July 1st's T20 Team of the week: Wins for Essex, Sussex, Gloucestershire, Yorkshire, Northamptonshire and Derbyshire - but who makes cut?

Michael Klinger Gloucestershire – Captain Klinger led by example yet again for his West Country side as they again took the spoils over local rivals Somerset. The Australian's match-winning century guided Gloucestershire to a comfortable derby victory, sealing it with four balls remaining. The skipper hit four sixes and ten fours in his perfectly paced 71-ball 101 and only departed in the penultimate over before Chris Dent assured victory. Klinger yet again showed just why he has earned the reputation that has seen him touted by some for a national call up, and on this form, he should not be far off. 

Ravi Bopara Essex – As destructive an innings as you'll see across the Blast this season. The experienced Englishman dominated a sorry Kent attack to strike a 43-ball 81. His innings included six sixes as well as four fours, and in partnership with Ashar Zaidi, the duo added 131 in just under ten overs to guide their side to a huge score of 204-3 from their 20 overs. Perhaps most impressively, Bopara took to young South African Kagiso Rabada in the penultimate over of the innings, striking a six and four in consecutive balls. Such an innings has become common fair for Essex fans, the experience and nous of Bopara often bearing fruit either with the bat or in the field.

Matt Machan Sussex – Sussex's Scot led them to an easy victory in their encounter with Middlesex. Machan struck 41 of the 147 required and guided his Sharks, alongside Kiwi Ross Taylor to a seven-wicket win. Of the two, Machan was the aggressor – Taylor scoring at just over a run a ball while the Scot hit 3 fours and a single six in his 30-ball stay. That partnership with Taylor was worth 74 runs and it proved to be an invaluable one after the departures of Phillip Salt and Luke Wright in the space of five balls had the Sharks wobbling. Machan and Taylor calmed the innings, though, rotating the strike and milking the Middlesex bowlers for easy runs before the victory was sealed in the penultimate over of the match – Middlesex left to rue another batting collapse after Paul Stirling's breezy 24-ball 52 had propelled them to a strong position before the last seven wickets fell for just 73.

Wayne Madsen Derbyshire – An outstanding half century brought Derbyshire a valuable victory over the Worcestershire Rapids at New Road in their quest for qualification from the North Group. Madsen struck a not out 59 from 33 balls that turned the match in the Falcons' favour. It was the 18th over of the Derby innings that sealed the Rapids' fate; Madsen, who continued his fine form in this year’s competition, struck the usually reliable Joe Leach for a six and two fours. The Falcons’ skipper added 99 with Chesney Hughes to take Derbyshire to their third victory of the campaign and take them to within three points of local rivals Nottinghamshire, the current occupants of the final qualification place in the North Group.

Ashar Zaidi Essex – Former Sussex man Zaidi played second fiddle to his skipper but also struck a quick-fire fifty to help guide Essex to a huge total and a comfortable victory over Kent. Playing as a specialist batsman despite being a useful spin option, Zaidi displayed the form he has shown throughout the Blast so far. His 54 came from 33 balls and included five boundaries along with three sixes. His partnership with Bopara, which was worth 131, took the game far away from Kent and in their reply they struggled to mount a serious challenge to the 204 Essex had amassed – which indeed was largely thanks to Zaidi and his captain Bopara.

Ben Cox Worcestershire – A rapid fifty from Worcestershire keeper Cox pushed his side to a total of 185 from their 20 overs. Although Cox's innings did turn out to be in vain, he punished the Derbyshire bowler with an array of shots that brought seven fours and two sixes. The last over of the innings saw Andy Carter take particular damage, four fours in succession saw the over go for 19, which, at the time gifted all of the momentum to the Rapids. 

Matt Taylor Gloucestershire – An economical three wicket-haul for the opening bowler turned the screw for the Bristolians in their West Country derby at Taunton. Taylor took 3-16 from his four overs including the big wickets of Jim Allenby and Mahela Jayawardene. The other batsman to fall to Taylor's bowling was young Scotsman Michael Leask, and as wickets fell at regular intervals during the hosts' innings they struggled to post a score that would challenge Gloucestershire who eventually got home with four balls remaining largely thanks to Michael Klinger's impressive century.

Danny Briggs Sussex – Slow left-armer Briggs underpinned the Middlesex innings in taking 3-24 from his four overs, including one over at the top of the innings. Briggs took the big wicket of Paul Stirling who was threatening to take the game away from the Sharks after striking a breezy fifty, eventually holing out for 52. Nick Gubbins and Ryan Higgins also fell to the spinner with 7 t20 caps for England, and the former Hampshire man will be looking to recapture the form that earned him those caps. Briggs' contribution was vital as Sussex comfortably ran home victors after visitors Middlesex were restricted to a lacklustre 146 all out.

Steven Patterson Yorkshire – The Vikings' paceman bowled a tight final over to seal victory for Yorkshire in the Game of Roses clash at Headingley. In what was an 18 over match, Patterson's overs were crucial in sealing victory and it was left to Patterson to take the final wicket of Steven Parry with only six runs left to be scored to gain an unlikely win. Patterson had led the Tykes attack alongside the one-time England capped Tim Bresnan, but Patto outshone his teammate in taking figures of 3 for 23 from 3.4 overs. Lancashire's chase had indeed been dramatic, Liam Livingstone striking Karl Carver for three consecutive sixes earlier in the innings before falling in the same over for a breezy 36 – Lancashire lost wickets regularly and ultimately couldn't muster enough runs to overcome their White Rose rivals.

Richard Gleeson Northamptonshire – A quick three-wicket burst at the top of the Birmingham innings prevented any momentum from being created as the hosts stumbled to a terrible 86-8 in a rain-affected innings. Gleeson's opening salvo brought the wickets of Sam Hain and Ian Bell for single figure scores, and he followed that up with the wicket of overseas wicketkeeper-batsman Luke Ronchi. Gleeson's eventually finished with figures of 3-12 from his four overs, a great return for the Steelbacks' opening bowler as they recorded a comfortable chase in a one-sided affair at Edgbaston.

Paul Walter Essex – The youngster's first three wickets at senior level helped push Essex to an easy victory over Kent by 50 runs. After Bopara and Zaidi had scored the runs, it was left to Walter to lead the bowling attack. The young seamer took a wicket with the second ball of the innings, beating the bat of the dangerous Joe Denly to bowl him for a golden duck. Walter then bowled two relatively cheap overs during the middle of the innings, before wrapping up Fabian Cowdrey's 18 run burst. James Tredwell was the last to fall to Walter, caught at fine-leg as the youngster capped a fine day off with figures of 3-26 from his four overs. 

Team compiled by View From the Outfield’s official T20 Team Manager Charlie Jennings. Agree? Tweet us with your views to @ViewfromtheOut or to Charlie himself @AVCJX!