Scottish pair Alan Clyne and Greg Lobban top the rankings for the men's competition after their success in Australian city Darwin last year.

They will face competition at the National Squash Centre from Australian second seeds Ryan Cuskelly and Cameron Pilley with the duos on collision course to meet in the final.

Pilley won the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games title alongside David Palmer, who will partner Zac Alexander in Manchester.

New Zealand's Joelle King, meanwhile, is looking to retain both the women's and mixed doubles titles from Darwin and is seeded first in both competitions.

She won the women's title last year with Amanda Landers-Murphy, but the Kiwi duo will be expecting competition from second seeds Joshna Chinappa and Dipika Pallikal of India this time around.

In the mixed doubles, King triumphed in Darwin alongside Paul Coll.

Their biggest competition this year could come from the duo they beat in last year's final, Pallikal and Saurav Ghosal.

The Indians have been seeded second.

Competition will begin tomorrow with group phase play, with a record 50 pairings taking part in all at the fifth edition of the event.

All three finals will be played on August 5.

The event will provide useful warm-up for doubles pairs competing at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast next year.

Manchester will also host this year's Professional Squash Association men's and women's World Championships, between December 9 and 17.