MATTHEW Parkinson says a no-fear attitude has underpinned his development as a white ball bowler with Lancashire.

The Boltonian leg-spinner will be key to the Lightning’s hopes of success when they tackle the Vitality Blast T20 Finals Day at Edgbaston tomorrow.

Parkinson has enjoyed an exceptional Blast campaign this summer, taking 23 wickets from 14 appearances, with only seamers Patrick Brown (27) and Jamie Overton (24) from Worcestershire and Somerset taking more.

Lancashire face Worcestershire in the first semi-final, starting at 11am, before Somerset face Sussex in the second, with the final at 6.45pm.

Egerton’s Parkinson has already starred in an England Lions shirt in 50-over cricket, and he is seemingly edging closer to a senior international call, not that he is thinking too much about that.

“I just try and take it as it comes. If that happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t,” he said.

But a number of Lancashire colleagues, chiefly captain Liam Livingstone, have hailed Parkinson’s aggressive attitude with the ball and his desire to bowl at critical stages of games.

“I think it’s just about wanting to do that well that you’re almost prepared for it to go badly,” Parkinson reasoned.

“The best chance of taking wickets is in the pressure moments when the game’s in the balance – when the batsman has to go after you.

“I love those moments, and if you can step up and do it once, there’s no reason why you can’t keep doing it again and again.”

Parkinson was on an England under-19s training camp in Loughborough when Lancashire won their maiden Blast title in 2015.

He watched the final victory over Northamptonshire on TV.

“This is my third white ball campaign, and I’m desperate to win something,” he said.

The 21-year-old has led Lancashire’s much-vaunted spin cartel superbly in this summer’s Blast, with Afghanistan leg-spinner Zahir Khan, Scotland left-armer Mark Watt and the off-spin of Arron Lilley and Steven Croft contributing.

“I’m just pleased I’ve managed to pick up after a tough first five or six games,” he said.

“I wasn’t taking the wickets I wanted and was going for more runs than the team expected.

“But the signing of Zahir midway through the comp spurred me on to perform better and do it for the team. That was a bit of a wake-up call.”

“Zahir and Watty, two young lads, have brought a freshness to the team.

“They have their different skills to me, and they’re great lads.”

Worcestershire finished top of the North Group to Lancashire’s third. Both sides won quarter-finals against Gloucestershire and Kent.

Parkinson was man-of-the-match in the Lightning’s win against Kent last month with three wickets.

“We’ve played enough good cricket, although we have had the odd blip. Two spring to mind. The Durham game at home and then against Birmingham at Edgbaston in our last game,” he added.

“But we did enough in the group stage to qualify, and then it was a top-class performance in the quarter-final at Kent.”