The Twenty20 Cup campaign followed a similar pattern here at Derbyshire County Cricket Club to that of recent years.

Disappointment that we didn’t manage to qualify for the quarter-finals, but delighted with the success we managed to achieve off the field.

Nationally, crowds for the Twenty20 Cup were down, a statistic that has been put down to factors such as an earlier start to the competition in order to accommodate the ICC World Twenty20 and the global financial crisis.

A massive well done to our off the field team at Derbyshire for the way they left no stone un-turned in the promoting of the event as we managed to buck the trend in attracting 4,000 plus crowds to the Friday night fixture against Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire’s visit to Chesterfield just two days later.

It seems that the two sectors busting the credit crunch are caravan parks and first-class cricket in Derbyshire. Lucky me!

Our televised Twenty20 double-header, which featured the double world champion England women’s team against Australia followed by Derbyshire Phantoms v Lancashire Lightning, was perhaps the biggest success story of the campaign, even though the crowd figure was not quite so high.

With all of the required pre-preparation, in conjunction with the ECB, to ensure the smooth running of the day, the complete ground branding changeover that was required between matches and all of the promotional activities that we put in place, it was terrific to see everything come together on the day.

Not even the all conquering England Women’s team could win a home Twenty20 match at the County Ground in 2009. Surely this proves that the gods were against the Phantoms this year?

Groups of school children attended the Women’s match and – if the electric atmosphere was anything to go by – they thoroughly enjoyed the day, the Red Devils gave a spectacular match-ball presentation display prior to the NatWest Women’s International Twenty20, Lou Vincent entertained the crowd with a demonstration of the revolutionary Mongoose cricket bat during the break between matches and, through gritted teeth, it really was a pleasure to see Andrew Flintoff striking the ball so cleanly.

Our bowlers may not thank me for saying that but, as a sports fan, it is important to remember that opposition teams are also allowed to play well. What scintillating entertainment Flintoff provided.

I hope his body holds out, he’s an old man at 31 remember, and he can help us to an Ashes triumph this summer. That would give cricket in England and Wales a huge lift.

Supporters can watch the Ashes action from a big screen in Markeaton Park over the weekend of 8th and 9th August. Entry is free and both additional entertainment and refreshments will be available around the park.

The ECB see Cricket in the Park as a key component of the 2009 summer so it is great that they have decided to bring it to Derby. Naturally, I hope it is a success.

On the day of the Twenty20 double header, we were able to announce on Sky Sports that the Derby Hospitals Charity logo will be appearing on our white LV County Championship shirts in 2010.

The way that this will work is that I am continuing my sponsorship of the shirt in the usual way, however, instead of displaying my logo, the Hospitals Charity artwork will be displayed.

This will give the charity excellent coverage and recognition and after all that they have done during the recent health scares suffered by my wife, Mary, and I, it really is the least I can do.

Enjoying Derbyshire’s LV County Championship match against Middlesex as I write, it seems strange to think that there will be no more cricket here until early September.

I don’t mind, however, because August will give Mary and I the opportunity to enjoy five days of cricket at one of the first-class game’s most beautiful outposts, Queen's Park, Chesterfield.

It was a massive shame that our previous four day fixture at the ground was so badly hit by the weather. However, what a pleasure it was to see a packed house enjoying the sunshine at the Twenty20 Cup fixture against Yorkshire Carnegie.

Hopefully we can attract a similarly large crowd for the NatWest Pro40 League visit of Kent Spitfires on Sunday, August 23 the final day of the festival, and those who enjoy the first-class game can also see some entertaining cricket as we take on Northamptonshire during the previous four days.

Probably the most depressing weekend of the season so far came earlier this month when our opening two NatWest Pro40 matches were abandoned without a ball bowled due to the weather.

I always feel sorry for the players, coaches and off-field staff when the weather strikes so cruelly as they have all already put in so much preparation work but all to no avail.

The same happened at Old Trafford two days later, then the first day of our match against Middlesex was rained off, and it was a similar story around the country. A potentially suicidal period for cricket lovers of the UK! I wish the South Africa imports into the county game would bring the weather with them!

At least there are three further home NatWest Pro40’s to look forward to, starting with the above mentioned fixture at Chesterfield.

The Sky cameras are in town again for the visit of Leicestershire Foxes on Friday, September 11. That brings back chilling memories of our last over defeat against the Foxes last time they visited us for a NatWest Pro40 match.

They no longer have Jeremy Snape to call on in the middle-order though. He was Man of the Match that night, and a sports psychologist as well. Bowler bowls ball, batsman hits ball, where is the psychology in that? Or maybe I am looking with a slightly over simplistic eye.

We finish our season with the latest limited-overs match that I can remember. Christmas decorations will be in the shops, England will be almost on the plane for their winter tour and the high peak season for my caravan parks will be at and end by the time Glamorgan visit the County Ground for the NatWest Pro40 finale on Sunday, September 27.

I won’t complain. Six months is a long time without cricket. The longer the season lasts the better.