Dreaming of Lord's

Watch Chris Nash's exclusive interview with ECBtv on this player

Chris Nash will realise a boyhood dream if Sussex beat Gloucestershire on Sunday and book a place in the Friends Provident Trophy Final at Lord's.

The 26-year-old opener was not part of the side which beat Lancashire in a thrilling final three years ago.

But having watched his team-mates emerge victorious at the Home of Cricket, Nash wants to experience it first hand.

"To play in a final like that would be dreamland for me," he told ECBtv.

"It would mean a lot. I didn't play in 2006, I don't think I was even in the squad. So for me it's been something I have been dreaming of since then, having watched that and seen how amazing it was. It's an ambition of mine."

The Sussex side retains a similar look to the one that edged a wonderful final, Kirtley's 5-27 ensuring favourites Lancashire finished 15 runs short chasing 173 to win.

Former captain Chris Adams and the talismanic Mushtaq Ahmed have moved while Richard Montgomerie has retired, but the remaining eight players are hoping for a return date at Lord's.

"I know a lot of the guys who played there once would love to play there again," said Nash. "A lot of guys go through their careers never playing in a Lord's final so for the guys to have two would be pretty special."

Nash played a key role in Sussex's narrow quarter-final win over Somerset, taking two wickets before hitting a quickfire 41 as his side chased down the hosts' 285 for eight with five balls remaining.

Opening batsman Chris Nash wants to emulate the class of 2006 by appearing in a Lord's final with Sussex

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Murray Goodwin led the way with 93, well-supported by Ed Joyce who made 74 leaving captain Mike Yardy to seal the win with 57 off just 43 balls.

"We have just played good cricket all the way through," said Nash.

"Everyone has chipped in with good performances - the Joyces, the Goodwins - everyone has put their hands up when we've needed to.

"A real strength is the death bowling. We've guys like Yasir [Arafat] and James Kirtley who have finished games off."

Standing in Nash's way though are Gloucestershire who won this competition in 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2004.

The two sides met in Group C in April, Gloucestershire bowling out Sussex for 227 before knocking off the target for the lost of just three wickets.

"They are a very good one-day side," said Nash. "We played them earlier in the season and they were very strong.

"Recently they have started to come back as a really good one-day side. They all know what they are doing, a good fielding side and some really dangerous batters. To get through to the semi-finals you have got to have won a lot of games and be in good nick."