The height of the English summer is about to play host to some of the best T20 cricketers in the world - during the T20 Blast.
Among the players set to pepper the boundaries and rattle the stumps of county grounds around England and Wales are a number of past and present BLACKCAPS. 
Talented BLACKCAPS and Canterbury opener Tom Latham has taken his talents to the north of England and will turn out for Durham in the tournament.
Heading south, Latham’s Canterbury and New Zealand teammate Matt Henry is offering his services to Derby as he continues to build his skills with the white ball in leagues around the world. Henry was last in T20 action during the IPL. Derby's T20 squad is being coached by former New Zealand coach and captain John Wright. 
Nearby is recently retired BLACKCAPS keeper Luke Ronchi. The powerful keeper batsman is plying his trade with Leicester in the first stop on his new journey on the world T20 circuit. 
Ronchi is joined in central England by Ish Sodhi; the Northern Districts and BLACKCAPS spinner hoping to bring the success he enjoyed on debut in the Big Bash to Nottingham. 
Across the Midlands, Warwickshire have a trio of New Zealanders to call on. Adopted local Jeetan Patel will be able to show the Birmingham ropes to new teammates Grant Elliott and Colin de Grandhomme. Patel and Elliott will be hoping to bring some of the formula they used to clinch the Super Smash in New Zealand last summer to the English tournament. 
South of Warwickshire’s Kiwi trio, Mitchell Santner will slink into Worcestershire’s line up. The calm and collected BLACKCAPS youngster could be a vital asset to the side at their tightly dimensioned home ground. 
Powerful allrounder Corey Anderson has taken his T20 talents to the West Country and will turn out for Somerset.
In the capital, Middlesex boasts a strong New Zealand influence. The county has employed Daniel Vettori as a specialist T20 coach and the former New Zealand spinner has Brendon McCullum as his tournament captain. Joining McCullum in the team are Tim Southee and, potentially James Franklin the county’s regular first-class captain. 
South of London, Ross Taylor is hoping to continue what has previously been a run-filled stay at Sussex and the exciting pair of Adam Milne and Jimmy Neesham are set to see action for Kent. 
The opening match of the tournament will take place overnight between Brendon McCullum’s Middlesex and Gloucestershire.
