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Northamptonshire and Somerset meet in the first semi-final of T20 Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston on Saturday, July 18, with the winner going through to face Hampshire Hawks or Notts Outlaws in the final later the same evening. Northants arrive as the form side of the competition, having topped the Central & West group with nine wins from twelve and cruised past Gloucestershire in the quarter-final. Somerset arrive as defending champions who needed one of the great T20 Blast rescue acts, Craig Overton’s 79 not out from 82 for 8, just to get here. In this preview you will find the match details, form, pitch report and two NOR vs SOM fantasy team options, one safe and one for grand leagues.
For Indian viewers, the match starts at 3.30 PM IST, an 11.00 AM start in Birmingham.
NOR vs SOM 1st Semi Final Match Details
Match: Northamptonshire vs Somerset, 1st Semi Final, T20 Blast 2026
Date: Saturday, July 18, 2026
Time: 3.30 PM IST | 11.00 AM local time
Venue: Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham
Streaming in India: Sony LIV
TV in India: Sony Sports Ten Network
T20 Blast Finals Day Schedule
| Match | Fixture | Time (IST) |
|---|---|---|
| 1st Semi Final | Northamptonshire vs Somerset | 3.30 PM |
| 2nd Semi Final | Hampshire Hawks vs Notts Outlaws | Later same day |
| Final | Winners of both semi-finals | Evening, same day |
All three games are played back to back at Edgbaston on Finals Day, English cricket’s one-day showpiece for the T20 Blast.
How The Quarter-Finals Ended
Northants made light work of Gloucestershire at Northampton, bowling the visitors out for 152 as Ben Sanderson took a season-best 4 for 20. Ben Charlesworth’s 68 was the lone resistance for Gloucestershire. Chasing, Northants lost Chris Lynn to a foot injury and Ricardo Vasconcelos for 42, but skipper David Willey saw them home unbeaten on 47 from 33 balls, wrapping up an eight-wicket win with two overs to spare.
Somerset’s route was far more dramatic. Chasing 162 against Yorkshire at Headingley, they collapsed to 82 for 8 in the 15th over, with Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Will Smeed, Lewis Goldsworthy and Lewis Gregory all back in the hutch. Craig Overton then played one of the great T20 Blast innings, smashing 79 not out off 30 balls including three sixes in the final over, to get Somerset home by two wickets with a ball to spare. It was enough to send the defending champions to a sixth straight Finals Day.
Northamptonshire: Consistency Carries Them Back
Northants were the standout side of the group stage, winning eight games in a row at one point before form dipped slightly in the closing rounds. David Willey has led from the front all season, scoring 452 runs in the group stages while also contributing with the ball, and Ben Sanderson has been the leading wicket-taker with 24 scalps, well supported by George Scrimshaw. Chris Lynn’s return to Wantage Road has added firepower at the top of the order, while Nathan McSweeney’s experience has steadied the middle. The one concern heading into Finals Day is Lynn’s fitness after he retired hurt with a foot injury in the quarter-final, though the coaching staff have expressed confidence he will be available.
Somerset: Champions Who Know How To Survive
Somerset have now reached Finals Day for six consecutive seasons and are chasing a fourth title in that stretch. Their route here was anything but smooth, and the collapse against Yorkshire will worry a team that has usually relied on batting depth rather than late rescue acts. James Rew has been their leading run scorer through the campaign, Daniel Sams their most consistent wicket-taker, and Craig Overton’s quarter-final innings is exactly the kind of big-match temperament that has carried Somerset through knockout cricket before. Injury doubts over Tom Lammonby and Migael Pretorius could still affect the final bowling combination.
NOR vs SOM Head To Head Record
Somerset lead the head to head 8 wins to 2 across the last ten meetings between the two sides, including two wins already this season, one of them by 105 runs. Northamptonshire’s last win in the fixture came back in 2020. Somerset’s recent dominance in this matchup is a contrast to how form has read across the rest of the group stage, where Northants were clearly the better side over twelve games.
| Result | Match |
|---|---|
| Somerset won | 96th T20, T20 Blast 2026 |
| Somerset won | 82nd T20, T20 Blast 2026 |
| Somerset won | 3rd Quarter Final, T20 Blast 2024 |
| Somerset won | 78th T20, T20 Blast 2020 |
| Northamptonshire won | 18th T20, T20 Blast 2020 |
Edgbaston Pitch Report: Even Contest, Split Down The Middle
Edgbaston has been one of the most balanced venues in this year’s competition. Across 132 matches at the ground, teams batting first have won 48 percent of the time against 46 percent for teams bowling first, essentially a coin flip, and pace and spin have taken almost identical shares of the wickets in the last ten matches, 59 to pace against 57 to spin.
Edgbaston T20 venue stats:
| Stat | Record |
|---|---|
| Matches | 132 |
| Won batting first | 48% |
| Won bowling first | 46% |
| Average 1st innings score | 160 |
| Average 2nd innings score | 142 |
| Highest total | 242/2 by Warwickshire vs Derbyshire |
| Lowest total | 39/4 by Warwickshire vs Lancashire |
| Highest chased | 212/4 by Notts Outlaws vs Warwickshire |
| Lowest defended | 119/9 by Notts Outlaws vs Warwickshire |
Recent matches at Edgbaston:
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| GLM vs WARKS, 99th T20 2026 | Warwickshire won |
| WAR-W vs HAM-W, 50th T20 Blast Women 2026 | Hampshire Women won |
| GLCS vs WARKS, 83rd T20 2026 | Warwickshire won |
An average first innings score of 160 with a near-even split on toss outcomes suggests whoever wins this game will likely do it through execution rather than any major venue advantage. Somerset’s collapse under pressure against Yorkshire is worth watching given how tight recent scores at Edgbaston have been.
Birmingham Weather Report For NOR vs SOM
Partly sunny with a temperature around 15.5°C and humidity fairly high at 81 percent. Rain chance is low, at around 2 percent, so a full match is expected with no major weather interruption.
NOR vs SOM Probable Playing XIs
Northamptonshire (probable): Chris Lynn, Ricardo Vasconcelos, Nathan McSweeney, David Willey (c), Saif Zaib, Louis Kimber, Calvin Harrison, Lewis McManus (wk), James Sales, Ben Sanderson, George Scrimshaw
If Chris Lynn is ruled out through injury, George Bartlett or Luke Procter are the likely replacements at the top of the order.
Somerset (probable): Thomas Rew, James Rew, Tom Banton (wk), Will Smeed, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Lewis Goldsworthy, Lewis Gregory (c), Craig Overton, Daniel Sams, Riley Meredith, Jack Leach
Tom Lammonby and Migael Pretorius are both carrying injuries and Somerset’s final bowling combination may depend on who is passed fit in time.
Key Player Battles
Ben Sanderson vs Somerset’s top order: Sanderson took 4 for 20 in the quarter-final and has been Northants’ standout bowler through the knockouts. Will Smeed and James Rew will need to see him off early if Somerset are to get any kind of platform.
Craig Overton vs Northants’ death bowlers: Overton’s 79 not out dragged Somerset from the brink against Yorkshire. George Scrimshaw and James Sales carry the responsibility of bowling the closing overs and containing him if this game goes deep again.
David Willey vs Daniel Sams: Both are left-arm quicks who contribute heavily with the bat as well as the ball. Willey has led from the front all season for Northants, while Sams has been Somerset’s most consistent wicket taker through the tournament.
NOR vs SOM Fantasy Team (Small Leagues)
Wicketkeeper: Tom Banton
Batters: David Willey (C), James Rew (VC), Nathan McSweeney
All Rounders: Craig Overton, Calvin Harrison
Bowlers: Ben Sanderson, Daniel Sams, George Scrimshaw, Riley Meredith, James Sales
Willey is the captain after leading Northants’ run charts all season and finishing the quarter-final unbeaten with the bat. Rew is the vice-captain as Somerset’s leading run scorer through the group stage. Overton is an easy inclusion after his quarter-final innings, and the bowling picks lean on the two standout knockout performers, Sanderson and Sams.
NOR vs SOM Fantasy Team (Grand Leagues)
For grand leagues, this second NOR vs SOM fantasy team leaves out Willey and Rew, who will be the two most owned players in this match.
Wicketkeeper: Lewis McManus
Batters: Ricardo Vasconcelos, Will Smeed, Tom Kohler-Cadmore
All Rounders: Lewis Goldsworthy (C), Saif Zaib (VC)
Bowlers: George Scrimshaw, Jack Leach, Riley Meredith, Ben Sanderson
Goldsworthy as captain is the differential, a middle order option who carries far lower ownership than the headline names on either side. Zaib is the vice-captain as a lower order hitter and useful spin option that gets overlooked. Jack Leach’s left-arm spin is the wildcard bowling pick against a Northants top order that leans right-handed.
Also Read: SFU vs WF Challenger Fantasy Team, MLC 2026: Match Preview and Pitch Report
NOR vs SOM Match Prediction
This is a close one to call. Northants have been the more consistent side across the group stage and won their quarter-final comfortably, while Somerset needed a stunning rescue act just to reach Finals Day. But Somerset are the defending champions with proven knockout pedigree, six straight Finals Day appearances, and they hold a clear head to head edge over Northants including two wins already this season. Somerset get a slight edge on experience and big-match temperament, though Northants’ momentum and home-favourite form make this hard to separate.
FAQs
Q. When is the NOR vs SOM semi-final?
A. Saturday, July 18, 2026, at Edgbaston Cricket Ground, Birmingham, starting at 11.00 AM local time, which is 3.30 PM IST.
Q. Where can I watch NOR vs SOM live in India?
A. The match will be telecast on Sony Sports Ten Network and streamed live on Sony LIV.
Q. Who is Northamptonshire’s captain?
A. David Willey captains Northamptonshire.
Q. Who is Somerset’s captain?
A. Lewis Gregory captains Somerset.
Q. Who plays in the other semi-final?
A. Hampshire Hawks face Notts Outlaws in the second semi-final, also at Edgbaston on July 18.
Q. Is Chris Lynn fit to play for Northants?
A. He is a doubt after retiring hurt with a foot injury in the quarter-final, though the team has expressed confidence he will be fit for the weekend. Check team news closer to the toss.