T20 Blast Essentials: All you need to know ahead of Tuesday's action

The Cricketer provides all the information required ahead of another afternoon of T20 Blast fixtures

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SOUTH GROUP

Essex v Hampshire

Where: Chelmsford

When: Tuesday, September 1, 2pm

Lowdown: Both sides are still looking for their first wins, though reigning champions Essex appear to have forgotten how to lose. They snatched a tie from the jaws of defeat against Surrey on Sunday.

One to watch: Scotland opener George Munsey signed for Hampshire on the eve of the Blast and reverse-swept the second ball of his debut for six, but he has not yet ignited as he can. There will be fireworks if he does.

Weather: Cloudy with some sunny intervals

Tickets: Match will be played behind closed doors

Prediction: Essex

Kent v Surrey

Where: Canterbury

When: Tuesday, September 1, 2pm

Lowdown: Two teams who will feel they should have won their last games, only to tie: Surrey against Essex, Kent against Middlesex. Kent, especially, will be wondering quite how they remain winless, having dominated Hampshire before the rain came in their first match.

One to watch: Ben Foakes has been in fine form for Surrey since returning from England’s bio-secure bubble. He made 118 and 57 in his single Bob Willis Trophy appearance, before hitting 44 in a Blast tie with Essex.

Weather: Sunny intervals with little chance of stoppages for rain

Tickets: Match will be played behind closed doors

Prediction: Kent

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Northamptonshire beat Somerset on Sunday, with Adam Rossington starring

Middlesex v Sussex

Where: Lord’s

When: Tuesday, September 1, 6.15pm

Lowdown: Middlesex’s batting has fired in both games thus far, while Sussex are justifiably among the favourites to go all the way, with several white-ball specialists who have spent the last month honing their skills.

One to watch: Luke Wright and Phil Salt are quite an opening pair, and both men have made solid starts to their Blast campaigns. Wright made 82 in Sussex’s win over Hampshire last time out.

Weather: Cloudy but no real threat of rain

Tickets: Match will be played behind closed doors

Prediction: Sussex

CENTRAL GROUP

Northamptonshire v Birmingham

Where: Northampton

When: Tuesday, September 1, 6.30pm

Lowdown: Northamptonshire have emerged as the form side in the early stages of the competition, having won both of their non-rain-affected games against Somerset and Worcestershire. Birmingham are also unbeaten, with a win and a washout.

One to watch: Adam Rossington suffered a hand injury, before hitting a match-winning fifty against Somerset. Beyond the wicketkeeper-batsman, Paul Stirling has had a predictably major impact on a competition he knows well.

Weather: A pleasant evening with sunny intervals

Tickets: Match will be played behind closed doors

Prediction: Northamptonshire

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Chris Cooke has begun the T20 campaign in fine form

Somerset v Glamorgan

Where: Taunton

When: Tuesday, September 1, 6.30pm

Lowdown: Glamorgan beat Gloucestershire in their first game, before losing to Birmingham Bears. Somerset remain winless after a washout and defeat against Northamptonshire.

One to watch: As of Monday morning, Chris Cooke was the top run-scorer in the competition and one of only two players – Durham’s Alex Lees the other – with two fifties to his name.

Weather: Sunny intervals and dry

Tickets: Match will be played behind closed doors

Prediction: Somerset

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