TWO thumping home defeats have brought to an end a frustrating T20 campaign. Frustrating because although generally wretched, Gloucestershire showed at the Oval and Hove that they could be wonderful – but not often enough!

The reasons for failure are clear. Apart from Porterfield and Franklin we possess no batsman who can dominate.

Those two did so occasionally but in the lottery of T20 were not consistent enough. The rest of the batsmen were too orthodox, scoring safe singles to Long On or Off, when some firm slogging was called for. Our batsmen were splendid at finding fielders, our unorthodox opponents were good at finding gaps.

Our second over against Surrey was a case in point.

Wicketkeeper Steve Davies, a most destructive batsman, scored 14 runs off the edge of his bat. Aiming to hit Anthony Ireland through or over the offside he partially connected. Two fine edges brought two fours and a thicker one brought a six, and of course, edges or not, they all count.

It was no consolation to note that the three most successful Surrey players were all expensive imports. It was Davis (Worcester) Hamilton-Brown (Sussex) and the fit-for-once Tremlett (Hampshire) who won them the game. Somerset have some imports as well - notably the explosive West Indian Kieron Pollard and Alfonso Thomas. A £4m property deal has given Somerset purchasing power, while cash-rich Surrey profit from their lucrative deal to stage Test Matches.

Complaining, however, is no use. We must compete and our youth policy will ensure that compete we do.

I remember 2008 with shame. In order to put out a side we were scavenging for loan players, and used three in our championship side – A J Hanis from Notts, Wigley from Northampton and Newby from Lancashire. I wonder what has happened to them? Are any of them still playing county cricket? Can any reader remember them? The fact that they were needed showed the poverty of our resources then.

Local products Tom Stayt, Will Rudge, Jackson Thompson and Mark Hardinges had not, to use a horse racing expression 'trained on'. Our cupboard was bare.

Gloucestershire are committed to finding young cricketers on their doorstep. Louis Gegg, Chris Dent, Jack Taylor and others are coming in through the garden gate, along with David Payne and Liam Norwell from Dorset and Cornwall respectively. I had hoped to meet recent recruit Norwell at Bristol this weekend. For the best possible reason I could not. He, like David Payne, was on international duty.

Relationships with the South Western Minor Counties are now strong and Norwell leapfrogged Somerset to come to Gloucestershire. Academy director Owen Dawkins is establishing a nationally-recognised conveyor belt of cricketers, aided by Jack Russell's ambassadorial powers and range of contacts.

Jack assembled a promising group of players in the North Midlands. He wanted somewhere to try them out and booked the indoor school at Trent Bridge. To avoid Notts noticing he did not use his own name but was, of course, recognised. Fortunately, the Notts chairman thought it a huge joke! The result - Gemaal Hussain - 43 wickets in the County Championships - in his first season.

Now to the Cheltenham Festival lying second in the Championship and second in the Pro-40.

These placings give real reason for optimism. The initial match (Pro-40 v Yorkshire) on July 29 is a marvellous fixture.

Yorkshire top the 1st Division of the Championship and our section of the Pro-40.

For once they are rid of strife on and off the field and a fine side is emerging.

Adam Lyth scores fluent runs and has already more than 1,000 to his credit. They have three fine spin bowlers in Rafiq, Rashid and Wainwright, and I live in hope that Bresnan and Shahzad will be on international duty!

So many of us who used to catch the bus outside Woolworth's in Stroud or Mr Rowe 'the oilman's' shop in Gosditch Street will be there, our schoolboy optimism and enthusiasm remaining. We may not win many titles but we run the best festival!

Footnote from Owen Dawkins, our Academy man, "Liam Norwell is huge, a fine physique. He can bowl really fast - he is awesome." Watch this space.

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