A TRUE sportsman is defined by demeanour and dignity in defeat and we have never seen a better example than Milos Raonic in the men’s final at Wimbledon.

In no way am I a tennis fan but full marks to Andy Murray as well.

Both men knew how to behave and were a credit to their game.

Three very different T20 Blast games have seen Gloucestershire return to the top of the table.

Surrey and Glamorgan have been beaten while Kent snatched a three-run victory.

Surrey were a rag- bag of a side. Five expensive overseas signings have represented them this season to no avail.

In no way were they a team, failing in all departments. In T20, each player should know his job. Not so with Surrey.

Expensive Australian Aaron Finch did not know whether to bash or block and another good knock by Gloucestershire’s Ian Cockbain saw us home with ease and earned him man of the match.

It was all so different against Kent. Fine bowling at the end of the innings saw the visitors restricted to 148 and all seemed well until Gloucestershire found many ways of getting out.

Michael Klinger was stumped off a wide and my man of the match Benny Howell was run out off a no ball.

The lower order batsmen failed to give Benny the strike and basic mistakes cost us the game.

Kent had the services of Kagiso Rabada, who burst into the South African series against England this winter.

He was outstanding, bowling fast and with accuracy. A fine international career surely awaits.

The large good-humoured crowd attempted to mimic the Icelandic applause and shout that graced the European Championships. They were not successful. Will they have perfected it by Sunday’s game at Cheltenham?

The final of the three games was with our close rivals Glamorgan which took place at the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff, which is not the easiest of places to go and the opposition have proved they are a tough cookie to crack in this competition.

Captain Klinger, angered at the Kent sloppiness, tweaked the team by bringing in Graeme van Buuren. It was a fine move.

Bowling in tandem with fellow left arm spinner Tom Smith they destroyed the Glamorgan batting which was quite something to see.

The seven overs of spin produced five wickets for 32 runs.

Nine overs of pace conceded 63 while medium paced Benny Howell was as accurate as ever.

Klinger and Cockbain made getting the 120 runs for victory look easy.

Now it is all about looking to get a home tie in the quarter finals is now the aim.

Finishing top or second will assure Gloucestershire of this draw.

So hopefully you have taken my advice and obtained tickets for the T20 fixture against Essex. I anticipate a sell-out.

But, on the football front, I am sad but not surprised to hear that Jon Parkin has left Forest Green Rovers.

Age takes its toll on all of us and Jon recognised this.

At an end-of-season sponsors evening, he told me he was looking at managerial courses as well as hoping to visit the Cheltenham cricket festival. Good luck Jon, you were always good value.

Indeed, what a relief it will be to get to Cheltenham.

Hopefully there will be the opportunity to escape from world news. We, the ordinary citizens of the country, are being ill served by those in authority.

There was the wretched Hillsborough cover-up by a patronising and condescending establishment, then the Chilcot report.

This reinforced our fears about an indefensible war and its aftermath.

Following the debate over the EU, which was far from a life-enhancing experience, the leadership of our two political parties are targets of insult and suspicion.

I was given some hope by the quality of one potential Conservative candidate but these are now severely dashed.

She has named Sir Geoffrey Boycott as her favourite cricketer. Commentator perhaps, Theresa, but cricketer never.

The last time he played at Cheltenham he was suspended by Yorkshire for slow batting and ignoring his captain’s instructions.

I can, of course, totally understand why a modern politician admires such a self-important individual.

Back on football, it is good to see Slimbridge returning to the park last Saturday although the loss of their striker Paul Fahy, who has gone to Evesham, is, clearly from their match at Bradford Town, a hole they need to fill quickly.

Slimbridge lost 2-0 at the Western League club and did not look that bright in front of goal despite chances.

The result is meaningless but goals have to be found in the run-up to the new season.