Preview, T20 Blast | Heavyweights clash in first semi-final as depleted Lancashire take on Somerset

No team has made it to past the group stages as Lancashire in T20 Blast history -- since the tournament began in 2003, the side has failed to finish in the top-eight only on five occassions. Yet, they have only one title to show for their success, which came a decade ago in 2015. The team has only grown in strength since, with the likes of Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, James Anderson, Saqib Mahmood, and Luke Wood all gracing their set-up. Similarly, no team has made it to Finals Day more times than Somerset -- only Hampshire level their tally of 11. And unlike their upcoming opponents, the county has two titles to their name, one of which came by defeating Lancashire themselves in the 2005 summit clash.

Lancashire ended the preliminary stage on top of the North Division, with nine wins from 14 games earning them a points tally of 36. Their dominance appeared to be under threat in July courtesy back-to-back losses against Birmingham and Yorkshire, but two wins in their last three games was followed by a Liam Livinsgtone-powered victory in the Quarter Final over Kent.

Lancashire:  W L W W L

Somerset:  W W L W W

Lancashire and Somerset first met in the T20 format in the 2005 T20 Blast Final, where the latter dominated in a rain-curtailed encounter to lift the title. Their next, and so far the only other T20 fixture between the two teams, came in 2021, where Somerset again chased down 185 without much ado.  

Lancashire 0-2 Somerset

Edgbaston is generally a high-scoring venue, as evidenced by an average first innings score of 186 across the eight games played here in Vitality Blast 2025, the latest of which saw Northamptonshire drum-up an astonishing 240/6. Five of those eight games have been won by the chasing team, while no sub-200 target has been defended at the venue this year.

However, none of that could matter if the weather forecast actualizes as persistent showers and dark clouds are expected to reign for the entire duration of the encounter. 

Lancashire will be missing four key players that helped them pave their path to the finals -- Phil Salt, Jos Buttler, and Luke Wood are involved in England's T20I series against South Africa, while Chris Green is representing Barbados Royals in the Caribbean Premier League. Luke Wells is thus likely to return to the top of the order, with Matty Hurst taking over the gloves. In the bowling department, Mitchell Stanley woud be eyeing a comeback despite a disappointing season so far.

Somerset, meanwhile, are expected to play the same line-up that defeated Birmingham Bears in a thrilling quarter final. 

Somerset Probable XI: Will Smeed, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Abell, James Rew (wk), Sean Dickson, Lewis Gregory (c), Ben Green, Craig Overton, Lewis Goldsworthy, Riley Meredith, Jake Ball     

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