Hampshire finished top of the T20 Blast South Group ahead of hot favourites Surrey, earning home advantage for Wednesday's quarter-final.
The Hawks take on Essex, who won three of their last four South Group matches to clinch their spot in the last eight.
Hampshire v Essex Tips Summary
Best Bet - Essex to win @ 6/5
Alternative Bet - Paul Walter to hit most fours for Essex @ 9/2
Bet Builder - Over 12.5 sixes, Scott Currie 2+ wickets & Jordan Cox 20+ runs @ 11/2
Hampshire v Essex Prediction
Best Bet - Essex to win @ 6/5
Essex produced a stirring finish to their South Group campaign to qualify for the T20 Blast quarter-finals as one of the best third-placed teams.
The Eagles claimed resounding victories over Hampshire and Surrey, the top two in the section, in their last two group fixtures.
They come into this week's quarter-finals in fine form and should be backed to silence the Hampshire fans at the Rose Bowl.
Essex's bowlers have been outstanding in recent games. They skittled Sussex for 104 in a 100-run rout at Hove before bowling out Hampshire for 130 in Chelmsford and Surrey for 123 at The Oval.
Sam Cook and Shane Snater are reliable performers in the Powerplay and death overs, while youngster Charlie Bennett has taken 16 wickets in 10 Blast games this season.
Simon Harmer and Matt Critchley form a classy spin-bowling unit and Hampshire's last home game ended in a five-wicket defeat to struggling Middlesex.
The hosts could be missing key men Liam Dawson and Tristan Stubbs but Essex's batting is bolstered by the return of Jordan Cox, who was in England's T20 squad for this month's 4-0 series win over India.
Alternative Bet: Paul Walter to hit most fours for Essex @ 9/2
The Rose Bowl hosted the fifth T20I between England and India on Saturday, when opener Jos Buttler struck 12 fours and eight sixes in his innings of 131.
Essex opener Paul Walter will be hoping for similar batting conditions in the Blast quarter-final and he looks a good bet to hit the most fours for the visitors.
Walter batted at number 10 when he first came into Essex's T20 side in 2016 but he has enjoyed himself at the top of the order this summer.
The tall left-hander has struck 18 more fours than any of his teammates, finding the ropes 12 times in a brutal knock of 78 off 30 balls against Surrey at Chelmsford.
Walter also top-scored with an unbeaten 52 in last week's home win over Hampshire, hitting five of his side's 13 fours.
Hampshire v Essex Bet Builder Tip
Over 12.5 sixes
Scott Currie 2+ wickets
Jordan Cox 20+ runs
Pays 11/2
England struck 17 sixes in Saturday's fifth T20I against India at the Rose Bowl, so over 12.5 sixes looks a solid bet in Wednesday's game.
Hampshire's Scott Currie is having a wonderful T20 Blast campaign at the Rose Bowl, claiming 13 wickets in six games, including 4-18 in May's South Group win over Essex.
Essex's Jordan Cox slammed 139 not out off 60 balls in his most recent Blast innings against Hampshire and the England international should be backed to make at least 20.
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Key Match Stats
Hampshire have lost three of their last five matches in the T20 Blast South Group
Opener Toby Albert has not reached 50 in 12 Blast innings for Hampshire this season
Only Yorkshire's Hasan Ali has taken more Blast wickets than Scott Currie's 21 in 2026
Essex bowled out Sussex for 104, Hampshire for 130 and Surrey for 123 in their last three victories
Paul Walter has hit 57 fours in 12 Blast innings for Essex this summer
Essex fast bowler Sam Cook has taken seven wickets for just 68 runs in 13 overs in the 2026 Blast
Tactics, Form and Team News
Hampshire are expected to be missing South Africa batter Tristan Stubbs, whose compatriot Delano Potgieter should feature in the middle-order.
Spinning all-rounder Liam Dawson played in Sunday's win over Sussex but is involved in England's ODI series against India.
Expected Hampshire XI: 1 Toby Albert (wk), 2 James Vince (c), 3 Joe Weatherley, 4 Ali Orr, 5 Ben Mayes, 6 Delano Potgieter, 7 Hilton Cartwright, 8 James Fuller, 9 Scott Currie, 10 Chris Wood, 11 Sonny Baker.
Essex's Jordan Cox, who has returned from England T20 duty, is available to make his fifth appearance of the Blast campaign.
Sam Cook's return to fitness means fellow fast bowler Zaman Akhter is likely to miss out again.
Expected Essex XI: 1 Paul Walter, 2 Michael Pepper, 3 Jordan Cox (wk), 4 Charlie Allison, 5 Luc Benkenstein, 6 Matt Critchley, 7 Noah Thain, 8 Simon Harmer (c), 9 Shane Snater, 10 Sam Cook, 11 Charlie Bennettt.
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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
