CHRIS Park has warned his Dorset team-mates to avoid thoughts of a final appearance ahead of tomorrow’s crunch Unicorns Trophy clash with Staffordshire.

Dorset will bid to reach their first Trophy final in 10 years when they lock horns with the Eastern Division outfit at Chapel Gate (11am).

In the competition’s 33-year history, Dorset have been champions once, in 1988, and have been beaten finalists on two further occasions.

The winners of the last-four tie will take on five-time winners Devon or Herefordshire at the picturesque Wormsley Cricket Ground in Buckinghamshire next month.

And with plenty of reward on offer, the experienced Park has urged his troops to focus on the task in hand.

The captain, who was part of the Dorset side which suffered final heartbreak against Northumberland at Lord’s in 2006, told the Daily Echo: “Let’s think about Sunday first, play well and try and win the game. Then, if we get through, we can think about the final afterwards.

“For me, it’s not a pressure game. Yes, there is a final at the end of it but it’s just another game of cricket.

“It’s just a case of the guys believing in themselves and executing their skills. If we can do that from one to 11 then we will have a good chance.

“We need to beat Staffordshire first before we can think about who the final is against.”

Dorset’s run to the semis marked an incredible turnaround on their disappointing form in the Trophy in recent years.

The county side registered just three wins between 2011 and 2015, a tally they equalled with victories in their first three group games this term.

Reflecting further on the prestigious tie, Park said: “It’s a massive day for Dorset cricket as we haven’t been in the semi-final for a long time.

“In the past two or three years we have been really poor in one-day cricket but that has all turned on its head.

“That’s the standard we have set ourselves and long may that continue.

“The guys are right up for it and are desperate to win.

“We are trying to continue our winning momentum and having a good three-day victory at the weekend certainly helps.”

Park admits to possessing little knowledge of opponents Staffordshire and says Dorset’s focus must simply be on performing as well as they can.

He added: “Staffordshire are unknown to us. We don’t really ever play them so I wouldn’t say we have any inside knowledge.

“They are new players to us and I’m sure they will be looking through our scorecards as well!

“We will look after ourselves, play to our strengths and fingers crossed that will be good enough.”

Cornwall are the reigning champions having secured a seven-wicket win over Northumberland last summer.

Dorset (from): Khan, McManus, Waller, Webb, Porter, Arnold, Wolstenholme, Thomson, Currie, Warner, Park, Barber, Digby, Jacques.