Lancashire vs Durham Prediction & Match Preview – T20 Blast 100th Match
Match summary
Our preview of Lancashire vs Durham in the T20 Blast 2026 at Emirates Old Trafford: probable XIs, pitch, weather, expected scores and verdict.
Match details
| Match | Lancashire vs Durham, 100th Match |
|---|---|
| Series | T20 Blast 2026 |
| Date | 12 Jul 2026 |
| Start time | 12:00 pm local time |
| Venue | Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Lancashire |
| Toss pick | Durham |
Matches in this series
Match preview
Lancashire host Durham at Emirates Old Trafford in the 100th match of the T20 Blast 2026 season, with a midday start on a day forecast to be warm and dry. It is the sort of fixture where early wickets and a controlled powerplay can shape the whole contest.
Lancashire’s probable side leans heavily on batting depth. Keaton Jennings captains and opens the order alongside the wicketkeeper Matthew Hurst, with Liam Livingstone, Marcus Harris, Joseph Moores and Ben McDermott behind them. Tom Hartley, Saqib Mahmood and Luke Wood give the attack a blend of spin and pace.
Durham are led by Alex Lees and could line up with Graham Clark, Colin Ackermann, Will Rhodes and Ben Raine in the main roles, with Nathan Sowter and Callum Parkinson providing spin. Their best chance is to take early wickets while the new ball moves, because the pitch tends to ease once it settles.
With the home advantage and the stronger-looking top order, our preview picks Lancashire. Durham are the side we expect to call correctly at the toss, with bowling first the likelier choice.
Emirates Old Trafford usually offers a balanced surface with a slight early edge for the bowlers. Seamers can find swing and movement, particularly under cloud or in humid air, so the powerplay is a testing phase. As the ball ages the pitch settles and the quick outfield rewards well-timed strokes. Spin has a limited impact, and a competitive T20 total is generally in the 165–180 range.
Manchester is forecast to be warm and sunny for the midday start, with temperatures of 24–26°C, clear skies and little chance of rain. A light breeze and a firm, dry surface should mean consistent bounce and pace, which suits batters.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 160–175 | – |
| Second innings | 155–165 | – |
Lancashire
Lancashire have the home ground and a batting line-up built around Keaton Jennings, Liam Livingstone and Marcus Harris, which gives them the edge in our preview.
Toss pick: Durham
FAQ
Who is expected to win Lancashire vs Durham?
Our preview favours Lancashire, helped by home conditions and a strong batting order.
Which team is tipped to win the toss?
We expect Durham to win the toss, and a bowl-first decision looks sensible on a pitch that offers early movement.
What is a good score at Emirates Old Trafford?
A first-innings total of roughly 165–180 is usually competitive here.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Lancashire
- Keaton Jenningsc
- Matthew Hurstwk
- Liam Livingstone
- Marcus Harris
- Joseph Moores
- Ben McDermott
- Harry Singh
- Tom Hartley
- Thomas Aspinwall
- Saqib Mahmood
- Luke Wood
Durham
- Graham Clark
- Alex Leesc
- Oliver Robinsonwk
- Colin Ackermann
- Ben McKinney
- Will Rhodes
- Kasey Aldridge
- Ben Raine
- Nathan Sowter
- Callum Parkinson
- James Minto
Head-to-head
Earlier meetings of Lancashire and Durham that we covered.