Durham have advantage, says Smith

Smith helped Durham to victory with 51 against Glamorgan

Durham batsman Will Smith believes his side have a psychological advantage going into their Twenty20 semi-final match with Middlesex on Saturday.

With Sunday's Pro40 demolition of the Crusaders fresh in the mind the 25-year-old opener is confident of a repeat performance at Finals Day.

"They must be fairly deflated after Sunday as it was a fairly good beating," he told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"I think it has really set our stall out for the semi-final."

Smith hit 51 in Tuesday's quarter-final win against Glamorgan, coming in lower down the order at five to steady the ship after a flurry of early wickets put Durham in danger of collapse.

However with a strong bowling attack at Durham's disposal, the Luton-born batsman was confident of progress to the semis.

"Anything over 140 we'd have definitely taken and expected our bowlers to defend that," he said.

"Obviously we were probably a few short in the end but with [Steve] Harmison, Liam [Plunkett] and Shaun Pollock bowling as well as they can it was always going to be tough for Glamorgan."