Northamptonshire vs Somerset Prediction & Match Preview – T20 Blast Semi-Final 1
Match summary
Our T20 Blast 2026 Semi-Final 1 preview of Northamptonshire vs Somerset at Edgbaston: recent wins, key players, pitch, weather and verdict.
Match details
| Match | Northamptonshire vs Somerset, Semi-Final 1 |
|---|---|
| Series | T20 Blast 2026 |
| Date | 18 Jul 2026 |
| Start time | 11:00 am local time |
| Venue | Edgbaston, Birmingham |
| Status | Played |
| Our pick | Somerset |
| Toss pick | Northamptonshire |
Matches in this series
Match preview
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.
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.
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
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 165–180 | – |
| Second innings | 155–175 | – |
Somerset
Craig Overton’s match-winning 79 not out and a four-man attack in form give Somerset a narrow edge in our preview.
Toss pick: Northamptonshire
FAQ
Who is predicted to win Northamptonshire vs Somerset?
Our preview narrowly picks Somerset.
Who is expected to win the toss?
We expect Northamptonshire to win the toss and bowl first on the fresh morning surface.
How did the teams reach the semi-final?
Northamptonshire beat Gloucestershire by eight wickets, while Somerset beat Yorkshire in their quarter-final.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
Northamptonshire
- Ricardo Vasconcelos
- Chris Lynn
- Nathan McSweeney
- David Willeyc
- Lewis McManus
- Louis Kimber
- Calvin Harrison
- Saif Zaib
- James Sales
- Ben Sanderson
- George Scrimshaw
Somerset
- Will Smeed
- Thomas Rew
- Tom Banton
- James Rew
- Tom Kohler-Cadmore
- Lewis Goldsworthy
- Lewis Gregoryc
- Daniel Sams
- Craig Overton
- Riley Meredith
- Jake Ball