Match times, streaming information, tickets and travel, team news, weather forecast, form, prediction and everything else you need to know ahead of the latest round of the Vitality Blast...
Fixture: Lancashire Lightning v Northants Steelbacks
Venue: Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
Dates: Friday, July 9, 2021
Start time: 6.30pm
What's the lowdown?
With three matches remaining, Lancashire are in sixth position in the North Group but just one point behind Durham, who currently occupy the final knockout qualification spot. However, Lightning have won just one of their past six completed fixtures (a 34-run home win over Worcestershire Rapids) and lost the reverse fixture by seven wickets in Northampton.
Northants Steelbacks, meanwhile, are seventh in the table and a further point behind Lancashire. The Steelbacks have won four of their 11 matches - all of which have come in their past five outings - and are staging a late charge for qualification after losing five of their opening six matches.
Following a Covid-19 outbreak in England's white-ball squad, Lancashire will be missing bowlers Saqib Mahmood and Matt Parkinson who have been called up as replacements. Northants have lost no players to international duty.
Who's in form?
Rob Jones has impressed in his past two outings for Lancashire, scoring 49 not out off 33 balls against Worcestershire and 61 not out from 48 balls against Yorkshire, beating his career-best T20 score twice in two days. Fellow middle-order man, Steven Croft, also chipped in with a useful 23-ball 41 at Headingley, a knock which will inspire confidence in Lancashire's batting depth.
Despite losing Mahmood and Parkinson to England duty, Lancashire are not short of bowling options with Tom Hartley taking career-best figures of 4 for 16 to see off Worcestershire on Thursday night. He then followed it with economical figures of 0 for 16 against Yorkshire and has nine wickets and an economy of 6.19 for the tournament.
Ricardo Vasconcelos has been integral to Northants' upturn in fortunes, scoring 225 of his 322 runs in their previous five innings. Ben Curran, meanwhile, has stepped up in the absence of Adam Rossington, scoring a match-winning 62 off 33 balls against Durham.
With the ball, Graeme White is also experiencing something of a purple patch, most recently taking 4 for 26 against Durham. Mohammad Nabi, however, is the crucial cog in Northants' bowling line-up, taking six wickets and bowling with an economy of 5.96.
What's the team news?
Lightning are without Matt Parkinson and Saqib Mahmood after they were called up by England for the Pakistan ODIs.
Lancashire Lightning squad: Dane Vilas (C), Finn Allen, Jack Blatherwick, Josh Bohannon, George Balderson, Steven Croft, Alex Davies, Tom Hartley, Liam Hurt, Keaton Jennings, Rob Jones, Danny Lamb, Jack Morley, Luke Wells, Luke Wood
Nathan Buck is replaced by Charlie Thurston in the only change from the win over Durham.
Northamptonshire Steelbacks squad: Josh Cobb, Ben Curran, Brandon Glover, Freddie Heldreich, Rob Keogh, Richard Levi, Mohammad Nabi, Wayne Parnell, Ben Sanderson, Tom Taylor, Charlie Thurston, Ricardo Vasconcelos, Graeme White, Saif Zaib
Last five T20 matches (most recent first)
Lancashire Lightning: LWLLT
Northants Steelbacks: WWLWW
Head-to-head T20 record
Total matches: 11
Lancashire Lightning wins: 7
Northants Steelbacks wins: 4
Tied: 0
No result: 0
Abandoned: 3
Latest Lancashire Lightning news: Click here
Latest Northants Steelbacks news: Click here
What's the weather forecast?
Morning sun will disappear come the afternoon and early evening but temperatures are set to remain moderate, sitting at 21 degrees Celsius, with no rain expected.
Keep up to date with the MetOffice's rolling forecast for Manchester: Click here
How do I follow the match?
TV/stream: The ECB are offering a streaming service which can be found here.
Radio: BBC Local Radio and the BBC Sport website will carry ball-by-ball radio commentary of the game.
Digital: The Cricketer will carry live scorecards and daily updates from every Vitality T20 Blast match in 2021, as well as the latest breaking news from around the counties and exclusive features. Visit our County Hub for more.
Going to the game?
Tickets
Lancashire versus Northants will be played in front of a reduced crowd in line with the government's most recent Covid-19 guidelines. Tickets for this fixture are sold out.
Click here to visit the Lancashire box office.
Travel
Address: Lancashire Cricket Club, Emirates Old Trafford, Talbot Road, Manchester, M16 0PX
By car
From the North: Follow the M6, then M61 (signposted Manchester) to the junction with the M60 ring road. Join the M60 at junction 15, following signs for M60 ring road (West & South)/Trafford Park. Continue along the M602 to junction 3 and exit following signs for A5063 Salford Quays/Trafford Park. Continue along A5063, swinging left towards White City and continue along A5063 (White City Way), following brown signs for Old Trafford cricket ground.
From the South: Exit the M6 at junction 19 (Knutsford) onto A556 and keep following signs for M56/Manchester. Join the M56 at juntion 7 (signposted Manchester). At the end of the M56, the road becomes a dual carriageway (A5103 Manchester). Keep straight ahead for half a mile and then enter the left-hand lane to join the M60 ring road (following signs for Stretford). Continue along the M60 ring round (South) to junction 7 and then exit, following signs for A56/Stretford. Join the dual carriageway A56 Chester Road, following signs for Stretford and Manchester, and follow the brown signs to Old Trafford cricket ground.
Parking: The current Gatehouse at the Talbot Road entrance is no longer manned although there will still be a security presence between the hours of 7pm and 7am stationed within the Pavilion reception.
Unless you have bought a permit with a membership, parking will now be paid for from pay on foot machines that have been installed by the main entrance on Talbot Road and within the Trafford Cricket Centre reception, entrance located on Car Park 4.
This system may be suspended for certain matches where parking may be limited, and different matchday charges may apply. Spectators should check the Lancashire website prior to travel.
By train: Manchester Piccadilly, Deansgate Castlefield and Victoria all have access to tram stops, which will take you directly to the ground.
By tram: Metrolink runs every few minutes so you don’t need a timetable, you can just turn up and travel anytime from early morning til late in the evening.
For those visiting the region from further afield there is free parking for Metrolink customers at park and ride sites across the network.
Buy tickets at tram stops or by using the Get Me There app.
Nearest Tram stop: Old Trafford.
By bus: Manchester has a substantial bus network. Plan your journey to Old Trafford by clicking here.
Prediction?
Northants are the form side and should feel confident of inflicting yet more white-ball misery on Lancashire.
OTHER T20 BLAST MATCH PREVIEWS, JULY 9
NORTH GROUP
Worcestershire v Birmingham Bears
Notts Outlaws v Yorkshire Vikings
SOUTH GROUP
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