Essex Eagles take on the Notts Outlaws this evening at Trent Bridge, with a place at Finals Day for the winner!
Head Coach Chris Silverwood is excited for the game and states that the players are really looking forward to the match.
The full interview can be seen below:
Essex Eagles take on Nottinghamshire Outlaws at Trent Bridge in the NatWest T20 Blast quarter-final with a place in Finals Day at Edgbaston on Saturday week the prize for the winners.
The visitors 15-man squad includes Ravi Bopara, who missed the County Championship match with Sussex because of illness but returns to lead the side. Jesse Ryder is also fit again after a calf injury and is named in the squad.
Watch | Graham Napier looks ahead to the Trent Bridge clash
Head coach Chris Silverwood admits that the match cannot come soon enough. “The boys are really looking forward to it, it’s an exciting time and the attitude is ‘Bring it on,” he said.
“Looking at the Notts side, they are obviously a good side with a number of potential match-winners but that is no different to ourselves and so it should be a great contest. We are confident that we can get the result we want.
“In Twenty20 cricket, as we know, if one person has a day out and makes the most of it, that can prove decisive. One thing is for sure and that is we go to Trent Bridge determined to give it our best shot.
“Nottinghamshire don’t have a great record in quarter-final ties in this competition and so maybe they will feel under a bit of pressure and we might just be able to exploit that.
“We are confident that we can prove more than a match for them.”
The Eagles are aiming to reach Finals Day for the fifth time although they have yet to make it through to the final itself. Their last appearance at Finals Day was in 2013 when, after beating Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in the quarter finals, they lost to Northamptonshire Steelbacks in their semi-final.
In that success against the Outlaws three years ago, Ryan ten Doeschate scored 82 and Ravi Bopara 31 as the Eagles posted 187 for 6 from their allotted overs. In reply, the home side were bowled out for 140 in 17.2 overs after Australian fast bowler Shaun Tait returned 4 for 29 including a hat-trick.
Nottinghamshire lost four successive quarter-final matches between 2011 and 2014 and last reached Finals Day in 2010 when they were beaten in the semi-finals. Their most successful campaign in the competition came in 2006 when they were runners-up.
Essex squad:
Ravi Bopara (25) captain
James Foster (7) wicket-keeper
David Masters (9)
Nick Browne (10)
Graham Napier (17)
Tom Westley (21)
Paul Walter (22)
Ryan ten Doeschate (27)
Dan Lawrence (28)
Jaik Mickleburgh (32)
Jamie Porter (44)
Callum Taylor (67)
Jesse Ryder (77)
Matt Quinn (94)
Ashar Zaidi (99)
Colchester born all-rounder, Graham Napier made his final appearance at his home ground in Colchester and signed off in style by smashing a century before his retirement at the end of the season.
Earlier in the match, Napier shone with the ball taking 5 wickets in the Sussex first innings, to make it the perfect all-round performance.
Two three figure scores from Napier and Ryan ten Doeschate helped Essex to claw themselves back into the Specsavers County Championship match against Sussex to earn a draw.
Napier spoke after play to reflect on his personal acheivements during the match, as well as the race for promotion in the longer format of the game.
Essex youngster, Aaron Beard has been named in the England U19s squad, which will play at The Essex County Ground on Saturday (13 August) – 10:30am start.
England have added Kent fast bowler Hugh Bernard to their squad for the Royal London One-Day Series against Sri Lanka, which starts at Wormsley on Wednesday.
Bernard is included because of an injury doubt over Ed Barnes, the Yorkshire allrounder who impressed in the two four-day matches against the Sri Lankans, but suffered an ankle injury in the last session of England’s defeat in the second game in Northampton.
Bernard has made nine appearances for England Under-19s, touring Australia in the spring of 2015 and Sri Lanka later that year, after taking three for 52 in a series-equalling victory over Australia in Worcester last August. He made his first-class debut for Kent in a Specsavers County Championship match against Glamorgan in May, taking three wickets and scoring 14 in a 10-wicket win.
England Under-19s squad for Royal London One-Day Series:
Max Holden (Middlesex, captain)
Josh Dell (Worcestershire)
Zen Malik (Worcestershire)
Ben Twohig (Worcestershire)
George Hankins (Gloucestershire)
George Bartlett (Somerset)
Dom Bess (Somerset)
Ben Green (Somerset)
Ollie Pope (Surrey) (WK)
Aaron Beard (Essex)
Ed Barnes (Yorkshire)
Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
George Panayi (Warwickshire)
Jack Blatherwick (Nottinghamshire)
Hugh Bernard (Kent)
Royal London One-Day Series Fixtures:
10 August v Sri Lanka Under-19s (Wormsley – 10:30am)
13 August v Sri Lanka Under-19s (Chelmsford – 10:30am)
16 August v Sri Lanka Under-19s (Canterbury – 2pm)
Nominations for the Essex Women & Girls Squad Trials is now closed.
