Finals day 'electric' for Stevens

By Gemma Sterba
BBC Radio Kent

Stevens is hoping for his third Twenty20 finals day success

Kent batsman Darren Stevens says he is relishing the prospect of an electric atmosphere at Twenty20 finals day.

The 33-year-old will be lining up in his sixth semi-final when Kent face Somerset in the second of Saturday's semi-finals at Edgbaston.

"I'm really excited. It's a fantastic day. Everyone we talk to is looking forward to finals day," he said.

"I've been to five and won a couple, and they're just the best days as it's electric all day long."

Stevens is the only player to win the competition with two different counties, having triumphed with Leicestershire in 2004 before hitting an unbeaten 30 to help Kent beat Gloucestershire at the Birmingham ground two years ago.

In returning to Edgbaston this year, Kent have reached finals day for the third successive season.

And with the memories of that 2007 triumph still fresh, Rob Key's side will be hoping the omens are in their favour for another success.

Not that Stevens believes the county will need any motivation.

"Even at the start of the season it's like 'lads, Twenty20 finals day is the best day of the year' and it is, it's fantastic," Stevens told BBC Radio Kent.

I have some great memories from Edgbaston last time we were there so hopefully we'll have a repeat of that and it will be a very special day

Kent opener Joe Denly

"Twenty20 is electric anyway, so you can imagine with the crowd pumped up it will be a fantastic day."

But as well as the razzmatazz and excitement of finals day, Kent also know the pain of heading back to Canterbury empty handed.

They failed to defend their title in 2008, after losing a tightly-fought final with Middlesex, something opener Joe Denly is hoping to make up for this year.

"It's always in the back of my mind and I've thought about it," said Denly.

"But I have some great memories from Edgbaston last time we were there so hopefully we'll have a repeat of that and it will be a very special day."

With their recent track record, Kent will no doubt go into the game as favourites, but that is a tag that captain Key is keen to lose.

"Twenty20 is a great game, but it's a horrible game at times because you never know what's going to happen, so being favourites doesn't mean anything," he said.

Kent celebrate their Twenty20 Cup win in 2007

But the skipper is confident his players are in better shape this time around than they were 12 months ago.

"We've got more people playing better than they did last year," he said.

"Simon Cook and James Tredwell are bowling as well as I've ever seen them bowl.

"Tredwell's having his best year in the championship, Martin van Jaarsveld is playing unbelievably well, Justin Kemp's now in real form and things like that make a big difference.

"We haven't got much of a different team, we've just got guys playing a little bit better than they did."

Another man confident that the county can repeat their success of two years ago is former Kent and England captain Chris Cowdrey.

"I would have thought we've got as good a chance as when we were last at Edgbaston in 2007," said Cowdrey.

"We've proved to be a good Twenty20 side, well led by Rob Key, and I think we've got a good chance."

One player who could prove to be vital to Kent is South African sensation Wayne Parnell.

606: DEBATE

For me a win is well on the cards and I can sense a very late celebratory balti in a hitherto unvisited corner of this nation's esteemed second city come midnight!

kentishirelalala

The 20-year-old burst onto the international stage at the ICC World Twenty20.

He took two wickets in Kent's quarter-final victory over Durham, and has played a huge part in getting them to the top of Division Two of the County Championship.

His contract has since expired, but coach Graham Ford has managed to persuade Cricket South Africa to allow the fast bowler to return for finals day.

Speaking of Ford, he was the stimulus for Kent's change in fortunes in one-day cricket when he arrived at Canterbury in 2005.

He brought with him a new emphasis and importance on the short form of the game, which quickly paid dividends.

But he is due to depart at the end of the season to head back to his native South Africa, and his perfect parting gift would no doubt be another Twenty20 Cup.

BBC Radio Kent will have ball-by-ball commentary of Kent v Somerset on 96.7 and 104.2 FM and via bbc.co.uk/kent from 1500 BST.