It's the big one in the T20 Blast on Friday night, as Old Trafford plays host to Lancashire versus Yorkshire – Richard Mann previews the action.
Cricket tips: T20 Blast
1.5pts Shadab Khan top Lancashire batsman at 14/1 (William Hill, 10bet)
1pt Matthew Revis top Yorkshire batsman at 14/1 (William Hill)
0.5pt Faheem Ashraf top Yorkshire batsman at 22/1 (bet365)
One of the highlights of the English cricketing summer takes place in front of the Sky Sports cameras at Old Trafford on Friday night (19:00), as Lancashire and Yorkshire renew hostilities in the T20 Blast.
Yorkshire claimed the bragging rights at Headingley last month, running out commanding 106-run victors as captain Jonny Bairstow blasted 73 in a first-innings total of 213 that proved way beyond Lancashire.
Yorkshire currently sit second in the North Group, with six wins from 10 games, with Lancashire in third following four wins from their 10 fixtures, along with a dramatic tied match with Derbyshire on Monday.
On the evidence of this season, particularly in terms of batting depth, Yorkshire do look superior, and I’m not surprised to see them come in for support in the last 24 hours after most bookmakers originally couldn’t split the two sides.
Where Lancashire will reckon they hold the edge is with the ball. The ageless James Anderson has played four games in the competition this year, and his economy rate is a miserly 6.06, while spinners Tom Hartley and Liam Livingstone have picked up 11 wickets apiece.
Lancashire’s spin stocks have been further boosted by the arrival of Pakistan leg-spinner Shadab Khan who has made a big impression with both bat and ball, and I do wonder if the hosts would prefer a turning pitch for this crunch clash.
Yorkshire have spin in their ranks, too, but their batting power was too hot to handle in Leeds, whereas a lower-scoring tussle dominated by spin might play more to Lancashire’s strengths.
Old Trafford is generally one of the better batting wickets in the country, but 150 played 150 in the fixture against Derbyshire on Monday when spin controlled both innings, and the recent T20I between England and India wasn’t played on the usual road we have come to expect in Manchester.
That’s what I’d be asking for were I home captain Keaton Jennings, with the recent heatwave certainly a help in that regard, but perhaps the pressure of wanting to put on a show for the television cameras will win out for the ground staff. It’s certainly one to watch.
For now, I’m going to take a swing on SHADAB KHAN to be TOP LANCASHIRE BATSMAN at 14/1.
Taking on the red-hot Livingstone in this market is fraught with danger, given his outstanding form since returning from the IPL and that he is always bang up for this fixture.
However, Shadab has settled into Manchester very well and hit a rapid 58 from number six against Derbyshire to demonstrate just what a dangerous operator he is.
We shouldn’t forget that this is a man with six international half-centuries who has always scored quickly, while his ability to hit spin could prove key here.
Barring Livingstone and Ben McDermott, dangers don't jump off the page, and Shadab could be the man from the middle order to lead the home resistance.
I’ll also be throwing darts at the TOP YORKSHIRE BATSMAN market, two in fact, with MATTHEW REVIS and FAHEEM ASHRAF earning the vote.
The Yorkshire market has been quite the puzzle all year, with Bairstow preferring to keep his middle order fluid and for some reason initially batting Revis down the order.
Revis is a terrific young player, one of the few bright spots in a poor summer for Yorkshire in 2025, and he has forced his way back into the top six with brilliant finishes (69 not out and 34 not out) against Derbyshire and Durham. He batted at number five against Leicestershire last weekend, but only came in late and scored 13 from nine balls.
The first of many for Matthew Revis
— Rothesay County Championship (@CountyChamp) June 26, 2023
A lovely drive through the covers to bring up a first #LVCountyChamp century pic.twitter.com/ESpYoPLYpG
Five or six looks a good spot again, and if Anderson can do some early damage with the new ball, Revis could be in business at attractive odds.
There’s a slightly different case to be made for Faheem who could well bat down the order, but whose finishing ability is well known to Pakistan fans and fans of the PSL.
A 17-ball 40 from number seven against Derbyshire showed Yorkshire members what he is about, and I do wonder if he might be pushed up the order on Friday, with the need for a left-hander in those middle overs when Shadab and Hartley would ideally be bowling for Lancashire.
Yorkshire, of course, have recent centurion Adam Lyth opening the batting, but he is all-out-attack in the powerplay, while regular number four and fellow southpaw Moeen Ali has never been one to bet the house on, even more so nowadays.
Both could quite easily fall early and earn Faheem a promotion, particularly with Sam Whiteman failing to impress so far in the Blast.
With bet365 dangling the carrot at 22/1, I’ll add the Pakistan all-rounder to the staking plan. BOYLE Sports go 18/1.
Given his form with bat and ball, Livingstone’s player performance line is always worth a look, but 47.5 is the best available on the high street now. I can let him go at such a high line.
Posted at 12:10 BST on 09/07/26
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