Nottinghamshire Director of Cricket Mick Newell will make a late call between Jake Ball and Ajmal Shahzad before finalising his team selection for Sunday's NatWest T20 Blast quarter-final at Trent Bridge.
Both players have made match-winning contributions in recent weeks with Shahzad demonstrating his prowess with the bat in Wednesday's win over Glamorgan in the Royal London One-Day Cup.
The all-format England international belives he has a point to prove after missing out on last year’s quarter-final at Trent Bridge.
“It’s massive for me. You don’t get too many chances to play in a quarter-final,” he said.
“I think we owe the fans a trip to Finals Day, it’s a trophy everyone in the county wants to win.
“Last year was disappointing for everyone. I wasn’t in the eleven that day, but I could sense how much it meant for everyone from the sidelines.
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“Winning the Yorkshire Bank 40 made up for it, in part, but we’re a different side this year. We’re competing in all formats, and certainly have the momentum to get to finals day.”
Shahzad has been in fine form for the Outlaws in recent weeks, and was instrumental in securing an astonishing win over Glamorgan in the Royal London One-Day Cup.
After losing three of their top four batsmen without scoring, responsibility fell to Steven Mullaney and Shahzad to form the matchwinning partnership, the latter amassing 33 runs to see his side home.
“All the lads are in excellent form at the moment, and we’re managing to win games even after it looks like they’re beyond us,” he said.
“You don’t often get to bat for 14 overs coming in at number nine. Hopefully that won’t be the case on Sunday. I enjoyed it, and probably needed it.
“I’ve always said that I’m an all-rounder, and I’ve had another opportunity to prove that.
“We’ve developed a knack of getting the job done.”
Hampshire are a county with a reputation for excelling in T20 cricket. They have been a regular fixture at finals day, and boast a powerful lineup from numbers one to eleven.
However, Nottinghamshire fans are known for their passionate support and voracious appetite for success, something which Shahzad is hoping to feed off and use as a springboard for silverware.
“We have 11 guys on the pitch but the support we have on all sides is fantastic, it really is,” he said.
“Hampshire have always been there or thereabouts each year, and have experience in making it through quarter-finals.
“But we have a strong, talented side, and if we execute our skills we have a great chance. We just have to go in there and perform how we know we can.”
Tickets remain on general sale with the Trent Bridge ticket office opening hours extended to 4pm on Saturday. Click here to secure your seats.
Notts Outlaws team to face Hampshire (from): Alex Hales, Michael Lumb, Riki Wessels, Samit Patel, James Taylor, James Franklin, Steven Mullaney, Chris Read, Ajmal Shahzad, Luke Fletcher, Harry Gurney, Jake Ball, Sam Wood
NatWest T20 Blast Quarter-Final Ticket Prices:
In advance (before midnight on Saturday 2 August)
Public:
£16 - Adults
£12 – Over 65s and Under 21s
£8 – Under 16s
£40 - Family ticket (2 adults + 2 under 16s)
Members:
£15 - Adults
£10 – Over 65s and Under 21s
£5 – Under 16s
On the day:
£20 - Adults
£15 – Over 65s and Under 21s
£10 – Under 16s
£50 – Family ticket (2 adults + 2 under 16s)