Skipper Willey full of confidence despite bookies handing Steelbacks the Blast underdogs tag

The bookies may have made Northants Steelbacks the outsiders to win the Vitality Blast on Saturday - but skipper David Willey has 'full confidence' his team is capable of securing the title for a third time.

The County take on Hampshire Hawks in the second semi-final at Edgbaston (2.30pm), with narrow favourites Somerset taking on Lancashire Lightning in the opener at 11am.

The Steelbacks are 9/2 outsiders to return from Birmingham with the trophy, while the Hawks are odds-on with every bookie on the market to claim a win in the semi-final.

The south coast side are led by the prolific T20 batter James Vince, while they also have former Steelbacks batting star Chris Lynn in their ranks, along with Toby Albert, who sits second in the overall tournament run scoring charts for 2025 - with 540 runs at 49.09. Vince has hit 463.

But the Steelbacks have some stars of their own, with seamers Ben Sanderson and George Scrimshaw sitting second and third in the bowling rankings with 26 wickets apiece, three more than Hampshire's top man, Scott Currie.

And when it comes to batting, Ravi Bopara and Willey himself haven't been too shabby, sitting 11th and 12th in the overall standings with 453 and 452 runs respectively.

And Willey insists that, after the win at the Oval, he and his team are happy to take on anybody.

Asked about Hampshire being tough opposition, Willey said: "You play against so many of these players in different competitions now, and there is so much information that you can do your homework with.

"I think it is a real Northamptonian thing that we are 'taking on tough opposition', and it was the same thing at Surrey, you know we hadn't beaten them at the Oval for however many years.

"At the end of it all, it is 11 blokes taking to the field, whoever plays the best cricket wins, and I have full confidence in our team if we turn up.

"We played six group games where we played exceptionally well at the start of the Blast, and then were poor for the next six.

"I am sure the guys will be hungry to put on a performance and if we do that, then we can beat anyone.

"It will be fantastic for the club and county to bring some silverware back, and I think the past three years I have been here has been a step in the direction of what I would like to do at the club.

"The interview I did after the quarter-final was about being open to change and what we can do, and we just need to get rid of this small club mentality.

"We have to understand that if we do things differently then we can punch well above our weight."