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)
