Durham vs Hampshire Hawks – T20 Blast 2025 Quarter-Final Preview

Date: Friday, 5th September 2025
Venue: Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street
Start Time: 6:30 PM BST / 11:30 PM IST

Match Context

The second quarter-final of the T20 Blast 2025 brings together two high-quality sides in Durham and Hampshire Hawks at the Riverside Ground. Durham, finishing second in the North Group with 8 wins from 14 matches, will aim to continue their strong performance in the knockout stage. Hampshire, third in the South Group, will look to build on their recent form and a narrow victory in their only previous clash against Durham in the format.

Team Form

Durham

• League Position: 2nd in North Group (8 wins, 5 losses)
• Key Performers:
  • Alex Lees (c): 405 runs at 33.75, strike rate of 142.60
  • Graham Clark: 400 runs at 30.76, strike rate of 155.64
  • Nathan Sowter: 14 wickets at 25.14 (1 wicket per game)
  • Ben Raine: 11 wickets at 23.27 (most economical bowler)
• Recent Form: W L L A W
• Last Match: Nine-wicket win over Northamptonshire, with a strong all-round performance.

Hampshire

• League Position: 3rd in South Group (7 wins, 5 losses)
• Key Performers:
  • Toby Albert (wk): 350+ runs at 38+
  • James Vince (c): 300+ runs, consistent in crunch games
  • Scott Currie: 13 wickets in the league stage at 24.15
  • Liam Dawson: 10 wickets at 22.80
• Recent Form: L W W W L
• Last Match: Lost to Essex despite posting 220, with Albert scoring 84 off 55.

Head-to-Head (T20)

Hampshire holds the only victory in a previous T20 encounter, winning by 55 runs.

Pitch and Weather

• Pitch: The Riverside Ground has a green-top surface, offering early seam movement. As the game progresses, the pitch tends to flatten out, favoring batsmen.
• Weather: Chilly evening with temperatures around 18°C, and mostly cloudy skies.
• Strategic Outlook: A toss win could be crucial, especially if the chasing side wants to exploit the flattening pitch in the second half.

Key Match-ups

• Alex Lees (Durham) vs Liam Dawson (Hampshire): A battle of the two key all-rounders. Dawson's economy and ability to pick wickets could be vital in curbing Durham’s aggressive start.
• Graham Clark (Durham) vs Toby Albert (Hampshire): Both openers are in fine form and will look to anchor their innings.
• Nathan Sowter (Durham) vs Joe Weatherley (Hampshire): Sowter’s ability to break partnerships and Weatherley’s attacking intent could determine the momentum shift in the middle overs.

Probable Playing XIs

Durham (DUR)

1. Graham Clark
2. Alex Lees (c)
3. David Bedingham
4. Colin Ackermann
5. Ollie Robinson (wk)
6. Will Rhodes
7. Matthew Potts
8. Ben Raine
9. Codi Yusuf
10. Nathan Sowter
11. Callum Parkinson

Hampshire (HAM)

1. Toby Albert (wk)
2. James Vince (c)
3. Joe Weatherley
4. Hilton Cartwright
5. Benny Howell
6. James Fuller
7. Liam Dawson
8. Fletcha Middleton
9. Scott Currie
10. Chris Wood
11. Andrew Neal

Predictions

• Toss Prediction: Hampshire (1.90 odds)
• Match Winner: Hampshire (1.80 odds)
• Total Match Runs: Under 356.5 (1.83 odds)
• Man of the Match: Alex Lees (Durham) or Liam Dawson (Hampshire)

Final Verdict

This is expected to be a highly competitive encounter, with both sides having strong cases to progress to the semifinals. Durham’s disciplined bowling unit and Alex Lees' red-hot form could give them an edge, but Hampshire’s experience in knockout games and recent form might tip the scales in their favor.

Stats Insider Prediction: Hampshire to win the toss and the match with a narrow margin, capitalizing on early seam movement and tight bowling in the middle overs.

Catch the action live on:

• Live Streaming: Fancode
• Live Score & Commentary: Fancode or local T20 Blast app

Follow for updates, scorecards, and in-depth analysis.
#T20Blast2025 #DURvsHAM #Durham #HampshireHawks
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