Friends Provident t20: Hampshire Royals

T20 pedigree Are not historically strong in T20 and have never reached Finals Day since the competition began. However, their strongest season was last year when they got to the quarter-finals as one of the two best third-placed teams in the group phase. Captain Dimitri Mascarenhas Overseas players Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka) Good left-arm bowler who will feature in the first half of the season before being replaced by his compatriot below. Ajantha Mendis (Sri Lanka) Will come in for Herath in the second part of the season and is an extremely versatile spin-bowler with plenty of tricks up his sleeve. Abdul Razzaq (Pakistan) The aggressive all-rounder joins for T20 only and has the ability to score quick runs. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) The maverick's maverick. An unashamed six addict and aggressive leg-spinner. Watch out for Michael Lumb England's fastest scorer at the World Twenty20 should get Hampshire off to a flyer. Prospects Strong outfit – on paper – and many of the bookies' favourite. A superb quartet of overseas signings should take Hampshire into the quarter-final and probably beyond. How they're hoping to get the punters in Hampshire's Rose Bowl will host this year's Finals Day and begin an array of entertainment at their opening fixture, including a competition in which fans will be given the chance to bowl at the wickets of the impressive stadium. Odds 15-2 Group fixtures 3 June Kent Spitfires (h) 7.00pm 8 June Glamorgan Dragons (a) 7.00pm 11 June Somerset Sabres (h) 7.00pm 13 June Surrey Lions (h) 2.30pm 18 June Sussex Sharks (a) 5.30pm 19 June Gloucestershire Gladiators (a) 2.30pm 22 June Surrey Lions (a) 5.30pm 25 June Gloucestershire Gladiators (h) 7.00pm 27 June Essex Eagles (h) 2.30pm 1 July Glamorgan Dragons (h) 11.00am 2 July Kent Spitfires (a) 5.30pm 4 July Essex Eagles (a) 2.30pm 9 July Somerset Sabres (a) 5.30pm 10 July Middlesex Panthers (a) 2.30pm 16 July Middlesex Panthers (h) 7.00pm 18 July Sussex Sharks (h) 2.30pm