As the season of good will approaches and my mind is preoccupied with buying presents I find myself drifting off to the summer of 2006 thinking about the gifts Downing sent down to our batsmen as the Cotswolds boys cantered to victory in the inaugural 20/20 against the Rosaneri.

Far from being destroyed it appears the Rozzers were inspired by this mauling and have gone on to bigger and better things !

With this years much anticipated renewal being a wash out it only further whets the appetite for the 2008 clash!

I hear that to get over the disappointment of this cancelled fixture Jimmy Downing went and had a game of golf ............................................................

Well that will be the first time he ever hit a load of sixes on a cricketing day !

It seems you boys are taking your cricket seriously. In fact it could be argued you’re getting a little obsessive. I heard Jim was at work when he got the call his wife was about to deliver ............... He started padding up!

I see the normally reliable Slaps had a poor season. Maybe he is yet to recover from the early season scandal which saw him try and defect to the Cotswolds. Looking at his batting average the only scoring he would have been doing for us would be with a pen in his hand.

Actually we did see a Rozzer play for the Cotswolds last season in the guise of Andy Underwood. Your star batsmen certainly made an impact, unfortunately not on the ball as he registered only 4. However with his wicket keeping he managed to accumulate more extras than Ben Hur.

That’s all history. It’s time to look to the future and the 2008 fixtures. We are going to have to plan the matches meticulously. There is always the issue of bad light........ With Downing chucking up his grenades it’s dangerous what with the ball being lost in the sun ...... So there is no way the Cotswolds can bat at mid day! Talking of bad light if Sheridan Leigh plays make sure he wears a cap !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well I hope the touch paper has been lit as the pre match hype begins here. As my thoughts once again return to Christmas. I wonder if Santa will give me what I want this Christmas. An over of full tosses down leg side. If I am in bat and I see Pits take off his sweater I will know I have been a good boy this year !

MERRY CHRISTMAS

STEVE BERRYMAN