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By Alex Smith, 春梦直播 Reporters Network

鈥淲e quite like having Charlotte down at the Ageas Bowl.鈥�

Georgia Adams isn鈥檛 talking about the actual Charlotte Edwards - Southern Vipers鈥� head coach - but the trophy which bears her name.

Vipers are hoping to defend the Charlotte Edwards Cup on Saturday at New Road, but will have to come through a midday Eliminator against Thunder, with The Blaze waiting in the 4pm final.

鈥淲e don't want to relinquish the trophy,鈥� said captain Adams. 鈥淲e're put in another finals appearance, which is great. We've had another successful group stage in this format.

鈥淏ut we always say that it doesn't really matter how you go in the group stages, when it gets to the finals, it's 50/50 on the day.鈥�

Since forming for the Kia Super League in 2016, the Vipers have been at all but one Finals Day across the KSL, Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy and Charlotte Edwards Cup 鈥� winning four trophies along the way.

By contrast Thunder and The Blaze are newbies at the business end of tournaments. Especially for Thunder skipper Ellie Threlkeld who has played in every match for the Thunder set-up since 2016.

"It's my first Finals Day, and in previous years we've not come close,鈥� said Threlkeld. 鈥淭o get there is a huge deal. We'll be going in as underdogs, but that's a good thing. If we go out and play our cricket like we have done today, every game is winnable for us.

"I couldn't be happier. If you'd have asked me would I take this position a couple of weeks ago when we had a tough start to the season, I'd have absolutely snapped your hand off.

"I'm really proud of the way the girls have turned it around, and it's testament to the people in our dressing room. We've worked hard, and we've got ourselves to Finals Day.鈥�

The gap across the regions has significantly closed this year, with Vipers no longer head and shoulders ahead of the rest.

鈥淲e have always felt like we鈥檝e had a target on our back,鈥� admitted Adams. 鈥淲e set out in year one and spoke as a group that we wanted to be the team to beat and the team people were fired up to play.

鈥淲e have achieved that and our reputation speaks for itself now.

鈥淭he standard is going up and up every year and it is exciting to see the table mixed up. It is how it should be from an entertainment perspective. It has been a lot more level and competitive.

鈥淚t has been tougher for us this year but I can鈥檛 fault this team for the way they鈥檝e adjusted.鈥�

Adams pin-pointed bowling as the greatest area for improvement across the regions, noting how Western Storm鈥檚 Lauren Filer has increased her bowling speed by 5mph.

And she is fearful, and thrilled by, Thunder鈥檚 17-year-old talent Mahika Gaur.

She said: 鈥淕aur looks like she鈥檚 going to be a jet and has so much potential. As a tall left-arm bowler who can swing the ball in, she is going to be an exciting player and one to watch.鈥�

Vipers will have England internationals Danni Wyatt, Charlie Dean and Freya Kemp available after they were released to play ahead of England's preparations for the upcoming Women鈥檚 Ashes.

Adams revealed the secret behind Vipers鈥� continued success 鈥� and it has a lot to do with personality...and colours.

She explains: 鈥淲e were quite clinical with the sort of characters we wanted in and around the group. When we are looking to sign players or with academy players coming up it isn鈥檛 just about their skillset but whether they are the right person and a good fit for the group.

鈥淲e went through that process with Linsey Smith [who signed from Diamonds in the winter]. She was perfect for the group because we don鈥檛 have another Linsey.

鈥淲e give her a lot of jip about being a 鈥榬ed鈥� because that is what her spotlight profile is but we didn鈥檛 have any 鈥榬eds鈥� in our team.

鈥淚t is quite in-depth but it is characterised into colours. 鈥楻eds鈥� get into the battle, chase the big cheese, are a little more fiery and wear their hearts on their sleeve.

鈥淎 鈥榖lue鈥� would be an Anya Shrubsole, so very logical, very factual and very careful in decision-making. I鈥檓 a green which is a people person.

鈥淟insey gave a big team talk before the Diamonds game. Typically, a lot of players in the team are 鈥榞reens鈥� but Linz told us to dig deep and find our inner 鈥榬ed鈥�.

鈥淎nya dug as deep as she possibly could to find that 鈥榬ed鈥� I think it showed by taking four wickets and in some of her wicket-taking celebrations!鈥�