Essex meet Warwickshire at Edgbaston tomorrow in a Fourth Round Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy tie with a place in the last eight awaiting the winners.
For the visitors, it will offer them an opportunity to exact revenge for their defeat in last year's Benson & Hedges Cup Final when the Bears won a one-sided contest by 5 wickets.
From the moment that Nasser Hussain was dismissed with only the second ball of the game, it was downhill all the way for Essex who reached 181-8 from their 50 overs leaving their opponents to cruise to victory with almost 14 overs to spare.
Medium-pacer Andy Clarke appeared in the undistinguished encounter for Essex and is in tomorrow's squad hoping to turn the tables on the home side.
The 27 year-old reflected: "We just didn't perform that day, I still don't know why but we're looking to give a good account of ourselves this time around and move one step closer to another Lord's final.
"Although the result was disappointing in the B&H last year, it was still a memorable occasion and one I'd treasure again if the chance comes."
Clarke has only just returned to the Essex squad after missing the early part of the season with a back complaint.
He admitted: "It's been a frustrating time for me because I worked hard during the winter to get myself fit for the season but the problems started on our pre-season tour to South Africa. I was ill with food poisoning whilst we were there and when we got back I suffered a back problem."
So he was delighted when he was called into the Essex team that faced Warwickshire in the National League last week and gained a morale-boosting eight-wicket victory in a match reduced to 20 overs.
He said: "It was good to be back with the first team and I was delighted that I was involved in the win. I have good memories of Edgbaston because I made my debut in the limited-overs game for the county there in a C&G game in 2001 and did okay."
Clarke in fact took a wicket with his first delivery for the county when he had England Test player and former Essex opener Nick Knight caught by Ronnie Irani but although he ended with impressive figures of 1-19 from 7 overs, he was destined to finish on the losing side as Warwickshire ran out victors by 5 wickets.
Nasser Hussain returns from leading England to victory in the opening Test of the summer against Zimbabwe and will replace Darren Robinson who has been omitted whilst fast bowler Waqar Younis is set to feature for Warwickshire.
More on Essex County Cricket Club
Published Tuesday, May 27, 2003
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