THE sea is sapphire, the breakers white and the sands silver. The Banks beer is ice cold and Mrs Light is sipping a rum punch. Never has this column been written in more idyllic circumstances.

It is four days after the Test match between the West Indies and England and time to take stock. A dry pitch provided compelling, competitive cricket and initially fortunes ebbed and flowed with excitement in the middle thrilling fans of both sides. The atmosphere was both electric and exuberant.

It had all the colour and life of a good day at the Cheltenham Festival and the Stow Horse Fair and a good night at Brewery Blues. Perhaps it was one of the best matches I have seen: certainly it was the best party ever.

It was a privilege to watch with so many cheerful and knowledgeable Bajans. The shady Greenidge and Haynes Stand was a great place to be, especially on the last day.

Sometimes in sport you lose but it is possible to rejoice with the victors. This was such an occasion. A strong, young West Indian side was emerging before our eyes. Deemed mediocre by ECB chairman Colin Graves, they were anything but. New coach Phil Simmons, aided by Curtly Ambrose, is taking them forward, a direction in which England are not moving.

There is much for Graves to do. He should start with selection. It was poor for the tour and abysmal for the third Test. With an Ashes series almost upon us, this was the ideal opportunity to test some young players. It was not taken.

Jonathan Trott was a victim of the last Ashes series and it was a mistake to select him for the whole tour, compounded by playing him in every game. Humiliation and embarrassment resulted. His subsequent retirement was the inevitable result. He has served us well and we must remember the good times.

His continued support meant Adam Lyth of Yorkshire never got a game, He, Alex Hales and James Vince are the men of the future. Where were they?

Why was James Tredwell taken on tour? He could not get a game for his county, Kent, last season and had to go out on loan. Adil Rashid of Yorkshire was taken but not selected. On a dry bouncy pitch he could have won us the last Test. So, too, could wicket keeper Jos Butler, who missed an easy stumping chance on the last day. If he is the best wicketkeeper in England, I am Geoff Boycott.

Selection must be braver and bolder. I offer some new names – Adam Riley of Kent, David Willey of Northants, wicket keeper Sam Billings of Kent and Mark Footitt, the fast left arm bowler from Derbyshire. He was the country’s leading wicket taker last season and is bowling well now.

As well as changing selectors, I look forward to seeing a new coach. Re-appointing Peter Moores was a retrograde step. Jason ‘Dizzy’ Gillespie of Yorkshire would be my choice. As for captaincy, Alistair Cook is the best we have got. The search for another must start now.

Good cricket news filtered through from Chelmsford where Gloucestershire’s young team tightened up their game to beat Essex handsomely. This fine win was made possible by Liam ‘Pasty’ Norwell taking 10 wickets in the game. Now free-of-injury, Liam told me at the AGM he is now running in freely and with confidence: now he has the results that prove it.

That's not the case with Forest Green Rovers, who lost to Bristol Rovers in the play-offs. This was not a disaster as the season was a record breaker, with so much progress made.

Several players are leaving as manager Ady tweaks his squad, with Chris Stokes, Sam Russell, James Norwood and Luke Oliver among those moving on.

I do not share the view of some fans that Chris is the Gareth Bale of the Conference: he has too many defensive frailties. I am sorry to see goalkeeper Sam Russell leave. Respected in the Five Valleys for all the right reasons, Sam still has ambitions in the game and will not fulfil them on the bench at the New Lawn. Anyone who signs him will have received a diamond.

James Norwood is many things, a maverick, a winger, or is he a striker? But above all he is the club record goal scorer. The manager and James disagree about his best position. I am on the manager’s side and see that being wide right, but James sees himself as a central striker.

Time will tell but despite these differences I would have tried to keep the talented Norwood at FGR. Good luck, James, and thanks for so many exciting moments.

The departing players will free up a sizeable amount of the playing budget. I await news of Ady’s summer signings.

A word about Elliot Frear. It became obvious that with Marcus Kelly out of the side he lacked service. Pre-season should concentrate on keeping him involved and, if all goes well, we should then see the best of James Marwood. Those are two specific challenges for the manager.

Now I must close. Mrs Light has just arrived and reminded me it is happy hour.