Sell-out crowd asked to bring the noise for Blast quarter-final

Steelbacks players and coaching staff are calling on the Northants faithful to bring the noise to the County Ground on Thursday night.

Northants host holders Somerset in a huge Vitality Blast quarter-final clash at Wantage Road (start 6.30pm), and the sell-out crowd are being asked to make the experience a daunting one for the visitors.

Head coach John Sadler, skipper David Willey and pace bowler Ben Sanderson all believe that the Wantage Road crowd can be the team's 12th man as they aim to reach Finals Day for the first time in eight years.

Northants earned themselves home advantage in the last eight by virtue of finishing second in the North Group table, and the supporters responded by snapping up every available ticket, with the sold-out signs going up two weeks ago.

A crowd of around 6,000 will cram into the County Ground, and Sadler is urging them to create a red-hot atmosphere - something he has experienced first hand.

The quarter-final will be the fourth Northants have staged on home soil, with the first back against Hampshire back in 2009, and Sadler recalls how uncomfortable playing at the County Ground can be for visiting teams.

"Back in those days I was on the opposition to Northants, and I remember coming here a couple of times, and thinking 'wow, the home support here is incredible'," said former Leicestershire and Derbyshire batter Sader.

"I have seen that since I have been on the Northamptonshire side as well. It really is a 12th man, the noise, the atmosphere, the support is fantastic, and make no mistake, we feel it.

"We know it is there, the players feel it and it really does make a difference.

"So we encourage them to be as noisy and as loud as they can be, perhaps get an extra couple of early beers in and give is that support we need because we are ready to go. But I am sure they will be loud."

A teenage Willey was part of that team that beat Hampshire to secure a first Finals Day spot for Northants, and he would love for the atmosphere this week to match how it was that night 15 years ago.

"If I look back to 2009 when we had a quarter-final here, the home fans were slamming on the advertising boards and things," said Willey, who was man-of-the-match when the Steelbacks won the T20 for the first time in 2013.

"I think it's only around 5,500 people in here, but it feels like a lot more because they are right on top of you.

"Somerset are coming, they are a good side, and hopefully the home fans can help us out."

Veteran pace bowler Sanderson missed out on selection for the 2016 last-eight win over Middlesex, but was in the ground that night and said: "This is a great place to play.

"I didn't play in the last quarter-final we had here, but what an atmosphere it was.

"I was getting goosebumps just stood on the balcony and listening to the crowd when we were doing so well.

"I have said to a couple of the lads this is probably a once in a lifetime opportunity to play a quarter-final at home, and they have just got to enjoy it and get the crowd going, whether it is with a bit of spectacular fielding, a wicket, or hitting a six.

"It can be quite hostile here in some areas of the ground, and you'll notice some of the players always tend to field in front of the family stand rather than the bars!

"But it is a great crowd, and for such a small ground it has a great atmosphere.

"We are probably massive underdogs, and I like that angle for us, but I am looking forward to us getting out there."