First ramp shot of the day sees Ben McDermott lift Cook over the keeper. The ball plugs but Robin Das cannot stop another four despite a fine, rolling effort.

Superb start from Hampshire, and keeping on a musical theme here's Sam Cook to bowl the third over.

for Hampshire's McDermottpublished at 1.4 overs

1.4 overs

Hampshire 28-0 v Essex

Boof! First of the day as McDermott drives Sams flat over long off for six. Two balls later, he edges through slip for another four.

Image source, Rex Features

Daniel Sams is next up for Essex, and his first delivery is squeezed out through third by Ben McDermott for another four under a diving fielder.

Speaking of James Vince - he is on strike, nudging one off his legs for four and then driving a full toss to the point boundary for another.

Good start for the defending champions.

Alex Hartley
Former England bowler on BBC Five Live Sports Extra

James Vince has been so dominant in this competition that the Hampshire middle order haven’t had as much time in the middle as you might expect – if Essex can pick up an early wicket, and it’s Vince, then they will be delighted.

Both lineups have brilliant cricketers. I am excited to see Paul Walter, he’s a powerful unit. It should be a fantastic match.

Beard's first legitimate delivery is clipped nicely through midwicket for four by Ben McDermott!

It races over the outfield, which does not feel like it;s suffered the deluge of the last day or so.

And Aaron Beard's first ball is a legside wide.

Righty-ho, we are all set, the weather's set fair, the teams are out, here we go!

Image source, Rex Features

The 2019 winners Essex saw off Birmingham Bears by two wickets to secure a passage to their sixth finals day.

"I'm very excited. It's the biggest day in the county cricket timetable and the day you want to get to," batter Michael Pepper told BBC Essex.

"We should've won one [game against Hampshire], but I guess if we keep doing what we've been doing in the last couple of games I think we should be good.

"We've got world-class players and it often only takes one player or moment to change the game."

Image source, Rex Features

Hampshire secured a nail-biting one-run win over Lancashire Lightning 12 months ago to move level with Leicestershire Foxes on three T20 titles.

The Hawks are now in the last four for a record 10th time after easing to a five-wicket win over Worcestershire Rapids at the Ageas Bowl in their quarter-final.

"After winning in the fashion that we did last year, we are eager to get back to it," Hampshire captain James Vince, the leading run-scorer this season with 657 runs, told BBC Radio Solent.

"How good it felt after the game makes us more hungry to try to repeat the win."

BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

There will be full coverage of all the action today on the radio, of course.

BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra is already up and running, with Henry Moeran, Aatif Nawaz and Daniel Norcross joined by Melissa Story, Carlos Brathwaite, Glenn Maxwell and Alex Hartley.

Hit the 'Listen live' button on this page to tune in.

There's also the option to listen to your local BBC radio commentators - with BBC Essex, BBC Radio Solent, BBC Somerset and BBC Radio London all available at the click of a button at the top of the page too.

Ged Scott
BBC Sport at Edgbaston

Image source, Ged Scott - BBC Sport

There is 'weather' all over the Midlands - and there are still some ugly looking grey clouds bang over Edgbaston, which started to unleash spots of rain just as I was walking in.

The puddles in the car park are also a fair indication of just how much rain the outfield has had to absorb, especially over the last 24 hours .

But there are two teams (and admittedly a hover cover too) warming up out there in the middle, all ready to perform.

So will holders Hampshire be the first team to successfully defend the trophy?

Can Essex repeat what they did here in 2019?

Or will it be perennial losers Somerset (who have not won it in seven further Finals Day attempts since their first at The Oval in 2005), or Surrey (who have not won it since the very first year of T20 at Trent Bridge in 2003)?

Let's hope we get to find out today.

Image source, Ged Scott - BBC Sport

If we're honest, expecting to witness 120-odd overs of uninterrupted cricket today would seem optimistic, and any action we do see seems likely be impacted by the conditions too.

As you can see, very strong winds and potentially heavy showers are the order of the day - but it's OK at the moment.

Unless you are fortunate enough to have secured a ticket to Edgbaston then it looks a great day to enjoy our live text and radio coverage from the comfort of an enclosed building.

Fingers crossed the weather is merely a sidenote to the day and we're talking about cricket in 11 hours from now.

If not, however, then Sunday is a reserve day which can be utilised if necessary.

File under 'changeable'.

Essex skipper Simon Harmer won the toss and elected to bowl first - suspect Hampshire might have chosen to chase too, given the chance.

Is that first blood to Essex?

Australian star Ben McDermott is back from injury for Hampshire in their only change while the highly-promising Robin Das comes in for Feroze Khushi who has an injured hand in Essex's only change from their quarter-final triumph.

Hampshire Hawks XI: James Vince (c), Ben McDermott (wk), Tom Prest, Joe Weatherley, Liam Dawson, Ross Whiteley, James Fuller, Benny Howell, Chris Wood, Nathan Ellis, John Turner.

Essex XI: Adam Rossington (wk), Dan Lawrence, Michael Pepper, Robin Das, Paul Walter, Matt Critchley, Daniel Sams, Simon Harmer (c), Shane Snater, Aaron Beard, Sam Cook.

Image source, Rex Features

Good morning and welcome to Edgbaston.

It’s the showpiece occasion of the domestic cricket season and, weather permitting, we should have two fantastic semi-finals and a blockbuster final coming up.

Somerset, Hampshire, Surrey and Essex will do battle in the second all-South Group lineup in three seasons.

If the group stages of the T20 Blast are anything to go by, then prepare yourself for thrills, spills and drama galore.

We will get underway in 15 minutes with a mouth-watering clash between the defending champions Hampshire, led by the competition's leading run-scorer James Vince, and Essex, who only secured a place in the knockout stages thanks to a last-ball six at The Oval to secure a win on the final afternoon of the group stage.