T20 finals day preview: Alex Hales will be the key man for favourites Nottinghamshire

Hales is one of a number of international stars who will take to the field at Edgbaston

Hales and Notts have already tasted glory in one cup this season (Getty )

Nottinghamshire are favourites with bookmakers to claim their second trophy of the season this weekend but opener Alex Hales believes they will "have to win it the hard way" after being paired with Hampshire in the NatWest T20 Blast semi-finals.

Having already lifted the Royal London One-Day Cup this year, Nottinghamshire will complete a clean sweep of domestic limited-overs competitions if they overcome Hampshire and then the winner of Glamorgan versus Birmingham Bears at Finals Day at a sell-out Edgbaston on Saturday.

Here is an at-a-glance preview of the biggest day in short-form cricket:

Hampshire

They’ve won this competition twice before and they could win it again, but it will depend on which Hampshire team turns up on finals day.

This is an up-and-down side that can demolish any of the other 17 counties on its day. But when they are bad, they’re really bad.

Hampshire are one of the best teams on the circuit at this format and will be playing their seventh finals day in eight years. They know how to win it and they have experience as well as youth.

James Vince’s classy batting didn’t translate that well to the international stage but with Hants he is consistently brilliant as well as entertaining. Shahid Afridi is, well, Shahid Afridi. The Pakistan legend is one of the best short-form players ever.

Key player: Mason Crane is the star of the show with the ball and the new England cap is their leading wicket-taker.

Nottinghamshire Outlaws

It felt like last year would be their year but once again, despite being a gun T20 outfit in recent seasons, they fell just short.

Although they’re sick of hearing the couched optimism at Trent Bridge, this time could be different with Peter Moores having changed the mentality around this team and they’ve already got over the line in a major final by winning the Royal London Cup in May.

They’re well-coached, they have the star names but they also have the under-the-radar stars like Harry Gurney who can win a match in a key moment.

Notts have got to the knockout stages thirteen times in the competition’s 14-year history. The closest they’ve come to winning it is second place. They are favourites but that record of underachievement weighs on them.

Key man: Alex Hales can take the game away from the opposition and break the back of a bowling attack. It’s key for their chances that he can kick-start their innings. His strike rate of 206 in this season’s competition is frightening.

Birmingham Bears

No team has changed as much as the Bears this year, who have lost Rikki Clarke and Ian Bell from the side that started their campaign and brought in Adam Hose and Dom Sibley.

The way they chased down Surrey’s 205 in the quarter-final at the Oval was extraordinary and pegs them as potential champions for their ability to work under pressure.

Jeetan Patel remains a vital cog for them, the wily veteran skipping through the middle overs and taking crucial wickets.

And in Ed Pollock and Colin de Grandhomme they have found two batsmen who aren’t big names but have big-hitting, game-changing ability both out the gate and in the middle order.

Key man: Jeetan Patel’s wicket-taking in key moments has been a big reason for Birmingham’s success.

Glamorgan

The Welsh have somehow battled through the rain and a shower of weather-affected home games to reach finals day for only the second time.

Colin Ingram is not a glamorous name but he’s scored a lot of runs, and quickly too. David Miller and Jacques Rudolph provide some slap and guile, not to mention international class near the top of the order.

While their bowling attack doesn’t have a superstar, there is variety and plenty who can get the job done.

Michael Hogan has been the best of the bunch so far, but Craig Meschede turned up in a big spot during the quarter-final and Welsh duo Lukas Carey and Andrew Salter have chipped in with vital wickets when necessary.

Key player: Colin Ingram averages over 50 this season and scores at a strike-rate of 167. Capable of big scores, the left-hander is undoubtedly their most dangerous player.

Venue: Edgbaston

Semi-final 1: Birmingham v Glamorgan

Semi-final 2: Nottinghamshire v Hampshire

Final: 6.45pm