Vitality Blast (2025-26) Discussion Thread

[The Bald Eagle]

T20 Blast to be revamped in 2026​

A shake-up to the domestic white-ball summer will take place in 2026, including a slimmed down Vitality Blast played in one block before the start of The Hundred.

A review into the white-ball domestic structure led by the counties - in consultation with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Professional Cricketers' Association (PCA) - recommended changes with an eye on player welfare and competition narrative.

From next summer the T20 Blast competition reduces the group stages by two games to 12 matches per side, with the quarter-finals and Finals Day following on directly so the competition is wrapped up in one block.

The two groups of nine sides will be replaced by three groups of six split into north, central and south groups as they were in 2020.

The Women's T20 Blast competition has a similar reduction in games with the group stages featuring 12 games, down from 14. Finals Day will mirror the men's finale with two semi-finals and a final on the same day.

With Yorkshire Women moving to Tier 1 on professional terms, the structure of the women's T20 changes to two groups of nine with the second-tier sides playing eight group games and a three-team two-match Finals Day.

The six-week break between the group stages and quarter-finals in the T20 Blast has come under fire, with critics saying the competition loses its "momentum".

Counties and the ECB are also set to announce the results of a review into the schedule and structure of the County Championship but no decisions are expected for at least two weeks.

What will happen from 2026

Men's Vitality T20 Blast

The group stage of the Vitality T20 Blast reverts to three groups with North, Central and South Groups with the eight best-placed teams on points and net run-rates going through to the quarter-finals.

North Group: Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Lancashire, Durham, Yorkshire and Leicestershire

Central Group: Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, Birmingham, Somerset, Glamorgan, Worcestershire

South Group: Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Middlesex, Essex, Hampshire

Each county plays the other teams in their group home and away - a total of 10 matches.

They will additionally play one home game against a county from outside their group and one away game against a side from another group.

The top two teams in each group plus the best two third-placed teams progress to the quarter-finals. The winners of the quarter-finals will progress to men's T20 Blast Finals Day.

BBC

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Teams to qualify for the Semi-final of the Vitality Blast 2025

 

[BouncerGuy]

T20 Blast 2025:
Lancashire vs Somerset, 1st Semi-Final

Lancashire have won the toss and have opted to field

Teams:

Somerset (Playing XI): Will Smeed(w), Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Tom Abell, James Rew, Sean Dickson, Lewis Gregory(c), Ben Green, Craig Overton, Migael Pretorius, Jack Leach, Jake Ball

Lancashire (Playing XI): Keaton Jennings(c), Luke Wells, Matthew Hurst(w), Liam Livingstone, Michael Jones, Arav Shetty, George Balderson, Jack Blatherwick, Tom Hartley, Sir James Anderson, Thomas Aspinwall

 

[hassan918]

Somerset finished their innings at 182/7, thanks mainly to a brilliant innings by Tom Kohler-Cadmore who made 81 runs off 55 balls.

 

[hassan918]

Somerset beat Lancashire by 23 runs in the first semi-final.

Somerset 182/7 (20)
Lancashire 159 (19.5/20)

 

[hassan918]

The start of the second semi-final between Northamptonshire and Hampshire has been delayed due to rain.

 

[hassan918]

Hampshire have won the toss and decided to bowl first against Northamptonshire.

 

[hassan918]

Hampshire beat Northamptonshire by 6 wickets (with 15 balls remaining) (DLS method)
Northamptonshire (18/18 ov) 158/7
Hampshire (15.3/18 ov, T:155) 155/4

 

[The Bald Eagle]

High drama in the One-Day Cup final! A boundary catch turned into six after Kyle Abbott’s foot brushed the rope, sealing the cup for Worcestershire with 2 balls to spare (D/L method)

 

[The Bald Eagle]

The new-look Vitality Blast will ‘Blast Off’ with 16 double headers across the opening Bank Holiday Weekend of the men’s and women’s competitions next season

Somerset begin the defence of their Vitality Blast Men’s Competition title with a home rematch of last season’s final against Hampshire Hawks on the opening Friday night.

Vitality Blast Women’s Competition champions Surrey are at home to Lancashire Thunder while across London, Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 champions Middlesex host Kent at Lord’s, with all three fixtures a part of opening day double-headers.

A total of 61 double headers will be played next season with both the men’s and women’s competitions revamped following this year’s county-led review, that will see a greater focus on derby rivalries, more matches in fan-friendly days and a more balanced schedule to support player performance.

The Vitality Blast Men’s Competition now consists of 12 group-stage matches, with three groups of six, which has allowed schedulers to place 80 per cent of group-stage fixtures in fan-friendly slots on a Friday, Sunday or a Bank Holiday.

The total number of back-to-back matches in the Vitality Blast Men’s Competition has been reduced to six – which is down from more than 50 two years ago – while there is just one in the Vitality Blast Women’s Competition.

Yorkshire will play in the Vitality Blast Women’s Competition for the first time, paving the way for a first-ever Roses double header at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday 10 July.

Forty-one of the 54 group-stage matches in the Vitality Blast Women’s Competition will be double headers, while 20 of the 36 Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 group-stage matches are set to be double headers.

The Vitality Blast Men’s Competition and Vitality Blast Women’s Competition group stage will conclude over ‘Finale Weekend’ (Friday 10 July – Sunday 12 July) with the men’s quarter-finals immediately following on Wednesday 15 July.

Vitality Blast Women’s Finals Day will mirror the men’s format – with two semi-finals and a final – and be played on Friday 17 July at the Kia Oval. Vitality Blast Men’s Finals Day will follow the next day at EdgBLASTon.

Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 Finals Day will be staged at Sophia Gardens on Sunday 12 July.

Fans wishing to get in early and secure tickets to Vitality Blast 2026 can contact their local counties to see county membership, season ticket and hospitality availability.

ECB Managing Director, Competitions and Major Events, Neil Snowball, said: “The changes to the men’s and women’s Vitality Blast competitions for 2026 have been made in order to benefit fans and players alike. Every county will host a men’s and women’s double header, with 61 double-headers in total, while the significant reduction in back-to-back games gives players more opportunity to perform at their very best throughout the competition.

“The narrative of both competitions will also be easier to follow with the knockout stages following on immediately after the group stages, culminating in a true celebration of T20 Cricket with the women’s and men’s Vitality Blast Finals Days being hosted at The Kia Oval and Edgbaston on consecutive days."

PCA Chief Executive, Daryl Mitchell, said: “Throughout the past 12 months, the PCA has worked tirelessly alongside the professional game to improve standards for players across all formats. The Vitality Blast competitions for 2026 highlight considerable improvements with a real energy injected into them.

“Players want to be at their optimum levels to perform at their best in county cricket’s flagship T20 competition and a significant reduction of back-to-back fixtures across the men’s and women’s Blast, alongside more men’s and women’s double headers and reduced travel in the men’s game will allow this.”

Format:

Each county will play 12 group-stage matches – six at home and six away. Counties will play the other five counties in their group home and away, in addition to one home match against a county outside their group and one away match against another county from outside their group.

Quarter-finals:

The top two teams in each group will qualify for the quarter-finals in addition to two best third-placed teams. The winners of each quarter-final qualify for Vitality Blast Men’s Finals Day.

First matches

Following the changes to the group-stage format, where counties will play two other counties from outside their group – there will be three matches where counties have never played each other before in the Vitality Blast Men’s Competition.

Those matches are:

Yorkshire v Gloucesterhire - Sunday 31 May, Headingley.

Sussex Sharks v Leicestershire Foxes – Friday 5 June, The 1st Central County Ground, Hove.

Worcestershire Rapids v Kent Spitfires – Friday 3 July, Visit Worcestershire New Road.

Vitality Blast Women’s Competitions

The required majority of the 18 PCCs voted to reduce the number of Vitality Blast Women’s Competition (Tier 1) group-stage matches from 14 to 12 for next season.

The vote was not tied to the outcome of the vote on the Vitality Blast Men’s Competition. It was also agreed that the women’s Vitality Blast Finals Day (Tier 1) will be expanded to include two semi-finals and a final.

The Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 (Tier 2) will maintain eight group-stage matches, but move to a single group – changing from North and South Groups in 2025 – with a three-team Finals Day.

Vitality Blast Women’s Competition (Tier 1)

Group: Durham, Essex, Hampshire Hawks, Lancashire Thunder, Somerset, Surrey, The Blaze, Warwickshire Bears, Yorkshire.

Group-stage matches

Each county will play 12 group-stage matches – six home and six away. They will play four counties twice and four counties once.

Knockout stage

The top four counties at the end of the group stage will progress to women’s Vitality Blast Women’s Finals Day, which will include two semi-finals and the Final.

Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 (Tier 2)

Group: Derbyshire Falcons, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire Foxes, Middlesex, Northamptonshire Steelbacks, Sussex Sharks, Worcestershire Rapids.

Group-stage matches

Each county will play eight group-stage matches – four home and four away. They will play each county either home or away.

Knockout stage

The top three counties at the end of the group stage will progress to Vitality Blast Women’s League 2 Finals Day, which will include an Eliminator and Final.