CRICKET joy and soccer despair has filled the week! Record cash profits, record runs against Essex and, best of all, a marvellous win by Gloucestershire's second XI have made despatches from Bristol a delight to read.

Dan Housego and Hamish Marshall scored the first County Championship centuries of the season, putting Essex bowlers to the sword.

This does not happen very often at Chelmsford but Gloucestershire, having been put in, took the game to Essex.

Three wickets had gone down quickly but Dan and Hamish stood firm - their record-breaking stand will have done wonders for everyone's confidence. Rain, of course, wrecked the game but nine championship points are in the bag.

Congratulations to Cameron Herring, making his county debut and in the Essex innings he claimed his first wicket-keeping victim. News from the Oval may have escaped you.

The county's second XI played Surrey in a three- day game. Without a first team fixture Surrey picked England bowlers Lewis, Tremlett, Dernbach and Meaker.

They also included new signings Solanki from Worcestershire and left arm spinner Keedy from Lancashire. Gloucestershire were without U19 and U17 internationals Shrewsbury, Hammond and K Smith as they were at school.

Cockbain, Coughtrie, Miles, McArdur and Matt Taylor had played some first team cricket but the rest of the team were triallists and Academy players.

They won, chasing down a challenging total, following a declaration. Sixteen-year-old Tom Smith (47 not out) hit the winning runs. This victory has rightly thrilled everyone.

It shows the quality of the youngsters who wish to play for our county. To go to the Oval and win against such an experienced side is a credit to them and their coaches.

This column deplores the cheque book policy of Surrey. Lewis, Solanki, Tremlett and Keedy were all big-money Surrey signings. Our county concentrates on finding young cricketers qualified to play for England.

I hope some of you are on your feet cheering. The county should have done more of this in the past but they have got it right now - sadly, too late for some, but now everyone knows there are opportunities at Bristol.

Perhaps some of our local youngsters will be taking full advantage of this open and democratic approach. My cricket person of the season so far is David Taylor of the Fairford CC.

David and his team have already staged an U12 six-a-side tournament. Congratulations to all concerned, especially Johnny Gunn, James Newman, Harvey Jupp and Josh Grey who have been selected for the county U12 squads and to the Ferreira brothers who are in the Cotswold/Cheltenham district squad.

If anyone is worried about the future of English cricket go to your local club on a Sunday morning. Cheerful participation and good coaching is the order of the day.