Canterbury learnt a lot from its first round loss to Otago in the twenty/20 competition, and those lessons ultimately got them through to the final, says coach Bob Carter.
Canterbury was beaten by 30 runs by Otago at the University Oval on February 4.
"We learnt about the pace of the game and how it works. What you have to do to stay in the game and how you have to do all the little things to make it work," Carter said.
"I think as a game twenty/20 can be very harsh. The game can change very quickly, within one ball the game can be totally different."
Canterbury was without pace spearhead Shane Bond in the first match against Otago.
Canterbury know all about the ebbs and flows of the shortest form of the game, after winning its game against Northern Districts in Hamilton, when the home side needed just one run to win from the final two balls.
Carter said preventing a run being scored from those two balls was a defining moment for his side, and showed that no side was ever out of a twenty/20 match.
Canterbury won in the super over against Northern Districts and its win over Central Districts on Sunday managed to put it in the final ahead of Auckland by run rate.
The side had momentum but then so did Otago, and Carter acknowledged the Otago side had quality right through its order.
"But we're a team which focus on ourselves, on what we can deliver, rather than worry about the other team."
Otago had skittled Canterbury for 86 in the State Shield semifinal but Carter said that result mattered little on Sunday.
Carter said the possibility of playing in the rich Champions League was an extra motivation for the players.
"But we can't get too far ahead of ourselves. A New Zealand side has still not been accepted."
Carter would have everyone available for the match, and had ruled out bringing in an overseas player for the one-off match.
"I don't think it is a bad idea to be allowed to bring in a special player for one game. I don't have a problem with it. But we won't be doing it."
