Northamptonshire vs Somerset Prediction & Match Preview – T20 Blast Semi-Final 1

Northamptonshire and Somerset meet at Edgbaston in the first semi-final of the T20 Blast 2026, with an 11:00 am start on a pitch that may offer some early help to the seamers.

Northamptonshire beat Gloucestershire by eight wickets in the quarter-final, restricting them to 152 and chasing it in 17.4 overs. Ben Sanderson took 4 for 20 and Calvin Harrison two wickets, then Ricardo Vasconcelos scored 42 from 30 balls and David Willey made 47. Chris Lynn has 475 runs in 11 matches, and James Sales has 21 wickets.

Somerset beat Yorkshire after limiting them to 161. Will Smeed made 21 and Lewis Gregory 22 in the chase before Craig Overton struck an unbeaten 79 from 30 balls. Jake Ball took 3 for 30, with Overton, Riley Meredith and Daniel Sams claiming two each. Sams has 19 wickets in 13 matches this season.

A total around 175 is likely to be competitive. With the form of Overton and the bowling unit, our preview narrowly goes for Somerset, with Northamptonshire expected to win the toss.

Probable playing XI

Pitch report

Edgbaston generally gives a balanced T20 contest. The new ball can move for seamers, especially in fresh morning conditions, and the surface then settles for stroke play. Short square boundaries suit power hitters, while spinners can contribute in the middle overs with changes of pace. Sides batting first typically aim for 170–180, and anything over 180 is a strong knockout total.

Weather

The 11:00 am start is forecast to be partly sunny at around 20°C, with light winds. There is a slight chance of a brief passing shower, but a full match is likely. Dew is not expected to be a major factor in a daytime fixture.

Expected scores

• 1st innings: 165–180
• 2nd innings: 155–175

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