YORKSHIRE bowler Liam Plunkett believes his side can topple Essex at fortress Chelmsford in their floodlit One-Day Cup quarter-final today.

The hosts present a stern challenge, having reached at least the quarter-finals in the last five years of 50-overs cricket, while the Vikings are missing internationals Joe Root, Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Finch.

Ashes winners Jonny Bairstow and Adam Lyth return for the visitors and Adil Rashid and Plunkett also play before joining the England squad for the upcoming one-day international series against Australia.

Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie insists the Eagles are the favourites, despite the Vikings winning on their last trip to Chelmsford, though Plunkett (pictured) is confident.

“Chelmsford’s a bit of a den and a fortress for them, but we’ve got a proper team, and I’d back us to go there and win,” said the 30-year-old.

“The guys are going really well in the one-dayers. We feel like we know our roles in the 50-over game, and we’ve stuck to our plans and competed.

“It’s quite a small ground, but we have people who cover all bases. Jonny’s back, Lythy as well. We’re a strong team. We look forward to going there and putting a show on.

“If you can win two competitions in the year, you’ve set your stall out. We’ve improved in the white ball stuff, and if we can take this into next year, it will be a quality year for us.”

Plunkett has won the One-Day Cup in 2007 when with Durham, and took three wickets at his former county on his last appearance in this competition.

The Eagles will look to Ryan ten Doeschate for inspiration, a renowned all-rounder who needs 50 runs to make 5,000 List A runs and crashed 119 against Yorkshire in 2014.

Essex batsman Mark Pettini has already scored 311 runs across six innings in this format, while left-arm seamer Reece Topley has 16 wickets, the second best in the 50-over competition this campaign.

Bowler David Masters is an often-underrated seamer and has been outstanding, bowling a competition joint-high 236 dot balls in the group stage — his economy rate is under four.

Yorkshire will seek to continue an impressive away record of seven wins from their last eight List A games, a result that would keep the dream of a Lord’s final alive.