OPINION: Former Gloucestershire chairman John Light

Northants were in charge, with Gloucestershire 108-4 when Jack Taylor came to the wicket.

The remainder of the game looked like being a back to the wall struggle.

So it was, but it was Northants who struggled.

Straight away, Jack attacked, scoring runs all round the wicket. It was not slogging, far from it.

Jack has a wide range of strokes and used them all. Towards the end of his innings there were eight fielders on the boundary.

He was able to find gaps that no one thought existed. Splendidly supported by Benny Howell (36) and Craig Miles (41), Jack surged to his career best, and of course a healthy lead was established.

Northants were punch drunk, but with century makers in their side from opening bat down to number nine, surely they had the firepower to hit back.

The Gloucestershire pace attack had other ideas. Bowling as a unit, Miles, James Fuller and Liam Norwell put the pressure on and kept it there.

Scoring the runs to win was a mere formality.

Michael Proctor, Zaheer Abbas and Courtney Walsh have entertained us at Cheltenham, but this time it was our own homegrown stars playing for their local clubs and graduating through our academy.

Liam Norwell had been the main threat in the first innings, Craig Miles in the second.

Holding the match ball aloft, Craig led the players from the field.

With every step, he displayed pride as well as his natural shyness, and if you know Craig you will know exactly what I mean.

He was the most successful bowler in the previous T20 Blast defeat to Kent. Our cricket was splendid as we sought to defend a score of 166.

In my view, we should have scored at least 25 runs more, but we had no-one in the middle order.

Hard-hitting power man of the match Alex Black brought Kent to victory with just two balls to spare.

As the festival moved on, special praise must be given to the college groundsman for producing two fine wickets.

Both sides in the four-day game agreed if you put the ball in the right place bowlers could be rewarded. If you erred towards inaccuracy you would be punished.

That is what the Gloucestershire bowling unit did and quite simply Northants could not cope. Unfortunately, the scoreboard could not cope either.

Looking at it was as worthwhile as staring in the murky waters of Purton pond.

Quite simply it is not fit for purpose, but I am afraid we will be stuck with it for the rest of the festival.

So far 47 people have spoken to me, 43 of them to complain about the scoreboard.

I have passed the dissatisfaction of so many members on to the appropriate club officials, but am not optimistic about change.

I estimate the two days lost to cricket because of the early finish against Northants cost at least 10,000 in gate money, so there is a definite downside in losing in two days.

I had the opportunity to watch the Cardiff test match on TV, and England were a revelation.

There whole playing mindset has changed, and look at the result that ensues!

I have in the past made sour comments about Stuart Broad. I am happy to withdraw them totally.

He made initial inroads into the Australian batting in the second innings and deserved to be on the winning side.

Good and entertaining as England are, I shall not desert Gloucestershire and head for Lords.

Yes, of course I want my country to do well, but county loyalties are stronger.

This may be a minority view but I hold it dear.

In local news, the big story at Cheltenham was the announcement that Geriant Jones had resigned the four day captaincy and would retire at the end of the season.

Speaking to me before the news broke, he gave a clear summing up of the big picture.

Ian Cockbain is a captain of the future and can now gain valuable experience.

Geraint remains available for selection in all forms of the game. His decision has been selfless, brave and correct.

I close with wishing Mike Smith well.

Known to many in Cirencester sporting circles, he attended the festival in the wheelchair to which he is now confined.

It was great to see you Mike!