THE Vitality T20 Blast is back, and the South Group will again be hard-fought.
Paul Martin assesses the sides Somerset will be up against in the coming weeks…
Essex Eagles
Last season: Eighth
Overseas: Adam Zampa, Neil Wagner (first six games, then Peter Siddle)
Essex struggled in this format last year but have the talent to improve this time around.
Adam Zampa’s leggies will be crucial as the Australian makes his county cricket bow and Essex have the bowling attack to trouble any side, but whether they have enough power hitters is open to question.
Glamorgan
Last season: Semi-finals
Overseas: Shaun Marsh, Usman Khawaja
The Welsh outfit sprung a surprise by topping the South Group last year and any side with Colin Ingram - who struck 59 sixes in last year’s competition - has to be treated with caution.
The in-form Shaun Marsh will also prove to be a threat and much is expected of young starlet Aneurin Donald.
On the bowling front, Timm van der Gugten and Marchant de Lange will cause problems, and Michael Hogan is among the circuit’s most reliable bowlers in this format.
THREAT: The in-form Shaun Marsh. Pic: PA Wire
Gloucestershire
Last season: Ninth
Overseas: Michael Klinger, Andrew Tye (misses first two)
The only way is up for Gloucestershire, who finished rock bottom last season and have been too reliant on star batsmen Michael Klinger for runs.
Explosive all-rounder Ryan Higgins should ease the burden this summer, and death-bowling specialist Andrew Tye joins a talented bowling attack which will again include Benny Howell’s box of tricks.
Hampshire
Last season: Semi-finals
Overseas: Colin Munro (until end of July, then Dale Steyn), Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Full of confidence after their Royal London One-Day Cup triumph, Hampshire will be justifiably confident of doing what Notts achieved last season in recording a limited-overs double.
They have reached Finals Day more than any other county and won’t be short of runs, with Colin Munro and Sam Northeast adding to add to an already classy line-up.
Mason Crane’s absence through injury is a blow but 17-year-old Afghan spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman has accounted for Virat Kohli and Jos Buttler in the IPL and will relish the challenge ahead.
CLASS: Hampshire's Sam Northeast. Pic: PA Wire
Kent Spitfires
Last season: Sixth
Overseas: Marcus Stoinis, Carlos Brathwaite (first four matches, then Adam Milne)
Somerset’s bogey team have lost Sam Northeast but, in Joe Denly, they have an experienced campaigner who seems to be getting better with age.
South African opener Heino Kuhn has shown what he is capable of against the white ball in the 50-over competition, while 42-year-old Darren Stevens remains a hugely valuable asset with bat and ball.
Middlesex
Last season: Seventh
Overseas: Ashton Agar, Dwayne Bravo
Long-serving head coach Rob Scott left Lord’s this week but that will not have too much of an effect on Middlesex’s T20 side, who will again be coached by Daniel Vettori.
Dwayne Bravo adds international swagger to a side that perhaps otherwise lacks stardust, especially in the absence of Dawid Malan and Eoin Morgan for the early part of the tournament due to their England commitments.
Surrey
Last season: Quarter-finals
Overseas: Aaron Finch, Nic Maddison
Among the strongest teams in the tournament on paper, Surrey boast an outstanding array of talent including big-hitting Aussies Aaron Finch and Nic Maddison, young gun Ollie Pope, as well as the Curran brothers and Jason Roy when they return from England duty.
Morne Morkel heads a talented bowling attack – Surrey should be reaching the last eight at the very least.
ALL-ROUNDER: Jofra Archer, of Sussex Sharks. Pic: PA Wire
Sussex Sharks
Last season: Fifth
Overseas: Rashid Khan, Tom Bruce
Sussex have pulled off a coup in the signing of Rashid Khan, the Afghan spinner who is the top ranked T20 bowler in the world and had a superb IPL – as did Sharks all-rounder Jofra Archer, now one of the most sought-after players in this format.
The Sharks look strong from 1-11 this year, with Chris Jordan and the evergreen Luke Wright set to thrill the Hove crowds again, and look like the team to beat.
Prediction
1. Sussex Sharks
2. Surrey
3. Hampshire
4. Kent Spitfires
5. Somerset
6. Glamorgan
7. Gloucestershire
8. Essex Eagles
9. Middlesex
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