THE games have been coming thick and fast since the start of the season and we’ve been pretty quick out of the blocks with three Championship victories already meaning we’re currently sitting pretty in second place in Division Two of the County Championship.

Early season form is key for any team and with the wickets being pretty favourable for bowlers – like they always should be – there have been less draws around than usual meaning that grabbing those wins when the chances have been there is crucial.

There’s a long way to go in the Championship but we’re looking like we have the sort of blend of youth and experience to be real force in the four day game.

Our latest victory over Northants was a real team performance, with attacking batting and good bowling giving us the upper hand throughout.

James Harris took the plaudits with the ball this time around but Huw Waters also bowled well for little reward and I managed to chip in with a few wickets as well. ‘Bones’ Harris has been rewarded for his good form with a call up for England A (or the Lions, I think they call them nowadays) to play against Bangladesh this week in Derby where I’m sure he’ll carry his form up to the next level. He’ll need to find someone else to shine the ball for him at mid-off up there mind you!

While our form in the longer form of the game has been good we’ve struggled to find consistent form in the forty over competition so far.

We are now thankfully out of ‘negative figures’ in our group though with our points deduction from last year wiped off thanks to our win against Worcestershire.

The game is certainly changing, and seeing Gareth Rees reverse sweeping the opening bowlers for six towards the end of our run chase was quite a sight. I look forward to seeing him practicing that particular shot against Shaun Tait in the nets when he arrives for the Twenty20 in a few weeks time!

And speaking of Big Taity, he might just have a few extra yards of pace in him to unleash on English batsman after the result of Sundays brilliant World Twenty20 final.

England played some great cricket over the course of the tournament and totally deserved to win in my opinion.

They played a really exciting and fearless brand of cricket and picked a side to go out and put their plans into place. Pietersen and Kieswetter were the key players for me with their ability to change gear and up the scoring rate making it really hard for bowlers to contain England.

I’m also happy for a few of my old mates to have tasted such success. I’ve been good pals with Graeme Swann since the winter we spent rooming together at the National Academy in Loughborough in 2004-5 and everything he touches seems to have turned to gold since he got back in the England team.

I’ve also tasted some pretty notable success alongside another member of the England team.

Myself and Luke Wright won the hotly contested prize of National Academy badminton championships back in 2004 so I’m glad that after Sunday’s result he’ll have another medal of similar importance to show to his grandchildren!

In between County Championship games, one-dayers and cheering on my buddies in the Caribbean I’ve also had time to make my debut in the new Welsh Premier cricket league for my new club Ynysygerwn.

We get allocated out to clubs in the top division meaning I’ve had to leave my beloved Panteg – temporarily I hope – to play down West. There were a few familiar faces on show during the game mind you.

Robert Croft and my little brother Adam were giving me some stick from amongst the opposing ranks and though their boys may have won the war for their team, I didn’t allow them to win the personal war for bragging rights.

Crofty was bowling me some of the most tempting of deliveries during my time at the crease but I knew that I would never hear the end of it if he got me out so I resigned myself to offering him up some of my finest ‘barn door’ defensive play and keeping my offence for another day.

And as for Adam, well he was all talk and didn’t dare to bowl at his big brother, preferring to hide away at fine leg. He must still remember the mauling I used to give him in the back garden when we were nippers!

It may still be early season, but we’ve already had some success in our dressing room this year with Roger Skryme, who looks after us at the Swalec Stadium, managing his Gwent Schools under 18s football team to the English Counties title.

This is quite an achievement for the young lads and I’m sure they enjoyed their victory against the Durham side at Bramall Lane. Being a proud supporter of all things Gwent, I’m behind the lads so well done fellas. Hopefully the victory bug will be catching.