Bumble's guide to Twenty20 finals day

This tie conjures up memories of the great one-day battles of the past between these sides, culminating in the 1971 Gillette Cup semi-final that we played in the dark.

In those days we had people like Clive Lloyd, Farokh Engineer and Barry Wood against the likes of Mike Procter, Zaheer Abbas and Sadiq Mohammad for Gloucestershire — and we always used to win!

I think Lancashire will win again, but it's by no means a foregone conclusion, and this could be a tough old battle.

LANCASHIRE Strengths

Star-studded Lancashire have all the tools to win this competition.

Lots of international players, experienced batsmen in Brad Hodge, Mal Loye and Stuart Law to score the runs, Murali to take the wickets and Freddie Flintoff back, although we have yet to see the best of him with the bat in this form of cricket. Watch out for Gareth Cross, their young wicketkeeper-batsman who smacks it. He's vital.

Weaknesses

There's so much expectation on them that sometimes they buckle and go a little flat — and you can't go flat in Twenty20. I remember them getting booed off by their fans when they lost a Twenty20 Final.

People were banging on the dressing room windows and demonstrating outside! That's what Lancashire players have to contend with and it can inhibit them.

They are not a mobile team, either, and a brilliant piece of fielding could make all the difference in the outcome of a Twenty20 game.

Key Man: Gareth Cross

GLOUCESTERSHIRE Strengths

This team have a lot of know-how in winning one-day matches.

They're the rank outsiders but I wouldn't rule them out. Dark horses sometimes win.

The whole day will be about who has the best boundary count and, while that might sound obvious, it's not enough in this game to hit singles and keep the scoreboard ticking over.

You score one a ball throughout an innings and the opposition captain will say, '121 to win? Thanks very much.

We'll walk that'. Craig Spearman, the experienced New Zealander, could make sure Gloucestershire's boundary count is good and take the game away from Lancs.

Weaknesses

Aside from Spearman and Alex Gidman, who will do a good job for them? Who is knocking on the door for wider recognition and can rise to the occasion? This is the biggest day in the county cricket calendar but do they have the star quality to make it theirs?

Another county with tough spectators who do not take kindly to failure — don't mess with their tractor boys.

They will go close, but probably not close enough.

Key Man: Craig Spearman

KENT v SUSSEX

No love lost between these teams and a real clash of supporters. Kent fans can be as vociferous as Lancashire's in what they expect from their team.

Former England fast-bowler Bob Willis can only enter Canterbury under the cover of darkness because he once called them the most one-eyed fans in the world and said the old tree on the outfield should have been cut down years ago!

The Sussex people, meanwhile, just love a good sing-song and are likely to be singing the loudest at the end of the day.

KENT

Strengths

They might have the look of an amiable bunch about them but they can be quite niggly. Rob Key is very tough beneath the surface and he will lead them in the right way.

Martin van Jaarsveld is a steady run scorer but everyone is talking about Joe Denly — and not just people within Kent.

Can he do it on TV, in front of a packed house and the selectors?

Weaknesses

I'm not sure they have a match-winning bowler like Murali at Lancashire and Mushtaq Ahmed at Sussex. They will be led well by Key but do they have enough to halt the Sussex machine? I think not.

Key Man: Joe Denly

SUSSEX Strengths

Chris Adams leads a real street-fighting outfit and a good, mobile team. They have top-class overseas players and young players who have really responded to the challenge.

Look at Carl Hopkinson, Michael Yardy, Adams and Murray Goodwin. Rock solid. Luke Wright is a hard-hitting batsman with good composure. Their captain takes no nonsense from anyone and they have shown they can win things in all forms of the game.

Weaknesses

None

Key Man: Luke Wright

Verdict: This is a marvellous day and all we really hope for is sunshine.

It has become a bit like the old NatWest Finals when someone would force themselves into the winter tour party with a match-winning performance just before selection.

You can see that happening today with England due to name their Twenty20 World Cup squad on Monday.

Can someone like Luke Wright show he belongs on the big stage and get on that flight to South Africa? I think he can.

I tipped Lancashire and Essex to make the final before the competition started but now I'm going for Sussex to beat Lancashire in the final. I'm wary of Lancs bottling it.