THAT was a bit better. A victory at Worcester in only our second Championship game of the summer will have deeply upset all the merchants of doom who were predicting a long and hard summer for us at Glamorgan.

It is true that we had another woeful Benson & Hedges campaign but I think this most recent performance showed us in our true light.

And it should be remembered that Worcestershire are a formidable outfit, widely tipped for promotion.

They have a very strong batting line-up, reinforced by their winter signings - Ben Smith from Leicestershire and Stephen Peters from Essex.

And they have in Andy Bichel, an excellent overseas signing who, as well as being an extremely skilful bowler, pours heart and soul into his work for his adopted county.

So too our new signing Mike Kasprowicz. Those same merchants had already been criticising his signing when he came out wicketless of the first Championship game against Derbyshire, but all along I felt that he had been bowling well without much luck.

So it was nice that it turned for him up at Worcester. His spell after lunch on the final day was crucial.

Ben Smith was just starting to become entrenched and we needed his wicket badly. Step forward the big Queenslander.

To be fair I thought all our bowlers performed superbly throughout the game. Darren Thomas bowled as well as I can remember him doing so for a long time, swinging the ball extravagantly at times, especially in the first innings.

His control was excellent and he was rewarded for that. Simon Jones may not have quite been at his best but he did produce a lively second spell in the first innings and just the sight of him warming up is often too much for the tail enders.

Rumours abounded during the week that Simon might be included in the squad for the first test against Sri Lanka. He and Steve Harmison from Durham who is currently injured, are the two young quickies who Duncan Fletcher has his eye on because he knows that every side craves to have someone with raw pace - a rare asset.

Simon still has some way to go but he has made big strides over the winter at the academy and if he were going to be given an early opportunity then this would have been ideal.

However neither he or myself are overly disappointed. His time will come I'm sure. As will that of Mark Wallace, who was also mentioned as being in the frame this week. James Foster's unfortunate break might have been the time to give 'Wally' a go but again the selectors have gone for experience in the form of Alec Stewart.

Again you cannot complain too much about that but if there is a better time than a home series against Sri Lanka then it can only be Zimbabwe at home.

I think that the selectors may have been afraid that if 'Wally' had done exceptionally well then that would have confused the issue because they have already staked a lot of faith in Foster. Or am I being overly cynical?

Whatever, I'm happy that these two bright young things will be available for us this week. Back to Worcester and I must mention Mike Powell's efforts with the bat.

To score two fifties on a pitch like that when ball held sway over bat for most of the game was something special.

But more than that, it was the manner in which he made them which especially pleased me. He was patient and disciplined. His shot selection was spot on and he never became flustered.

Also Jon Hughes. He showed admirable character, especially in the first innings. He came in at an awkward time and was immediately put under pressure by some excellent bowling.

But he remained calm and bided his time, never worried about the good balls, at which he was playing and missing. His innings blossomed and he played some marvellously attractive strokes. It was a joy to watch.

I said at the start of the year that it was time that some of the younger players started sticking their hands up and began producing match-winning performances, and this was an excellent example of this.

A final mention too for a slightly older head in Robert Croft, who had an excellent all round game, with both bat and ball.

His last wicket partnership with Simon Jones in the second innings was a pivotal passage of play in the game; those extra runs demoralising the home side and in my opinion turning the match our way. Bring on Durham this week at home.

*PICTURED: Paceman Darren Thomas struck gold