I could not have been more wrong. Just before the season began, I lamented Gloucestershire's close-season apathy. The lack of an overseas signing, the delay in appointing a captain, the return of John Bracewell ('never go back' - isn't that what they say?) all pointed to one thing - another season of unmitigated disaster.
Last season demonstrated ineptitude on an unprecedented scale. Never before had the 'Shire gone through an entire Championship season without a victory. We had seen bad seasons before at Nevil Road, but nothing as bad as 2008. It was difficult to see any cause for optimism.
To begin with, the script was followed - a draw against Surrey at the Oval, followed by a loss to Essex. So far, so bad. But then everything changed. Two successive victories against Northamptonshire and Leicestershire took them to the top of the table, where they have remained ever since. At the time of writing, a third victory (against Middlesex) is surely only moments away. You wait in vain for over a year for a victory, and then three come along all at once.
I don't mind saying again that I could not have been more wrong. And I could not be more pleased.
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