Nottinghamshire Outlaws v Yorkshire CCC: Vikings target early T20 Blast quarter-final spot at Trent Bridge

CONSISTENT: Yorkshire Vikings' Harry Brook has impressed in the Vitality T20 Blast. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

YORKSHIRE are targeting an end to their Trent Bridge hoodoo as they aim to book their place in the Twenty20 quarter-finals for the first time in five years.

Yorkshire will cement their spot in the last eight if they beat current holders and North Group leaders Nottinghamshire at a ground where the White Rose have lost more times (13) than at any other on their travels in T20, including on seven of their last eight visits.

The last of Yorkshire’s four victories in the format at Trent Bridge came in 2015, and their T20 away record remains a concern, with three defeats out of four on the road this season.

In contrast, Yorkshire have won six out six at their Headingley headquarters to go into tonight’s fixture in second place, two points behind Notts, with the top-four from the North and South groups advancing to the quarters.

Yorkshire Vikings' Lockie Ferguson has had a positive impact in th T20 Blast so far. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

“I think it’s been a good team effort so far with some outstanding individual performances throughout the competition,” commented Martyn Moxon, the Yorkshire director of cricket.

“I think the batting, by and large, has been excellent, and individuals have stood up and put in some match-winning contributions.

“I think the consistency of Harry Brook with the bat has been excellent throughout, Lockie Ferguson has made a big difference to us with the ball, and Dom Bess, in particular, has bowled really well.

“Jonny Bairstow did fantastically well for us at the start, when it was great to have the England lads available and when we gained a lot of confidence from getting some early wins on the board, and we’ve had all bases covered along the way – people who can strike the ball, good seamers, good spinners, younger players who are improving, and so on.

Yorkshire Vikings' Dom Bess has bowled well during the team's T20 Blast campaign.
Picture: Tony Johnson — Yorkshire Vikings' Dom Bess has bowled well during the team's T20 Blast campaign. Picture: Tony Johnson

“At the same time, there’s still room for improvement, there’s no doubt about that, and that’s what we’re working hard to achieve.

“Our away record, for example, is certainly something we want to improve, and just as we know our conditions really well at Headingley, it all comes down to assessing conditions and playing to those conditions better away from home, with bat and ball.