SIMON Matthews began the season in virtual retirement and is now set to end it with a Twickenham appearance.

The veteran Chinnor and Oxon prop last summer announced he was taking a back seat after a long career.

And following just a handful of first team appearances in 2005-06, he looked to have stuck to his guns.

But on Bank Holiday Monday, he can expect to be in the thick of it against Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire.

Matthews said: "I got a call for the first game against Hampshire at fairly short notice as Joe Winpenny wasn't fit.

"John Brodley said play for as long as you last and I've now played in all four games.

"It's my last chance to play at Twickenham and I don't intend missing it."

Matthews was in the Oxfordshire team who lost 27-8 to Northumberland in the 2003 final and he is relishing a second chance of Twickenham glory.

"It is a cracking day out," he said. "A lot of better players never get the chance to play there, so you should make the most of it.

"Last time we lost, so we want to put that right.

"Some of the players are still there from last time, which is good.

"But apart from me, it's a far younger side this time.

"A lot of us have played together for two or three years so there is a bit of cohesion, even for the players from other clubs."

Matthews added: "If you go back four or five years, there was at least one occasions when Oxfordshire didn't put a side out.

"But since John Brodley came in, everyone has wanted to play for him."

Matthews may well be benefiting from the freshness of not having played that much this season, but he expects to be hanging up his boots this summer.

He said: "A long season takes it out of you, so I may have an advantage.

"And I missed a lot of it with a broken thumb as well.

"After the final, I'll play a couple of games on tour in Dubai and that should be it."