Owais Shah Considers Ravi Bopara and Ryan ten Doeschate’s Adventure can propel Essex Eagles to glory at Vitality Blast Finals Day.
The former England batsman, who top-scored in the T20 showpiece closing Middlesex conquered Kent at 2008, played alongside Ten Doeschate and Bopara after joining Essex in his career.
The pair put together an unbroken stand of 60 to direct Essex into a shock quarter-final win Lancashire – and Shah has steered them to shine when the tournament reaches its climax, live on Sky Sports Cricket on Saturday.
“What revealed that there, against a really tough Lancashire group, was the experience of Ravi and Tendo, that awakened and looked very impressive,” said Shah. “I’ve played them and I know how they work.
“Essex are probably favourites to win for me personally since they have as much experience in one-day championships they have an extremely balanced middle order and a lot of T20 games have been won there.
“When it’s a big day, your big gamers do not get worried and boys like Ravi and Tendo have played in big tournaments all over the Earth, so they will draw on these experiences and they’ll know what’s required.
“It doesn’t matter how talented your staff is – it’s about how calm you can remain and your capacity to perform in front of 20,000 people. That’s what happens a lot of guts and those boys have it”
Essex, that take on outsiders Derbyshire Falcons at the 2nd semi-final, have yet to win the prize despite four previous looks at Finals Day.
The Eagles go out of their past six matches with five wins and a tie into Saturday occasion, having recovered from a slow beginning in their team to squeeze to the knockout stages on rate.
“Momentum is enormous and how Essex played that quarter-final also makes me believe they’ll be difficult to beat,” added Shah.
“However, Derbyshire have also been fairly impressive under Dominic Cork and they will be out to show a few people wrong.
“Their captain Billy Godleman’s had a nice summer – he is leading by example – and – Wayne Madsen is also an excellent player, as is Ravi Rampaul. He has been around a while now and I’m sure he will step up on the day.”
Holders Worcestershire Rapids face Nottinghamshire Outlaws, who had been winners in 2017, in the – a conflict that brings two new members of England’s one-day side.
Moeen Ali, who leads the Rapids’ defence of their name, smashed an unbeaten 121 within their quarter-final victory at Sussex, while Alex Hales hammered 83 outside to maneuver Nottinghamshire in the cost of Middlesex into the four.
“Obviously it had been the Moeen Ali series from the quarter-final,” said Shah. “I’ve not seen anybody hit the ball so far – each time that he middled the ball for six it went on 20 rows back rather than simply scratching over the border.
“Every chance he gets to produce the merchandise on TV, he will definitely be stepping up.
“Nottinghamshire beat my old team in the quarter-final and also in the long run it was a bit of a walkover, actually.
“Hales is a quality, quality participant and Dan Christian, with a great deal of experience from the major Bash, the IPL, and other championships, will create them a really challenging team to beat.
“But out of those four groups, I am going to reunite Essex to go on and win the championship – they simply have that experienced middle order that are really shooting.”
Watch Vitality Blast Finals Day 10.30am on Saturday on Sky Sports Cricket.
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