Anisha Patel hopes Northamptonshire’s thrilling T20 Blast quarter-final win can inspire their women’s team as they bid to reach the tier-two One-Day Cup final.
Patel’s side take on Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff on Saturday, with the winners facing Middlesex or Yorkshire in the final on 14 September.
The men’s team reached Finals Day when Ravi Bopara’s unbeaten century against Surrey led them to a seven-run victory at The Oval.
“I was glued to the TV on Wednesday evening watching that quarter-final,” Patel told BBC Radio Northampton.
“It could be a potentially exciting weekend with the T20 Blast Finals Day on the Saturday [13th] and our final is scheduled for the Sunday at New Road.”
The One-Day Cup features two separate women’s competitions following the restructure of the domestic game for this summer.
Northamptonshire were not awarded one of the eight fully professional top-tier places and so are among 10 clubs in the League Two tournament.
They finished third in the table, under coach David Ripley, winning seven of their nine games, but their group-stage game against Glamorgan ended in a no result because of bad weather.
“We didn’t know what to expect this season, I have to admit. We’ve taken it game by game, just tried to play to our potential and I think we deserve to be in the position we are,” said leg-spinner Patel.
“I am probably defined as the OAP in the group – we are [made up of] university students all the way up to me – 18 or 19 to 30 is the gap.
“We’re all sort of in the same boat, not just us as a squad, but the other teams as well – I know some of the girls are keen to play as much [club] cricket outside of Northampton just to keep ticking over and be in rhythm and be ready when our games come.
“The schedule has been quite busy with the T20 competition, the knockout stuff and then the 50 overs as well.
“Glamorgan have played some really good cricket to be in the same position as us so I know we’re in for a tough game.”
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