Leicestershire\'s roller-coaster journey through the group stages of this season\'s NatWest T20 Blast has left them tougher and more resilient as they prepare for Wednesday\'s quarter-final against Glamorgan in Cardiff.
That is the opinion of skipper Clint McKay, who believes the younger players in particular have taken a huge amount from an extraordinary campaign.
The Foxes won their first four matches, all away from home, then failed to win any of their next six before bouncing back to win their last four games – finishing with a last ball victory over group winners Nottinghamshire in front of a raucous five figure crowd at Trent Bridge.
McKay, whose 22 victims (in 11 matches) makes him comfortably the leading wicket-taker in the competition, says the manner in which his team has responded to pressure over the last two weeks shows real strength of character.
“For some of the boys the crowd at Trent Bridge was the biggest they'd played in front of, and it was good to see how much they enjoyed it and rose to the occasion,” said the Australian.
“I knew we had a very good cricket team here and that if we turned up and played our best cricket we could beat anyone - we'd shown that in the first part of the competition. Some of the defeats were of our own making, but the nature of sport is it can be difficult to turn things back around.
“But we spoke about it and to play with the confidence we showed in the last four games, against Yorkshire and Derbyshire at home, and Northants and Notts away, was massively encouraging.
"It will be tough for us at Glamorgan – you don't finish on top of the south group without being a very good side – but we have beaten some very good teams away from home this season and if we turn up and play our best cricket we know we will have a decent chance.”
Batsman Cameron Delport, whose unbeaten 109 against Nottinghamshire was the third highest innings for Leicestershire in their T20 history, says teamwork will be the key if the Foxes are to qualify for Finals Day for the first time since they last lifted the trophy in 2011.
“It went well for me at Trent Bridge, but I think over the last four games everybody made a crucial contribution at some time or other, and that's what you have to have.
“Personally it had been a frustrating competition for me, with the bat anyway – to go 12 innings without getting a 50 wasn't good enough, especially as an opener. Thankfully “Ronchs” [Luke Ronchi] has been doing the business and I've tried to learn from the way he goes about his cricket – to play with a smile, and if it doesn't work out with the bat, at least contribute with the ball, and luckily I've picked up quite a few wickets [10] along the way.”
Leicestershire, who have lost only one of the last 11 T20 knock-out matches they have played, are likely to name an unchanged squad for the game at The SSE SWALEC. Leicestershire have arranged supporters coach travel for the match to Cardiff.
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