Vitality Blast Men’s Finals Day
Saturday 18 July
Semi-Final 1 – Northamptonshire Steelbacks v Somerset (11am start)
Semi-Final 2 - Hampshire Hawks v Notts Outlaws (2:30pm start)
The Final (6:45pm start)
EdgBLASTon
Hawks Men head to Finals Day for a record 12th time, having demolished Essex in a home quarter-final on Wednesday.
James Vince’s century set the tone as the Hawks pummelled 211/3 before Sonny Baker’s first T20 five-wicket haul ensured victory came by a whopping 75-run margin.
The Hawks will face Notts Outlaws, which will bring back memories of the quarter-final in 2021, where Hampshire got over the line in the final over to win by just two runs.
Tom Prest’s 44 helped the Hawks to 125, and an opening partnership of 43 between Alex Hales and Joe Clarke, but the Hawks were well behind the eight ball.
But Liam Dawson’s 3/24 along with 2/16 from Scott Currie paved the way for Brad Wheal to expertly close out the game as the Outlaws were bowled out with two balls to spare, having needed only three runs off the final over for victory.
The two sides have faced each other only four times in T20s and only once before at Finals Day when the Outlaws were the victors on that occasion – the only time they have beaten Hampshire in the Blast.
Hampshire Hawks
Hawks Men have named a 14-player squad for Vitality Blast Men’s Finals Day.
Tristan Stubbs returns after he returned to South Africa due to CSA contractual obligations.
Liam Dawson has been released from England duty to feature in Finals Day, with the final ODI against India at Lord’s on Sunday.
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Toby Albert † (15)
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Ben Mayes (21)
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Sonny Baker (95)
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Andrew Neal (17)
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Hilton Cartwright (35)
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Ali Orr † (27)
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Scott Currie (44)
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Tristan Stubbs (30)
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Liam Dawson (8)
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James Vince Captain (14)
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Eddie Jack (91)
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Joe Weatherley (5)
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James Fuller (26)
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Chris Wood (25)
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Semi-Final Opponents
Notts Outlaws
Previewed by Jon Culley, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
Captain: Joe Clarke
Overseas players: George Linde (South Africa, all)
Finals Day appearances: Six (2006, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020)
Titles: Two (2017, 2020)
2026 group finish: 1st (North Group)
2026 leading run-scorer: George Munsey (488)
2026 leading wicket-taker: Mohammad Ali (19)
Key winter moves: The Outlaws have recruited South African left-arm spinner George Linde but Australian veteran Peter Siddle’s Trent Bridge deal was cancelled over his appearance in the non-approved Legends Pro 20 League. Scotland’s George Munsey adds explosive power at the top of the order, while ex-Gloucestershire all-rounder Benny Howell has vast experience in franchise cricket and looks a canny acquisition.
The big question: After finishing bottom of the North Group after a disastrous 2024 campaign, the Outlaws looked more like their old selves on occasions in 2025, when seven wins put them at least in contention for a quarter-final appearance, even though they missed out. Can they continue on an upward trajectory?
Wildcard watch: George Munsey has an outstanding record with Scotland and 2,700 runs in franchise cricket but signing for the Outlaws represents a new challenge. The big-hitting left-hander scored 84 off 54 balls in Scotland's win over Italy at the T20 World Cup and having an impact in the Vitality Blast could open the way to more opportunities.
Final thought: The Outlaws are still rebuilding in this format but made good strides in 2025 and the process will feel like it has stalled if they do not at least make the last eight this year. After a difficult first season, Joe Clarke looked to be finding his feet as captain in 2025. If he can build on that and carry forward his outstanding red-ball form, his performances are likely to be key.
Head-to-Head:
Hampshire Hawks Men’s record in T20 matches v Nottinghamshire:
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Played
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Won
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Tied
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Lost
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No Result
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4
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3
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0
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1
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0
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Recent meetings:
- August 25 2021 | Trent Bridge | Hawks won by two runs
- September 2 2017 | Edgbaston | Nottinghamshire won by 23 runs
- August 3 2014 | Trent Bridge | Hawks won by five wickets (with six balls remaining)
- July 25 2012 | Trent Bridge | Hawks won by four wickets (with 0 balls remaining)
Potential Finalists
Northamptonshire Steelbacks
Previewed by Jeremy Blackmore, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
Captain: David Willey
Overseas players: Chris Lynn (Australia, all), Nathan McSweeney (Australia, all)
Finals Day appearances: Five (2009, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2025)
Titles: Two (2013, 2016)
2026 group finish: 1st (Central & West Group)
2026 leading run-scorer: Chris Lynn (475)
2026 leading wicket-taker: James Sales (21)
Key winter moves: Northamptonshire are glad to have big-hitting Australian opener Chris Lynn back for a third season at Wantage Road after his match-winning century for Hampshire in last season’s semi-final ended the Steelbacks’ cup dreams. Northamptonshire will miss Ravi Bopara following his retirement, but welcome Big Bash-winning captain Nathan McSweeney who has been scoring heavily in the Championship.
The big question: David Willey has proved an inspirational leader, taking the Steelbacks to a quarter-final and a semi-final in his first two years in charge. Last season’s campaign began with a run of six victories before the Steelbacks stuttered in the second half of the group stages before rallying. Can the Steelbacks learn from that and maintain any early momentum?
Wildcard watch: Opener Ricardo Vasconcelos has returned to his best and is striking the ball hard, but few would bet against Ben Sanderson staking a claim again after his Hundred wildcard pick-up last year. The 37-year-old seamer is among county cricket’s leading wicket-takers in the Championship with four five-wicket hauls to his name and proving as effective as ever.
Final thought: Chris Lynn* brings added firepower at the top of the order, while Willey will also be able to draw on McSweeney’s experience, as he looks to guide the Steelbacks to a second consecutive Finals Day appearance under charismatic head coach Darren Lehmann. Sanderson’s accuracy and Scrimshaw’s pace will again prove pivotal. Northamptonshire hope all-rounder Justin Broad, appointed vice-captain for the Blast, recovers from the back injury that ruled him out of the start of the season.
*Chris Lynn retired hurt in Northamptonshire Steelback's quarter-final v Gloucestershire
Head-to-Head:
Hampshire Hawks Men’s record in T20 matches v Northamptonshire:
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Played
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Won
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Tied
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Lost
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No Result
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2
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1
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0
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1
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0
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Recent meetings:
- September 13 2025 | Edgbaston | Hawks won by six wickets (DLS method)
- July 29 2009 | Northampton | Northamptonshire won by 13 runs
Somerset
Previewed by Richard Latham, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
Captain: Lewis Gregory
Overseas players: Riley Meredith (Australia, seventh group game onwards), Daniel Sams (Australia, all)
Finals Day appearances: 11 (2005, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
Titles: Three (2005, 2023, 2025)
2026 group finish: 2nd (Central & West Group)
2026 leading run-scorer: James Rew (427)
2026 leading wicket-taker: Daniel Sams (19)
Key winter moves: Josh Shaw was recruited from Gloucestershire, but the other main moves concerned departures from last year’s successful squad, with Sean Dickson, Ben Green and Kasey Aldridge leaving for Glamorgan, Leicestershire and Durham respectively and overseas signing Matt Henry not returning.
The big question: What impact will new overseas signing Daniel Sams have on Somerset’s exciting T20 squad? The 33-year-old all-rounder boasts more than 2,000 runs and 250 wickets in T20 cricket around the world, impressing in the IPL, Big Bash, CPL and PSL, while also gaining experience of English conditions with Essex and Nottinghamshire.
Wildcard watch: Thomas Rew. There is a school of thought that, while James Rew is a natural red-ball cricketer keen to improve his white-ball skills, the opposite applies to younger brother Thomas, who made three Blast appearances for Somerset as a 17-year-old last season. The England Under-19 captain has been busy completing his A Levels, but should be free from studies to add his aggressive batting qualities to the middle order, while also offering a wicketkeeping option.
Final thought: News that Riley Meredith had been called into Australia’s squad for the ODI series against Pakistan and Bangladesh was a severe, if not unexpected, blow to Somerset as it means he will miss the first six Blast ground matches. While there are the options of registering Migael Pretorius as an overseas player or making a last-minute signing, it will be hard to replace the genuine pace of Meredith, who claimed 28 wickets in last season’s competition.
Hampshire Hawks Men’s record in T20 matches v Somerset:
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Played
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Won
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Tied
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Lost
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No Result
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32
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10
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1
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21
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3
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Recent meetings:
- May 22 2026 | Taunton | Somerset won by seven wickets (with 22 balls remaining)
- September 13 2025 | Edgbaston | Somerset won by six wickets (with six balls remaining)
- July 6 2025 | Utilita Bowl | Somerset won by four wickets (with one ball remaining)
- June 19 2025 | Taunton | Somerset won by 17 runs
- July 14 2024 | Utilita Bowl | Somerset won by nine wickets (with 12 balls remaining)
Tickets
Vitality Blast Men’s Finals Day tickets at EdgBLASTon are available here.
Coverage
Vitality Blast Men’s Finals Day will be televised on Sky Sports.
A live match centre with scorecard, statistics, and insight will be available via www.utilitabowl.com/cricket/news.
Fans can stay updated on the match via the Hampshire Cricket X/Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts, where regular score updates and photos from the day will be shared.
Weather Forecast
Please follow the link to view the latest weather forecast for EdgBLASTon: https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2650236.
