Jason Roy, Ashar Zaidi and Tymal Mills make Laurie Evans' Blast XI
Wednesday 17 August 2016 13:34, UK
In his final T20 Blast column of the summer for Sky Sports, Birmingham Bears batsman Laurie Evans talks of his Finals Day memories, gives his tip for the 2016 title, and picks a team of the tournament...
Come Saturday, there's one place I wish I could be more than any.
T20 Finals Day is arguably the greatest day for a county player to be involved in. I have been lucky enough to have played in the last two, both at Edgbaston, and there really is no greater atmosphere. Winning in 2014 was the best day I've had as a cricketer.
Everything is a bit of a blur from that night, other than Andrew Flintoff's comeback, I remember dropping a catch, and Chris Woakes holding his nerve in the final over.
One story from that night was that a few of the boys did a celebratory ice bucket challenge after, which flooded the whole dressing room.
This year's tournament for the Bears was a frustrating one. We got ourselves in to strong positions to win games but just didn't bring them home and it cost us a place in the knockout stages.
It's hard to know for sure who will win on Saturday, though I wouldn't rule out the underdogs, Northants - they are a dangerous team.
There have been some excellent and eye-catching individual performances throughout the summer, and I've put together my T20 Blast team of the tournament…
Jason Roy
Having grown up playing with him at Surrey, I can tell you he has always been able to blast the ball to all parts. He is so difficult to bowl to with two men out of the circle, and is now showing his supreme talent on the international stage.
Michael Klinger
Some say that T20 is a young man's game, well Klinger is showing otherwise. He is so destructive against any bowling attack which comes his way, leading Gloucestershire to dominate the South Group.
Dawid Malan
A powerful stroke maker at the top of the order who is continuing his superb form from the last couple of years.
Colin Ingram
Another destructive left handed batsman who has put in some terrific match-winning performances for Glamorgan, helping them dominate the South Group.
Liam Dawson
His bowling has been excellent in this format this year, as shown when taking three wickets on his T20I debut for England earlier this summer. He is a true all-rounder, too, who is delivering on the potential he has shown for many years.
Dan Christian
Sadly, we were on the wrong end of a couple of his standout performances this year. He hits a huge ball, and strikes it as cleanly as anyone.
Ashar Zaidi
Under pressure, the innings with that black bat against Middlesex at Lord's where he pretty much won the game on his own, was sensational! Anyone who can clear the ropes is extremely valuable, plus pitches in with his slow-left-arm spin.
Rikki Clarke
He is my mate, so I won't build him up too much otherwise he might get a bit too big for his boots, but his opening spells have been devastating, and won us plenty of games this year.
Graeme White
Potently accurate and bowls with clever changes of pace. He does a very good job for an excellent and underrated T20 team in Northants.
Richard Gleeson
Another Northants boy. He has burst onto the scene with raw pace and the ability to take wickets - he has had an excellent campaign.
Tymal Mills
Anyone who bowls that fast, with a slower ball that good, is getting a spot in my team. Utterly devastating!
Watch NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day, live on Sky Sports 2 from 10.30am on Saturday.
