Samit Patel is a player who thrives on high-pressure games. Always eager to test himself on the biggest stages, he is eyeing a win over Hampshire in the quarter-finals of the NatWest T20 Blast to propel Notts Outlaws to finals day.
“It’s been a long time since we made it to finals day,” he said.
“We’re all in high spirits, the lads are in a good place and we’ve become a very tough outfit to beat.
“They have some excellent players, from Michael Carberry at the top of the order, Glenn Maxwell in the middle and down to Danny Briggs, they’re very experienced.”
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Notts are enjoying a rich vein of form in all formats, enjoying outstanding performances in the Royal London One-Day Cup, as well as overturning a massive Yorkshire total in the final T20 group stage match to confirm their home quarter-final.
“We’ve found a way to win on any surface. Home advantage will be crucial, but we’re so strong through the order.
“All the way from Hales and Lumb down to Ready, and that’s even before Steven Mullaney, who is such an important player for us.
“Twenty20 cricket is so difficult to judge. One over can completely change the game, or even one ball.
Unbeaten in ten games, they have turned in matchwinning performances to enter the knockout stages feeling unbeatable, especially in home surroundings. After failing at this hurdle in recent years, they will look to go one step further this year.
“We have a lot of momentum going into this game,” said Patel.
“It’s unbelievable how we’ve managed to turn it around.
‘Those three defeats against Durham, Worcestershire and Birmingham hurt us and now it’s up to us to prove ourselves against a very good team in front of an amazing home crowd.”