Somerset take on Hampshire in the T20 Blast on Friday in a repeat of last summer's final at Trent Bridge.
Inspirational Somerset captain Lewis Gregory sealed a six-wicket victory for his side that day but they start the new campaign without Australia fast bowler Riley Meredith – their leading wicket-taker in 2025.
Somerset v Hampshire Hawks Tips Summary
Best Bet - Somerset to win @ 8/11
Alternative Bet - Scott Currie top Hampshire Hawks bowler @ 9/2
Bet Builder - Over 7.5 Somerset sixes, Somerset opening partnership - over 26.5 & Highest individual score - under 71.5 @ 5/1
Somerset v Hampshire Hawks Prediction
Best Bet: Somerset to win @ 8/11
Hampshire Hawks must be sick of the sight of Somerset, who have won the last five T20 Blast meetings between the teams including last summer's final.
The Hawks may struggle to snap that streak at Taunton, where Somerset have assembled a formidable squad for T20 cricket.
Tom Banton has resurrected his England career, while his opening partner Will Smeed was player of the match in the 2025 final, smashing 94 off 58 balls.
Tom Abell and the Rew brothers, James and Thomas, can make up for the departure of batter Sean Dickson, one of the stars of last summer's Blast triumph.
Somerset have enviable batting depth with Daniel Sams, captain Gregory and Craig Overton lurking in the lower order.
Hampshire have a fine record in the Blast but they had a miserable start to the County Championship season and may not hit the ground running in the 20-over competition.
Alternative Bet: Scott Currie top Hampshire Hawks bowler @ 9/2
Only Somerset's Meredith took more Blast wickets in 2025 than Scott Currie, who looks overpriced to be Hampshire's top bowler.
England Test pick Sonny Baker and the experienced Chris Wood and Liam Dawson are among Currie's competitors in this market.
However, the 25-year-old took two of the four Somerset wickets to fall in last season's final, dismissing Smeed and James Rew.
He has a fine record against the Cidermen, claiming 4-31 and 4-24 in his first two appearances against them in 2021 and picking up 3-32 in last year's South Group defeat at the Rose Bowl.
Somerset v Hampshire Hawks Bet Builder Tip
Over 7.5 Somerset sixes
Somerset opening partnership - over 26.5
Highest individual score - under 71.5
Pays 5/1
Taunton is a great ground for six-hitters and Somerset, who averaged 7.35 sixes per match last season, have added the powerful Sams to their squad.
Back Somerset to have an opening partnership of over 26.5. Openers Banton and Smeed are devastating batters at this level and they can fire the hosts to a fast start on Friday.
Big totals are generally required at Taunton so both teams' top-order batters may have to take risks to boost the scoring rate.
Somerset's batting depth means they can afford to lose wickets and under 71.5 appeals in the highest individual score market.
Learn more about how Bet Builders work in our Bet Builder guide.
Key Match Stats
Somerset have won their last five T20 Blast matches against Hampshire
Will Smeed has hit 117 sixes in 80 Blast innings for Somerset
Somerset won 14 of their 17 T20 games in 2025
Hampshire's Toby Albert was the leading batter in last season's T20 Blast with 633 runs
The Hawks have reached Finals Day in 11 of the last 16 seasons
Scott Currie took 27 wickets in 17 Blast games for Hampshire last year
Tactics, Form and Team News
Somerset are missing fast bowler Meredith, who is on international duty with Australia, but his compatriot Sams should make his debut for the county.
Batter Tom Kohler-Cadmore is sidelined due to a thumb injury. James Rew, called up by England for next month's first Test against New Zealand, is available.
Predicted Somerset XI: 1 Tom Banton, 2 Will Smeed, 3 James Rew (wk), 4 Tom Abell, 5 Thomas Rew, 6 Lewis Goldsworthy, 7 Daniel Sams, 8 Lewis Gregory (c), 9 Craig Overton, 10 Migael Pretorius, 11 Jake Ball.
Hampshire Hawks have lost opener Chris Lynn and all-rounder Benny Howell from the team who lost to Somerset in last season's final.
South African Delano Potgieter and Australian Hilton Cartwright should feature along with spinning all-rounder Dawson, who retired from red-ball cricket earlier this season.
Predicted Hampshire Hawks XI: 1 Toby Albert (wk), 2 Joe Weatherley, 3 James Vince (c), 4 James Fuller, 5 Hilton Cartwright, 6 Delano Potgieter, 7 Ben Mayes, 8 Liam Dawson, 9 Scott Currie, 10 Chris Wood, 11 Sonny Baker.
Read more cricket betting tips and predictions on site.
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.
