The Three Feathers head to the Utilita Bowl on Friday for a mouth-watering Vitality Blast double header
Surrey have won all five of their matches in this seasons Vitality Blast. Bryony Smith’s side have beaten Lancashire, Yorkshire and Durham, while Sam Curran’s side have been victorious against Lancashire and Middlesex.
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The match will be live streamed on Hampshire’s YouTube channel. Surrey’s social media channels will provide live updates and clips throughout the day, with a written match report and highlights available at the end of both matches.
MEN’S SQUAD
Will Jacks is back from the IPL and goes straight into the squad, with Tom Lawes also joining the squad after his England Lions involvement. Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson and Matt Fisher are with England ahead of the start of the New Zealand Test series.
WOMEN’S SQUAD
The Three Feathers name an unchanged squad from Wednesday’s tight victory over Durham at the Kia Oval.
Danni Wyatt-Hodge, Alice Capsey, Sophia Dunkley and Tilly Corteen-Coleman are away on international duty with England, while Priyanaz Chatterji has joined up with the Scotland squad ahead of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup.
HAMPSHIRE HAWKS WOMEN
Previewed by Alex Smith, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
Captain: Georgia Adams
Overseas players: Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia, all)
2025 finish: 6th
2025 leading run-scorer: Ella McCaughan (327)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Bex Tyson (16 wickets)
Key winter moves: Ellyse Perry might have brought star power last year, but her overseas replacement, Amanda-Jade Wellington, offers almost guaranteed game-changing moments. Freya Davies retired, and Mary Taylor decamped to Warwickshire, so there is more fast bowling pressure on Daisy Gibb and Poppy Tulloch to step up.
The big question: Can Ella McCaughan restart from where she left off? The opening batter was on course for an all-timer campaign by beginning with three fifties in a row before striking the women’s competition’s maiden century. A season-ending injury stopped the run-fest in its tracks. A full campaign of that quality will only increase talk of higher honours.
Wildcard watch: Francesca Sweet. When she signed in the winter, the hope was that all-rounder Sweet would fill a hole in the depleted bowling ranks. In the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, it has turned out that batting is her stronger suit. She has all the attributes to be a powerful finisher, which could turn matches in Hampshire’s favour and earn the attention of The Hundred recruiters.
Final thought: This year’s Blast is a difficult one to predict, with it coinciding with the T20 World Cup. The Hawks’ non-internationals look in a far better position than a year ago to compete at this level, especially with Naomi Dattani now fit, and youngsters becoming more consistent. Bettering their disappointing sixth-place finish shouldn’t be difficult, and they should be in the mix for a Finals Day place.
HAMPSHIRE HAWKS MEN
Previewed by Alex Smith, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay
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.
