Premier League Tips

Strengths: The champions are probably stronger. They cheekily picked up Tim David at the denouement (sparking a rule change) to replace Colin de Grandhomme and the Aussie-in-waiting has signed full-time. They have superb batting and bowling depth and are comfortably the best balanced team in it. It would be great to see young spin whizz Rehan Ahmed get a game, too. Pairing Marcus Stoinis with Quinton de Kock in the opening berth is exciting. Paul Stirling replaces Stoinis when the Aussie is away with Australia.

Weaknesses: The continued absence of Jofra Archer can hardly be described as a weakness considering he didn't play last term. A toe injury to Tymal Mills is a concern and he may not be fit to start the season. As a result they do appear to lack pace depth outside of the first XI. De Kock is expected to miss games their first game to play for South Africa v Ireland. De Kock and David could leave for CPL before the final although it would be unlike.y The same goes for other CPL players marked with an *.

Coach: Mahela Jayawardene
Possible XI: De Kock, Stoinis, Vince, Davies, David, Whiteley, Garton, Jordan, C Overton, Lintott, Mills
Squad: Alex Davies, George Garton, Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, Craig Overton, James Vince, Ross Whiteley, Quinton de Kock*, Marcus Stoinis, Jake Lintott, Tim David*, Joe Weatherley, Daniel Moriarty, Rehan Ahmed

Oval Invincibles 7.206/1

Last season: Fourth
Batting run rate rank: 3
Bowling run rate rank: 6
Game changer Rilee Rossouw
Game clogger: Matt Milnes

Strengths: The batting has been bolstered and despite the strong ranking it probably needed to be. Rilee Rossouw is a great pick-up. Hilton Cartwright is a fine finisher. Don't be surprised to see Sam Curran batting at No 4 if cheap wickets go down.
Weaknesses: There are bowling concerns again. They have lost Saqib Mahmood to injury and Tabraiz Shamsi is no longer with them. That's 13 wickets. The pricey Matt Milnes has been picked up. He went at 1.81 an over with Welsh Fire last term. They might play an extra batter and use Will Jacks as a sixth bowling option.

Coach: Tom Moody
Possible XI: Roy, Jacks, Rossouw, Billings, Cartwright, Narine, S Curran, T Curran, Briggs, Topley, Brown
Squad: Sam Billings, Rory Burns, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Will Jacks, Sunil Narine*, Jason Roy, Nathan Sowter, Reece Topley, Jordan Cox, Saqib Mahmood, Rilee Rossouw, Danny Briggs, Hilton Cartwright, Matt Milnes, Jack Leaning, Muhammad Hasnain, Pat Brown

Birmingham Phoenix 7.4013/2

Last season: Runners-up
Batting run rate rank: 1
Bowling run rate rank: 1
Game changer Will Smeed
Game clogger: Tom Helm

Strengths: The best batting and bowling team on run rate and economy respectively. They will prize aggression at the top of the order and we expect them to be the fastest scorers again. The bowling depth is excellent and upgraded. One from Imran Tahir and Kane Richardson could even miss out. A fit-again Tom Abell strengthens them. They should qualify comfortably for the play-offs and offer a great trade option.
Weaknesses: Chris Woakes balances their best XI but it would be a major surprise if he plays. He's had surgery on a knee injury which will keep him out for a minimum of four weeks. Woakes' absence means Adam Milne (if fit) could be batting at No 8. They're spin heavy, the opposite of last year's make-up of the Brave. A late injury to Tom Abell is not great news.

Coach: Daniel Vettori
Possible XI: Smeed, Wade, Livingstone, Moeen, Benjamin, Hammond, van Buuren, Howell, Richardson, Fisher, Tahir
Squad:Chris Woakes, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Adam Milne, Benny Howell, Tom Abell, Will Smeed, Chris Benjamin, Miles Hammond, Henry Brookes, Jack Leach, Matthew Wade, Olly Stone, Kane Richardson, Matthew Fisher, Graeme van Buuren, Dan Mousley, Imran Tahir*

Manchester Originals 8.207/1

Last season: 7th
Batting run rate rank: 7
Bowling run rate rank: 3
Game changer Jos Buttler
Game clogger: An unfit Andre Russell

Strengths: The availability of Joss Buttler, who played only twice. That should sort their run rate issues. Bringing in Andre Russell for the spin-hapless Carlos Brathwaite is a boost. And their bowling looks stronger with Wanindu Hasaranga and Sean Abbott. A play-off should be within their grasp and they can trade much shorter.
Weaknesses: There's a lot riding on Russell staying fit. If he doesn't, and it would hardly be a shock if had a niggle at some stage, Originals will suddenly worry that they lack batting depth. Russell and Wanindu hasaranga could also leave for CPL duty

Coach: Simon Katich
Possible XI: Buttler, Salt, Madsen, Russell, Evans, Turner, Hasaranga, Abbott, Klaasen, Hartley, Gleeson
Squad: Jos Buttler, Ollie Robinson, Phil Salt, Matt Parkinson, Tom Hartley, Tom Lammonby, Colin Ackermann, Wayne Madsen, Fred Klaasen, Calvin Harrison, Andre Russell*, Laurie Evans, Wanindu Hasaranga*, Mitchell Stanley, Sean Abbott, Richard Gleeson

Trent Rockets 8.007/1

Last season: 3rd
Batting run rate rank: 5
Bowling run rate rank: 4
Game changer Rashid Khan
Game clogger: Tom Moores

Strengths: Under coach Flower they are well led. And they have rocket-fuel up front in the shape of Alex Hales and Tom Kohler-Cadmore. A bunch of all-rounders makes them flexible.
Weaknesses: Rockets are a bit spluttery, no? They appear to be very middle of the road and considering Joe Root's absence it could be argued they're a batter short. And a bowler, too, if Luke Fletcher and Matt Carter don't float your boat. They need more hitting power from 'keeper Tom.

Coach: Andy Flower
Possible XI: Hales, Kohler-Cadmore, Malan, Munro, Gregory, Moores, Patel, Rashid, De Lange, Cook, Wood
Squad: Matthew Carter, Marchant de Lange, Lewis Gregory, Rashid Khan, Alex Hales, Dawid Malan, Tom Moores, Steven Mullaney, Joe Root, Colin Munro*, Luke Wood, Luke Fletcher, Samit Patel, Sam Cook, Ian Cockbain, Tom Kohler-Cadmore

Northern Superchargers 4.904/1

Last season: 5th
Batting run rate rank: 2
Bowling run rate rank: 2
Game changer Harry Brook
Game clogger: Adam Lyth

Strengths: Given their batting and bowling rank it's a mystery as to how they missed out on the play-offs. A last-day defeat versus Phoenix cost them. Faf Du Plessis is an upgrade on Chris Lynn and Adam Hose softens the blow of losing Kohler-Cadmore.
Weaknesses: They are hugely reliant on Harry Brook. And it's hard not to be unimpressed by Dad's Army signings like Wahab Riaz and Dwayne Bravo. Ben Stokes played twice last term and they shouldn't miss him on that basis. But it's hard not to reckon he is much-needed. Lyth's strike rate of 108 last term has to improve. Mujeeb-ur-Rehmann is a loss, too.

Coach: James Foster
Possible XI: Lyth, Du Plessis, Brook, Hose, Simpson, Willey, Bravo, Rashid, Carse, Wahab, Potts
Squad: Adil Rashid, David Willey, Faf du Plessis*, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, John Simpson, Adam Lyth, Callum Parkinson, Dwayne Bravo*, Wahab Riaz, Adam Hose, Roelof van der Merwe, Luke Wright, David Wiese

Welsh Fire 9.208/1

Last season: 7th
Batting run rate rank: 8
Bowling run rate rank: 6
Game changer David Miller
Game clogger: Whoever has to bat at No 7
Strengths: Fire have addressed their batting issues - and some. In come Joe Clarke, Sam Hain and David Miller. Adam Zampa is a top-drawer replacement for Qais Ahmed

Weaknesses: In their effort to improve their batting, Fire have rather neglected the all-rounder's slot. It's a push to call Jacob Bethell such with one T20 wicket to his name. Does Josh Cobb qualify after bowling three overs last term? Matt Critchely? In short, they're poorly balanced.
Coach: Gary Kirsten
Possible XI: Bairstow, Banton, Clarke, Duckett, Hain, Miller, Higgins, Payne, Ball, Naseem, Zampa

Squad: Jonny Bairstow, Ollie Pope, Ben Duckett, Jake Ball, David Payne, Leus du Plooy, Ryan Higgins, Josh Cobb, Joe Clarke, Tom Banton, Adam Zampa, David Miller, Naseem Shah, Sam Hain, Jacob Bethell, Matt Critchley

London Spirit 9.4017/2

Last season: 8th
Batting run rate rank: 8
Bowling run rate rank: 7
Game changer Glenn Maxwell
Game clogger: Eoin Morgan

Strengths: Spirit can't be as bad again, surely? One solitary win must be improved on and the capture of Glenn Maxwell should be capable of winning at least one match on his own. Josh Inglis replaces Maxwell when the he is away with Australia. We like the signing of hitter Jordan Thompson and he could thrive in a pressure-free environment. Kieron Pollard is a wise head in the middle. The Morgan-Bayliss brains trust is unrivalled.

Weaknesses: There's surely too much ground to make up for this lot to challenge. Morgan's form is a major concern and it could be that halfway through the tournament he steps away for Pollard. If they lose Zak Crawley to test duty they suddenly look light with the bat.

Coach: Trevor Bayliss
Possible XI: Crawley, Rossington, Maxwell, Pollard*, Thompson, Morgan, Dawson, Meredith, Wood, Wheal, Crane

Squad: Zak Crawley, Mark Wood, Glenn Maxwell, Eoin Morgan, Mason Crane, Dan Lawrence, Adam Rossington, Ravi Bopara, Blake Cullen, Brad Wheal, Kieron Pollard, Liam Dawson, Riley Meredith, Jordan Thompson, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Chris Wood

*CPL player who could miss the final