The Vitality Blast returns on Friday. The new-look competition features three groups of six counties - North, South, Central and West - and a group stage reduced to 12 matches per county. Finals Day will be held at Edgbaston on Saturday 18 July. Here we assess the runners and riders in South Group.
Essex
Captain: Simon Harmer
Overseas players: Simon Harmer (South Africa, all), Wiaan Mulder (South Africa, first six games)
Finals Day appearances: Six (2006, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2019, 2023)
Titles: One (2019)
2025 finish: 9th in South Group
2025 leading runscorer: Michael Pepper (364)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Mohammad Amir (20)
Key winter moves: With wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Rossington not re-engaged after his T20-only contract did not work out, South African all-rounder Wiaan Mulder is the only addition to Essex's Vitality Blast squad. Mulder's most recent international T20 caps came as recently as March in New Zealand, and with approaching 150 appearances in the format, he should prove an asset in the early matches.
The big question: What will Jordan Cox have learnt from the IPL where he largely watched from the substitutes' bench with Royal Challengers Bangalore rather than performing in the middle alongside Virat Kohli? Cox topped the Essex batting averages last season - 10 runs ahead of anyone else - and scored a memorable century against Hampshire. Can he do it again?
Wildcard watch: Luc Benkenstein. Leg-spinners are worth their weight in gold in white-ball cricket as Benkenstein showed in last year's Blast where his 11 wickets earnt him a share of second place in the Essex wicket-taking list alongside Simon Harmer - and with a significantly superior average than his captain. Despite being only 21, he has T20 experience and temperament.
Final thought: Things can only get better for Essex. They won only three games last season, two of them late on with nothing at stake, to finish bottom of the South Group. The year before they were only edged out of a top-four place on run-rate, and in 2023 were beaten finalists. With their younger players a year more experienced, maybe an improved level of consistency can be expected to reverse the downward trend. Martin Smith
Hampshire Hawks
Captain: James Vince
Overseas players: Delano Potgieter (South Africa, until Tristan Stubbs arrives), Tristan Stubbs (South Africa, after IPL), Hilton Cartwright (Australia, all)
Finals Day appearances: 11 (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2025)
Titles: Three (2010, 2012, 2022)
2025 finish: Runners-up
2025 leading run-scorer: Toby Albert (633)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Scott Currie (27)
Key winter moves: Russell Domingo has replaced Adi Birrell in the head coach's corner, while Benny Howell has departed to Notts Outlaws and semi-final hero Chris Lynn to Northamptonshire Steelbacks. South African middle-order blaster Tristan Stubbs will arrive once his IPL stint is done, likely after two matches, while Hilton Cartwright returns after a brief stint in 2025.
The big question: Can the Vitality Blast revitalise Hampshire's season? The opening six matches in the Rothesay County Championship have been an unmitigated nightmare for the county. But in T20 cricket, the Hawks are a well-oiled machine, and the Blast's arrival could jolt everything back into gear and rebuild the confidence of those who need a pick-me-up.
Wildcard watch: Toby Albert. Last year's Vitality Blast top scorer was surprisingly overlooked at the Hundred Auction. Moved up to open, Albert piled on the runs with six half-centuries and was a key cog in the Hawks reaching the final. If he continues with his ramps, flicks, general power and tidy wicketkeeping, he will be a frontrunner for a Wildcard.
Final thought: Losing last year's final hurt, but Hampshire haven't been successful in the Blast by licking their wounds. They will be gunning for revenge and to become the first four-time champions. The squad, as ever, looks finely balanced. You know exactly what you are getting from James Vince, Chris Wood and Liam Dawson and the overseas players have good experience. The likes of Joe Weatherley, Scott Currie and Toby Albert know their roles, while Ben Mayes and Manny Lumsden are raw and ready if called upon. Alex Smith
Kent Spitfires
Captain: Sam Billings
Overseas players: Tom Rogers (Australia, all) Keith Dudgeon (South Africa, all). Dian Forrester (South Africa - when commitments with A tour permit)
Finals Day appearances: Four (2007, 2008, 2009, 2021)
Titles: Two (2007, 2021)
2025 finish: Quarter-finalist
2025 leading run-scorer: Tawanda Muyeye (516)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Fred Klaassen (15)
Key winter moves: There was genuine excitement when Kent swooped for both Jake Lintott, on loan from Warwickshire, and Forrester; while Bertie Foreman joins from Buckinghamshire. Jack Leaning has gone to Sussex and Nathan Gilchrist to Warwickshire, but the side that reached the last eight in 2025 is otherwise intact. Holding on to Muyeye was a very smart bit of business.
The big question: Will the new format might work in Kent's favour? It should make their path to the quarter-finals significantly easier as they no longer have to play the most recent champions, Somerset and Gloucestershire, home and away, but still get to play their local rivals. Travelling distances have been slashed, significantly enhancing player welfare.
Wildcard watch: Coach Adam Hollioake believes Chris Benjamin has the potential to be one of the world's most destructive batters. His 2025 campaign was ruined when he dislocated his shoulder grounding his bat at Lord's, but his red-ball form this year has been outstanding and with Billings keeping wicket he'll be able to concentrate purely on his batting.
Final thought: The St. Lawrence remains one of the great places to watch T20 cricket, but since winning the Blast in 2021, Kent have oscillated wildly. Off the pace in 2022 and 2024 they were unlucky not to go further in 2023 and 2025: Billings put last year's quarter-final exit in a low-scoring affair at Emirates Old Trafford down to their failure to get Liam Livingstone out. Signing Lintott, Forrester and Foreman, all in the space of 24 hours, feels like a statement of intent. Fred Atkins
Middlesex
Captain: Leus du Plooy
Overseas players: Eathan Bosch (all)
Finals Day appearances: One (2008)
Titles: One (2008)
2025 finish: 8th in South Group
2025 leading run-scorer: Stephen Eskinazi (420)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Tom Helm (20)
Key winter moves: Peter Fulton has arrived from New Zealand as head coach, but stellar batter Kane Williamson won't be returning for a second stint and leading run-scorer from 2025, former skipper Stephen Eskinazi has left for Leicestershire. England U19 World Cup final century-maker Caleb Falconer has been added to the squad and seems sure to make his Blast debut, while Adam Rossington returns to the club for the first six group-stage games.
The big question: Can Fulton succeed where others have fallen short and revive the white-ball fortunes of a Middlesex team who have reached only two T20 quarter-finals since Toby Radford led them to the trophy in 2008? Two-metre Pete has form, leading previous team Canterbury to glory twice in New-Zealand's premier white-ball competition, the Ford Trophy, though that is a 50-over format.
Wildcard watch: Caleb Falconer. The 19-year-old right-hander has already secured a Hundred contract after announcing himself to the cricketing world with that century at the U19 World Cup final in Zimbabwe. He recently made his first-class debut and looks sure to play a part for a team which needs a creative spark in the shorter format.
Final thought: Middlesex have an exciting crop of youngsters like Falconer, Sebastian Morgan, Naavya Sharma and others, some of whom took their first steps in the Blast last season. The challenge will be, with no sign of a marquee batter on the horizon, last year's leading scorer Eskinazi having left, and wicket-keeper/batter Joe Cracknell set to miss the start of the competition with a broken finger, whether Middlesex set and chase down targets in a format where the power hitters are king. Jon Batham
Surrey
Captain: Sam Curran
Overseas players: Sean Abbott (Australia, all)
Finals Day appearances: Nine (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2013, 2014, 2020, 2023, 2024)
Titles: One (2003)
2025 finish: Quarter-finals
2025 leading run-scorer: Will Jacks (504)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Sam Curran (21)
Key winter moves: The return of Australian all-rounder Sean Abbott, for his fourth overseas player stint at Surrey, was announced just before the start of the season and welcomed by all at the club. Abbott is available for the whole Blast competition, in addition to Surrey's first eight Rothesay County Championship games.
The big question: It is a source of intense irritation at the Kia Oval that Surrey have still not managed to add another short-form triumph to the winning of the inaugural Twenty20 Cup back in 2003 under Adam Hollioake's captaincy. Despite reaching eight Finals Days since, there has been no more silverware. Wildcard watch: With no fewer than 16 players signed up already by The Hundred franchises, the player with the best chance of becoming a 17th is possibly 18-year-old Ralphie Albert, the left-arm spinner who can bat well and represented England U19s last winter. Oh, and he's the grandson of snooker legend Jimmy White.
Final thought: In a star-studded squad Ollie Sykes, at 21, is primed to push on again this summer after making 10 appearances in last year's Vitality Blast and impressing with his powerful strokeplay despite limited opportunities in such a strong and deep batting line-up. Overall, last year's quarter-final exit against a Ravi Bopara-inspired Northamptonshire has only cranked up still further Surrey's resolve to win the Blast and get a monkey off their back. Mark Baldwin
Sussex Sharks
Captain: Tymal Mills
Overseas players: Daniel Hughes (Australia, all)
Finals Day appearances: Six (2007, 2009, 2012, 2018, 2021, 2024)
Titles: One (2009)
2025 finish: 6th in South Division
2025 leading run-scorer: James Coles (397)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Nathan McAndrew (23)
Key winter moves: The competition's all-time leading wicket-taker Danny Briggs has returned to Hove and his experience will be crucial while two other recruits - former Gloucestershire all-rounder Tom Price and off-spinning batter Jack Leaning - have good records in the Blast.
The big question: Sussex's bowling options look plentiful and varied despite the departure of last season's leading wicket-taker Nathan McAndrew. But there were question marks around the batting in 2025 with too much reliance placed on James Coles with no one else averaging above 27. A collective improvement in that area is needed.
Wildcard watch: Charlie Tear came of age in the 50-over tournament last year and the keeper-batter might get an extended opportunity this summer to show he has the transferable skills to flourish in the shorter white-ball format.
Final thought: This is Sussex's best chance of silverware. They have a squad with a lot of experience - Mills and Briggs in particular - as well as some seriously talented youngsters, like the £390k Hundred pick James Coles, who are potential match-winners in their own right. A better collective batting effort than 2025 should enable them to make the knockout stages as a bare minimum, although director of cricket Paul Farbrace is targeting a third appearance at Finals Day in six years. Bruce Talbot