He achieved so much during a stellar career that lasted 18 seasons at senior level, but, alas, a much-coveted appearance in a domestic Lord’s final was not one of them.
That’s why Paul Franks would love nothing better than to use his influence as the Assistant Head Coach at Trent Bridge to help the current crop of Notts Outlaws, who've made it through to play Surrey at the Home of Cricket on Saturday, to lift the Royal London One-Day Cup.
For some, the prospect of sitting watching from the stands as the latest generation take to the hallowed turf would be particularly hard to take, and perhaps invoke feelings of envy.
But for the phlegmatic and endearing Franks, who has always been, and doubtless always will be, the ultimate team player, he’d much prefer to channel his energy and thoughts into plotting the downfall of the Brown Caps, thereby helping the Club he has served with such distinction to claim one of domestic cricket’s three biggest honours.
“Lord’s is the Home of Cricket. It’s where everyone, everywhere wants to play when they were a little lad, including me when I was playing in my back garden,” said Franks.
“Lord’s is the Home of Cricket. It’s where everyone, everywhere wants to play.”
“It’s always on the TV and being spoken about. To walk down the pavilion steps there is special, and I’m genuinely delighted that these lads are going to get the chance to do that.
“I didn’t get to do that as a player, which I suppose is a little disappointing, but to watch this set of lads do it, when you are working with them from day to day, would be massive. Coaching is the next best thing to playing and to be part of that next week will be a very special day.
“In some ways, having not won there as a player, I think it would make it sweeter (as a coach). Experiencing the lads win in 2013 as part of the support staff, and seeing what it meant to them, brought forward some very strong emotions, and we’d love to be feeling that way again on Saturday evening.”
Nottinghamshire find themselves in the final after playing an exciting brand of cricket that has enabled them to emerge victorious from two high-scoring, pulsating knock-out matches at the quarter-final and semi-final stages.
They first beat Somerset at The Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton after racking up their second highest one-day score ever, making 429-9 before limiting Somerset to 405 all out to triumph by 24 runs.
Another exciting game followed at the Cloudfm County Ground, Chelmsford, as the visitors overcame Essex’s 370-5 with an English List A record successful chase of 373-5.
Franks (bowling to Dominic Cork in the Clydesdale Bank 40 in 2010, above) feels the Outlaws thoroughly deserve their place in the final after those performances and is urging all concerned to appreciate every moment.
He said: “It’s going to be amazing, I’m really looking forward to it. It’s a massive effort by everyone at the club just to get there and hopefully it will be an excellent day for all of us.
“It’s the aim of all the players at the start of the season and everything you would want at the end of a white ball competition. It’s unique for us this year because it is back in the middle of the season.
“The lads have to get the right balance between being excited and focussing on the job in hand. We're very much looking forward to playing in it at a very good side in Surrey at the Home of Cricket against making sure we look after the ‘day job’ of the games in between.
“We’ve played in two fantastic games in white ball cricket in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, and I really hope the final is similar to that, with us coming out on top.”
“The lads have to get the right balance between being excited and focussing on the job in hand.”
Surrey were in impressive form in booking their date for the showpiece occasion, disposing of Worcestershire emphatically by 153 runs in their semi-final.
They had earlier beaten Yorkshire by 24 runs in their quarter-final, after finishing third in the South Group, just as Notts did in the North Group.
“Beating Surrey is going to be a huge challenge,” said Franks. “Both the sides who have made it to the final are very, very strong at this format of the game with some very good players.
“It’s very hard to pick out the key men for Surrey, but you’ve got Jason Roy and Kumar Sangakkara with the bat who are both international pedigree players.
“Sangakkara (pictured below) has scored thousands and thousands of runs around the world on his own. If we get a chance to take his wicket, we have to make sure we’re nailing it.
“Jason Roy’s very explosive, who’s had a difficult time recently, but has come back well since and is proven quality.
“You’ve also got a very strong bowling attack as well… they’re a good side and similar to ourselves in that they’ve got blokes who can clear the ropes and blokes that can take wickets. I think it’s two well-matches teams.”
Questions remain over whether England bowler Stuart Broad will be able to take the field for the Outlaws after leaving the field with a bruised heel injury during last week’s Specsavers County Championship innings victory over Leicestershire.
“Knowing how I know Stuart, if he has any chance of playing, then he will make himself available.”
Franks has no doubt that if the talismanic paceman can come through to take a place in the side, it will give his team-mates a huge boost going into such a big occasion.
He added: “If Stuart Broad (pictured below) can play, of course it would be a big boost for us. He’s done a fantastic job for us in the one-dayers. There are the injury doubts around, but knowing how I know Stuart, if he has any chance of playing, then he will make himself available.
“We’ve got guys who can come into the side and do a good job, but Stuart’s role within the team so far this season has been to perform really well for us.
“We’d love to have him there and hopefully he comes through and is available.”
So who will win? There’s no doubt about where Franks’ allegiances lie, but he insists it really is too close to call.
“The team that settles earliest, the team that relaxes and enjoys the day, and goes out and expresses themselves will get a head start,” he said.
“Some of our boys will have been there and done it before, but so will some of Surrey’s. The team that adapts best to the conditions - the ground, the fans, the pitch, the weather conditions - will come out the winners, and hopefully that will be us.”
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