Ian Bell
Former England batsman on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

Delport got Essex off to a flyer and if this wicket is similar to the first game then they have got a nice little platform to go on, but that is a big wicket for Derbyshire.

That's been an expensive over for Derbyshire, who will now be increasingly concerned about this opening partnership.

Thirteen runs from it and they badly, badly need a breakthrough...

for Delportpublished at 7.3 overs

7.3 overs

Essex 72-0 v Derbyshire

Image source, Rex Features

This has been very good from Cameron Delport, who takes a single to bring up his half-century from 28 deliveries.

He struck a brilliant ton against Surrey earlier in the competition - could he bag himself three figures on Finals Day too?

You're not the only one.

If you missed it earlier, 2018 winners Worcestershire Rapids defended 11 off the final two overs to beat Notts Outlaws in the first semi.

They'll play the winners of this one later.

It's all getting a bit rowdy in the Hollies Stand, who are singing "we want our ball back", presumably because a grumpy steward has pinched it off them.

Where's Jofra Archer when you need him to rescue it?

Tom Westley, very much taking a backseat in this opening stand, steps down the pitch and sends Alex Hughes to the boundary for four.

Matthew Critchley's coming on for a bit of spin...

That's the end of the Powerplay and it's been a good one for the Eagles.

Another Cameron Delport boundary - his seventh of the innings - takes Essex to 56-0.

Alex Hughes will come into the attack for Derbyshire, who could really do with a breakthrough now.

And that's the issue with the keeper standing up - edged for four!

A single from Cameron Delport from the subsequent delivery brings up the fifty for Essex.

Image source, Rex Features

Logan van Beek kept things relatively tight during his first over and he does so again here.

Cameron Delport hooks his third delivery for four down to fine leg, but then plays a check drive to another slower ball and very nearly chips it straight to the fielder at mid-on.

Fynn Hudson-Prentice will continue at the other end, with wicketkeeper Daryn Smit this time standing up to the stumps.

Fynn Hudson-Prentice actually comes back well from that early four, to his credit... Until Cameron Delport creams the sweetest of straight drives back over the bowler's head.

He repeats the trick from the final ball as Hudson-Prentice sends a full toss down to the batsman.

Good over for Essex, that.

Image source, Rex Features

Seventy-five miles per hour, on a length... and his first ball is swatted straight back down the ground for another boundary from Cameron Delport.

Welcome to Finals Day, Fynn.

Ravi Rampaul continues with the third over, mixing his paces up with slower balls and off-cutters to try to deceive the batsmen on this slow pitch.

Tom Westley launches the fourth ball to cow corner for a one-bounce four.

Fynn Hudson-Prentice will come into the attack now...

Ebony Rainford-Brent
Ex-England batter on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

I'd put my money on Derbyshire because they are coming here with nothing to lose and I think that takes all the weight off, they'll be secretly confident.

If you look at the fixture of paper you'd choose Essex all day but I think Derbyshire have got something to offer.

Aside from those couple of flashes from Cameron Delport, it's all been fairly sedate so far at Edgbaston.

The crowd is pretty quiet too, I suspect still recovering from the drama of that first semi-final.

Logan van Beek will take the second over and his very first ball gets a bit of treatment, as Cameron Delport trots down the pitch and swats him away for four.

He continues that aggressive approach two balls later but this time spoons his shot straight up into the bright blue sky - and is fortunate to see it land right in the middle of three scampering fielders.

Essex captain Simon Harmer told BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra: Watching the first game I think the pitch is going to get slower and slower, there might be some dew tonight if we make it through but first things first it's quite a slow wicket so we'll try and get first use out of it.

It's a massive day for and and we'd love to get to the final but we've got massive game against Derbyshire first so we just need two or three big performances from individuals.

Derbyshire captain Billy Godleman told BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra: I'm happy, we would have also batted first, I've been reliably informed by the groundsman that this part of the day is when the wicket is at it's best so I don't think it will change too much.

We just want to get out there and play, it's an amazing atmosphere, we've got a lot of support, it's a really special day so hopefully we can put a performance in.

There was maybe just a smidge of swing at the start of that opening over, but not too much to write home about.

A few singles and a wide down the leg side punctuate an otherwise fairly uneventful first set of six.

And Tom Westley gets off the mark by dabbing a gentle loosener down to short third man.

What sort of total will they be looking at here, do we reckon?

Right then, the players are on their way out into the middle so let's crack on with some more bat and ball.

Tom Westley and Cameron Delport are opening the batting for Essex, while Ravi Rampaul has the brand new white ball in his hand for Derbyshire...