8:45pm Thursday 26th June 2008
By Graham Hardcastle
Yorkshire captain Darren Gough has revealed that tomorrow night's Twenty20 Cup opponents Nottinghamshire were his tip to win the North Division at the start of the competition.
The Tykes face a do-or-die evening at Trent Bridge, knowing that a point will see them through to the quarter-finals for the second season on the trot.
A repeat of tonight's washout against rock bottom side Leicestershire would do the trick – but they cannot afford to get beaten by the Outlaws, who would pip them at the last.
A White Rose win would even see them pinch second place from Lancashire should the Red Rose county lose at Durham. A home tie from tomorrow night's draw would then be a possibility.
Gough said: "When we started this division, I actually thought that Notts would win it. Durham look favourites to do that, so we have to beat Notts to go through.
"We wanted to play tonight, but once it went down to a five-over game it was anybody's.
"Leicester would have had a lot of youngsters in for the game. Over the longer format we would have fancied it, but over five overs you never know what will happen.
"We are satisfied with a point, and whoever wins goes through now. It is a game between two good teams.
"Notts are a quality side, their strength lies in the batting - our strength is our bowling."
Gough has named a 13-man squad for tomorrow night's showdown, with Adam Lyth replacing Michael Vaughan, who is rested at England's request. Steve Patterson and Azeem Rafiq are also included.
The skipper would not rule out a debut for Rafiq, the 17-year-old highly rated off-spinner from Barnsley.
"It all depends on what the wicket is like," said Gough. "I know they have tended to play two spinners, so we will have to wait and see what it is like when we get there."
Gough also went on to reveal that he was still in the dark as to why Vaughan would miss tomorrow night's decider.
England's management team have requested he miss the game, although he was available last night after sitting out Tuesday's defeat at Durham.
The 37 year-old added: "I have no idea, I don't pay his wages. If I did he would be playing. England decide when he plays, and it is purely up to them.
"We have got a game that we need to win to qualify, and he is not available. I can't do anything about that."
Gough, who has Vaughan available for Sunday's County Championship game against Durham at Headingley, is expecting Paul Collingwood to feature for the visitors.
Vaughan will not play in next Saturday's Friends Provident Trophy semi-final at Essex.
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