Twenty20 Cup finals day form guide

By Martin Gough

Twenty20 Cup finals day comes to London for the first time, with The Brit Oval hosting the semi-finals and final of the county cricket showpiece on Saturday.

Leicestershire will be looking to defend the crown won in 2004

Leicestershire are aiming to defend their crown, while inaugural winners Surrey's first step will be to maintain their record of having reached every final so far.

Lancashire lost a thrilling semi-final by a single run to the Lions last year and home fans will be hoping for a repeat in the first match, beginning at 1130 BST.

Leicestershire meet finals day new boys Somerset in the second semi-final at 1500 BST.

And the winners only have the time it takes teen band Girls Aloud to perform their set before the final begins at 1915.

LANCASHIRE LIGHTNING

The most successful side in this year's tournament, they lost just one of their eight group matches before disposing of Derbyshire in the quarter-finals.

Aussie Symonds has been drafted in by Lancashire

Seven of their side have international experience, including Andrew Flintoff for the first time this year.

They enjoyed some time off this week, while all three their rivals have been playing in the County Championship.

Expect the Lightning to come out crackling, making the most of fielding restrictions in the first six overs.

Odds: 5-4 fav

Look out for: Andrew Symonds

Aussie Brad Hodge, who boasted the best batting average in the group stages and took 13 wickets, is now on Ashes duty but Symonds is a more-than-able deputy.

The Birmingham-born all-rounder showed his bruising form for Australia in the recent one-day internationals against England with two dominating half-centuries.

He is a miserly bowler who can switch at will from off-spin to seam-up, the sort of trickery that thrives in Twenty20.

They say:

In Twenty20 perhaps more than any other form of cricket, one player can change the course of a game. We've certainly got those players, although Surrey have as well.
- Mal Loye, opening batsman

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SURREY LIONS

Unbeaten in the competition until last year's upset by Leicestershire in the final, the Lions have been proven mortal this season, with three losses.

Doshi is the leading wicket-taker in the competition

However, a side packed with home-grown talent like Rikki Clarke and Tim Murtagh has a never-say die approach.

Batsman Ali Brown has a strike rate of 165.4 per 100 balls - one of the best.

They progressed to finals day amid some controversy as a rain-hit quarter-final finished tied and they had to endure a bowl-out against Warwickshire.

Odds: 5-2

Look out for: Nayan Doshi

Son of former India Test star Dilip, English-raised Doshi is the leading wicket-taker in the tournament this year, with 15 at an average of 13.00.

The left-armer is likely to join the attack once the fielding restrictions are lifted, possibly bowling in tandem with veteran Ian Salisbury to strangle opposing batsmen.

They say:

It's been working for us to be aggressive, and if you take wickets it puts pressure on the lower order to try and get runs
- Rikki Clarke, all-rounder

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LEICESTERSHIRE FOXES

Just five players remain from the side that caused an upset to beat Surrey in last year's final but Leicestershire are back for their third finals day.

Snape is a quick-thinking spinner and lower-order bat

New captain HD Ackerman has taken to the new game well and also been the Foxes top-scorer but several batsmen stepped up in winning five group games.

If Leicestershire have a weakness it is that they have not taken wickets as ruthlessly as their Saturday rivals.

But a wily bunch of veterans can be expected to know what it takes to win.

Odds: 4-1

Look out for: Jeremy Snape

A stifling off-spinner and useful lower-order batsman, Snape is a great thinker on the game, constantly coming up with new plans.

In the final over of last year's final, while standing at the non-striker's he spotted Surrey's signals for a slower ball and helped batting partner Brad Hodge exploit them.

They say:

We've learnt that, when you play with a smile on your face, it's amazing what you can achieve and what comes out of people
- James Whitaker, director of cricket

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SOMERSET SABRES

The only team of the four not to have reached this stage of the competition before, the Sabres are outsiders.

Batsman Hildreth has added bowling to his Twenty20 portfolio

Explosive batting comes from South African opener Graeme Smith and England's Marcus Trescothick has been allowed to rejoin his club-mates.

But they also keep runs down by using medium-pace bowlers like Keith Parsons, and take wickets through frustration.

Despite winning just four of eight group matches, they qualified as a third-placed finisher and sneaked past Northants in the quarter-final.

Odds: 4-1

Look out for: James Hildreth

The 20-year-old launched his senior career in last year's Twenty20 Cup, with an innovative approach to batting that saw him score at good pace.

This season he has also proved a useful pace bowler, with 10 wickets as part of an attack that rotates regularly to keep batsmen on their toes.

They say:

We fancy our chances of getting through the semis and then it's anybody's game
- Keith Parsons, all-rounder

Full interview

Odds quoted by William Hill 29/7/05