Summary

  • Livingstone (94*) & Buttler (30) help Lancs beat Derbys by six wickets

  • Defending champions Notts tie opening match with Worcs

  • New Zealand's Neesham scores 53 as Essex beat Somerset by three wickets

  • Kent beat Hampshire by 38 runs

  1. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 3 overs

    Moeen b Carter 6 (Worcs 18-2)

    Notts v WorcsImage source, Rex Features

    Moeen Ali is off the mark with two and then belts Matt Carter down the ground for a boundary. A statement of intent - but he is then flummoxed by a slower ball from Carter to end the over which pierces his defence and bowls him. Big blow for Worcestershire.

  2. wicket

    WICKETpublished at 2.1 overs

    D'Oliveira st Moores b Carter 5 (Worcs 11-1)

    Matt Carter comes into the attack and his opening delivery is down the leg-side. But Brett D'Oliveira has come down the track and is left stranded as he fails to make contact and Tom Moores removes the bails.

  3. dropped catch

    Postpublished at 2 overs

    Worcs 11-0 (Wessels 6, D'Oliveira 5)

    It's spin from the other end from Samit Patel, who knows a thing or three about T20 cricket after playing more than 300 games in the format.

    After a polite lbw inquiry, which brings no reward, Riki Wessels thumps the game's first boundary through the off-side off the back foot.

    Next ball, was that a dropped catch? Yes, it was as Wessels chips back up the pitch and Patel fails to hang on to a right-handed chance.

  4. Postpublished at 1 over

    Worcs 4-0 (Wessels 1, D'Oliveira 3)

    Orthodox stuff first up from Luke Fletcher as he finds a consistent line and length and doesn't look for too many variations of pace.

    Riki Wessels opens the scoring with a single down to third man and Brett D'Oliveira turns one away to long leg for two, followed by one in the same direction.

    No fireworks yet. Patience, patience......

  5. Postpublished at 17:31 British Summer Time 9 June 2021

    Worcs 0-0 v Notts Outlaws

    Here we go.

    Notts have nine wins to Worcestershire's six in past T20 meetings between these teams.

    Riki Wessels and Brett D'Oliveira are out in the middle for the Rapids and it looks like Luke Fletcher will be opening the bowling.

    Let's hope there's no repeat of that awful incident four years ago when he was hit on the head by the ball in his follow through.

  6. Rapids hoping for flying startpublished at 17:26 British Summer Time 9 June 2021

    Worcestershire v Notts (starts 17:30 BST)

    Moeen AliImage source, Rex Features

    Worcestershire Rapids and Notts Outlaws did not meet in last summer's truncated T20 Blast, when there was a marked contrast in the form of the two sides.

    The Rapids finished bottom of their group after winning only two of their 10 games, while Notts stormed through theirs with seven victories and eventually lifted the trophy for the second time by beating Surrey in the final at Edgbaston.

    Worcestershire, though, have Moeen Ali back and have bolstered their bowling attack with the signings of Ben Dwarshuis and Ish Sodhi.

    How will the loss of skipper Dan Christian, who has been summoned away at short notice by Australia, affect Notts? We will find out over the next three hours or so.

  7. Listen livepublished at 17:24 British Summer Time 9 June 2021

    We have BBC local radio commentators at all today's games as usual for the start of the 2021 T20 Blast. Choose an audio stream from the links at the top of the page to listen in.

    BBC commentary boxImage source, BBC Sport
  8. Team news and tosspublished at 17:22 British Summer Time 9 June 2021

    Worcestershire Rapids v Notts Outlaws (starts 17:30 BST)

    Notts skipper Steven Mullaney has won the toss at New Road and opted to field first.

    Both teams have strong line-ups, although Worcestershire are without pace bowler Pat Brown because of injury.

    The one unfamiliar name is spin bowling all-rounder Calvin Harrison, who makes his Notts Outlaws debut after agreeing a three-month contract.

    Worcestershire: Wessels, D'Oliviera, Moeen, Libby, Whiteley, Cox, Barnard, Dwarshuis, Sodhi, Tongue, Morris.

    Notts: Hales, Clarke, Trego, Duckett, Moores, Patel, Mullaney, Fletcher, Carter, Harrison, Paterson.

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  9. T20 Blast schedule 2021published at 17:20 British Summer Time 9 June 2021

    Group games in this summer's T20 Blast will take place between now and 18 July. The quarter-final will follow from 24-27 August and for four lucky teams there will be a trip to Edgbaston for Finals Day on 18 September.

    For more information, you can read our preview of the 2021 competition by clicking here.

  10. LANCASHIRE BEAT LEICESTERSHIRE BY 6 WKTSpublished at 17:15 British Summer Time 9 June 2021
    Breaking

    A great start by Lancashire Lightinng at Old Trafford where Liam Livingstone's unbeaten 94 off 58 balls saw them home with three balls to spare against Leicestershire.

    The Foxes made 168-7 after opener Luis Reece scored 59 from 32 deliveries, with spinner Matt Parkinson taking 3-28.

    But Livingstone hit two sixes and 10 fours and despite the loss of England's Jos Buttler for 30, he sealed Lancashire's win with a boundary off Netherlands pace bowler Logan van Beek.

  11. Weather outlookpublished at 17:12 British Summer Time 9 June 2021

    After a beautiful, sunny day, it looks like we are set fair for uninterrupted action at the three grounds this evening.

    For the Worcester forecast from BBC Weather, click here; for Taunton here, and for Canterbury here.

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  12. Welcome to the T20 Blastpublished at 17:10 British Summer Time 9 June 2021

    After two months of County Championship action to start the season, here we are at the beginning of the white-ball summer with the 2021 T20 Blast.

    Lancashire Lightning and Leicestershire Foxes are nearing the climax of proceedings in the early game.

    Next up, it's our 'match of the day' between Worcestershire Rapids and trophy holders Notts Outlaws, who last met at Edgbaston in 2019, when the Rapids won a semi-final thriller by a single run.

    Alex Hales batting against WorcestershireImage source, Rex Features

    Later on, it's Somerset v Essex Eagles and Kent Spitfires v Hampshire Hawks, so an exciting evening is in store. Welcome to our coverage.