ONE OF the best things about my time at Hampshire has been that we’ve always had things to play for at this time of the season, rather than it being tedious.

We’ve always been in with a shout of doing something in a competition and that brings out the best in us, and it can also even be exciting when you’re fighting against relegation.

We had a massive win over Kent this week and that pretty much takes them out of the equation in the County Championship. With Worcestershire losing (to Gloucestershire) we’ve gone from looking like second was the best-case scenario to having a great chance of winning the league.

I think getting promoted – and even winning the league – would be an even-bigger achievement than recent trophies because four-day cricket is a proper test of character. It’s sixteen four-day matches and you have to be on your game every day.

This Saturday, we’ve got (T20) finals day too and the build-up to that is really exciting. Getting there five times in a row is just amazing and it’s gotten more and more exciting every time.

Every player has got the chance to get out there and be the hero, playing in front of 25-30,000 people.

We’ve usually always been playing in the second game of the day and that usually means leaving the hotel at about 12pm, catching the end of the first game, and then getting to business.

We’re going to be travelling up on Friday but the club has organised for the lads to all play golf, which should be great to take our minds off the day and relax.

My girlfriend Sophie will be coming but my mum, dad and brother Brad will all have to watch it on TV – hopefully we can put on a show for them.