Holders off to slow start; Lancashire sparked by change of format – Rj Blog

The Vitality Blast returned last week as all 18 counties began their quest to reach Finals Day at Edgbaston on September 13.

As ever, the games come thick and fast with Lancashire Lightning already having played on three occasions in the first four days.

Glamorgan and Surrey face off later on Tuesday, kickstarting the first full week of action in the 2025 competition.

Ahead of that clash in the South group, we take a look at some of the major talking points that emerged from the opening few days of England’s domestic white-ball season.

Reigning champions on the back foot

No side has ever defended their title in the history of the competition and Gloucestershire have not made the ideal start in an attempt to become the first side to do so.

After falling narrowly short in a chase of 209 against Kent Spitfires in their opening game, the holders were then comprehensively dispatched by an impressive Sussex Sharks outfit as they were bowled out for just 93 at Hove with just three batsmen reaching double figures.

Nine members of the side that beat Somerset at Edgbaston last September have started both games but they already find themselves under pressure to get off the mark with a difficult trip to face the Hampshire Hawks and a rematch of the 2024 final against their West Country rivals to come.

There is no reason to panic just yet though, with the defending champions able to look back on last year in which they only won one of their first five group games.

What a difference a week makes for Lancashire

The one team arguably most looking forward to the start of the T20 Blast was Lancashire, who have endured a torrid start to the County Championship campaign in Division Two and are the only side in the country yet to register a win.

Club legend Steven Croft was entrusted with leading the group following the departure of head coach Dale Benkenstein on the eve of their T20 opener, with the former batter having an immediate impact.

Having held their nerve with the ball for a morale-boosting win over Worcestershire Rapids at Emirates Old Trafford, openers Keaton Jennings and Luke Wells led the way in a much more dominant victory against Notts Outlaws to make it two home wins on the bounce.

With no time to rest, the Red Rose were up in Durham where a scrambled single off the final ball of the match by Jack Blatherwick saw them home by four wickets and ensured their excellent start to the T20 campaign continued.

The win over Durham also saw 42-year-old James Anderson play his first T20 since 2014, with England’s all-time leading wicket-taker claiming remarkable figures of 3-17 off his four overs with 16 dot balls, his career-best in the format.

In-form Somerset look the real deal again

The Taunton outfit have become a dominant T20 force in recent years, having reached Finals Day for four consecutive years.

Early indications are that the 2023 winners will take some stopping from making that five, with two convincing professional performances against Surrey and Essex Eagles to follow up their three successive Championship wins in the lead up.

Both victories have been underpinned by a strong pace attack, led by overseas duo Matt Henry and Riley Meredith, taking 19 wickets in two games and restricting both opponents to less than 150.

Such has been the clinical nature of their efforts in the field, the batting lineup has been more ruthless than destructive so far in reaching their targets untroubled, with Will Smeed particularly impressive in his unbeaten 54-ball 81 at Chelmsford.

Question marks over weakened Bears

The Bears have led the way in the North group since 2022, winning 30 out of 42 games in that time, a run that could be coming to an end though if the first two games are anything to go by with consecutive defeats to Notts Outlaws and Durham.

The batters posted a sizeable 226 at Trent Bridge, thanks largely to Sam Hain’s glorious 92 off just 49 balls, but slumped to 4-3 less than 24 hours later and never truly recovered despite the commendable efforts of Hain.

The bowling has been a major concern, spearheaded by Ed Barnard who played just five T20 matches in 2024 and rookie Adam Sylvester who impressed on trial but has conceded 71 runs in four overs.

Recruitment has also been under the spotlight with big-hitting all-rounder Beau Webster now missing the whole tournament due to his Australia Test call-up, leaving them with Kiwi Tom Latham as their only overseas players for the opening run of matches, despite a fairly modest T20 record.

Star man Jacob Bethell is expected to spend most of his summer with England, though the returns of Dan Mousley, Richard Gleeson and Hasan Ali cannot come soon enough ahead of a crunch clash with fellow winless side Yorkshire on Friday.

Experienced heads guide Steelbacks to perfect start

Northamptonshire Steelbacks enjoyed an impressive 2024 campaign in which they finished second in the North group and earned themselves a home quarter-final, with the early signs pointing to similar success under Australian Darren Lehmann.

After victory in a run-fest at Lehmann’s old stomping ground, they then became the first side to beat Leicestershire this season as they overcame the Foxes in a low-scoring contest, proving their capabilities with both bat and ball.

Captain David Willey made a rapid half-century against Yorkshire and has taken six wickets in two matches, whilst 36-year-old seamer Ben Sanderson also has six scalps with career-best T20 figures of 4-15 against Leicestershire, in the same game veteran Ravi Bopara hit a measured 46 to help steer his side over the line in the final over.

Records and debut performances

In just a matter of days the competition has already produced runs galore and a number of eye-catching displays.

On the opening Friday night, Notts Outlaws recorded their highest successful chase in T20 history by reaching a target of 227 with five balls to spare against the Bears, Northamptonshire Steelbacks racked up their highest ever T20 total of 237-4 at Yorkshire and Hampshire Hawks made their largest total at home with 230-7 in a demolition job of Essex Eagles.

Keaton Jennings and Luke Wells registered the highest partnership in the history of the T20 North group as the pair put on 177 inside 16 overs for the first wicket for Lancashire Lightning against Notts Outlaws, whilst Leicestershire Foxes‘ opener Sol Budinger equalled the fastest half-century in Blast history from 15 balls in their win against Derbyshire Falcons.

South African superstar Dewald Brevis introduced himself to the Hampshire fans with a blistering 68 off 32 balls which included six sixes and 20-year-old left-arm spinner Charlie Barnard claimed 3-23 in an impressive first T20 start for Lancashire in their win over Notts.