Surrey's Steven Davies gives his thoughts about NatWest T20 Blast
Steven Davies thinks Surrey’s big-name players will treat fans to some high-scoring matches in this year’s NatWest T20 Blast.
Surrey reached last summer’s Twenty20 final and will this season be boosted by Kevin Pietersen's availability, while skipper Graeme Smith is fit and ready after missing the competition last year through injury.
“We’ve got two world-class players and that is only good news for us,” wicketkeeper Davies told ecb.co.uk.
“We didn’t have either of them last year so fingers crossed we are going to post some big totals.”
Davies is hopeful Pietersen can play a key role, adding: “Every time he has pulled on a Surrey shirt he has made big, big contributions.”
In the fast-paced environment of Twenty20 cricket, all-rounder Greg Smith believes Essex Eagles' versatility will give them a major advantage over their rivals.
“You’ve got to be adaptable,” he said.
“That’s why I think Essex as a whole are very unique because we have got players from one to 11 who can do everything.
“We have got a lot of all-rounders who can adapt to different situations - who can play aggressive and can rotate (the strike).”
Birmingham Bears' Jim Troughton believes the key to winning the tournament will be to stick to an established gameplan under pressure.
“I think successful sides that I’ve been involved with and looking at successful teams that have won the trophy, once you get into a rhythm and everyone understand their roles it pretty much happens,” he said.
“If you identify those roles and then you executed them – that is ultimately what you need to do in Twenty20, execute under pressure.”