THE Thunder's final group game is at home to Yorkshire Diamonds under floodlights in the first-ever competitive women's game at Old Trafford.

A decent crowd turns up for what is effectively a dead rubber with neither side realistically able to reach finals day, but once again it is a great experience.

Games under lights – just like football – always seem to produce a special atmosphere and this one does not disappoint.

Lancashire play way below their potential and are well beaten in a game that produces all manner of quirks for the scorers.

Interspersed with the usual stuff we have a catch off a no ball following which the non striker is run out by the throw.

Three minutes later the umpires decide she is not out – presumably on the grounds of a dead ball (even though they never signalled it).

In my humble opinion she should have been out.

Add penalty runs for slow over rates and a hat-trick and we have pretty full scorebooks.

The communication set-up at these games is perhaps worth noting. The scorers, scoreboard operators and public address announcer are linked by one set of walkie talkies to make sure we are all in agreement, and the umpires and scorers are linked by a second set so all parties know what is going on out in the middle.

No leaning out of the scorebox window and shouting across to the middle here!

So, with the Thunder's season over all that remains is to finish the County Championship campaign and hopefully seal promotion back to the top division.

On the Saturday we leave Old Trafford for a six-hour coach trip to Exeter in readiness for the first of those games against Devon on a double header weekend.

Exeter CC borders Exeter University and is almost 200 years old. It controversially demolished a wooden pavilion opened by WG Grace and sold that portion of their land to build student flats, replacing it with a shiny new one further round the ground.

Unfortunately, whoever designed it was not a scorer as my view was unbelievably limited.

The weather does its best to ruin the day but eventually Lancashire get the job done and maximum points are a great start to the weekend.

It is back on the coach for a cross-country trip to Winchester ready for Monday's game at Hursley Park – a picturesque location that contains two grounds, each with its own pavilion.

The club are hoping to modernise the main pavilion which is around 70 years old. The game turns into a disaster as Lancashire Women collapse chasing a relatively low score and leave themselves under real pressure to win the last game and secure promotion.

We arrive back at Old Trafford at 11.15pm.

September 4 sees us assemble at a wet and windy Old Trafford for our final trip of the season to Newport.

Sunday dawns dry and cloudy but the rain had got under the covers and we settle back to watch the grass dry.

Newport International Sports Village, which houses the cricket club, is an impressive facility that also contains the FA of Wales development centre, a velodrome, swimming pool, tennis centre and athletics stadium.

After sitting around for hours the ground is deemed fit enough to play and I wander over to what from the outside looks an impressive double scorebox which caters for both pitches.

It is impressive inside apart from the quite considerable handicap of most of the ground once again being invisible.

The game is a thriller on a tricky wicket out of which we eventually squeeze a win to seal promotion.

So that's it, another season scoring for Lancashire Women is over and around 3,500 miles have been travelled.

Our objectives of promotion in the 50-over competition and staying up in the T20 are achieved, and the new Super League has been launched.

It is a season that has got me well over the 100-ground mark for scoring – the total figure now stands at 113. Hopefully, there will be more to add next year – especially Lostock's new ground.

I have visited all manner of grounds, from Test to county, new to well-established, all with their own quirks and some with great views to others with scarcely any views at all.

It has been a great experience and one I am extremely lucky and grateful to have been able to enjoy.

All I have to do now is find something to occupy my time over the winter months.

I'm sure the statto in me will find something.