PREVIEW: FRIENDS PROVIDENT T20 - SOUTH DIVISION by Marcus Hook

With the North Division supplying the last five winners of the domestic Twenty20, surely it's time a team from the beautiful south redressed the balance. Surrey go into the Vitality T20 Blast, which gets underway next week, looking as well equipped as anyone to mount a serious challenge; and with every county reporting a significant increase in pre-sales 2018 promises to be the biggest Blast to date.

ESSEX
It remains a mystery not only that Essex have never won the T20, but that they've never even reached the final. In 15 years the Eagles have reached the semis four times and the quarters five. But they are packed with potential match-winners. A game changer is Varun Chopra no longer being seen as a red-ball specialist. Last season he made 427 runs, ticking along at a strike rate of 159.32. Recently, he clocked up 528 in the 50-over Royal London. Ravi Bopara, Tom Westley and Adam Wheater are no slouches either. Matt Coles and Paul Walter offer with both bat and ball and the cherry on the cake is the acquisition of Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa.
Surrey clashes: 12 July (Thu) at the Oval and 5 August (Sun) at Chelmsford.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 5 wins apiece.
Odds: 12-1.
Overseas player(s): Neil Wagner (New Zealand) and Adam Zampa (Australia).
Best finish: Semi-finalists (2006, 2008, 2010 and 2013).
Biggest total: 242-3 v Sussex at Chelmsford 2008.
Highest score: 152* by Graham Napier v Sussex at Chelmsford 2008.
Best bowling: 6-16 by Tim Southee v Glamorgan at Chelmsford 2011.

GLAMORGAN
Quarter-finalists twice in the last four years and beaten semi-finalists in 2017, the Welshmen might, on the face of it, look good value at 16-1, but strength in depth is a major concern. If everyone stays fit, particularly seamers Michael Hogan and Marchant De Lange - both of whom have missed game time with hamstring injuries - they might be singing in valleys. There aren't many more destructive batsmen in white-ball cricket than Colin Ingram. Twenty-year-old Kiran has the potential to emulate Ingram. Plus, Usman Khawaja heads into the Blast having made hundreds in all three of his County Championship appearances since taking over from Shaun Marsh as overseas player.
Surrey clashes: 31 July (Tue) at the Oval and 17 August (Fri) at Cardiff.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 6 wins for Glamorgan, one no result and 3 victories for the Oval outfit.
Odds: 16-1.
Overseas player(s): Usman Khawaja (Australia) and Shaun Marsh (Australia).
Best finish: Semi-finalists (2004 and 2017).
Biggest total: 240-3 v Surrey at the Oval 2015.
Highest score: 116* by Ian Thomas v Somerset at Taunton 2004.
Best bowling: 5-14 by Graham Wagg v Worcestershire at Worcester 2013.

GLOUCESTERSHIRE
While it is possible to make a case for virtually every team mounting a challenge, it would be a major surprise if the Glosters qualified for the knockout phase let alone went on to win their first T20 title. Other than Australian Andrew Tye, who was the leading wicket-taker in this year's Indian Premier League (with 24 victims at 18.66) there's a severe lack of quality. In 2017, no Gloucestershire batsman averaged over 30 in the Blast, and of the three who recorded half-centuries - Bancroft is serving a ban for ball-tampering, Mustard has retired and Klinger has seen very little cricket, due, unfortunately to his wife undergoing treatment for cancer.
Surrey clash: 12 August (Sun) at Bristol.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 7 wins for the Oval outfit.
Odds: 20-1.
Overseas player(s): Michael Klinger (Australia) and Andrew Tye (Australia).
Best finish: Runners-up (2007).
Biggest total: 254-3 v Middlesex at Uxbridge 2011.
Highest score: 126* by Michael Klinger v Essex at Bristol 2015.
Best bowling: 5-24 by David Payne v Middlesex at Richmond 2015.

HAMPSHIRE
Like Essex and Surrey, Hampshire appear to have all bases covered. Since lifting the trophy for a second time in 2012, they have reached the semi-finals on four occasions. You wouldn't rule out another appearance at Finals Day, especially if they replicate the form that carried them to the Royal London One-Day Cup title. Not even England leg-spinner Mason Crane's on going back issues will be a problem, with the likes of Liam Dawson and Afghani sensation Mujeeb Ur-Rahman to call upon in terms of spin. The batting is particularly strong with James Vince - who holds the record for the most runs in a T20 Blast season (710 in 2015) - being the pick.
Surrey clash: 15 August (Wed) at the Oval.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 6 wins for Hampshire.
Odds: 7-1 joint favourites.
Overseas player(s): Colin Munro (New Zealand) and Mujeeb Ur-Rahman (Afghanistan).
Best finish: Winners (2010 and 2012).
Biggest total: 249-8 v Derbyshire at Derby 2017.
Highest score: 124* by Michael Lumb v Essex at Southampton 2009.
Best bowling: 5-14 by Dimitri Mascarenhas v Sussex at Hove 2004.

KENT
If the Spitfires have a weakness it's their lack of spin bowling; which can be a major factor in Twenty20 cricket, particularly when it comes to applying the brakes mid-innings. Imran Qayyum, Adam Riley and James Tredwell have hardly featured this season and only Qayyum could be said to have played a hand in the hop county reaching last weekend's 50-over final. The seam department looks healthier, though, with the likes of Milne, Podmore and Stevens. With captain and wicketkeeper Sam Billings now freed from his IPL and England commitments, plus Daniel Bell-Drummond, Joe Denly and Heino Kuhn scoring runs for fun in white-ball cricket, Kent's resurgence could spill over into the Blast.
Surrey clashes: 6 July (Fri) at the Oval and 20 July (Fri) at Canterbury.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 5 wins apiece.
Odds: 16-1.
Overseas player(s): Carlos Brathwaite (West Indies) and Adam Milne (New Zealand).
Best finish: Winners (2007).
Biggest total: 231-7 v Surrey at the Oval 2015.
Highest score: 127 by Joe Denly v Essex at Chelmsford 2017.
Best bowling: 5-11 by Adam Milne v Somerset at Taunton 2017.

MIDDLESEX
With Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan and Paul Stirling hitting just one fifty between them the North Londoners never really got going in last season's T20 Blast. If they can put that right, Middlesex could suddenly be a force in Twenty20; as their bowling has all the ingredients necessary to improve on a record of just one quarter-final appearance since they lifted the trophy in 2008. Steve Finn and Tom Helm will seek to dominate the powerplays, backed up by Dwayne Bravo's wealth of experience and the spin of Ashton Agar and the under-rated Nathan Sowter. It will be interesting to see how Middlesex go, following the recent sacking of head coach Richard Scott.
Surrey clashes: 5 July (Thu) at Lord's and 3 August (Fri) at the Oval.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 7 wins for the Oval outfit.
Odds: 14-1.
Overseas player(s): Ashton Agar (Australia) and Dwayne Bravo (West Indies).
Best finish: Winners (2008).
Biggest total: 221-2 v Sussex at Hove 2015.
Highest score: 129 by Dan Christian v Kent at Canterbury 2014.
Best bowling: 5-11 by Tom Helm v Essex at Lord's 2017.

SOMERSET
Matt Renshaw's withdrawal on the eve of the T20, with a broken finger, has done Somerset's prospects no favours. The Australian looked set to take the Blast by storm. It leaves the Cidermen with plenty of big-hitters - Anderson, Davies, Myburgh, Trego and the like - but no one, other than perhaps James Hildreth, capable of anchoring the innings. England spinners Dom Bess and Jack Leach rarely feature in Twenty20 cricket, which is a surprise. If that continues to be Somerset's policy, much will depend on fellow twirlers Roelof van der Merwe and Max Waller. Keep an eye out for Tom Banton, the whisper coming out of Taunton is that this will be the 19-year-old batsman's breakthrough season.
Surrey clashes: 27 July (Fri) at the Oval and 10 August (Fri) at Taunton.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 7 wins for the Oval outfit.
Odds: 14-1.
Overseas player(s): Corey Anderson (New Zealand).
Best finish: Winners (2005).
Biggest total: 250-3 v Gloucestershire at Taunton 2006.
Highest score: 151* by Chris Gayle v Kent at Taunton 2015.
Best bowling: 6-5 by Arul Suppiah v Glamorgan at Cardiff 2011.

SURREY
With Aaron Finch and Jason Roy at the top of the batting order, expect some fireworks. Sadly, the pair rarely flourished in tandem last year, which prevented the Oval outfit from progressing further than the quarter-finals. Ollie Pope was the pick of the rest with the bat and has hardly looked back since. Pope is expected to share the keeping duties with Ben Foakes, who may have to make way for another up and coming batter in Will Jacks. Jade Dernbach, who will skipper, Morne Morkel and the Curran brothers will top and tail the bowling plans, with Gareth Batty's off-spin completing a very tasty sandwich. Coping with international calls would appear to be Surrey's biggest issue.
Odds: 9-1.
Overseas player(s): Aaron Finch (Australia) and Nic Maddinson (Australia).
Best finish: Winners (2003).
Biggest total: 224-5 v Gloucestershire at Bristol 2006.
Highest score: 122* by Jason Roy v Somerset at the Oval 2015.
Best bowling: 6-24 by Tim Murtagh v Middlesex at Lord's 2005.

SUSSEX
Positives first - the bowling is top drawer. The sight of quickies Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan operating in unison has been a long time coming, due to their participation in the IPL. If the lightning quick Tymal Mills stays fit and spinners Will Beer, Danny Briggs and Rashid Khan forge a productive triumvirate, the Sharks lack of batting won't be an issue. The departure of Chris Nash (to Notts) and a knee injury to Stiaan van Zyl means that Luke Wright is the only player left who made a half-century for Sussex in last summer's T20 Blast. The hope is the void will be filled by Tom Bruce, who has a 128.40 strike rate in T20Is for New Zealand.
Surrey clashes: 13 July (Fri) at Hove and 9 August (Thu) at the Oval.
Last ten T20s v Surrey: 7 wins for the Oval outfit, one no result and 2 victories for Sussex.
Odds: 10-1.
Overseas player(s): Tom Bruce (New Zealand) and Rashid Khan (Afghanistan).
Best finish: Winners (2009).
Biggest total: 242-5 v Gloucestershire at Bristol 2016.
Highest score: 153* by Luke Wright v Essex at Chelmsford 2007.
Best bowling: 5-11 by Mushtaq Ahmed v Essex at Hove 2005.

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