McKenzie may play on for Hampshire (From This is Hampshire)

Neil McKenzie may play on for Hampshire

4:27pm Thursday 23rd August 2012 in Hampshire Sport

HAMPSHIRE batsman Neil McKenzie has revealed that he may return to play for Hampshire for a fourth season in 2013.

The veteran former South Africa star is currently focused on his third T20 Finals Day in as many seasons with Hampshire writes SIMON WALTER.

“We’re having chats and there’s a big possibility I’ll have an option next year but we’ll get through the season first and see where we are,” he said.

“As long as we’re winning and competing I want to keep going, hopefully for another two years.”

McKenzie’s unbeaten 79 in the quarter-final win against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge was his best and most important t20 innings for the county to date.

“Every blind squirrel finds an acorn every now and then – I found my acorn at the right time!” he laughs, having been out of sorts during the group stage.

McKenzie is backing the Royals to succeed in Cardiff on Saturday despite it being their tenth day’s cricket in 11 – followed by a long trip to Durham for what is effectively a Clydesdale Bank40 quarter-final on Bank Holiday Monday.

“It’s a huge month and 12 out of 13 days is quite taxing on the body, but the season goes a lot quicker when you’re doing well and it’s chalk and cheese from where we were last year,”

McKenzie continued.

“We still have a good chance in all three comps so it’s a huge last month of the season.

Whatever happens on Finals Day we’ve got to gear ourselves up to beat Durham at their place so there’s a lot to play for which is really encouraging.”

McKenzie will play for Highveld Lions and not Hampshire at the T20 Champions League, should the Royals qualify by beating Somerset in the second semi-final (they would play Yorkshire or Sussex in the final).

But Hampshire will worry about re placing him if and when they qualify.

In the meantime, McKenzie is one of six Royals players – alongside Jimmy Adams, James Vince, Sean E r v i n e , M i c h a e l Bates and Danny Briggs - preparing to take on Somerset at Finals Day for the third time in as many seasons.

It has a lot to live up to.

The 2010 final and 2011 semi-final both finished with the scores level but went the way of Hampshire and Somerset respectively, courtesy of fewer wickets lost and a Super Over decider.

“Hopefully this will be another good game but we win it outright,”

McKenzie smiled.