ANDREW Gale is confident Yorkshire can beat Nottinghamshire Outlaws in a Twenty20 match at Trent Bridge for the first time in three years tomorrow and ensure lightning strikes twice by going on to reach the NatWest T20 Blast Finals Day.

The last time the Vikings triumphed over the Outlaws on the road was in 2012, the year they made their only Finals Day appearance and were beaten finalists.

Phil Jaques scored an unbeaten half-century for the White Rose in pursuit of 149, and it was one of only three wins at Trent Bridge in 11 attempts.

Notts are many people’s favourites to go all the way this year.

They have a powerful batting line-up, and are there and thereabouts almost every summer despite never having won the competition.

But captain Gale has high hopes that Yorkshire can turn the tide tomorrow and reach Finals Day again after getting their campaign off to an impressive start with a comfortable seven-wicket win over Derbyshire at Headingley last Friday.

“If we can come away from a game like that with a win, you’d like to think it will kick us on to beat anyone really,” said Gale.

“It’s a tough ground to go to. Usually there’s a decent crowd, who get behind their team and create a good atmosphere.

“They have got strong hitters all the way down their order.

“It was a strong performance for us against Derbyshire. It was what I would describe as a professional performance. After the first five overs, we dominated.

“That’s a platform for us now. We have to find some consistency in this format, we know that.”

Not only is Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell set for his Vikings debut, but Notts in-form powerhouse Alex Hales is unavailable due to IPL duty with the Mumbai Indians.

“The form that Hales is in at the minute, he’s a hell of a player,” added Gale. “I’m sure they’ll miss him, but without him they are still a good, strong side. By no means are we going to take them lightly.”