Finch’s batting fireworks can both help fill a stadium – and clear it

Yorkshire take on holders Northamptonshire at Wantage Road tonight in high spirits after Finch ignited their T20 campaign with a stunning innings of 88 from 55 balls with eight fours and five sixes to help them chase down 180 against Lancashire at Old Trafford.

Now Yorkshire coach Gillespie hopes the Finch factor can help them get on a roll as they seek to improve a record of two wins, one defeat and one no-result in the 14-match group stage.

“Aaron showed exactly why we signed him with that great knock against Lancashire and now we want to go on a really good run in the competition,” said Gillespie.

“In the last couple of years, we haven’t quite had the starts we would have liked with the bat in T20, but Aaron batted brilliantly at the top of the order and hopefully that Roses win can be the catalyst for a sequence of good results.

“Aaron is an incredibly powerful player; he’s twice hit the ball over the East Stand at Headingley during practice and we’ve had to fetch the ball from across the road.

“Against Lancashire, he forced them to change their entire game plan because of the way he took on off-spinner Aaron Lilley, and there was a real calmness about our run-chase.”

Finch will be aiming to reprise his performance at Wantage Road (6.30pm start), where a crowd not far shy of the 6,500 capacity is expected.

Yorkshire will also be seeking revenge after Northamptonshire beat them on T20 opening night at Headingley, chasing down 163 with one ball to spare.

“We want to gain a bit of revenge for when they beat us and it would be a great boost to defeat the reigning champions,” said Gillespie.

“Northants are a very good team, and they have some really good players, so we will need to be as switched on against them as we were against Lancashire.

“If we play to our potential, we can certainly pinch a win down there and build on what we achieved last week.”

Yorkshire have named a 14-man squad against a Northamptonshire side who have an identical record in this year’s tournament.

Yorkshire Vikings (from): Gale (captain), Bairstow, Bresnan, Brooks, Finch, Hodd, Leaning, Lees, Lyth, Patterson, Pyrah, Rafiq, Rashid, Robinson.