Hampshire are one win from a fifth Lord’s final in nine years - but may be without Neil McKenzie for their YB40 semi-final against Glamorgan.

The Royals qualified for the YB40 last four with the best record in the country after beating Derbyshire by 41 runs at Derby to win Group B.

It ensured a home tie in the last four, on either Saturday, September 7 or Monday, September 9, with Nottinghamshire and Somerset contesting the other semi-final (the ECB is expected to announce tomorrow which days the games are played).

The availability of Danny Briggs, and possibly Michael Carberry, is far from guaranteed with England’s one-day international series against Australia starting on September 6.

But Hampshire captain Jimmy Adams revealed that McKenzie is also a doubt due to his Highveld Lions commitments.

“Macca’s got to go back for a Champions League camp so his availability depends whether we play on the Saturday or the Monday,” explained Adams, who is just happy to have a home semi-final to look forward to following the recent disappointment at Friends Life t20 Finals Day.

Especially as, for long periods, a weakened Derbyshire side threatened to produce an upset, with results elsewhere not going in Hampshire’s favour.

Adams said: “Halfway through Derbyshire’s innings we were behind the eight-ball so we’re just glad to have got through a tough game.

“It wasn’t smooth sailing all the way, that’s for sure but we’ve been a strong one-day side for a while and now we’ve got to make sure we have a trophy this year to show for it.

“Glamorgan have played very good cricket to get where they are but being at home is an advantage. They’ve got dangerous cricketers but hopefully our experience stands us in good stead.

“We came up short against Lancashire last week and had to work really hard against Derbyshire but the guys are aware we need to up our game.”

Hampshire’s progress also gives Dimi Mascarenhas a fantastic chance to end his career on a high. Defeat at Derby would not have been a happy way for his career to end but he has another big day at the Ageas Bowl to look forward to and could yet go out as a three-time Lord’s winner, having missed last year’s final through injury.

“It’s great for Dimi we’re still in it,” admitted Adams. “As Derbyshire’s PA announcer said, he deserves to be thanked for what he’s done in his career, we’ll miss him just as much if not more off the field and we have to ready ourselves for it. Hopefully we can send him off on a high.”

Hampshire headed to Southport last night for their LV County Championship match against division two leaders Lancashire, which starts tomorrow.

It is Hampshire’s first match at Southport since Gordon Greenidge and Barry Richards gunned down David Lloyd’s Lancashire en route to the 1973 Championship title.

Forty years on, it is in the limited-overs competitions that last year’s double winners are once again proving to be the most consistent side in the country.