ESS vs DER Preview – T20 Blast 2026 | Statz

29th May 2026

Essex host Derbyshire in the T20 Blast 2026 on Saturday 31 May – first ball at 20:30 IST (16:00 BST). Two sides at different ends of the early-season table, but both with points to prove. Essex sit 16th with P2 W0 L2 and zero points, while Derbyshire are 8th with P3 W1 L2 and 4 points.

Full fixture details, projections and player data for this one are on the Essex vs Derbyshire match page.

The Venue

Venue data is not currently available on Statz for this fixture. We will update this section if details are confirmed closer to match day.

Form and Table

Essex – P2 W0 L2

A rough start for Essex. Two defeats from two, and the manner of both losses will sting. Against Hampshire (26 May), they posted 170/7 but were chased down comfortably – 200/4. Before that, Sussex knocked off 192 in just 16 overs after Essex made 191/5. The bowling has been leaking runs badly.

Last 5 results:

Derbyshire – P3 W1 L2

Derbyshire have been in the thick of it every game. They hammered Leicestershire (27 May) – 230/5 chasing 145 – but came up short against Yorkshire (194/4 chasing 195/8) and Durham (197/8 vs 203/8). High-scoring games every time. This side can bat.

Last 5 results:

Top 4 in the Table

Pos Team P W L Pts
1 Northamptonshire 2 2 0 8
2 Surrey 2 2 0 8
3 Durham 2 2 0 8
4 Somerset 2 2 0 8

Seven sides share the top spot on 8 points from two wins apiece. Both Essex (16th, 0 pts) and Derbyshire (8th, 4 pts) need a result here.

Head-to-Head

There are 0 meetings on record in the Statz database between these two sides. This is the first Essex vs Derbyshire fixture tracked – so no historical trends to lean on. Fresh slate.

Statz Projections

This is a tight one. With Essex batting first, Statz gives Essex a 47.8% win probability against Derbyshire’s 50.2%. Marginal edge to the visitors.

Projected first innings total: 168.5 (P10: 144, P90: 193). That range tells you conditions could suit both bat and ball depending on the day. Projected match total: 327.1.

Full projections breakdown on the Statz projections page.

Competition Leaders

Orange Cap – Most Runs

Derbyshire dominate the top of the run charts. Martin Andersson leads the entire tournament with 156 runs from 3 innings – and he’s playing in this match. James Rew (Somerset) sits second with 140, and Andersson’s teammate Matthew Montgomery is third with 137 runs from 3 innings. Two of the top three run scorers in the competition are in Derbyshire’s XI for this game.

Purple Cap – Most Wickets

Jack Morley (Derbyshire) holds the Purple Cap with 8 wickets from 3 innings – clear of the field. He’s playing here too. Martin Andersson also features with 6 wickets – making him a genuine double threat.

Per-Team Leaders

Essex runs: Luc Benkenstein – 84 runs (avg 42, HS 48). Consistent without a big score yet.

Derbyshire runs: Martin Andersson – 156 runs (avg 52, HS 81). Tournament leader and in devastating form.

Essex wickets: Charlie Bennett – 3 wickets from 2 matches.

Derbyshire wickets: Jack Morley – 8 wickets (avg 2.67, best 4/?) from 3 matches. Dominant.

Predicted XIs

Essex (based on 26 May vs Hampshire)

  1. Paul Walter (Allrounder)
  2. Michael Pepper (WK)
  3. Matthew Critchley (Allrounder)
  4. Luc Benkenstein
  5. Wiaan Mulder (Allrounder)
  6. Noah Thain
  7. Simon Harmer (C)
  8. Simon Fernandes (Allrounder)
  9. Shane Snater
  10. Zaman Akhter (Allrounder)
  11. Charlie Bennett

Derbyshire (based on 27 May vs Leicestershire)

  1. Aneurin Donald (C, WK)
  2. Martin Andersson (Allrounder)
  3. Caleb Jewell
  4. Wayne Madsen
  5. Matthew Montgomery (Allrounder)
  6. Ross Whiteley
  7. Amrit Basra (Allrounder)
  8. Nick Potts
  9. Ben Aitchison
  10. Akif Javed
  11. Jack Morley

Dream11 Tips

Based on Statz projected fantasy points (Essex batting first scenario):

Captain: Jack Morley (Derbyshire) – 89.7 projected points. The Purple Cap holder. Eight wickets in three matches, and his bowling projections (1.74 wickets per game) make him the standout pick.

Vice-Captain: Paul Walter (Essex) – 81.5 projected points. The allrounder offers runs (21.4 projected) and wickets (0.83 projected) with a healthy strike rate of 139.6.

Key picks:

All five picks are confirmed in their team’s most recent XI.

Key Players

Martin Andersson (Derbyshire)

The tournament’s leading run scorer with 156 runs at an average of 52 and a high score of 81. But Andersson isn’t just a batter – he has 6 wickets too, making him a genuine allrounder threat. His 20+ runs hit rate this season is 66.7% (2/3), and he projects for 80.6 Dream11 points. The form player of the Blast so far.

Jack Morley (Derbyshire)

Purple Cap leader with 8 wickets from 3 innings, including a best of 4. His 1+ wicket hit rate in the last 5 matches is a perfect 100% (3/3). Statz projects him for 1.74 wickets per game and 89.7 Dream11 points – the highest of anyone in this fixture. Morley is the man Essex need to handle.

Matthew Montgomery (Derbyshire)

Third-highest run scorer in the entire tournament with 137 runs at 45.67. Montgomery’s 20+ runs hit rate is 100% (3/3 this season) – he has scored at least 20 in every T20 Blast innings. Reliable, consistent, and projected for 76.3 Dream11 points.

Michael Pepper (Essex)

Essex’s explosive keeper-batter has 77 runs at 38.5 with a high score of 52. Pepper’s projected strike rate of 158.9 is the highest in this fixture – when he connects, he goes big. Essex need him to fire if they’re going to register their first win of the campaign.

Conditions

Conditions data is not currently available for this fixture on Statz. Check closer to match day for updates on pitch and weather.

Verdict

Derbyshire hold a slight edge here at 50.2% win probability – and it’s easy to see why. They have the tournament’s leading run scorer (Martin Andersson, 156 runs) AND the leading wicket taker (Jack Morley, 8 wickets) in their XI. That’s a serious spine.

But 50.2% is barely above a coin flip, and Derbyshire’s own record of P3 W1 L2 suggests inconsistency. They’ve been involved in close, high-scoring games and haven’t always come out on top. Essex are winless but have posted 170+ in both matches – the bowling is the problem, not the batting.

This could go either way. If you’re looking for betting angles, the player props stand out more than the match result:

Build your own combinations on the Statz Bet Builder.