Twenty20 new boys Notts

By Martin Gough

Nottinghamshire won the most prestigious title in county cricket last year but when it comes to the Twenty20 Cup they are inexperienced.

The Outlaws, winners of the four-day County Championship in 2005, run out at their home ground Trent Bridge on Saturday for their first Twenty20 finals day appearance.

TWENTY20 CUP FINALS DAY Saturday, 12 August 1130 BST First semi-final: Essex v Leicestershire 1500 BST Second semi-final: Surrey v Nottinghamshire 1915 BST Final Listen to the semi-finals on BBC Five Live Sports Extra, the final on BBC Radio Five Live and all matches on this website

And they will meet formidable semi-final opposition in Surrey, who won the title in the competition's inaugural year and have got at least as far as the semi-finals every year since.

Should they get past the Brown Caps, they would face either fellow new boys Essex or Leicestershire, winners in 2004 and another side making a fourth trip to the final four.

"This is our first appearance at finals day but I don't see that as a disadvantage," said Notts captain Stephen Fleming.

"Anyone who's been there before will be more conscious of the pressures and anxieties on the day.

"Sometimes the more naïve you are the better you handle things, and we'll go into the day looking to enjoy ourselves and not have any negative thoughts."

New Zealander Fleming, international cricket's most experienced captain, had a major influence on the side in his first season, with their first Championship win since 1987.

We got a taste of the atmosphere with the quarter-final - I can't wait for finals day Stephen Fleming

Eleven months after lifting the Championship trophy, though, they face the threat of relegation in the longer form of the game, with two wins and five losses so far.

Opening batsmen Darren Bicknell and Jason Gallian have struggled to match their feats of last year and other batsmen who were outstanding last term have just been good.

Instead, the shortest form of the game offers their best chance of silverware this term.

An ageing squad has had an injection of youth in Samit Patel, whose 65 in front of a packed house by the Trent helped them beat Northants in the quarter-final.

Aussie star David Hussey overshadowed that with 71 from 34 balls, a week before he was finally recognised by his country with a place in their ICC Champions Trophy provisional squad.

With his 37th birthday just weeks away, Mark Ealham showed no signs of age as he smashed an amazing 31 from seven balls in the group stage win over Leicestershire.

Ever-present in the Twenty20 dugout is director of cricket Mick Newell, a widely-credited schemer and fixer off the field.

Championship winners in 2005, Notts now face relegation

"We will try and treat the semi like all of our group games. Our practice arrangements and team talks will be as before, at the same kind of time as before," said Newell.

"Tactically we won't target anyone in particular, as we haven't played Surrey before.

"But we will look at their batting order, which bowlers are used for particular stages and who are their strongest fielders."

Championship is still viewed as the pinnacle of county cricket but Twenty20 success has seen the ground packed for domestic game for the first time in decades.

"It would be great to win a trophy for the club because not only would it add to the silverware but it would help bring new fans to Trent Bridge," said Fleming.

"We already saw that with the quarter-final so winning the competition would only add to that.

"We got a taste of the atmosphere with the quarter-final, which was a great day for us. I can't wait for finals day."