Gordon Muchall is chasing a “dream end” to his professional cricket career with a NatWest T20 Blast medal ahead of Finals Day tomorrow.
The 33-year-old will hang up the boots at the end of this season following 14 years of exceptional service at Durham.
He has accumulated 1,975 runs in T20 cricket during that time and will become only the second past 2,000 should he get there this weekend.
Having been a part of all Durham’s trophy-winning exploits as a first-class county, Muchall is a T20 medal short of a full county cricket set to go alongside Championships and One-Day Cups.
And he is aiming to bow out in style by ending the weekend with an elusive success in the shortest format of the game.
“It would be a dream end for me if we can win the final,” he said. “Even getting to Finals Day and playing in front of a full house at Edgbaston is fantastic.
“I have loved every minute of my career so to complete it by having the Championship, One-Day cup and then a T20 medal, the one I’m missing, would be absolutely fantastic.”
Durham snuck through the North Group qualification by virtue of a near-perfect home record and upset the odds by defeating South Group winners Gloucestershire in the quarter-final.
A tight-knit dressing room is something Muchall has been a central part of across his playing years and this season has been no different, with a host local talent producing at varying stages of the campaign.
And he attests such qualities to Durham defying the odds and reaching the biggest day of the county cricket calendar at Edgbaston.
“With John Hastings’ injury and having no overseas, I think it shows the spirit and kind of players we bring up here at Durham,” he said.
“Everyone rolls their sleeves up and gets on with the job.
“Growing up together and playing with the lads, you know each other and player for each other whereas at some places they bring people in here, there and everywhere, you don’t quite have that team spirit and it’s one thing Durham’s always had since I have been here.
“Last time we were at Finals Day, there was pretty much only Will Smith who hadn’t played any international cricket so we had an all-star team then and couldn’t manage to get over the line.
“There’s no reason why this team of local lads can’t get us the final win.”
Part Two of the interview, where Muchall reflects on his time and favourite moments at the club, will be online tomorrow morning ahead of Finals Day