Yorkshire Vikings v Lancashire Lightning: White Rose determined to make most of their T20 blast luck

It could happen, with Yorkshire meeting Lancashire in the first semi-final at Edgbaston today followed, fingers crossed, by the winner of the second semi-final between Somerset and Hampshire.

Bess, who joined Yorkshire from Somerset on a four-year deal last year, believes that Yorkshire are more than capable of scripting a fairytale finish to their 20-over season.

And even if it does not turn out to be the one that he would personally choose, with the off-spinner having many friends and former colleagues in the Somerset ranks, he would simply be happy for Yorkshire to get their hands on a trophy they have never won.

“I think we’ve got a really good chance,” said Bess.

“There’s four very good teams in there, four dangerous teams, and with the cricket we’ve been playing, we’re definitely in with a shout.

“We’re well aware of what Lancashire can do, and Hampshire are seriously dangerous as well. They haven’t got many internationals, but they have got the likes of Vince and Dawson, and sometimes it’s those teams who don’t have all the internationals and the players who are away with England, and who are just a very solid team playing together all the time, who can be the dangerous teams in this form of the game.

“Hampshire have a history of doing really well in T20, and Somerset have been a dangerous team for a while now in white-ball cricket. I know from personal experience what they’re about and how dangerous they can be, and they’ve also got the ability to go all the way.

“From a personal point of view, I’ll be hoping that it’s Somerset in the final because I’ve got a lot of good friends there and it is my home club. But, obviously, we’ve got to get past Lancashire first, which won’t be easy, but it would be very special for me if we could go on to beat Somerset.”

Bess, 24, believes that silverware would bond the Yorkshire players even more after the turbulent events of the winter months. He also feels it would be the perfect send-off for David Willey and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, who are leaving for Northamptonshire and Somerset respectively at the end of the season. Willey misses Finals Day due to England commitments.

“We’d love to send Dave and Tom on their way with a trophy,” added Bess. “Dave has been a massive part of our team and has led from the front; he says things and then he does them as well, and I think that’s really important.

“‘Pepsi’ (Kohler-Cadmore) is a really important part of our team, too. Again, not only is he a great cricketer but he’s a great human being, and everyone who knows him knows that as well. He’s certainly for the team, so I think it’s really important that we send them both off in the best way possible.

“I also think that winning something would be really good for the lads.

“After everything that has gone off, I think it’s really important as a group of players that we hopefully go and win something this year.

“Obviously it would be massive for the county and massive for the club, but it would be massive for the players in that changing room too. We’ve played with no fear this year – we talk a lot about that – and to get the trophy would be the icing on the cake.”

There is a sense that Yorkshire’s name is perhaps on the cup. Having only progressed to the knockout stages because Leicestershire were docked two points ahead of a winner-takes-all tie at Grace Road in the final group match, which Yorkshire lost, the White Rose got lucky in that respect.

It then seemed that they would lose their quarter-final against Surrey at the Oval, when the hosts needed only 13 runs from the last two overs, including five off the final one, but Matty Revis and Jordan Thompson held their nerve as Yorkshire won by one run.

“We scraped through the group stages, got lucky, and I think we really knew that we were quite fortunate,” said Bess.

“Obviously, Leicester losing two points and us sneaking through in the way that we did, and then beating those guys (Surrey) at home in the way that we did, it was an amazing achievement and it makes you think that it could be our year.

“But it’s all on the day and hopefully we can take the last steps now and get our hands on the trophy.

“We’ll certainly be giving it everything we’ve got.”