Pollock: "We will have some big players back who know how to win big games"

The Bears face a huge Vitality Blast home double-header this weekend, knowing they must beat Worcestershire Rapids (tomorrow) and Northamptonshire Steelbacks (Sunday) to stand a chance of qualifying from the North Group.

Two wins would take them to seven in the group stage, the number of victories widely considered as necessary to bring qualification. This year that might not be enough and the Bears would also need other results to go their way.

The equation is not how they would choose it to be, but they have been dependant on other results before and come through, most spectacularly in 2012 when they won the tournament.

Opening batsman Ed Pollock believes the Bears are capable of doing their bit - and rising to the challenge of winning five games on the bounce.

"We will have some big players back this weekend, guys who know how to win big games, and have just got to look at it as a five-game challenge," he said. "Effectively, we are in the knockout stage early. Instead of winning the quarter, semi and final, we have got to win our last two group games as well. That is not beyond us.

"At the start of the group, the general thinking was that seven wins would probably be enough and we are within reach of that. We have just got to concentrate on what we do and affect what we can affect."

The Bears will face their old rivals tonight having been well-beaten by them in the Blast at New Road last Friday but then secured a strong draw there in the championship this week to seal a top-two finish in Group A.

"We have just had a really good performance against them in the championship to secure a top two finish so let's carry on that momentum and take it forward," said Pollock. "It was a disappointing night last Friday but Carlos Brathwaite spoke really well at the start of the tournament and said in T20 there will be games where you get embarrassed. What matters is how you respond to them."