Berg insists Panthers can reach last eight

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All-rounder Gareth Berg insists Middlesex have the belief to overcome Hampshire and reach the t20 knockout stages for the first time in five years.

Panthers need to beat the holders at the Aegeas Bowl on Wednesday evening, and hope Surrey defeat Essex, to be among the two best third-placed finishers.

Their hopes of progressing were damaged by a crushing defeat to Surrey in front of a record-breaking crowd at Lord’s last week.

But Berg insists the side can bounce back from that horror show and reach the quarter-finals for the first time since winning the tournament in 2008.

He told West London Sport: “We’ve put ourselves in this position by not nailing the Surrey match.

“All we can do is turn up and play as well as we can and hopefully things will turn our way.

“They’re a great team but we know in t20 it’s all about who performs on the day.

“As a unit we just need to believe we can do it.

Hampshire romped to a seven-wicket win at Richmond earlier this month and are favourites to win their third t20 title in four years, having already guaranteed themselves a home quarter-final.

But Panthers can settle for nothing less than a repeat of last year, when they inflicted a rare t20 loss on the Royals at Southampton.

“Last year was a great win for us,” Berg added:

“Hampshire are a great t20 side. They bat all the way down the order and have pitches that suit the bowlers they have.

“Our strength is in chasing, so hopefully we can win the toss and go from there.”

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