The Panthers will contest a Twenty20 Cup semi-final against Tyrendarra at Allansford this morning, with the winner to progress to this afternoon’s $15,000-to-win decider.

“The last couple of years I’ve gone out and watched the Twenty20,” Mills said.

“It’s always a bit of fun to watch with a couple of mates.”

The 15-year-old knows that playing in the lucrative tournament today in front of a large crowd will be intense.

And he can’t wait.

“I think that all-round, you’ve got to be spot on with everything,” he said of Twenty20.

“It’s a faster pace and you have to concentrate all the time.

“You don’t have a lot of overs to make up for any mistakes, so you’ve got to be spot on when you’re in the field and you have to bowl tight and bat well.”

The paceman, who has claimed eight wickets in Twenty20 this season, will feature in the Panthers’ bowling attack today and bat in the lower order if needed.

While he prefers the longer forms of the game, he still relished the chance to play Twenty20.

“I just try not to leak any runs and try to bowl on the stumps,” he said of his role.

West’s finals berth in the cup came after it was the lucky loser in the Warrnambool and District Cricket Association (WDCA) Twenty20 qualifying tournament.

Its huge total of 4-181 in its round two loss to Brierly Christ Church ensured the Panthers were deservedly the side which got a second chance.

“When we lost that game I thought we were out of it, but then we came back in and it’s surprised me how well we’ve gone,” Mills said.

The teenager enters the Twenty20 Cup after a busy cricket period, representing WDCA at Colts Country Week in the first week of January and playing for Western Waves at the under 16 state championships last week. He has played four division one games for the Panthers this season, taking a total of five wickets.

“I’d like to stay in the team but there’s a lot of competition with both the young bowlers and the more experienced bowlers,” Mills said. “It’s difficult to stay in the side (but) it’s good because it means you have to work hard.”

Today’s West-Tyrendarra match is at 10am, with the other semi-final between Irrewarra and Grampians to follow about 12.30pm.

The grand final will start 30 minutes after the end of the Irrewarra and Grampians clash.