COUNTY cricket is almost upon us – Gloucestershire start their first championship match at Northampton on Sunday (April 12).

Bristol is buzzing at the moment. Pre-season friendlies have resulted in fine individual and team performances, notably Hamish Marshall's 180 in a T20 game against Somerset. He struck 13 sixes.

One or two London pundits have lazily looked at our prospects, noted the departure of both Gidmans and written us off. They should have looked harder, then they would have seen a raft of homegrown players competing for places, a new captain and a new coaching team. Selection will be finalised following a match against Cardiff University played this week.

Press day is Friday (April 10) when all will be revealed, including a new Aussie signing.

Left arm pace bowler Matt Taylor will be a name to look out for and if James Fuller stays injury free he could develop into a true all-rounder.

The second division will be hard to escape from. Since their relegation Lancashire have languished there but are now managed by the experienced Ashley Giles. Meanwhile, Surrey have now realised you grow success rather than buy it. Both counties should feature strongly. Unless they are distracted by the arrogant irrelevance of Kevin Pietersen, Surrey is my tip for the top.

Our county is able to make meaningful challenges in every competition. New captain Geraint Jones promises to play match-winning cricket. Of course, we must wait and see but I know it will be fun.

Locally there is much to look forward to. Lechlade playing in the lofty heights of the West of England Premier League will find the season challenging. Cirencester must push on and surely Poulton will rebuild. Club of the season may well be Fairford. Well run, with cricketing opportunities for so many, they deserve to succeed.

Mrs Light speaks for everyone when she tells me she regrets not seeing village cricket when I was playing.

“Excitement, characters, lasting friendships – the game offers so much,” she said, and she is dead right. Get down to your local club, you will not regret it.

One club which deserves success is Chedworth CC. They are carrying the Cotswold flag into the County League. Their ambition and confidence deserves a special cheer.

Whereas cricket can in so many ways be compared to a wonderful wife, soccer is a cruel mistress. Cheltenham slumped nearer relegation while promotion hopefuls Cirencester Town, Swindon and Forest Green all lost important games.

The curse of the cameras struck again at The New Lawn. Their presence coincided with FGR's worst home display of the season.

It all started so well but without the beating heart of the team (midfield men Sinclair and Wedgbury) Forest Green just surrendered the lead and then the game.

The ball was given away, the defence became ragged, there was space for Aldershot to play as they wished. Substitutes did not help and Rovers completely crumbled.

All manager Ady Pennock could do after the game was to rue the fact that the crowd had been let down. As usual he was right but equally he was not downhearted. The next game cannot come soon enough, he said. He knew we could do better and how right he was.

I do not agree with Ady over two matters. One is the change of goalkeeper, the other being the use of James Norwood but I still back him to take us up.

Never before at Forest Green have we had such a confident manager and his confidence is catching. We now have real reason to hope. In the past we have been limited to dreams and they quickly became nightmares.

Ady’s teams are tough and they bounce back. The weekend got better. Other results went our way but nonetheless Monday was a must-win game.

Every Rovers player knew this and in the first half Chester were played off the park. The second half might have been rough round the edges but a 4-1 scoreline in favour of Rovers cannot be argued with.

At the end of the season we must remember that form, like fortune, 'makes fools of us all.’ Some teams respond to pressure better than others and crazy results happen.

The scene is now set for Macclesfield to visit on Saturday. Never before has it been more necessary for us, the crowd, to play a real part. Whatever happens, we know our duty. Keep singing, keep cheering and above all keep remembering the two men who have led us forward. You know who they are, you know what their vision is. It is a privilege to share it.

Keep the TV cameras away and victory should be ours.

Then it is away to a distant northern kingdom (Gateshead) and a fine athletics stadium before we entertain Dover in the last match of the season which will see everything decided.

Cricket can stay in the background. These are heady times, and they are there for us all to enjoy.