table of contents
Essex will travel to the County Ground, Southampton for the eighteenth match of the England Domestic T20 2026 against Hampshire on the 26th.th May 11:30 pm IST.
Get the best HAM vs ESS Dream11 prediction, fantasy cricket tips, probable playing XI and match insight for 18.th England Home T20 2026 Match. Expert analysis and more.
Also Read: RCB vs GT Dream11 Prediction Today Match, Dream11 Team Today, Fantasy Cricket Tips, Playing XI, Pitch Report, Injury Update – IPL 2026, Qualifier 1
HAM vs ESS Hot Picks for Dream11 Prediction and Fantasy Cricket Tips:
Captaincy Choice:
|
Paul Walter – Walter demonstrated his clean ball-striking for Essex by scoring 58 runs from 37 balls, applying constant pressure in the middle stages of the innings. |
|
James Vince – Hampshire relied heavily on Vince’s excellent top-order batting, and he provided the early momentum to the innings with 58 from 34 balls. |
Raises up:
|
Michael Pepper – Pepper brought fearless intent to the Essex top order, attacking aggressively inside the powerplay to immediately challenge the opposition bowlers. |
|
Wiaan Mulder – The South African all-rounder added strong balance to Essex’s setup, contributing disciplined seam bowling and valuable tactical versatility on his first appearance. |
Budget Selection:
|
Simon Harmer – Harmer once again demonstrated his experience and control for Essex, expertly managing the middle overs with his accurate and intelligent spin bowling. |
|
Sonny Baker – Baker bolstered Hampshire’s pace attack with genuine high-pace bowling, using his pace and bounce to trouble the batsmen during the early overs. |
HAM vs ESS England Domestic T20 2026 Captain and Vice-Captain Choices:
|
captain |
James Vince and Paul Walter |
|
vice captain |
vian mulder and michael pepper |
HAM vs ESS Dream11 Prediction Team 1:
- The Keepers – Michael Pepper
- Batsmen – Dean Elgar, James Vince, Paul Walter
- All-rounders – Liam Dawson, James Fuller, Matt Critchley, Wiaan Mulder (Vice-captain)
- Bowlers – Kyle Abbott, Sam Cook, Scott Curry
HAM vs ESS Dream11 Prediction Team 2:
- Keepers – Michael Pepper (Vice President)
- Batsmen – Dean Elgar, James Vince, Paul Walter ©
- All-rounders – Liam Dawson, Simon Harmer, James Fuller, Matt Critchley, Wiaan Mulder
- Bowlers – Kyle Abbott, Sonny Baker
HAM vs ESS Dream11 Prediction Today Match 18 England Domestic T20 2026 Players to Avoid:
|
player |
dream11 credit |
Dream11 Points (Last Match) |
|
n thine |
No |
No |
|
b wheel |
No |
No |
HAM vs ESS Dream11 Prediction Today Match 18 England Domestic T20 2026 Expert Advice:
|
sl captaincy option |
james vince |
|
gl captaincy option |
paul walter |
|
choice of punt |
Sonny Baker and Simon Harmer |
|
dream11 combination |
1-3-4-3 |
HAM vs ESS Match Preview:
The South Group action in the Vitality Blast 2026 will take place at the Utility Bowl in Southampton, where Hampshire Hawks will face Essex Eagles in the seventeenth match of the tournament on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at 11:30 PM IST. Both sides enter this competition after difficult starts to their campaigns, making this clash a crucial chance to record their first win and move away from the bottom half of the table. Current predictions are in favor of the home team, with Hampshire Hawks having a 62.5% chance of victory, while Essex Eagles have a 37.5% chance.
Hampshire Hawks will be looking to bounce back strongly after suffering a crushing 7-wicket defeat against defending champions Somerset in their opening match. Batting first, Hampshire relied heavily on captain James Vince, who played an impressive 58 off 34 balls at the top of the order. However, the rest of the batting lineup failed to build partnerships and the team could ultimately score only 158 runs in 19.4 overs. Somerset chased down the target with ease in just 16.2 overs, highlighting many of the concerns about Hampshire’s bowling department ahead of this home match.
On the other hand, Essex Eagles also had a disappointing start after losing to Sussex Sharks by 6 wickets. Essex, batting first, posted a competitive score of 191/5, largely thanks to Paul Walter’s steady innings of 58 runs off 37 balls. Despite putting runs on the board, their bowlers struggled badly in defense as Sussex completed the chase in just 16 overs. Essex will now aim to improve their bowling performance, especially in the powerplay overs, while their spin attack could play a vital role on the Southampton surface.
Hampshire Hawks will rely on experienced players like James Vince, Liam Dawson and James Fuller to guide the team at crucial moments. Meanwhile, Essex Eagles will be hoping for strong contributions from Paul Walter, Matt Critchley and Simon Harmer as they look for their first points of the season. With both teams keen to bounce back quickly, fans can expect a competitive battle under the lights in Southampton.
HAM vs ESS head-to-head record:
|
teams |
win the match |
|
hampshire |
19 |
|
essex |
16 |
HAM vs ESS Weather and Pitch Report:
|
temperature |
14°C |
|
weather forecast |
cloudy |
|
pitch behavior |
batting friendly |
|
Best suited for |
motion |
|
Average score of first innings |
167 |
Records of chasing teams:
HAM vs ESS Playing 11s (Predicted):
Hampshire playing 11:
1) James Vince ©
2) Joe Weatherly
3) Toby Albert
4) Tom Perst
5) Hilton Cartwright
6) Delano Potgieter
7) Liam Dawson
8) James Fuller
9) Manny Lumsden (Wicketkeeper)
10) Scott Curry
11) Chris Wood
essex playing 11: :
1) Dean Elgar
2) Michael Pepper
3) Tom Westley ©
4) Matt Critchley
5) Paul Walter
6) vian mulder
7) Shane Schnatter
8) Simon Harmer
9) Simon Fernandes (Wicketkeeper)
10) Sam Cooke
11) Jamie Porter
HAM vs ESS Match Winner Prediction:
Looking at the team combination, Essex is expected to win this match.
