Check out all the Preview Stats and AI Predictive Form Guide for the Vitality Blast 2026 South Group Matches – Middlesex vs Kent Spitfires; Surrey vs Lancashire Lightning and Essex Eagles vs Sussex Sharks to be played on the 22nd of May, 2026 – including preplay and live inplay prediction widgets
Match Prediction – Middlesex v Kent
Middlesex vs Kent Spitfires
To be played on the 22nd of May, 2026 at Lord’s, London.
Match Details:
Date: Friday, 22nd May 2026.
Venue: Lord’s, London.
Start Time: 05:15 PM GMT | 10:45 PM IST | 06:15 PM Local.
Current Form:
Middlesex:
It was a difficult year for the London based county, with Middlesex winning just three games as they ended ninth in the South Group with nine losses to their name.
Stephen Eskinazi, Kane Williamson and Max Holden were the pick of their batters, while their bowling was led by Tom Helm and Noah Cornwell.
Kent Spitfires:
They managed to just about edge past into the playoffs where they were ultimately beaten and their opening partnership was a major reason for their success.
Tawanda Muyeye and Daniel Bell-Drummond were in-charge of their incredible run last season, while the bowling for the Kent Spitfires was taken up by Matt Parkinson and Joey Evison.
Players to Watch:
Middlesex:
Leus du Plooy – the captain will be crucial for the Seaxes in a season where they do not have a lot of overseas pros, with du Plooy making 727 runs at 25.06 while striking at 136.91 since the previous summer.
Max Holden – having earned multiple T20 deals since a brilliant last season, he was key for the Desert Vipers in the ILT20 late last year, scoring 359 runs at 39.88 for them including three fifties.
Eathan Bosch – in red-hot form, Eaathan Bosch has taken twenty wickets in just twelve innings since November 2025, averaging 17.8 and has struck once every 11.8 balls.
Kent Spitfires:
Tawanda Muyeye – since the previous season, Tawanda Muyeye has been in solid form, scoring 699 runs at an average of 30.39 and his strike rate has been impressive, going at 143.23.
Zak Crawley – his unceremonious dropping from the Test side may be a blessing in disguise for the Spitfires, with Crawley having scored 522 runs in his last 14 T20s, averaging 47.45 and striking at 164.15.
Keith Dudgeon – the South African seamer has been in great form, with Keith Dudgeon having picked up ten wickets in his last five innings, averaging 16.1 and striking once every 11.4 balls.
Head-to-Head (Last 5 Matches):
Middlesex – 1 wins
Kent Spitfires – 3 wins
The Kent Spitfires have historically done well against the Middlesex outfit and have won three out of their last five games against them, each in a convincing manner.
Venue Stats – Lord’s, London (2023-2026):
Average 1st Innings Score:
2023 – 186.5
2024 – 135.0
2025 – 160.4
Bowling Averages and Economy Rates:
Wickets Percentage based on Innings:
Wickets Per Innings:
Wickets per Phase:
Powerplay (Overs 1–6): 1.50 wickets
Middle Overs (Overs 7–15): 2.90 wickets
Death Overs (Overs 16–20): 2.71 wickets
After a very good year for the batters in 2023, the run-scoring at Lord’s dipped drastically before having balanced out one more in 2025, where the average first innings score was 160.4. There is a certain advantage in batting first here, with 72% games won by the sides that bat first.
It has been a great time for the spin bowlers at Lord’s, where they have averaged 21.1 per dismissal and struck once every 15.3 balls, while the quicks have struggled, averaging 25.66 and have needed 17.4 balls per wicket.
Squads:
Middlesex:
Leus du Plooy ©, Jack Davies (WK), Joe Cracknell (WK), Caleb Falconer, Josh de Caires, Ben Geddes, Max Holden, Sam Robson, Eathan Bosch, Henry Brookes, Noah Cornwell, Blake Cullen, James Feldman, Nathan Fernandes, Zafar Gohar, Tom Helm, Ishaan Kaushal, Sebastian Morgan, Toby Roland-Jones, Aaryan Sawant, Naavya Sharma and Ryan Higgins.
Kent Spitfires:
Sam Billings © (WK), Chris Benjamin (WK), Daniel Bell-Drummond, Ben Compton, Ben Dawkins, Zak Crawley, Joe Denly, Joey Evison, Sam Northeast, Michael Cohen, Keith Dudgeon, Corey Flintoff, Fred Klaassen, Matt Milnes, Matthew Parkinson, Matt Quinn, Oli Curtiss, Jaydn Denly, Harry Finch, Dian Forrester, Tawanda Muyeye, Tom Rogers, Ekansh Singh, Jas Singh and Grant Stewart.
Cricket Match Predictions – PrePlay
Who will win the toss? — Kent Spitfires
Who will win the match? — Kent Spitfires
Top Batter (Runs Scored) — Leus du Plooy (Middlesex), Zak Crawley (Kent Spitfires)
Top Bowler (Wickets Taken) — Sebastian Morgan (Middlesex), Matt Parkinson (Kent Spitfires)
Most Sixes — Ryan Higgins (Middlesex), Zak Crawley (Kent Spitfires)
Player of the Match — Zak Crawley (Kent Spitfires)
Team Scores Batting First — Middlesex 150+, Kent Spitfires 160+
Match Prediction – Surrey v Lancashire
Surrey vs Lancashire Lightning
To be played on the 22nd of May, 2026 at Kennington Oval, London
Match Details:
Date: Friday, 22nd May 2026.
Venue: Kennington Oval, London.
Start Time: 05:30 PM GMT | 11:00 PM IST | 06:30 PM Local.
Current Form:
Surrey:
Surrey enter the contest with a balanced squad featuring experienced T20 campaigners and exciting young talent. Players like Will Jacks, Jamie Smith, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, and Sean Abbott provide them with immense all-round strength, while the presence of Ben Foakes and Rory Burns adds stability at the top.
Surrey will rely heavily on their experienced core and strong all-round department to dominate the middle overs. Their bowling depth gives them flexibility in different match situations.
Lancashire Lightning:
Lancashire, meanwhile, boast one of the most dangerous batting lineups in the competition. The likes of Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, and Marcus Harris can completely change games within a few overs.
Their bowling attack is equally impressive with Saqib Mahmood, Luke Wood, Tom Hartley, and James Anderson bringing experience and control.
Players to Watch:
Surrey:
Jason Roy – the experienced veteran will be crucial for Surrey’s success this season. In 2025, Roy amassed 382 runs at a strike rate of 138, and will look to have those numbers even more promising, going ahead.
Dan Lawrence – Lawrence was on a roll in 2025, scoring 209 runs at an average of 52.3 and a blistering strike rate of 175.6. He adds stability to Surrey’s middle order.
Chris Jordan – Jordan picked up 18 wickets in 2025 at an average of 14.4 and strike rate of 17.6. His experience, late blows with the bat and heroics on the field will matter a lot to Surrey’s success.
Lancashire Lightning:
Keaton Jennings – The skipper’s leadership and anchoring up top will be essential for Lancashire to go a long way. Having scored 459 runs at an average of 28 and a healthy strike rate of 153 in 2025, Jennings brings a lot of underrated value to the Lightning’s already star studded batting.
Chris Green – An all round beast who is the X factor, Green brings immense value to any squad he is a part of. He scored 180 runs at a strike rate of 145, whilst picking up 21 wickets at an economy of 7.38 in 2025- proving his all round excellence.
Tom Hartley – the spin wizard had a modest outing in 2025, picking up 8 wickets in 8 outings at an economy of 8.6. But his experience will be valuable to contain a strong Surrey batting.
Head-to-Head (Last 3 Matches):
These 2 teams have faced off only thrice historically in the Blast, with Surrey having a 2-1 edge.
Venue Stats – Kennington Oval, London (2023-2026):
Average 1st Innings Score:
2023 – 186.75
2024 – 135.63
2025 – 171.53
Bowling Averages and Economy Rates:
Wickets Percentage based on Innings:
Wickets Per Innings:
Wickets per Phase:
Powerplay (Overs 1–6): 1.2 wickets
Middle Overs (Overs 7–15): 2.75 wickets
Death Overs (Overs 16–20): 2.18 wickets
The surface has been moderately good to bat on, with scorers varying from 186-135 back to 171 in 2025. Teams batting second have a minor edge with 54%.
The spinners at the Oval, have fared better than the pacers – averaging 24.9, striking once every 16.8 balls and an economy of 8.8- all better than the pacers by small margins.
Squads:
Surrey:
Sam Curran (WK), Ben Foakes (WK), Jamie Smith (WK), Dom Sibley, Jason Roy, Laurie Evans, Rory Burns, Daniel Lawrence, Reece Topley, Daniel Worrall, Gus Atkinson, James Taylor, Matthew Fisher, Nathan Barnwell, Yousef Majid, Nikhil Gorantla, Jordan Clark, Ollie Sykes, Ryan Patel, Tom Curran, Tom Lawes, Tommy Ealham, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton and Sean Abbott.
Lancashire Lightning:
Keaton Jennings ©, Phil Salt (WK), Jos Buttler (WK), Matty Hurst (WK), Ben McDermott (WK), Liam Livingstone, Michael Jones, Marcus Harris, Kushal Fonseka, George Bell, Ollie Sutton, Chris Barnard, Mitchell Stanley, Tom Aspinwall, Jack Blaterwick, Luke Wood, Tom Hartley, George Balderson, Saqib Mahmood, Tom Bailey, James Anderson, Paul Coughlin, Arav Shetty, Chris Green, Harry Singh and Josh Bohannon.
Cricket Match Predictions – PrePlay
Who will win the toss? — Surrey
Who will win the match? — Surrey
Top Batter (Runs Scored) — Dan Lawrence (Surrey), Keaton Jennings (Lancashire Lightning)
Top Bowler (Wickets Taken) — Chris Jordan (Surrey), James Anderson (Lancashire Lightning)
Most Sixes — Dan Lawrence (Surrey), Keaton Jennings (Lancashire Lightning)
Player of the Match — Dan Lawrence (Surrey)
Team Scores Batting First — Surrey 180+, Lancashire Lightning 180+
Match Prediction – Essex v Sussex
Essex Eagles vs Sussex Sharks
To be played on the 22nd of May, 2026 at Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford.
Match Details:
Date: Friday, 22nd May 2026.
Venue: Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford.
Start Time: 06:00 PM GMT | 11:30 PM IST | 07:00 PM Local.
Current Form:
Essex Eagles:
It was a tough year for the Essex Eagles who were the only side to win just three games last season, as they ended scraping the bottom of the South Group.
Jordan Cox and Michael Pepper did well for the Essex Eagles last year with the bat, while their bowling attack saw just the experienced Mohammad Amir do well.
Sussex Sharks:
The Sharks were off to a brilliant start early in the season, but things soon came crashing down for them, having ended sixth in the South Group with just six wins and seven losses.
James Coles, Daniel Hughes and Tom Alsop were the pick of the batters for the Sharks, while their bowling was led by Tymal Mills, Nathan McAndrew and Henry Crocombe.
Players to Watch:
Essex Eagles:
Michael Pepper – with Adam Rossington moving on, Michael Pepper is the keeper in charge for Essex and will look to turn-around his form, averaging 24.11 and striking at 140.9 since the previous summer.
Luc Benkenstein – the young leg-spinner has impressed since the previous season, scoring handy cameos with 210 runs at 19 while striking at 138.15 and has taken 11 wickets at 21.8, striking once every 13.6 balls.
Simon Harmer – a lot will rely on how the captain performs this season for the Essex Eagles, with Simon Harmer having picked up 15 wickets since the start of the previous summer, averaging 30, numbers he would love to improve.
Sussex Sharks:
James Coles – he enjoyed a bumper SA20 to start this year and has scored 740 runs in T20s at 32.17 while striking at 156.11 since the previous season while having taken 28 wickets as well at an average of 26.6.
Henry Crocombe – it was a wonderful year for the youngster last season, bowling well, he picked up 15 wickets in just nine games last year averaging 17 and struck once every 11.6 balls.
Tymal Mills – the T20 captain remains a crucial element of their side, and Tymal Mills was fairly successful in the previous season as well, taking 18 wickets in his fourteen games at 25.44.
Head-to-Head (Last 5 Matches):
Essex Eagles – 3 wins
Sussex Sharks – 1 win
While the Essex Eagles have the advantage over the last five match-ups between these two sides, the Sussex Sharks will be confident in their ability to bounce back.
Venue Stats – Ambassador Cruise Line Ground, Chelmsford (2023-2026):
Average 1st Innings Score:
2023 – 189.4
2024 – 184.1
2025 – 184.6
Bowling Averages and Economy Rates:
Wickets Percentage based on Innings:
Wickets Per Innings:
Wickets per Phase:
Powerplay (Overs 1–6): 1.52 wickets
Middle Overs (Overs 7–15): 3.23 wickets
Death Overs (Overs 16–20): 2.35 wickets
The County Ground in Chelmsford has been a relatively batter friendly venue, with the average first innings score over the last three years having been above 180 in each of the seasons. It is ideal to bat second here, with 63.6% of the games held here won by sides batting first.
It has been a great time for the spin bowlers at the ground in Chelmsford, where they have averaged 22.79 per dismissal and struck once every 15.1 balls, while the quicks have struggled, averaging 28.61.
Squads:
Essex Eagles:
Simon Harmer ©, Michael Pepper (WK), Jordan Cox (WK), Charlie Allison, Dean Elgar, Paul Walter, Robin Das, Simon Fernandes, Tom Westley, Charlie Bennett, James Porter, Sam Cook, Shane Snater, Luc Benkenstein, Mackenzie Jones, Matthew Critchley, Mitchell Killeen, Noah Thain, Wiaan Mulder and Zaman Akhter.
Sussex Sharks:
Tymal Mills ©, John Simpson (WK), Charlie Tear (WK), Oli Carter (WK), Harrison Ward, Tom Alsop, Danny Briggs, Henry Crocombe, Bradley Currie, Danny Lamb, Jack Carson, Sean Hunt, Jofra Archer, Tom Henry, Ollie Robinson, Jack Coles, Fynn Hudson-Prentice, Jack Leaning, Danial Ibrahim, Tom Price, George Thomas and Daniel Goodman.
Cricket Match Predictions – PrePlay
Who will win the toss? — Sussex Sharks
Who will win the match? — Sussex Sharks
Top Batter (Runs Scored) — Michael Pepper (Essex Eagles), Daniel Hughes (Sussex Sharks)
Top Bowler (Wickets Taken) — Sam Cook (Essex Eagles), Henry Crocombe (Sussex Sharks)
Most Sixes — Michael Pepper (Essex Eagles), James Coles (Sussex Sharks)
Player of the Match — James Coles (Sussex Sharks)
Team Scores Batting First — Essex Eagles 160+, Sussex Sharks 180+
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*NB these predictions may be changed nearer the start of the match once the final starting teams have been announced and we will be running ‘In-Play’ features, so stay tuned.
Also, the predictions and picks are formulated from the stats and information sourced and compiled from AI and Stats experts – Always remember, when the fun stops… STOP
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