Kent captain Rob Key has urged his side to handle the weight of expectation ahead of Twenty20 Cup finals day on Saturday.

Defending champions Spitfires head to the Rose Bowl as favourites to win the competition again, and Key is hoping they can rise to the challenge.

“Last year at finals day we snuck from behind everyone really and ended up winning it, so we’ll go as a different side this year,” said Key.

“I feel we’re stronger overall as a team, so everyone else must be thinking the same and will be making us favourites and expecting us to win it.

“We have to make sure that we handle that expectancy and not let it cause us any problems.”

Key, who became a father for the second time last week, will be waiting on the fitness of key all-rounder Darren Stevens, who is included in their 13-man squad.

The 34-year-old missed Kent’s four-day LV Championship defeat in Somerset after complaining of a slight abductor muscle strain in his inner thigh.

He underwent a scan on Friday revealing a slight tear in a muscle but is likely to play against Essex in Saturday’s first semi-final.

If Stevens is passed fit, it will mean Key will have some tough selection choices to make.

Key added: “We pretty much know the squad, that will be the same 12 or 13 that we’ve selected from all through, and Matt Walker has played games here and there as has Robbie Joseph, but we’ll have a look at The Rose Bowl wicket and decide which way to go from there on the morning of the match.

“We have players in form and a couple of players to find form, so to my mind there is some power to add yet.”

As for Essex Eagles, Kent’s semi-final opponents, Key added: “We seem to play them quite a lot these days and have had some good matches against them.

“They’ve got all-rounders Graham Napier, who has been on the crest of a wave, and Ravi Bopara, who I think is a fine young player, but Twenty20 is all about putting your A-game out there inside three hours and the side that does that will win either way.”