I HOPE there are not too many defeats at the Cheltenham Festival.

Last weekend saw our team lose two Twenty20 games. They fell yet again to the curse of the TV cameras. It was a poor pitch at Worcester, but both sides had to adapt and Worcester did so in a more positive way.

On a difficult wicket, you need to stick to basics and play straight. We did not. Fifty-six years ago at Oaksey, I hit Tony Frape for a sweet four. I thought I could win the game for Rodmarton. Next ball I tried an arrogant cross-batted slog.

Light bowled Frape four. That rotten shot is still etched on my cricketing soul, and my father's surprisingly gentle words of sadness and disappointment are still with me also. "Just remember to play straight," was all he said. It was enough.

The Friday night game at Taunton was different. A good wicket produced a splendid match. Gloucestershire scored enough runs to win any of the other seven games played that evening, but Somerset won the game of the penultimate ball.

Congratulations to them. I was silly enough to make some daft remarks about Somerset some weeks ago. Humble pie is very much on the menu.

Now it is Cheltenham, and the sun is shining. For all of us there is the chance to see Craig Miles from Purton spearheading the attack.

Eighteen years of age Craig is the leading wicket taker in the County Championship. So far this is the only competition he has played in, as being so young he needs to be nursed along. Not for much longer.

He started this season as a boy but is rapidly becoming a man. Bowling at his pace in the anticipated heat, will not be easy but I am sure he is up to it.

It will be fun finding out. Too many people this week have been telling me the Festival is not what it was. I think it is better, and certainly it is different.

There used to be too many easy runs and wickets on offer. Peter Rochford batted at number eight for Gloucestershire, Sam Cook was nine, Bomber Wells ten, and Frank McHugh 11.

Rochford batted at eight because his career average was five. The other three took as many wickets as they scored runs. Fielding was far from agile and the improvement in that aspect of the game makes a day's cricket more competitive.

The biggest difference is the crowd. In 1949 (my first year), rural wages were low and there were many more workers on Cotswold farms. These made up the majority of the crowd.

Now as Cotswold society has changed, the cricket audience mirrors these changes.

Those who have retired to the Cotswolds, or come here to work attend with the same enthusiasm as those of us who chugged along the Churn Valley with a school satchel full of cheese and lettuce sandwiches and a bottle of Corona.

Two important aspects of those long-off years are missing. Firstly the Gloucestershire cricket sweater, both short sleeved and long. Trimmed with the county's attractive colours, these sweaters were both handsome and coveted.

They are no longer in use because woollen sweaters are no good at displaying sponsors' logos. Also missing are our international cricketers.

Now on central contracts, we seldom see them in the county game. One thing, however, remains the same, that is the friendship, good nature and appreciation of the game that makes cricket at Cheltenham so special.