We have had a very quiet week since finals day so I took the opportunity to go away for a couple of days with my wife, Jennifer.

Being cricketers we don't get the opportunity to get away during the summer very often and Jen is a teacher which makes it difficult in the winter as well.

We went to Amsterdam, I had been a few times with cricket on various Ireland tours but Jen had never been so it was nice to be able to spends some time there together. We were careful not to end up in the wrong type of coffee shop.

I was meant to be having the three day game against NZ A off but one of our young lads, Dom Sibley, dislocated his thumb at practice the day before. I saw Graham Ford's name come up on my phone on Saturday afternoon and I knew straight away that my break had been cut short.

I was considering asking Fordy if I could play originally but we agreed that it has been a long season, especially captaining and keeping wicket. He said just come and have a bat, that Rory Burns could keep wicket and we will let Jade Dernbach captain.

In the end I didn't do much batting so it was pretty much like having a rest anyway! It was the first time in a while when I arrived to the ground not thinking about the team or the toss, so in actual fact it was like taking some time off.

Next week we are back to the real business against Worcestershire away in a real must win game if we are to keep our promotion hopes alive. Even if we don't get promoted this year it's very important that we keep playing good cricket. We need to take pride in our performance whether that is to try and finish in the top two or even if we get to the last game against Derbyshire and realise that it can't happen anymore.

I think with the group that we have, it won't be a problem. It's a young group of guys who are hungry. Hungry to keep putting scores on the board and keep taking wickets. Fingers crossed things go well for us in this round of fixtures but if they don't, I can't see us taking our foot off the gas at all.

I was delighted for Jason Roy on Sunday as it was announced that he was in the England t20 side for the first time against India a week later. He has matured so much this season and it is absolutely nothing less than he deserves. I hope he is able to put together the sort of performance that has seen him get the call up. If he doesn't though, England need to stick with this guy...He is genuinely world class.

We are back in Ireland as a group for a team weekend for the first time in 4 months this Friday. It's always great to get back together after a while, everyone then quickly realises that Tim Murtagh's banter is still as bad as ever and unfortunately when we got the rooming list through it was me stuck with him this time!! I'll be sure to bring my headphones!

I actually like rooming with Murts, we share a similar since of humour but the one thing you are guaranteed is that he will have played a practical joke on someone at some point and then it's your room with the target on it!

Let's hope that two days isn't quite enough for that to happen!!