Derbyshire v Australia day 3

The end came fairly quickly today, minor resistance from Leus du Plooy and Matt Critchley excepted. The Australian back up bowlers showed themselves to be fine cricketers in their own right (which we knew of course), though my main concern was our batsmen avoiding injury.

They came through unscathed, or seemed to, so attention now switches to Bristol next Saturday, and the best Saturday night's television in some time.

Even better, I realised that the Saturday of finals day is at the end of a week that I will be down there for the season closer at Derby, so I will keep my fingers crossed that we get to Edgbaston and I will simply need to cross to Birmingham to be a part of the big day. Always assuming I can get a ticket, of course...

It is all very exciting, and the thoughts of players, staff and supporters will be on next Saturday for the rest of this week.

It was all quite surreal for a fan of the county, watching the other games unfold last night and wondering who else might qualify besides us.

Lancashire will start things off on Wednesday evening, against Essex. They have lost home advantage because of the Test match (clever scheduling, huh?) and will play at The Riverside. They have looked good so far and I suspect will have too much for Essex, another of those teams where the team and its ethic is greater than the sum of its parts.

Thursday sees Nottinghamshire host Middlesex. I think the home side's tendency to implode when things get tough may cost them, and they have had a really rough, under-achieving season. Middlesex have qualified at the death with poor Somerset bowling, together with a special innings from Eoin Morgan. Throw in AB de Villiers and I think they have too much for our East Midlands rivals.

Shame, that...

Friday is Sussex Sharks v Worcestershire. The home side have had a fine group stage and looked a team with everything, while Worcestershire have gone off the boil in the last few games. I suspect home advantage will count, here and the reigning champions will have their work cut out to retain their crown.

Then it's Saturday. Key to this match, I think, will be the battle between Ravi Rampaul and Michael Klinger, though the one between Andrew Tye/David Payne and our top order will be too.

If we play as we have in the last few games, we can win this.

And there will be more from me as the week commences...