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Klinger tells players to keep calm and carry on ahead of Durham T20 Quarter Final

9 August 2016

Gloucestershire skipper Michael Klinger is urging his players to keep calm and replicate the form that helped them top the South Group when they face Durham Jets in the NatWest T20 Quarter Final.

The Australian, who led the side to Royal London One-Day Cup glory last year, says that experience will stand them in good stead for Wednesday night’s clash at the Brightside Ground.

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He said: “It was a great achievement for the club to finish on top of the South Group. We’ve played some good cricket but that’s all out of the window now and we’ve got to cope with the pressure of a (quarter) final.

“With such a young group the experience of playing in three high-pressure finals (sic) last year has got to help – especially the way we won a few of them.

“A lot of it will come down to who can calm down the quickest. Both teams will go out there and probably be quite nervous. If we can calm down and get back to playing the way we do well then I have no doubt we will perform well and hopefully that will be good enough on the day.”

To listen to the full interview with Michael click below.

Gloucestershire go into the game as the in form team in the country having won two more matches (10) in qualifying than anyone else. They finished the group stage with 21 points, seven more than their opponents who also won four less games.

But despite this apparent advantage, Michael expects Durham to be a tough proposition. He has picked the brains of on-loan Jets ‘keeper Phil Mustard – who is ineligible for the quarter final – and has done plenty of homework in preparation.

He said: “Durham have some very experienced players who have played some big games in their own careers. It will be a tough game but hopefully one we can come on top of in front of a great home crowd.

“Richard Dawson and myself have watched a lot of footage of them over the last few days. We’ve got plans for all of them and I am sure in this day and age they will have the same for us. We’ve done all the planning we can and now it’s up to the 11 players chosen to go out there and do the job.”

Like the team itself, Gloucestershire’s players have caught the eye individually during the group stages.  Michael is the highest run scorer in the competition with 530, ahead of Ian Cockbain (499). Benny Howell is the Blast’s leading wicket taker with 23 victims and only two players have bowled more dot balls than him. Meanwhile a number of other players including Matt Taylor (3-16 v Sussex Sharks) and Jack Taylor (44* v Middlesex) produced career-best performances during the group matches.

Michael says it has been the ability for different players to step-up at different times that has been behind his side’s success - something he hopes they can repeat on Wednesday.

He said: “My main message to the guys will be to keep doing what we’ve been doing to be successful and not change anything.

“The main reason we are doing so well is that we’ve had a lot of contributors in every game that we’ve won.

“If we can keep doing that through the finals (sic) then I am sure we will be successful.”

With Gareth Roderick and Chris Dent injured and Phil Mustard ineligible, 19-year-old Academy wicketkeeper Patrick Grieshaber will make his T20 debut on Wednesday. The squad has also been boosted by the news that allrounder Jack Taylor is clear to bowl again following his suspension by the ECB.

Gloucestershire Squad: Michael Klinger (c), Hamish Marshall, Ian Cockbain, Benny Howell, Graeme Van Buuren, Jack Taylor, Kieran Noema-Barnett, Patrick Grieshaber (w), Andrew Tye, Tom Smith, Craig Miles, Liam Norwell, Matt Taylor.

Durham Jets

Durham qualified for the knock out stages after securing fourth place in the North Group with a 13-run last day victory over Derbyshire.

Led by ex-England One-Day skipper Paul Collingwood they boast a squad that combines experienced campaigners like Collingwood, Chris Rushworth and Mark Stoneman and hotly-tipped younger players like Keaton Jennings, Scott Borthwick and Paul Coughlin.

Collingwood t faces a fitness test on a calf injury sustained in the Royal London One-Day Cup match against the Yorkshire Vikings.

If Collingwood is ruled out, Keaton Jennings will again lead the Jets in his absence.

Calum MacLeod is unavailable after choosing to play for Scotland in their Intercontinental Cup clash with the United Arab Emirates.

Durham Squad: Paul Collingwood (c), Mark Stoneman, Keaton Jennings, Gordon Muchall, Jack Burnham, Michael Richardson, Ryan Pringle, Stuart Poynter, Scott Borthwick, Paul Coughlin, Usman Arshad, Mark Wood, Chris Rushworth

Key Man

Fresh from signing a new contract this week, South-African born Keaton Jennings will have a crucial role to play on Wednesday night. The 24-year-old averages 42 with the bat in this year’s competition and is set to open v Glos. He has also bowled more overs than any other Durham bowler (40). Although he has yet to translate his prolific Championship form to the T20 Blast, Glos will be wary of a man who has his five centuries and scored 965 runs in four-day cricket this year.

To read Jenning's thoughts ahead of tonight's match click here.

Opta Facts

• This will be the first time these two counties have met in T20 cricket.
• Gloucestershire are in the quarter-finals for the first time since 2012.
• All four of the previous games involving the Jets at this stage have been won by the side batting first.
• Durham Jets have claimed one win in their last eight matches on the road (L7) whilst Gloucestershire have recorded victories in eight of their last nine at all venues (L1).
• The two batsmen to record the most runs this summer both play for Gloucestershire (Michael Klinger 530 & Ian Cockbain 499).

Head-to-Head

Wednesday night’s quarter final is the first time Gloucestershire and Durham have met in T20s.

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