I was 'spotted' on Friday night, writes Cllr Bill Revans.
An evening off with my son watching Somerset lose by just two runs to Glamorgan in the Vitality Blast T20.
In my 'natural habitat' – cricket, a glass of cider and a pizza – and time with family.
Getting time off to do what makes us happy is so important to our mental health.
Growing up, my idols were the Somerset county cricket team in the late seventies and early eighties.
The era of superstars Botham, Garner and Richards; but also of Marks, Rose and Dredge.
Not global superstars, but Somerset lads who grew up playing the sport and who represented their county with passion and pride.
Monday, August 18 is Somerset County Cricket Club’s 150th birthday of its founding meeting.
One hundred and fifty years in which the club has never won a County Championship, but holds a special place in the hearts of sports fans across the West Country and beyond.
The excellent cricket museum at the ground is well worth a visit to learn more about the club’s history.
The club’s decision to make its future in the centre of Taunton is to be applauded.
And their emerging vision of how to be a functioning part of the town centre is vital, as they transition from being just places to shop to places to enjoy spending time as well as money.
I am told that Somerset is the only place in the country where there are more recreational cricketers than in any other sport.
I don’t know whether that is true, but there is a notable resurgence in interest in cricket.
Local clubs running All Stars, Dynamos and youth cricket are seeing good numbers of young players.
Our private schools have exceptional cricket facilities.
Women’s cricket is growing at an exponential rate, amplifying the growth in the professional women’s game.
We are fortunate in Somerset to have a county cricket club that is outward-facing.
There is a fantastic atmosphere – the best in the country – at the county ground.
The inclusive feel is emphasised as you enter the ground and four/six signs are handed out by the 'Super Ones' – adults with learning disabilities who love cricket and attend sessions at the club.
Gimblett’s Hill has been especially adapted as a wheelchair accessible stand.
Somerset’s disability teams go from strength to strength.
The Somerset Cricket Foundation has worked hard to promote the game to new audiences, in state schools and community clubs.
But more importantly, to groups of people that need more support.
The Walkers & Talkers, Together in Sport and Sporting Memories sessions provide opportunities for those in their senior years to have memories rekindled and make new friends.
Vital to living a long, healthy and independent life.
Their work in supporting people from varied backgrounds to participate in cricket is to be commended.
I have watched as a greater diversity of people come to live in Somerset, so teams have become more diverse.
In recent years, I have watched players from every Test-playing nation play recreational cricket in Somerset and be warmly welcomed.
My ward colleague Cllr Alan Bradford and I share a passion for village cricket as well as the professional game; we have noticed a reverse trend.
At the same time that the game is growing, some village sides appear to be struggling for senior players.
Modern life makes it difficult for people to take most of a Saturday or Sunday off to play a sport.
Villages have an imbalance in the ages of their residents, with average ages increasing.
And the extensive work maintaining a ground and running a club is taking its toll on ageing, unpaid volunteers.
Clubs provide such an important opportunity for communities to come together.
It is a huge shame when any club winds up.
Sometimes, there is an inevitability about change.
Cricket is becoming more global as a sport as audiences in the Indian sub-continent influence where, when and how the game is being played.
The Somerset YouTube channel has more subscribers than any other English county and its reach from our relatively small county club is one thing that puts us on the map.
A tribute to the fantastic team that run this innovative approach.
While this year we celebrate the last 150 years of Somerset County Cricket Club, we need to recognise that the sport that so many of us love will change.
But we must keep the essence of what makes it so great, that it is a fantastic reflection of what our community is about.
Happy 150th birthday, Somerset County Cricket Club.
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