GLOUCESTERSHIRE have a new cricketing hero. Married on Monday, July 13 and a match-winner the next day, Benny Howell enjoyed a marvellous Cheltenham Festival week.
He turned the T20 Blast game against Hampshire in our favour by bowling a double wicket maiden. No other county bowler had ever managed to do that.
Maiden overs are rare enough in T20 matches and one in which two wickets fall are practically unheard of.
More was to come from Benny. In the four-day game on a difficult pitch against Leicestershire that followed he scored his maiden century. It won us the game.
The cricket for the first two-and-a-half days against Leicestershire was tough and tense with scoring slow.
Michael Klinger described the pitch as the most exacting he had encountered in England.
Gareth Roderick batted well out of his crease to avoid being lbw and Benny did the same during his century in the second innings.
The Leicestershire wicket keeper Ian Hill should have stood up to the stumps to counter this but chose not to.
He also made a real howler, unnoticed by the majority. He got a glove to an edge from Klinger and began to celebrate the catch before he had completed it, subsequently losing control of the ball.
Michael had started his walk back to the pavilion before he realised what had happened.
Umpire Saggers soon dismissed the appeal and Michael batted on to a valuable 60.
Howell carried on the good work, slowly at first but with splendid aggression at the end. His partnership of 131 with all-rounder Kieran Noema-Barnett put us in a winning position.
Two wickets in two balls from Purton paceman Craig Miles rocked Leicestershire who needed 325 to win – and they never recovered.
Gloucestershire fielded well and, there was another hero.
Miles Hammond could not play for the club side he has been assigned to by Gloucestershire, who are Lechlade CC, last weekend as he was needed to field as substitute for injured captain Ian Cockbain.
He took two stunning catches, one at gully and one in Jack Taylor’s ‘leg trap’.
So well caught, Miles, and perhaps we will see you in the first XI soon.
It was indeed a glorious time for the county at Cheltenham. Not since 1998 were two first class victories gained by Gloucestershire at the Festival, the points earned giving us mid-table championship respectability. It enabled the Festival to end on a high note.
There were, however, some problems. The scoreboard was not good enough, being hard to read, occasionally inaccurate and sometimes it blacked out entirely. I have never seen a worse scoreboard on a first class ground.
Catering was basically of the burger and baguette type. The Golden Heart Inn at Nettleton Bottom was very much missed. My diet is in ruins.
The Festival fringe events were delightful. More than 100 packed the marquee for Exiles Day, while attendance at the wonderful barbecue and quiz exceeded expectations.
Mrs Light’s team at the quiz proved victorious – and did include your correspondent.
The committee tent hosted New Zealand star batsman Kane Williamson and former umpire Dickie Bird, but just as important was the visit from two members of Deer Park School’s all-conquering staff XI of the late 1960s.
Mike ‘The Bike ‘ Appleby and linguist Paul Arnold were in great form as was the Gravel Grandee (Roger Cullimore) now restored to good health.
But this column would be amiss if I did not ask what was going on with England?
England were quite magnificent in the first Test against the Aussies in Cardiff where they won by 169 runs with a day to spare.
What happened in the second Test at Lord's, however, was mind-boggling.  It was the third heaviest defeat suffered by England in history as they were hit all around the famous old ground for 820 runs over two innings by the Aussies and, after hitting 312 in their first innings, were bowled out in just 37 overs for a pitiful 103.
England skipper Alastair Cook said afterwards: " When you get bowled out for 100, it isn't good enough." That is the understatement of the year, captain.
Oh well, the football is now with us and there is amazing news from Forest Green. Chairman Dale Vince is planning a new ground at Stonehouse.
He deserves everyone’s support. It will be just the place to watch league football.