TO come out fighting after suffering a body blow like we did against Lancashire shows the real character of this Glamorgan team.

I said in my last column that the Championship clash with the Red Rose county was going to be a huge test.

We responded with a superb performance in which we outfought them for two and a half days – only to be beaten by 14 runs when Glenn Chapple produced a stunning display of bowling.

Chasing a target of 153 we could only manage 139 with our last seven wickets falling for 36 runs.

It was gutting after going toe-to-toe with a quality side packed full of international experience.

We were devastated because our performance earned a lot of respect, not only from a quality Lancashire team but from other counties who saw what we had done.

But the way that we responded speaks volumes about the 2013 Glamorgan side.

There wasn’t time for wallowing, we had to get back on the horse against Yorkshire, complete with England stars Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root, in a one-day game also in Colwyn Bay.

We did that and not only did we beat them but we backed up that win with another in the televised game at Middlesex the following day.

The schedule was a nightmare – making the five-hour trek from north Wales to London and getting there at 11.45pm – but there is nothing like Lord’s to spruce you up.

Whether a player or on the coaching staff, just walking through those famous gates and seeing the surroundings gives you a lift.

To beat them, with Marcus North leading from the front with a brilliant century, gave us the perfect start in the Yorkshire Bank 40.

It was a shame that the weather denied us the chance to make it six points from a possible six against the Unicorns in Cardiff on Sunday, but that’s cricket.

We got out of jail in our County Championship opener against Northamptonshire because of the weather so we can’t complain.

Sportsmen often talk about momentum but we do want to build on what we achieved against Yorkshire and Middlesex.

That starts today against Essex in the County Championship and we haven’t played four-day cricket since Lancashire so everyone is fit and firing.

They have some quality players but it’s a game that we feel confident of winning and the same goes for Sunday’s 40-over match against Gloucestershire.

We don’t play at home in June because of the Champions Trophy so a pair of wins would set us up perfectly for life on the road.