Injuries and travel restrictions leave Hampshire with a lot to do in 2020

T20 BLAST PREVIEW: Liam Dawson, Rilee Rossouw and Kyle Abbott make up a significant backbone of the side. James Vince will need to score big runs, and the support bowlers claim plenty of wickets, if Hampshire are to progress...

Coach: Adrian Birrell

Captain: James Vince

Last season: 7th, South Division

Fixtures: August 27 - Kent (a, 2pm); August 30 - Sussex (a, 2pm); September 1 - Essex (a, 2pm); September 3 - Surrey (a, 6.30pm); September 10 - Sussex (h, 6.35pm); September 12 - Middlesex (a, 2pm); September 14 - Kent (h, 2pm); September 16 - Essex (h, 2pm); September 18 - Surrey (h, 2pm); September 20 - Middlesex (h, 1pm) 

How did they do last year?

Hampshire didn’t have the greatest of years in the 2019 T20 Blast. They lost one more game than they won - six and five - ant throughout the tournament they lacked big scores with the bat.

Who are their key players?

James Vince scored the most runs for Hampshire in 2019, with 407 runs in the tournament landing him in the top 12 runscorers. Vince’s highest score came from steering Hampshire over the line against Essex, in which he made 87 not out off just 54 balls. His availability will be crucial in a side which lacks a great deal of experience.

Sam Northeast is the other vital old head in the top order. Northeast scored 273 runs in his 12 innings last season, the closest to Vince's tally among his teammates. The pair need to marshall the rest of the line-up to scores of substance. George Munsey, the impressive Scotland international, has been brought in to bolster the batting and brings with him 360-degree hitting at the top of the order.

With Liam Dawson missing after rupturing his Achilles in a Bob Willis Trophy match against Middlesex at Radlett, much will be asked of Mason Crane. The legspiner, capped at T20 level by England, claimed 11 wickets in the competition last year, with an economy not far from Dawson’s at 7.03. He has been in superb form with the red ball, and Hampshire will be desperate to see that transferred into the short format.

VISIT THE COUNTY HUB: News, interviews & live scores

What are their strengths?

Hampshire's side has taken something of a battering by Covid regulations and now injury. There is no Dawson, there is no Rilee Rossouw, there is no Kyle Abbott.

So much relies on Vince - but he does have the capacity to carry his team. Northeast will need to improve on his modest T20 average of less than 23 from last year. Munsey is an excellent addition.

Where might they have a weakness?

Strength in depth is an obvious issue, but so to is a lack of a strike bowler.

Chris Wood’s medium pace is often effective, but the lack of a main wicket-taking bowler could be their undoing. They may be able to squeeze teams and control run rate but taking enough wickets consistently could be a problem.

Where are Abbott's 20 wickets of 2019 going to come from this year?

Possible XI: James Vince, George Munsey, Nye Donald, Ian Holland, Tom Alsop, Sam Northeast, Chris Wood, James Fuller, Mason Crane, Ryan Stevenson

For unrivalled coverage of the county season, subscribe to The Cricketer and receive 3 issues for £5