NORTH GROUP
Birmingham Bears (Final season: Quarter-final)
Topped the North Group desk for the final two years and might name on the providers of Chris Woakes after he missed out on a spot in England’s squad for the. He may type a fearsome new-ball partnership with 36-year-old Richard Gleeson. Sam Hain is likely one of the most damaging batsmen on the home circuit and is certain to attain mountains of runs. If he comes even near replicating his type of final season — the place he averaged an unbelievable 96 — then the Bears shall be a pressure to be reckoned with.
Derbyshire Falcons (fifth)
Mohammad Amir’s resolution to U-turn on his worldwide retirement to play for Pakistan on the T20 World Cup is a large blow with New Zealand’s Blair Tickner conserving his spot heat till he returns to those shores. There’s a brand new captain, former England all-rounder Samit Patel, and he’ll be capable to throw the ball to fellow new boy Pat Brown, the seam bowler who Falcons coach Mickey Arthur described as ‘one of the vital thrilling and expert bowlers on the county circuit’. Leus du Plooy shall be missed, although.
Durham (seventh)
Head coach Ryan Campbell has bolstered his aspect with fellow Australians Ben Dwarshuis and Ashton Turner. South African lower-order batsman David Bedingham has been within the type of his life in crimson ball cricket and comes into the Blast recent from turning into the primary Durham participant to attain 4 consecutive County Championship centuries. Callum Parkinson is a shrewd addition within the spin-bowling ranks whereas keeper-batsman Ollie Robinson averaged only a lick underneath 50 final season and is on England’s radar.
Lancashire Lightning (Quarter-final)
Appears to be like set to be a troublesome group stage with 4 key gamers — Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt and Tom Hartley — away on T20 World Cup responsibility with England. Lancs followers shall be conserving fingers crossed that Kiwi batsman Tom Bruce will come good after a lean begin to the County Championship season. Luke Wooden affords a genuinely fast left-arm choice to the assault whereas Australian all-rounder Chris Inexperienced steps in for compatriot Nathan Lyon.
Leicestershire Foxes (ninth)
YOU would assume issues can solely get higher after solely two Blast wins through the 2023 season. However the process forward seems to be set to be no simpler for brand new T20 captain Peter Handscomb following the departures of top-order batsman Colin Ackermann and spinner Callum Parkinson to Durham. Handscomb shall be counting on Rehan Ahmed to convey the X-factor to the aspect.
Notts Outlaws (Quarter-final)
Alex Hales’ diminished availability resulting from different franchise cricket commitments is a large blow, notably with Ben Duckett away with England. The Outlaws shall be counting on Joe Clarke within the runs division. New captain Clarke gained’t be capable to name on Josh Tongue, who suffered a setback in his restoration from a pectoral damage, however does have Olly Stone and Afghanistan left armer Fazalhaq Farooqi as new-ball choices.
Northants Steelbacks (sixth)
Loads of expertise in a dressing room that features former England all-rounders David Willey and Ravi Bopara, who turned 39 earlier this month. South Africa’s Matthew Breetzke and Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza appear like wonderful additions with Ashton Agar deputising for Raza whereas he’s away on the World Cup. Seamer George Scrimshaw is an actual coup within the seam-bowling ranks and took a formidable 20 Blast wickets for Derbyshire final season.
Worcestershire Rapids (Quarter-final)
Josh Cobb is a brilliant addition from Northamptonshire however the concern at New Street is extra concerning the gamers who’ve left somewhat than those that have are available in. Josh Tongue and Pat Brown head the listing of names who’ve moved on, whereas leg-spinner Usama Mir, who claimed 19 wickets in solely 11 matches final season, has been made unavailable on the eve of the competitors. He’s changed by West Indian all-rounder Hayden Walsh.
Yorkshire Vikings (eighth)
The headline information is that Joe Root shall be obtainable for the primary eight video games and slots right into a high order bursting with worldwide expertise within the type of Adam Lyth, Shan Masood and Dawid Malan, who was as soon as ranked because the No 1 T20 batsman on the earth. Most followers on these shores gained’t be aware of Donovan Ferreira however the South African all-rounder is an thrilling proposition, not least after he smashed an 18-ball half-century in his homeland. Issues stay, although, over a bowling assault which lacks firepower within the seam division.
SOUTH GROUP
Essex (Final season: Runners-up)
The departure of Dan Lawrence is a large blow to final yr’s crushed finalists, although Jordan Cox’s performances for Kent within the Blast counsel he’s greater than succesful deputy. Cox is in nice type too after a powerful begin to the red-ball season for Essex. Simon Harmer and Daniel Sams are tried and examined operators within the Blast, whereas Dean Elgar will anchor the highest of the order. Paul Walter shone in Australia’s Massive Bash, serving to Brisbane Warmth to the T20 title by bowling a tough size with the ball and clearing the rope with the bat.
Glamorgan (eighth)
The Welsh aspect have bolstered their batting line-up with the signings of Colin Ingram and Marnus Labuschagne and the latter may have the bit between his tooth after being neglected for World Cup choice by Australia. Fingers crossed that bustling all-rounder Dan Douthwaite has higher luck this yr. He’s one to observe after impressing within the handful of video games he performed final yr following a freak damage the place he tore his aspect and fractured his pelvis within the course of.
Gloucestershire (seventh)
SUPPORTERS shall be hoping it’s spin to win in Bristol with left-arm spin twins Zafar Gohar and Tom Smith main the cost with the ball. Australian pair Cameron Bancroft and Beau Webster must do a variety of the heavy lifting with the bat given no Gloucestershire participant reached the 300-run mark throughout final season’s competitors. Control former England Below 19 batsman Ben Charlesworth. The left-hander has solely performed 13 T20s however shall be seeking to kick on after notching his maiden crimson ball ton this month.
Hampshire Hawks (Semi-final)
5 completely different abroad gamers have signed as much as play some half however not Nathan Ellis, the Hawks’ main wicket-taker final season. That could be a blow, although England hopeful John Turner bowls genuinely fast and can step up into the Australian’s footwear after a break-through Blast season in 2023. They will nonetheless name on the providers of arguably the best T20 batsman on the home circuit in James Vince, whereas Liam Dawson is a miserly operator with the ball and the glue that holds the decrease order collectively.
Kent Spitfires (fifth)
Kent followers have each proper to get excited concerning the prospect of Zak Crawley and Daniel Bell-Drummond opening the batting. The supporting solid isn’t dangerous both, although Tawanda Muyeye shall be seeking to put a troublesome begin to the red-ball season behind him. Captain Sam Billings has recruited Brisbane Warmth team-mate Xavier Bartlett, a seamer who made his debut for Australia earlier this season, and he’ll lead the assault for the primary eight video games.
Middlesex (ninth)
Strict monetary restrictions have left the county with out an abroad participant for this yr’s Blast. A high order together with Max Holden, Stevie Eskinazi and new signing Leus du Plooy is thrilling and they are going to be supported by Ryan Higgins, one of the vital under-rated all-rounders on the circuit. The Lord’s-based aspect will play two video games at Chelmsford — somewhat than at one among their out-grounds — to avoid wasting money too.
Somerset (Winners)
Final season’s record-breaking champions shall be with out Kiwi pair Matt Henry, the competitors’s main wicket-taker in 2023, and Ish Sodhi, which leaves the bowling assault trying mild on star high quality. The identical can’t be stated concerning the batting line-up, although, which stays arguably essentially the most thrilling within the competitors with Will Smeed, Tom Banton and Tom Kohler-Cadmore able to placing massive runs on the board.
Surrey (Semi-final)
Effectively crushed of their last County Championship sport earlier than the Blast and now face the prospect of being with out nearly half of their crew for the group stage, with a number of of their all-star solid away on worldwide responsibility. Jason Roy doesn’t fall into that camp, although, and at all times performs his finest cricket with a degree to show. There may be loads of expertise left behind to plug the gaps, not least Sean Abbott, who blasted the quickest century in Blast historical past final season, however the absence of Will Jacks, the event’s high six-hitter in 2023, shall be keenly felt.
Sussex Sharks (sixth)
Jayden Seales began the County Championship on hearth however is just obtainable for the opening week of the competitors earlier than he heads off to affix up with the West Indies Check squad. Nathan McAndrew might want to step up with the ball in Seales’ place after a quiet marketing campaign final season. Runs have been in brief provide final season too and the departure of veteran all-rounder Ravi Bopara leaves rather a lot resting on the shoulders of Australia’s Daniel Hughes. In John Simpson, the Sharks can name on one of many best glovemen within the home sport who has additionally achieved the enterprise with the bat for Middlesex down the years too.
