average first innings score here in recent T20s is around 185–190, making it a high-scoring venue.No significant rain is forecast, so a full match is expected.
Somerset have won 4 of their last 5 matches at this venue, often defending totals successfully.Winds may gust up to 20 km/h, potentially affecting high catches.

Toss Prediction

Given the batting-friendly conditions at Taunton and the tendency for scores to climb quickly, the team winning the toss is likely to opt to bowl first. Chasing under lights has been a successful strategy here, especially with dew settling in later. Somerset, with their strong bowling attack, may back themselves to restrict Essex early.

Where to Watch Today’s Match

The online live streaming of the English T20 Blast 2025 South Group match between Somerset and Essex Eagles will be streaming live in India on SonyLiv and Fancode apps. There is no live TV streaming available for the tournament in India.

SOM vs ESS: Today’s Match Predictions

Somerset are the firm favorites heading into this contest with momentum on their side. Having won 8 out of 10 encounters, Somerset are cruising through in the South Group and have cemented their top-of-the-table position. Essex, on the other hand, have just one win to their name out of 10 and is languishing right at the bottom. Therefore, as per our Vitality T20 Blast Prediction, Somerset is expected to win the SOM vs ESS Dream11 Prediction contest.

Somerset Logo
Odds » 1.50
VS.
Essex Logo
Odds » 2.50