By Will Jackson
Warwickshire all-rounder Ateeq Javid is looking forward to continuing the impressive form which has seen them dominate the limited-overs competitions this year.
Javid and his team-mates host Kent Spitfires today in the first semi-final of the Royal London One-Day Cup, and will be looking to continue from where they left off at Edgbaston when they beat Lancashire Lightning in the NatWest T20 Blast final.
The off-spinner revealed the club is revelling in the current form, telling ecb.co.uk: "It’s an amazing place to be as a club and as a supporter.
"We won the T20; that was fantastic. Now we’re in the semi-finals of the 50-over comp, and in the championship we’re also challenging for the title. So it’s a fantastic place to be at the minute."
He added: "Playing any game for Warwickshire is big and especially playing in a semi-final, it’s massive. We have a chance to get into the 50-over final.
"This is the reason why we train so hard over the winter. It would be really exciting because a Lord’s final is always a special moment."
Javid was also full of praise for batsman Jonathan Trott. The right-hander has fought back from some well-publicised problems to find his best form in the tournament, with428 runs at an average of 61.
Trott has been the fulcrum of the Warwickshire effort, and Javid said: "It’s been impressive. We know what Jonathan is about, he’s a world-class player, and to come back and show his class in the 50-over comp has been something special.
"To put him into any side in the country would be a positive because he strengthens the batting order and bats the majority of the overs."
Royal London One-Day Cup facts
*Since a tie in 2009, Warwickshire and Kent have won three matches apiece of their six completed List A meetings.
*Kent have lost one of their last five List A games against Warwickshire at Edgbaston (won three, tied one).
*Warwickshire have won three and lost one of their four semi-finals in List A cricket in the last 10 years.
*Warwickshire have featured in 17 domestic List A finals, Kent 14, Nottinghamshire five and Durham one.
*Sam Billings’ batting strike-rate of 162.6 in Royal London One-Day Cup 2014 is the highest of anyone facing at least 30 balls – he has 418 runs from 257 balls faced.
*Billings has a dot ball percentage of 27.6% in the tournament so far, the lowest of anyone facing at least 100 balls.
*Of bowlers to deliver at least 100 balls in Royal London One-Day Cup 2014, Rikki Clarke (66.2%) has the highest dot ball percentage.