RAWTENSTALL professional Brett Pelser admits his side are the surprise package of this year’s Twenty20 competition but sees no reason why they can’t now stun Burnley in tonight’s final and lift the trophy.
Rawtenstall sneaked into the last four on net run rate but comfortably beat Lowerhouse in the semi-final to set up tonight’s showpiece as they bid for their first victory in the competition.
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And Pelser believes his side can spring another surprise against a Burnley team going for five trophies.
“At the start of the Twenty20 campaign we were seeing it as an opportunity to get some time in the middle. I don’t think any of us expected to make the final but now we are there we want to win it,” said the South African.
“It’s going to be a tough challenge, Burnley are a really good side and have won a lot of matches this season but the law of averages says they have to lose at some point and hopefully that can be to us.
“That’s the beauty of the short format of the game. We have seen it can bring sides closer together and hopefully we can get the result.”
Pelser admits that Rawtenstall have struggled in the short format in recent years but believes a change in attitude has helped this season’s run to the final.
He added: “We have not got the best record in the Twenty20 but this year I think we have changed our approach so that people in the team see it as an opportunity.
“It is a chance to get time in the middle in a competitive match and that has paid off for us.
“We are now in a final and it as a great opportunity for us.
“You don’t get to many finals in cricket and you don’t get the chance to win many trophies either unless you are a really big club so it is a huge thing for us.
“I think it shows the progress we have made as a club in recent years.
“Hopefully we can get the right result, we we played well in the semi-final and got through and now we have a great chance.”
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