Nerves no obstacle for Tremlett

Chris Tremlett believes the popularity and success of Twenty20 cricket should help his Hampshire Hawks side overcome the big match nerves as they take on Sussex Sharks tomorrow at Lord's in the Friends Provident Trophy final.

The newest and shortest form of the game has attracted bumper crowds to cricket grounds throughout the country, and Tremlett is confident it will help ease the tension of a third final appearance in five years for the Hawks at the Home of Cricket.

“I think maybe a few years ago before Twenty20 we probably didn’t get the experience of playing in front of huge crowds, but since Twenty20 it’s generally packed out every week and players are used to playing in front of big crowds,” Tremlett told ECBtv.

Chris Tremlett is confident his side can overcome the pressure of a Lord's final and beat Sussex on Saturday

. “The lads will be a bit nervous but that’s just because it’s a great occasion and you want to win, but once you get over those nerves you want to get out there and get going and relish the occasion.”

Hampshire’s one-day success is in part thanks to a formidable and versatile bowling attack that not only includes England one-day specialist Dimitri Mascharenhas and former international all-rounder Dominic Cork, but also the bamboozling turn of Imran Tahir and Liam Dawson.

However, Tremlett also believes the Hawks’ top-order batsmen prefer the shorter forms of the game.

“We’ve been to Lord’s, this will be the third time in five years so we’re obviously a good one-day team,” Tremlett added.

“A lot of our batters probably prefer the one-day game if they’re honest.
“They can go out there and play their shots and generally our bowlers and fielders do their job in the field so we’ve just got on a good run.

“We’ve had pretty good success over the past few years, and it’s just about taking the momentum we’ve built up over the past few weeks along with Twenty20 as well, and hopefully come Saturday the boys will be up for it like we have been and we can get a win.”

The Hawks lost out to the Sharks in a NatWest Pro40 match last weekend, but Tremlett is confident his side can reverse that result in what should be a even and entertaining contest.

“They are a good side and they’ve got a good team atmosphere. We played them recently in the Pro40 and came out the losers, but its a different competition and I think it will be different on Saturday.

“I’m sure it will be a good contest, they’ won it a couple of years ago and they’ve got recent experience of playing at Lord's so it it’s all set to to be a good game.”

Coming to Lord’s for the Friends Provident Trophy Final? Due to planned engineering works, the Victoria Line and Jubilee lines are suspended and St John’s Wood station will be closed. Lord’s is well served by other London Underground stations within a short walk. From Victoria, take the Circle Line via High Street Kensington to Baker Street. From Waterloo take the Bakerloo line to Baker Street. Upon exiting at the ‘Lost Property Office’ exit, follow the blue pedestrian signs to Lord’s which will take 15- 20 minutes. For those less able to walk, proceed down Melcombe Street to Dorset Square where bus services 139, 189, 274, 13, 113 and 82 all have stops close to Lord’s. To plan your route in advance visit: http://www.lords.org/findus.html