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We can make it first time lucky

Outlaws skipper Stephen Fleming believes that being new to finals day could help power Notts to glory at Trent Bridge on Saturday.

Surrey and Leicestershire have both won the Twenty20 Cup, while Notts have never got beyond the group stages.

But Fleming believes that could be in their favour as they prepare for the second semi-final in their own backyard against Surrey.

The 33-year-old New Zealander said: "If you have been here before you sort of know the pressures and anxiety and if you have not won it, what can go wrong.

"We are pretty fresh for finals day and we only know one way and that is to enjoy the day.

"Composure is probably the key and that has been banded about but it is right.

"Sometimes the more naive you are about the situation the better it is and we will treat it that way.

"We will turn up a little later and mould our way into the day and enjoy the atmosphere, the concert in between and hopefully come finals evening we will be there."

Fleming says there was a lot of motivation for Notts to reach finals day knowing it was to be played at Trent Bridge.

And he is excited about the prospect of winning more silverware at Notts.

He said: "It was part of the motivation at the start knowing it was going to be in our own back yard.

"We have seen some great finals days where we haven't been part of it.

"Now we have got to be composed and just do it another couple of times to win it.

"Surrey have got players in form and it will be exciting.

"It will be a bit different to the quarter-final with other counties occupying some of the seats but we are in our backyard and a familiar changing room and we have got the second semi-final.

"So we have got a lot of things going for us and now we have to see off Surrey.

"We have got to be smart. You have to concentrate on hitting them hard with the bowling attack and getting enough runs to do the job.

"I cannot wait. We tasted it with the quarter-final and the whole entertainment package that goes with finals day is something I have always wanted to be involved in."

But although Fleming is delighted with the way Twenty20 has captured the imagination of the public and attracted a new fan base, he feels it should be left at domestic level.

He added: "You just look at one-day matches and there is so many played that even one-day cricket domestically has diminished because so many people can go and see it at international level every second week.

"What has happened here is domestically Twenty20 has captured the imagination for people to come along.

"But if you start playing more and more Twenty20 at international level, the international one-day cricket will suffer as well as Twenty20 domestically - so why not keep it well and truly at a domestic level, where people enjoy it?

"They look forward to finals day and if they want anything more they can go to a one-day game.

"It is spot on the way it is now.

"I am a massive fan of it staying at this level and don't want it to go to international level.

"That dilutes it and if it stays at this level which is family entertainment, with parents bringing kids along, that is great.

"Then save the internationals for the long stuff."

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