Cameron Delport jets in as Essex prepare for T20 Blast title defence

It's easy to glamourise the life of a T20 freelancer, jumping from team to team in idyllic locations and picking up a hefty paycheque - some of the time, at least. But for five months, the short-form economy ground to a halt: the PSL was called off on the day of the semi-finals, and until the CPL started last week, players who rely on leagues have been struggling.

But things are slowly beginning to fall back in place. Nobody has represented as many T20 teams (11) as Cameron Delport since the start of 2018, and after he raced back to South Africa just in time to beat border closures following the PSL, he is back in Chelmsford ready to help Essex defend their Vitality Blast title.

"I was back home after the PSL got called off on semi-final day," he told ESPNcricinfo. "South Africa was on quite a strict lockdown, so I was just trying to keep myself busy. It gave me a bit of an opportunity to work on my fitness and shed some kilos: I managed to lose about 12kg, mainly from running up and down a 400m driveway."

Delport was based in Natal, living on the same estate as Hampshire seamer and his "running partner" Kyle Abbott. He found himself running charity half-marathons to keep in shape, but once the ECB had confirmed that the Blast would take place from the end of August, it was all hands on deck to get him back to the UK.

"I'm lucky that my ancestral visa [which allows him to play as a local player] has a few more years on it, so unlike some other guys I would be able to get back," he said. "But looking for flights was a real mission - I had a fair few people trying to help me find one. Airlines would put out an itinerary, and then cancel it at the last minute."

He eventually made it back, with a lightning-fast turnaround time for his connecting flight in Doha, and after spending two weeks quarantining at a school friend's house in London, hopped up to his flat in Chelmsford with his partner. Since then, he has been training at the County Ground and playing for Buckhurst Hill CC: "I've got a few runs [221 runs in four innings] but I must admit I've found it tricky on club wickets."

Now, attention turns to the Blast. Essex won their maiden title last year, going on a five-game winning streak after starting the tournament with two wins from their first ten. They are without the star of that triumph this year after Ravi Bopara's departure to Sussex: he scored 219 runs for once out in their final five games, vindicating captain Simon Harmer's decision to use him as a finisher.

"We had to win our game against Hampshire, which ended up as a tie," Delport recalled. "We beat Kent at home, and the Glamorgan result had to go our way. I remember the guy on the intercom saying we'd qualified, and there was this massive roar where nobody knew what had been going on. In the quarter, Lancs were banking on a pitch to suit their spinners, but we were clicking so well - there wasn't a team that could have beaten us. It was a cold night up at Durham, but the toss went our way which was crucial and Ravi and Tendo [Ryan ten Doeschate] finished it for us.

"We had a good win against Derbyshire first up on Finals Day - it suited us playing the second game to get the feeling of the day. We knew Worcestershire were champions and had a few world-class players, but things went our way and the rest is history."

Essex were one of several sides in 2019 to win a T20 league after starting poorly, alongside Melbourne Renegades and Barbados Tridents. In all three cases, there were early defeats while teams worked out their best combinations, followed by winning streaks at the back end as teams got onto a roll.

"When you play so many group games, you want to play your best cricket towards the end, and then peak during the knockouts," said Delport. "In most T20 leagues, guys only have a few days to get together, and there's no guarantee the squad will mix well. You don't want to panic too early: you want to play your best cricket towards the back end."

Delport was Essex's top-scorer last year with 409 runs at a strike rate of 167.62, and in Bopara's absence, there will be an additional burden on him this year. He insists he is not feeling any added responsibility, and is confident that the squad will cope without last season's key man.

"There were tough decisions last year, but it was about Essex winning, not individuals," he said. "Harmy is a flipping great leader, and he's a very strong character. The boys really backed him last year. Ravi eventually did buy into it, and you saw the dividends on Finals Day.

"It gives another youngster an opportunity this year. We've got great depth with a lot of local boys, and there will be a few guys who are given the chance to showcase their skills: Ravi is a world-class player, but someone else gets a go to fill his role."