Finals Day 2010 - Hampshire seek home comforts
Hampshire Royals have the opportunity to be crowned Friends Provident t20 champions on home soil when the competition reaches its climax at the Rose Bowl.
Hampshire have failed to qualify for the coveted finals day since the inception of the 20-over format in 2003, but this year's revamped competition has seen them finally progress to the showpiece event.
Royals fans would have found it difficult to imagine their side making it after progressing from the group stages by a whisker.
Victory over reigning champions Sussex Sharks in their final group game - and a superior run-rate to Middlesex Panthers and Surrey Lions - ensured Hampshire's passage to the quarter-finals, where they made short work of Warwickshire Bears at Edgbaston thanks largely to James Vince's unbeaten 66.
Standing in Hampshire's way in the day's opening match are Essex Eagles, who have West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo and England batsman Alastair Cook in their ranks, before Nottinghamshire Outlaws and Somerset go head to head.
Essex staged a remarkable runchase to see off Lancashire Lightning last time out, overhauling an imposing 183 for six with eight wickets and five balls to spare.
Mark Pettini and Matt Walker's swashbuckling second-wicket stand of 147 in just 15.2 overs demonstrated the devastating form that awaits Hampshire.
Somerset were beaten finalists last year, while Notts have also endured the heartbreak of finishing runnersup, in 2006.
Two England bowlers with experience of that Trent Bridge final, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann, are also available to Notts this time.
A tight bowling display from the Outlaws in this year's quarter-final helped them to a 13-run win that ended Sussex's hopes of retaining the trophy.
Craig Kieswetter's timely return to form helped Somerset beat Northamptonshire Steelbacks to book their trip to the south coast, and Somerset are further boosted by the return of destructive West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard, who played such a key role in their dominance of the South Group.
