DORSET captain Chris Park feels confidence is high in the camp as his side get set to play for a place in the MCCA Knockout Trophy final against Staffordshire at Chapel Gate tomorrow (11am).
The hosts have been in good form of late winning their last two three-day Championship games, but come up against a Staffordshire side that are yet to lose a 50-over game this season.
Dorset are buoyed by the return of Somerset professional Max Waller, but they are likely to be without Lewis McManus – a lynchpin of the side in their 50-over campaign – who has been on duty with his county, Hampshire, over the last two weeks.
Despite this, Park is confident of a win and knows that his side’s fielding and bowling will have to be at its best if they are to reach their first one-day final in 10 years.
He told Echosport: “The fielding standards need to be raised and the bowlers have to box clever with their slower balls and bouncers.
“We’re looking forward to it. We’ve had a great one-day season so far and Max (Waller) will play, which is a boost.
“Our confidence is high and we want to take that into tomorrow’s game.”
Youth has been a feature of Dorset’s side this year but Park knows the feeling of playing in a showcase event, having been part of the losing side that were defeated by Northumberland at Lord’s in 2006.
He added: “It would be great for the young guys to reach a final.
“They have found their feet this year and the coach (Paul Prichard) has given them the confidence to express themselves.
“The team is in a good place at the moment, but cricket has a funny way of biting you on the backside, so we need to be ready to go at 11am whether we are bowling or batting.
From the three-day side that won against Herefordshire earlier in the week, Rob Pack and Max Trueman come out of the squad for Jem Warner and Tom Jacques.
Dorset (from): Khan, Arnold, McManus, Waller, Webb, Porter, Wolstenholme, Thomson, Currie, Park, Warner, Jacques, Barber, Digby
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