'In truth I didn’t see much of the game after I got out as I spent a lot of it with a towel over my head' © Getty Images

I endured a couple of rough days in Birmingham before the Final, having earlier spent a few days in Norfolk on a little holiday with my girlfriend – although I should point out that’s no reflection on Norfolk…or my girlfriend!

The upside of the unfavourable weather over the first couple of days of our Championship match at Edgbaston meant I had some time to rest. I had a few concerned text messages about my virus so I had to let them know I wasn’t quite on my death bed!

We managed to get in around a day and a half of cricket on a spicy Edgbaston wicket and that was ideal preparation as a team, as it meant we didn’t have to expend too much energy ahead of Lord’s.

All the guys had a bat or a bowl and it was better to have something to concentrate our minds on rather than be bored at home thinking about the Final.

We were able to agree on an early finish, as the earlier rain had meant there was no prospect of a result, so it was then time to hit the road for Lord’s.

When we arrived at the Cumberland Hotel we sat down and watched some inspirational footage put together by our psychologist Clive Reeves.

We left that meeting with clear plans about how we wanted to play as individuals and as a team. If we were feeling the pressure before then, after that we felt better about knowing how to deal with it on the day.

After that myself, Ryan ten Doeschate and our girlfriends went out for a quiet meal at ‘ASK’ and then it was off to dream of FPT glory!

On the morning of the game all the squad were kitted out in their Hugo Boss suits and feeling the part. We watched another montage of us in action on the short coach journey to the ground and that put us in a very good mood for our arrival at Lord’s.

Everyone was very aware of how important the game was but we were, nonetheless, very relaxed going into the Final – which was one of the keys to our performance.

It turned out to be a good toss to lose as our opening bowlers Graham Napier and David Masters set the tone on a wicket where you never felt in as a batsman. That it wasn’t a flat one-day wicket made for gripping cricket.

After bowling them out for 214 we were all relaxed at lunch and very confident of reaching our target.

After a reasonable start to our reply we then had a bit of a wobble as we lost two important wickets – two potential matchwinners in Ravi Bopara and Alastair Cook – in quick succession. It was clearly going to need someone else to play the lead role on this occasion.

Myself and Grant Flower regained the momentum for us at a crucial time when we needed to put a partnership together. I didn’t feel like I ever had any fluency at the crease but Grant was typically cool and calm and he just told me to hang on in there.

I was upset and hugely disappointed to get out to a loose shot but when I saw Ryan ten Doeschate passing me to the wicket - a big-match player – I was still confident we would get home.

Only Martin van Jaarsveld and Ryan McLaren for Kent and Grant and Ryan for Essex managed to score quickly and look confident from ball one during the match. Our sixth-wicket pair ran really hard between the wickets and that was the main feature of the stand that goes us through to victory.

In truth I didn’t see much of the game after I got out as I spent a lot of it with a towel over my head. But I was listening to what was going on and the sound of ball on bat was a comforting noise! It was only with five runs to go that I moved from my spot in the dressing room as I felt I couldn’t jinx our run-chase at that point!

It turned out to be an amazing day for Essex and particularly special for all of those involved in the whole journey. We play a lot of matches to get to the final and to win when you get there is a wonderful experience.

One of the best moments of the day was walking around Lord’s after the match and seeing the Essex fans, who supported us phenomenally throughout, all over the ground.

Much has been made of my giving away of my medal to a young supporter in a wheelchair and I felt it was a nice gesture to make to someone who has given us great support over the last few years. Despite his disability he is such an upbeat young man and it was great to see him on our walk-round. I’ve given him shirts in the past but I’m sure this medal will be a nice addition to his collection!

I explained to the written press afterwards that I had gone through a tough winter and, for the first time, I spoke briefly about the death of my mother. It wasn’t something I wanted to dwell on during the interview but I just felt it was an appropriate time to bring the situation out into the open. Winning a Lord’s final in any circumstances is a special moment in any player’s career but this was a very emotional day not just for me but also my family.

	James Foster and Boris the Eagle © Getty Images

Twenty20 Cup Finals Day turned out to be very disappointing as we didn’t get through our semi-final against Kent in a game we felt we were good enough to win. We missed out in a couple of overs during our run-chase and if you do that in a Twenty20 match needing ‘10s’ it can make life very hard work.

We didn’t have the best of starts with the ball at the outset and, although our spinners brought things back a little, Kent were able to post a decent total. Although we kept wickets in hand early on, the run-rate kept going up and the target proved beyond us.

I was happy with the way I kept at the Rose Bowl – and I have been throughout the season – but it doesn’t make any difference when you lose.

After a defeat like that it is always important to bounce back with a victory and that was something we managed at Derby the following Monday in the Pro40. Our batting unit played exceptionally well and Ravi Bopara’s quickfire hundred was ultimately the difference in what was a tight match. Being on TV it was a good test of how we would cope after a setback and it was nice to get ‘back on the horse’, so to speak.

One of the highlights of the game was Graham Napier’s ‘deflowering’ of Grant Flower’s number three shirt. We have so many different shirts these days and Napes brought his Friends Provident Trophy rather than Pro40 top to Derby. It didn’t look too flash but, with the help of a lot of sticky tape, Napes transformed a number three into a 17! Napes backs himself as a bit of an artist so he was pretty happy with his efforts!

Southend Festival week came next and that was one of mixed fortunes with a Championship loss before another Pro40 victory.

The balance swung one way and the other against Glamorgan but our first innings lead should have been more and we then fell away in our run-chase. Losing by such a large margin (202 runs) meant the defeat was probably our most disappointing of the season. Glamorgan fully deserved to win but we really shouldn’t have let them score as many runs as they did in their second innings on a wearing pitch.

That defeat once again left us needing to respond in the right manner during our next match, the Pro40 against Northants on this occasion. Having started well in that competition it was important to keep the momentum going and that was something we certainly did as I can only recall us bowling two bad balls during their brief innings of 61.

With Mark Pettini’s groin playing him up again it was nice to step in and get the chance to lead the side in that game. I enjoy the role and the extra responsibility as it’s always a proud moment to captain the county you’ve grown up playing for.

‘Swampy’ returned to lead the side on the Tuesday against Surrey – also in the Pro40 – on what was a slightly sporting wicket due to overhead conditions, with rain always threatening.
We were indebted to Grant Flower for an exceptional knock that showed his experience and class. In the end we posted a very defendable score under lights, especially with Graham Napier and David Masters’ ability to seam the ball around. When the rain came we were well ahead on Duckworth/Lewis so we were able to go into a little break in good spirits.

I enjoyed a lovely few days away with my girlfriend, who’s a teacher so is on her school holidays at the moment, in Norfolk. As I’m used to being slapped round the face by a bird it was a good grounding for Essex’s pre-FPT Final media session on Monday.

Boris the Eagle from Billericay Bird Sanctuary was brought along to ground to pose with a few of the Essex Eagles ahead of our big day out. Boris is a powerful animal and I thoroughly enjoyed having him on my arm, although a stray wing in the face wasn’t too pleasant!

Saturday is a huge occasion for Essex when we take on Kent at Lord’s. It’s not ideal preparation coming straight from a four-day match at Edgbaston but at least it means we won’t have time to dwell on the Final.

Lord’s experiences don’t come round too often so it’s important that we enjoy the day.
Irrespective of who we are playing we are determined to win the game anyway, but our Twenty20 Cup semi-final defeat against the same opposition will probably be in the back of our minds.

Kent are a top side with a lot of depth but so are we and we will be going out to win in style.

	Tyrone Henderson had less to be cheerful about when he fell victim to a dressing-room prank © Getty Images

Well not this time. Middlesex’s formula that has been so successful in this year’s competition held its own when it really mattered most. So after a great turnaround it has been a fantastic week for Middlesex, there’s certainly some great talent in the ranks and the squad is showing real signs of strength and depth.

The drama of the dropped catch, the Dawid Malan overthrows and the anxiety over those final two balls put everyone’s adrenalin into overdrive. Anyway we are a week on, and questions of the Champions League and the trip to Antigua for the Stanford tournament are a hot topic and so they should be. Cricket has clearly taken a quite a turn. In the words of the Middlesex coach Toby Radford, “the experience was quite surreal”. This quick-fix cricket is bringing about exciting times and while it may not be everyone’s cup of tea it is certainly a great time to be playing.

In the aftermath of everything there has been some larking around at the club, which I suppose is to be expected after the stratospheric performance in the Twenty20 finals.

David Nash, known around the circuit for his practical jokes, has been at it again … and his victim this time? None other than the man of the moment - Big Tyrone (the incredible hulk) Henderson.

Henderson is a loving, home-spun kind of guy. He has to go down as a popular member of the nice-guy eleven but maybe on this occasion I would have to slip him into the naïve eleven too.

Sorry Ty - maybe I should have checked with you before I write these sort of things!

Anyway. We arrived at Lord's for a back-to-work session. Believe it or not there is still some work to be done before the season is over. Some good results in the Pro40 and a strong finish in the Championship is a must.

In a quiet moment, Nashy decides it’s time for some fun and to call Tyrone. Good with voices, he becomes a representative of UK sport doping control. He wants to discuss Tyrone’s recent drugs test following the Twenty20. Gravely, and keeping a strongly official tone to his voice, Nash told him that he had failed - but that sometimes this happens.

Boringly echoing the voice of officialdom from the car park, Nashy told Tyrone that a ‘b’ sample is an essential requirement but that he mustn’t worry – it’s all part of the procedure. He would be calling back to advise him of when and where he’ll need to go for his second test.

With most of the boys in on the joke it was hard for us all to focus on practice. Tyrone didn’t even bother. We caught the occasional glimpse of his giant frame pacing up and down outside the MCC Indoor School, the bemused shrugging of shoulders, the shaking of the head.

I popped outside to pretend I was looking at the weather and heard him hiss, eyes wide, almost panic stricken into his phone: "But I don’t do these things, I’m clean, I’m a clean guy…"

I reported back and everyone was in hysterics.

Then Tyrone came back in, trying to pretend nothing had happened.

Inevitably his phone rang again. It was Nash once more in the guise of the UK Sport official.

Curtly, he told Henderson he would receive a call in the next half-an-hour to discuss the next step.

Tyrone nearly curled up into the foetal position on the spot!

The remainder of the indoor session was punctuated with comments like: "Did you have a ‘Night-nurse’ you shouldn’t have?” And “They’re doing Ginseng tea upstairs, Ty, if you fancy one!”

Desperately trying to keep straight faces we waited for the final call.

When it came we all held our breath, straining to hear the conversation.

The big South African seemed to shrink before our eyes. His face took on an ashen pallor.

“What do you mean a lie detector test?” he spluttered. “Of course I’ve never done one!”

And then:

‘What!!! Look mate, I don’t even take Disprin!”

Finally:

“What has Dwain Chambers got to do with it?”

A grown man crying was definitely on the cards.

Nashy gave it away when he came back into the Indoor School. Literally weeping with laughter he set everyone off. Only Tyrone stood there – a bemused, dispirited figure looking questioningly at everyone.

And when he caught on, he responded as only he would. With a generous smile and barrel-chested laugh. “Hey man – you certainly got me with that one.”

When the dust had settled I reflected that though Ty had been the butt of a heck of a joke, it had all been cool.

Great camaraderie, genuine humour, a lot of laughs - that doesn’t cost much does it?

	A maiden double century against Surrey was the highlight of hectic time for Will Smith © Getty Images

As much as I love the North East and playing for Durham, being situated miles from most other counties means endless hours on a coach. Though this year we have a new driver – the jovial Dave – compared with last year’s grumpy Ivor. Whether Ivor was his actual name, or just a convenient rhyme with ‘driver,’ I’m not quite sure. What I am sure of is that Dave has made journeys much more comfortable. Ivor’s penchant for testing the brakes every ten minutes was not conducive to peaceful journeys.

Mitch Claydon’s extensive selection of DVD’s have accompanied us on most trips, and while I’m disappointed that his Baywatch boxset hasn’t been opened yet, whatever has been put on is generally met with approval. The most popular choice seems to Mike Bassett – Football Manager; a true gem of a film. Quotes and snippets from the film are regularly recited in the dressing room, but there is one that is not so regularly used, but perhaps should be. It encompasses all that is important and evident in the last few weeks of our season.

Mike Bassett recites from Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘If,’ in one of the more poignant moments of the downright silly comedy.

……‘If you can meet with triumph and disaster

And treat these two imposters just the same;’……

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run –

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

And – which is more – you’ll be a Man my son!’

Since I last updated the blog, it seems there has barely been a spare moment to think. Such is the helter-skelter nature of Twenty20 and county cricket in general. For the team, the last six weeks or so has seen two semi-final losses; a Twenty20 quarter-final that never was; and a great win in the rearranged Twenty20 quarter-final, against a team who couldn’t actually qualify going into the last round of group games. On a personal note it has seen an unbeaten career-best double hundred; a messy dislocated finger (which looked and was feared to be far worse than it actually turned out); an all too insignificant half-century in the Friends Provident semi-final, that I dearly would have loved to turn into a match-winning hundred; a Twenty20 semi-final innings that never got going, and which made me feel heavily culpable for our loss; and a near hundred against my old county.

Phew! And every spare hour in between has been spent sleeping or on the coach, or both.

Kipling’s (or Bassett’s) words strike such a relevant chord. The ups and downs have created many opportunities for praise, for pride, for disappointment, for anger, and many more emotions beside these. The challenge for every cricketer is to treat each success and failure (or ‘triumph and disaster’) in exactly the same manner. If you get too far above your station when you do well, then expect to experience a rather hefty bump back to earth before long, and if you get too down on yourself if you’re doing badly, then you will never get out of that particular trough. Take the example of two cricketers currently very much in the public eye: Graham Napier and Paul Collingwood.

Graham Napier had a blistering month or so in Twenty20 cricket, and all talk is of Stanford millions, IPL and the like. The challenge for Graham is to now appreciate that it was just one month of his life (albeit a dream one), and knuckle down to produce many more moments of brilliance. I have no doubt that he will be thinking this, and it will be to his great credit if he can continue his rise, not least for the sheer talent that is evident, but also for his control of the mind and not allowing himself to become embroiled in the hubris.

As for Colly, he was hounded in the press for his poor run of form – something that can happen to many a sportsman. Many lesser men would have accepted defeat long before the Edgbaston Test, and slipped into the ether. Colly is clearly no lesser man however, and when many were questioning his stomach for the fight, he produced an innings of such resilience, such belligerence, but all the while playing with a freedom that betrayed his vulnerability. It defines his strength of character perfectly, and shows just how to engineer such a rise from a loss of form.

Such moments of elation or despair are hard to accept in the same frame of mind, but it is something that we have all had to come to terms with over the last six weeks. It is great to have something still to play for after the two semi-final losses, and in the shape of the Pro40, and more pertinently the Championship, we have exactly that.

As the season enters the last two months, I am sure that these contrasting moments will stand us in great stead for the challenges that lie ahead. Missing out on two showpiece finals is excruciatingly disappointing, but it would more than make up for it were we to bring the Championship to Durham for the very first time.