ANOTHER wonderful away win. Gloucestershire's county cricket team followed up their Chelmsford triumph by going to Old Trafford and beating table-topping Lancashire. This is outstanding form.

“Gloucestershire played good cricket throughout,” said Lancashire supremo Ashley Giles. “A fine team performance,” said our captain Geraint Jones. Both men, former team-mates, of course, were exactly right.

Both matches were won by bowling strong opposition out twice and, of course, scoring more runs. The three quick bowlers – Payne, Norwell and Miles – did us proud. Like so many of our squad these are state school pupils, nurtured in their local clubs and developed in our academy. This is the way to produce both county and England cricketers.

I await the selection of one of our players for the national side, but equally I wait for one youngster from the Cotswold district to play for the county. The route is clear – first, represent your district, then the appropriate age-range side, then the academy. Of course, it gets tougher with every step, but the route is there.

The county club and the recreational board have never worked more closely together and the County Youth Trust can support anyone who needs financial help for equipment or travelling. You can contact me in strict confidence via this newspaper if this may apply to you.

There is, of course, more good news. Bristol planners have said yes to floodlights! This means the ODIs can now take place as well as the four World Cup ties in 2019.

There are a few men in late middle age who have put so much of themselves into our county club to make the future bright. The officers' names you know but there are others behind the scenes. Chris Coley from Cheltenham, patron Sam Vestey, fund-raiser Mike Simpson, supported by Dave McGlauchin.

We had two main aims. One was to develop the ground; the other to improve recruitment. The signs are we have been successful. The board with Bill Griffin from Duntisbourne Leer and club historian Roger Gibbons from Stroud make sure this area is well represented, as does new patron the Earl Bathurst. I can now step into my new role as benign elder statesman with confidence and joy.

Then, of course, there is the T20 Blast. With the national press blaming late finishes (8.20pm) there was minimal coverage of the beating of Middlesex. The cruelly-constructed fixture list sent us to Hove and a six-run defeat on Sunday, then back to Bristol straight away for the four-day game against Kent.

When one thinks of the ECB, the well-known phrase that includes the words 'organise' and ‘brewery’ comes to mind. They have even succeeded in making a martyr out of an itinerant South African mercenary who has an idea of his own importance I do not share.

After all my recent gallivanting I spent a few minutes at the Cirencester Cricket Club on Thursday evening. Twenty-two young cricketers, well turned out and well coached, were playing the Cirencester v Fairford U15s fixture. Both teams were a credit to their respective clubs, and the winners Cirencester will play Poulton in the competition final.

In the distance was the familiar shape of Phil Carter, busy with wheelbarrow and lawn mower. He is both unstinting and selfless in his efforts to keep the ground in good nick and he is still bowling, and very steadily too, I hear.

When the first Cotswold region cricketer makes their first-class debut, Phil will receive from me a bottle of whiskey or Champagne. Be sure to let me know which you prefer, Phil.

Mrs Light and I have found a cure for jet-lag. Weary from our return journey from Barbados, we slumped on the sofa and watched Swindon Town v Sheffield United. The exuberant exciting game revived us totally. Swindon are a paradox: they attack with movement and skill, but when it comes to defending those characteristics are missing.

Full credit must be given to manager Mark Cooper. He has done wonders with a low budget and young team. Mark had been in the managerial wilderness but found himself in the right place at the right time at Swindon. Whatever happens at Wembley, he is my manager of the season.

Which team will be the cricket team of the year? Lechlade are scoring plenty of runs, topping 300 yet again, but Cirencester have a 100 per cent record and easily head their league. I shall certainly visit the friendly ground in The Park more often.