David Willey and Chris Lynn ready to get their T20 eye in with Northants seconds

​Some young up-and-coming cricketers are going to get something of a shock when they turn up to take on Northants seconds in their T20 matches over the next week or so.

​That's because there is a great chance they will find themselves lining up against two of the hottest properties in world white ball cricket.

With the Vitality Blast campaign starting with a home clash against Worcestershire Rapids on May 24, Northants are using the club's second team fixtures to get the Steelbacks not involved in the Championship to get ready for the main event.

And those set to play include new skipper David Willey and Australian star Chris Lynn, as well as two-time winner Josh Cobb.

Willey has confirmed he will be playing for 'the IIs' as he builds up his fitness ahead of the first game against Worcestershire Rapids, and head coach John Sadler says Chris Lynn is also keen to be involved.

Northants IIs are due to play a T20 double header against Warwickshire IIs at the Edgbaston Community Sports Ground on Wednesday (May 17) before another double header against Worcestershire IIs at Kidderminster CC on Monday (May 22).

And Willey said: "It is really important for me to build relationships with the players.

"I want to get to know them as individuals and as cricketers, and also talk about the things I want to implement and the way we want to play our cricket. I want to talk about how we want to go about things, and I guess about my expectations.

"It is important for me that I can be around as much as possible, particularly around that second team and T20 cricket, where the lads will be playing.

"I want to try and help the young guys, I think there will be quite a few academy lads because of the injuries, so the more I can be in amongst that and talking cricket with these guys then that will speed up the process."

Lynn flew into the UK on Monday, and head coach Sadler says the player is keen to repeat the build up that worked so well for him last summer.

On that occasion he arrived a couple of weeks before the first game and got his eye in for the seconds, before going on to score more than 500 runs, including two centuries and four half-centuries, in the tournament.

"Lynny is full of beans," said the head coach.

"Last year he got here early, he did some proper training and got involved with the lads.

"He played some second team games and he is going to do the same again, and he is another global superstar we have in our ranks that we are looking forward to watching in full flow."

A young Steelbacks side took on London Schools in a T20 friendly double header at the County Ground on Monday, and won both convincingly.

The standout performance of the day came from Saif Zaib, who thrashed 113 not out from just 47 balls in the second match, with the Steelbacks won by seven wickets.

Zaib hammered 11 fours and eight sixes, as the Steelbacks cruised to 167 for three in 15.2 overs to chase down the students’ 162 for seven.

The first match saw the Steelbacks post 199 for three, South African trialist William Masojada top scoring with 72 not out, before restricting London Schools to 136 for six.