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Ackerman's still confident

Leicestershire Foxes captain Hylton Ackerman is confident his side can retain their Twenty20 crown today despite a number of enforced changes.

Leicestershire Foxes captain Hylton Ackerman is confident his side can retain their Twenty20 crown today despite a number of enforced changes.

The Twenty20 Cup holders take on Somerset in the second semi-final at The Oval hoping to win a place in this evening's final.

The Foxes have lost the services of batsman John Sadler, who broke his collarbone after being struck by a short-pitched delivery from Australia's Brett Lee a fortnight ago, but Ottis Gibson and Dinesh Mongia return.

Veteran Gibson has passed a fitness test after back and hamstring problems and Mongia is back from an Indian training camp.

Ackerman said: "Losing John was a big blow to us because he has been playing very well recently. He has proved himself to be a very effective hitter in the one-day game and in Twenty20.

"But there is really no point crying over spilt milk and we have got other players in the squad who we can call on to do a good job in Sads' absence.

"To be honest, I think Sads is actually quite relieved they have managed to find the problem because the first set of X-rays did not detect the injury and he was getting plenty of stick in the dressing room about being soft.

"At least the second set of scans have detected the break.

"We have also got Dinesh back with us and he will definitely be travelling down with us because along with Charl Willoughby, he has been the pick of our bowlers."

The winners of the Leicestershire-Somerset match will take on Lancashire or Surrey, who meet in the first semi-final.

Leicestershire produced a shock when they beat Surrey in last year's final and Ackerman, who joined the county this year as a Kolpak signing, has enjoyed being part of the current event.

He said: "It is great the media are showing an interest in Leicestershire again because even though we are the Twenty20 holders, I don't think many people gave us much hope of getting to finals day.

"But the fact we have got there shows we are playing good cricket this season, at least in the one-day and Twenty20 disciplines.

"We have got a good record in Twenty20 especially and that gives us plenty of confidence going into the finals day.

"I obviously was not able to be part of it last year but the guys who were there told me it was a magnificent occasion and I am really looking forward to being a part of it this year.

"We have got the second semi-final game so that means we will not have much of a break if we get through to the final.

"But the strategy will be to take the day one game at a time, that's what we have done all summer long."

Aside from the cricket, chart-toppers Girls Aloud will perform before the final and Lancashire's Lanky the Giraffe will attempt to defend the mascot race title he controversially won last year. Lanky was awarded victory after Surrey's lion Roary was disqualified for cheating.

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