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Sales targets finals day spot

David Sales insists the Steelbacks will be going all out to reach this year's Twenty20 finals day.

The Northamptonshire skipper will lead the side in their first Midlands/West/Wales group match of the all-action competition against Worcestershire Royals at Wantage Road this evening (5.30pm).

And, having reached the quarter-finals in the last two years, Sales is hoping Northants book themselves a date in the finals day at Edgbaston on August 4.

But he is fully aware of the tough task his side will face in the next few weeks. He said: "We have fallen in the quarter-finals in the last two years and we are desperate to go one step further this time."

"However you have to get there but if we can perform our skills well then we are more than capable of achieving that. It's a new competition to look forward to and we are delighted the first game is at home in front of a capacity crowd."

"We have been working hard on our tactics and are looking forward to it. It's obviously a popular competition and you are performing in front of big crowds. We are just hoping to get off to a good start with a positive result tonight."

Sales' own form with the bat has been well documented already this season.

He is currently averaging 54 in the LV Championship while he averaged an impressive 74 in the disappointing Friends Provident Trophy campaign. And he admits the 20-over format means both he and the other Steelbacks batsmen will be looking to take a few more chances than normal.

"I will pretty much try and play my normal game," the skipper added. "I am an attacking batsman and if the opportunity arises to play a big shot then I will take it."

Former Northants batsman Phil Jacques will miss today's game after the Worcestershire star returned home for "family reasons".

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