Festival cricket is a unique feature of the English game. For a week of the season counties take the first-class game to various venues usually reserved for club cricket. Whilst the idea of taking the game to the people should be applauded, one can not help but question the logic of playing four day games on pitches that often struggle to last one. Invariably festival games are completed in around three days, with leg before wicket and bowled dismissals dominating the closing stages as a result of the fact that the wickets tend to play lower and slower.

Invariably festival games are completed in around three days, with leg before wicket and bowled dismissals dominating the closing stages

Somerset play Festival Week matches in the wonderful Roman city of Bath. We utilise an oval which, during the winter, is used as a car park by the local (very successful) rugby union side for matches held on a neighbouring ground. The one-day and four day contests during the week are the only cricket matches staged on the ground all summer and groundsman Phil Frost does a remarkable job in preparing the surface to last the distance.

This year our combatants were Sussex for the one-day match and Kent for the four day match and I was delighted to leave the city with two excellent, hard fought victories.

Sussex were the winners of the Division 2 one-day league last year and this year Michael Bevan has returned to make them even more formidable. He and captain Chris Adams are both particularly damaging, especially if allowed to bat together for any length of time.

Three from three very tough wins in the CGU league, which should hold us in very good stead in future tough situations.

We batted first on a slow wicket and battled to 196, thanks mainly to another terrific 70 from Marcus Trescothick. Rumour has it that he is very close to being called up for England and may even get his chance in the triangular one-day series coming up soon. We always thought our score to be defendable but a lot relied on the wickets of Bevan and Adams. They came together fairly early and had put on a dangerous partnership of almost 100 when Adams thankfully took a big swipe at, and was bowled by, what was to be the last ball Keith Parsons would have delivered in a spell. Momentum was completely reversed and Bevo could not find another capable ally to help him see his side home. With the required run rate soaring, the responsibility became even too much for his most capable shoulders and, when he holed out to long on, the game was effectively ours. Three from three very tough wins in the CGU league, which should hold us in very good stead in future tough situations.

Both teams received good selection news before the four day match, Andy Caddick being allowed to play for us and Rahul Dravid returning early for Kent after India had failed to make the finals of the Asia Cup in Dhaka.

Both players are of real class and made significant contributions to the match. Dravid batted particularly well in the first innings for a match high 90, before out caught behind down the leg side when really starting to hit his straps and score freely. He showed no sign of having been in the Dhaka heat just twenty-four hours earlier.

All season I have tried to downplay the effect of losing Caddick for most of the season to England but the influence he had over this game (and has upon the English game in general) was enormous. Ten wickets for the match - six in the first innings and four in the second - in fifty overs. If that wasn’t enough, he came in during the second innings with us at 8-152, needing 190 to win and he changed the momentum of the game again with a breezy 21 not out to see us home with no further fuss. It’s time I faced the fact that he is going to be missed!

Somerset v Kent - Championship Scorecard
Somerset v Sussex - National League Scorecard

The day off between the one-day and four day game at Bath presented an opportunity for one of life’s great experiences - hot-air ballooning over the city. Anyone who may have as strong a fear of heights as me will understand that this is initially not something to get you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside and to say I was petrified would be an understatement. But it was truly exhilarating. Bath is beautiful from the ground but simply breathtaking from the air, with all of its brilliant architecture and lovely parks and gardens.

It’s an experience I would highly recommend to anyone and it is far more peaceful and relaxing up in the air than I could ever have imagined. The perfect cure for anyone with a fear of heights but beware the landing can be a little hairy!

Jamie Cox from the South West