Vitality Blast Quarter-Final Preview: Yorkshire v Somerset
THE MATCH
Somerset take on Yorkshire in the Vitality Blast quarter-final at Headingley tomorrow (Wednesday July 15th).
Tickets for this match are available now:
Somerset reached the knockout stage of the competition by finishing in second place in the Central & West Group with 28 points from our 12 matches. Yorkshire finished as runners-up in the North Group with 30 points from their 12 fixtures.
This will be the first time that Somerset and Yorkshire have faced each other in the Vitality Blast.
HOW CAN I KEEP UP TO DATE?
You can keep up to date using the dedicated Match Centre on this website.
This match is being broadcast live on Sky Sports and therefore no live stream will be available.
In-play updates will appear on our X feed (formerly Twitter).
In addition to this, a report on the day’s play along with quotes will be posted on this website.
THE OPPOSITION
Captain: Jonny Bairstow
Overseas players: Hasan Ali (Pakistan, all), Faheem Ashraf (Pakistan, all), Logan van Beek (Netherlands, first half).
Finals Day appearances: Three (2012, 2016, 2022)
Titles: None
2025 finish: 8th in North Group
2025 leading run-scorer: Dawid Malan (365)
2025 leading wicket-taker: Will O’Rourke (15)
Key winter moves: Pakistani duo Hasan Ali and Faheem Ashraf have replaced injured duo Naveen-ul-Haq and Will Sutherland. Experienced Australian pair AJ Tye and Sam Whiteman are in on domestic-qualified deals, while ex-England all-rounder Moeen Ali is the headline recruit on a two-year Blast only deal. Former captain Dawid Malan has gone to Gloucestershire, with Jonny Bairstow stepping into his leadership shoes. Jordan Thompson has also left for Warwickshire.
The big question: Can Yorkshire shed themselves of an unwanted statistic? They are one of only four counties never to have won the Vitality Blast alongside northern rivals Derbyshire and Durham, and also Glamorgan. Coach Anthony McGrath and general manager of cricket Gavin Hamilton have gone for added experience in a bid to change years of underachievement in county cricket’s shortest format.
Wildcard watch: Will Luxton showed signs of excellence last summer, posting three fifties, including a stunning 90 not out opening the batting in a surprise away win over North Group winners Lancashire Lightning. With Malan Gloucestershire-bound, there’s a permanent place at the top of the order within exhilarating 23-year-old Luxton’s grasp. If he can grab it, it could be fun to watch.
Final thought: A quote from Gavin Hamilton in December, shortly after the 2026 fixtures were released, perfectly sums up how Yorkshire’s hierarchy are viewing T20 cricket. He said: “Next season is absolutely huge in terms of the Blast. Look, we know where we are in terms of our T20 side. We’re not where we want to be. We’re well aware that we can’t just keep doing the same things. That first trophy would be a stepping stone, hopefully, to bigger things.”
TEAM NEWS
Somerset are without Tom Lammonby (elbow), Migael Pretorius (pectoral) and Tom Banton (international duty).
A starting XI will be named from the following squad:
VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Ahead of the match, Somerset Head Coach, Jason Kerr said: “If you look at the position that we were in a couple of weeks ago, to where we are now, it’s an incredible opportunity for the group, and one that we’re looking forward to immensely. We’re reigning champions for a reason and I think the further we go into the competition, that will come to the fore. We’ve got vast experience in quarter-finals over the last few years and it’s about doing the simple things for as long as you can, and ultimately, whoever plays the better cricket on the evening will be victorious.
“Momentum in sport is huge, and we’ve got huge momentum behind us. We need to use that because Headingley is always a tough place, regardless of format. They’ve invested heavily in T20 cricket, and they’ve improved significantly. They’re a dangerous side with some world-class performers in their team, but we know the calibre and quality that’s in our dressing room and hopefully, that can come to the fore on Wednesday.
“Getting to Finals Day again would be huge because it’s an incredible day in the calendar. For me, it’s about the opportunity of trying to create history. No-one’s ever retained the trophy, but we’ve got to get past Yorkshire first. So, we’ll concentrate on that and hopefully get the right result tomorrow.”
TRADE NATION STAT
Ahead of our Vitality Blast matches this summer we will be bringing you some amazing stats in partnership with Trade Nation.
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
If you are planning to attend the match, all the information you need can be found on the official Yorkshire CCC Website.
NEXT MATCH
The winner of this fixture will qualify for Vitality Blast Finals Day which will be held at Edgbaston on Saturday (July 18th).
For more information on Finals Day visit the Official Edgbaston website.
