Categories: County CricketCricketOther SportsVitality T20 Blast

T20 Blast Preview: Hampshire Royals meet familiar foes when they host Kent Spitfires

Photo: @hantscricket

Three fixtures take place in the Vitality Blast on Sunday as all six teams in action look to continue their unbeaten starts in the tournament.

Lancashire Lightning v Durham Jets – Emirates Old Trafford 14:30

Lancashire will be aiming to get their T20 Blast campaign fully up and running when they welcome Durham to Manchester on Sunday afternoon.

The Lightning currently sit on one point after their fixture with Leicestershire Foxes was abandoned without a ball being bowled in Leicester on Friday.

Durham did manage to complete a full match against Northants making 148/4 batting first. Early wickets proved crucial in restricting the Steelbacks in the run chase as the Jets eventually emerged slender winners by seven runs.

Birmingham Bears v Leicestershire Foxes – Edgbaston 14:30

Leicester sit on one point along with Lancashire after their wash-out on Friday and now travel to Birmingham to face a Bears side captained by New Zealand spinner Jeetan Patel.

The away side will be keen to improve on last seasons results that saw them finish second from bottom in the North Group whilst the Bears will also be keen for a first Finals Days visit since their loss in the 2017 final to the Nottingham Outlaws.

The Bears have also failed to play any Blast action this summer as yet, after their only fixture thus far also being called off against defending champions Worcestershire.

Hampshire Royals v Kent Spitfires – Ageas Bowl 14:30

Hampshire Royals welcome familiar opponents Kent Spitfires to the Ageas Bowl with both looking to get a win in their first taste of T20 cricket this campaign.

The Royals were set to face Sussex in the ‘El Clasicoast’ derby on Friday but the game was washed out without a ball being bowled. Meanwhile, the Spitfires are the only team in the competition that are yet to play a fixture. Whilst the pair come into the game understandably rusty of white ball action, they do know each other well. Just last week they were squaring off in a tight and tense County Championship fixture at the same venue.

The home side have drafted in South African all-rounder Chris Morris for the full duration of the Vitality Blast campaign and will surely be hoping he bounces back following a torrid World Cup for his country.

The visitors will still be without captain Sam Billings after dislocating his left shoulder in April. However, they do have New Zealand pace-man Adam Milne and Afghanistan all rounder Mohammad Nabi at their disposal.