CRASH, BANG, WALLOP TWENTY20 CUP FINALS DAY - EDGBASTON 2009

It may have started as recently as 2003, but in its short life cricket’s twenty cup has become as much as part of the English summer as big brother and extensive cloud coverage. Thankfully, of course it has retained its popularity for more successfully than the former and despite repeated exposure to the latter – and Final day, which this year takes place this very Saturday, is always something of a carnival for players and fans alike.

So, while the England selectors sit around looking for phone numbers of Mark Ramprakash, Robin Smith, Denis Compton and WG ‘Bloody’ Grace, the four remaining county side in this year’s renewal will head to Edgbaston for the day of, well, thwacking it as hard as they possible can.

Who are the runners and riders, then? Well, the first semi final see Northanst take on Sussex in the tie between two sides not that well versed in Twenty20 success. Sussex may have won three County Championships in the past six season, but this in only their second appearance at a Twenty20 Finals Day (the first, in 2007, saw them go out to Kent in Semi Finals), while Northants will be considered the outsiders of the bunch – they have never been in the last four of this competition and currently find themselves in the lower division of both the County Championship and the limited-overs Pro40 competition.

The second semi is a different matter entirely, however, for both Kent and Somerset are previous tournament winners looking to join Leicestershire as two-times victors.

Kent, champions in 2007 and runners-up to Middlesex 12 months ago, are narrow favorites with bookies- led by England hopeful Rob Key, the spitfires will e buoyed by the news that the 20-year-old South African fast bowler Wayne Parnell will be available after playing a key role in his side’s quarter-final victory over Durham last month.

Somerset won’t go down without a fight, thought- the 2005 winners have been in grand form all summer and, with Australian legend Justin Langer leading a side that also contains Marcus Trescothick and the tournament’s leading remaining wicket-tacker in Alfonso Thomas, the Sabres have plenty of ammunition with which to go to battle.

Twenty20 being what it is, however, mean that any prediction or current form will almost certainly go out the window in blaze of boundaries and wickets; but, for what it’s worth, we are backing Somerset to go all the way and thee off Sussex in a thrilling final, Get the cider on ice, and all that.