Buttler and Salt return as Lightning roll out the big guns for Steelbacks showdown

It’s top versus second in the North Group at the County Ground, and the Red Rose welcome back England pair Jos Buttler and Phil Salt to the squad travelling to Northampton.

They will join fellow England internationals Jimmy Anderson, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Luke Wood, Tom Hartley and skipper Keaton Jennings in a powerful looking line-up.

Former England skipper Buttler and Salt have yet to feature in this season's Blast.

Salt has been on paternity leave since playing his part in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Indian Premier League winning campaign last month, while Buttler has had a break from cricket following England's white ball series with West Indies.

Mahmood and Wood were also both part of that series win, but returned to play for Lightning in the Blast ahead of the recent break for Championship cricket.

Interim head coach Steven Croft has named a 14-man squad for the game at the County Ground, and veteran pace bowler Anderson is hoping he can add to the four appearances he has already made in the competition this season.

“We’ve got a really strong squad now," he told lancashirecricket.co.uk

"The likes of Saqib Mahmood and Luke Wood are coming back after their England duty. I’m unsure how much I’ll play in the rest of it, but hopefully I’ll contribute if I’m asked.

“I’ve loved it. I’ve loved every minute of it. I didn’t expect to really play that much, but to play four out of seven games was great.

“To actually contribute and take some wickets was, again, great.”

Lancashire's overseas players this year are Chris Green and Ashton Turner.

The Steelbacks were 24-run winners when the two side met at Old Trafford earlier this month, but the Red Rose side that afternoon didn’t feature any of Buttler, Salt, Mahmood or Wood.

Lancashire Lightning squad v Steelbacks: Keaton Jennings (c), James Anderson, Jack Blatherwick, Jos Buttler, Chris Green, Tom Hartley, Matty Hurst, Michael Jones, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Phil Salt, Ashton Turner, Luke Wells, Luke Wood