THE Glamorgan changing room was a special place to be as we toasted a place in a Lord's final on Saturday.

Not many people had given us a chance ahead of our Yorkshire Bank 40 semi-final win against Hampshire.

But we headed down the Ageas Bowl full of confidence and the boys were absolutely brilliant.

It was a 31-run win but it felt tighter than that... I was certainly a bag of nerves!

The squad have worked so hard this season and now they've got their reward – a Lord's final against Nottinghamshire a week on Saturday.

After our victory song and celebrating with friends, family and our fantastic supporters, we all sat there together with beaming smiles, enjoying the moment and trying to soak it all in.

We didn't leave the Ageas Bowl until after 9pm and there were a few sore heads on the Sunday coach trip back to Wales but it was all worth it – moments like that don't come around often in your career and you never forget them.

Everyone is still on a high but the rest of this week will be a quiet one for us before we take on Essex in Chelmsford in the County Championship.

That game starts on Tuesday and finishes the day before the big one against Notts.

It was one of my ambitions to play in a Lord's final. Sadly that never happened for me as a player but heading there as part of the coaching staff will come a close second.

I fondly remember being part of the side that won the Sunday League in 2002 and 2004.

It was the same feeling of joy at Hampshire – as a member of the backroom staff you are not contributing on the field but you make sure you work hard off it to give the guys the best chance.

The buzz from watching the boys celebrate every wicket and seeing the excitement on their faces was something special.

We have made huge progress this season in the one-day game and I am so happy for Matthew Mott that he has got something tangible to show what he has done for Glamorgan.

He heads back to Australia at the end of the season and has been brilliant for us over the last three years.

But Motty won't be content at being runners-up at Lord's and nor will anyone else – we want to win.

I remember being in the Mound Stand at Lord's in 2000 with Mark Wallace and a load of other boys from the seconds.

It was a sea of Welsh supporters with Hymns and Arias ringing out. Hopefully we will give them plenty to sing about on September 21.

-- Very sadly one old friend of mine who won't be at Lord's - as he surely would have been - is the late Gareth Meredith, who died last year.

'Clampy' was one of the great characters of Gwent cricket and on Sunday a match will be held in his memory.

I shall be digging out my bowling boots to play for a Panteg Past and Present XI, seeking to rough up the Glamorgan captain Mark Wallace and the others who are turning out for the Invitation XI.

Over a long and successful career in club cricket, Clampy played for Panteg, Abergavenny, Pontnewynydd and Croesyceiliog and in latter years took great pride in representing the Wales Over 50s team.

The match - 30 overs per side - is at Panteg and will start at 2pm and be followed by a barbecue. Proceeds will be donated to Velindre Hospital.