By Will Jackson & Rob Barnett
Luke Fletcher is hoping the disappointment of missing out on last year’s Lord’s final will spur him on against Durham at Emirates Durham ICG on Saturday.
Fletcher and his Notts Outlaws team-mates are on the hunt for successive one-day titles, having reached the semi-finals of the Royal London One-Day Cup to follow on from their success in the 40-over competition last year.
The 25-year-old was not part of that victorious side and the pace bowler is keen to put the disappointment of last year behind him.
He said: “I was there last year but didn’t play a part. I was really pleased for the club but if you’re not involved it’s not the same feeling.
“To be involved in a Lord’s final would be great but we’ve got a huge game on Saturday to get through first and I know that we can come off the right side of the result.”
Fletcher has made a name for himself on the county circuit this year for being an expert death bowler. His yorkers at the end of the innings have proved tough to get away, and he is currently leading the charts for the Outlaws with 11 wickets at an economy rate of just 4.56.
It has not always been the case with the white ball, though, and the improvements clearly delight the amiable Fletcher.
“I’m really happy to be involved in one-day cricket this year," he added.
“In both 20 and 50-over competitions, it’s not something that I’ve not played much of in the past, so to get back in the side has been amazing and to achieve what I have achieved in one-day cricket has been brilliant for me.”
With the game on Saturday looming, Fletcher was in a bullish mood about his side’s chances, saying: “We’ll go into that game with a lot of form and we’re really looking forward to the semi-final.
"We want to go to Lord’s again; it was amazing to win there last year so to go there again and win in front of a packed house would be amazing.”
Royal London One-Day Cup facts
*Durham have won six of their last nine List A matches against Notts, including this year’s Royal London One-Day Cup group stage clash.
*The home team have won five and lost one of the last six List A contests between Durham and Notts at Emirates Durham ICG.
*Since the start of 2012 Samit Patel is the only player to score at least 1,000 runs and take more than 30 wickets in English domestic List A cricket.
*Warwickshire have featured in 17 domestic List A finals, Kent 14, Notts five and Durham one.