T20 Vitality Blast: Quarter-final previews ahead of last eight ties
This evening the quarter-finals of the T20 Vitality Blast get underway as the eight remaining teams look to reach the Edgbaston finals day in September.
Matches in London, Hove, Northampton and Birmingham will decide the final four; where two semi-finals and the final take place in succession next month.
T20 Tuesday
Surrey vs Durham
Surrey are on a mission to win the T20 Blast having come up short in the semi-finals last year, despite winning the longer format County Championship.
They topped the South Group with nine wins out of 14 but came unstuck a couple of times against unlikely challengers.
Durham won just half of their games in the group stages and have reached the last eight for the first time since 2018 – they’ll be hopeful of an upset.
Wicket Wednesday?
Sussex Sharks vs Lancashire Lightning
Sussex secured a home quarter-final by finishing second in South Group and will be looking to reach their first finals day since 2021, where they lost in the semi-finals.
With the likes of Tymal Mills, Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer in their ranks, they’re always dangerous.
Their opponents Lancashire are in their seventh successive quarter-final and will be slight favourites despite being the away team.
Thwack Thursday
Northamptonshire Steelbacks vs Somerset
Northamptonshire may have reached the last eight for just the second time since winning the T20 Blast in 2016 but they take on defending champions Somerset on Thursday.
The Steelbacks were sensational in the group phase to reach the knockouts but Somerset have recent history in this competition – reaching finals day in the last three seasons – and will back themselves again.
Four Friday
Birmingham Bears vs Gloucestershire
It’s been a decade since the Bears last won the T20 Vitality Blast and are in their fourth consecutive quarter-final. They topped North Group with 10 wins out of 14 – the most of any of the 18 teams in this year’s competition – and are favourites to go through.
They will take on Gloucestershire, who snuck into the last eight ahead of Essex on net run rate.
Gloucestershire are in a bit of a turbulent spot domestically and the T20 has been a positive respite. They’ll go all out at Edgbaston.