Summer's here. At least it feels like it now the cricket season has started. A strange contrast as Twitter has been providing me with updates of Durham's progress against Hampshire at Southampton in the County Championship whilst I have been watching the start of the IPL in the TV where Chennai Superkings (surely a brand of cigarette) beat Kolkata Knight Riders. A good start for Durham but disappointing for England players in general as Cook and Bopara failed for Essex and Eoin Morgan dropped a sitter and made 6 for Kolkata. There was a time when I would not pay as much attention to the cricket season whilst the football season was underway and likewise the footballers could play as much as they wanted in August but I would not pay much heed to any results until the resolution of the cricket season.
   There is the obvious reason that the finale to any season is of more interest than the opening matches but now I feel genuinely excited about the the commencement of the cricket season. This is despite plenty to still be resolved in the football but I have really started to lose interest in that sport. I speak as a follower of Manchester United, who are still going for three trophies, and I will keep an eye their results but my general interest in the game has waned. Poor performances by the national team without anybody doing anything to change, blanket coverage by the media or the obscene amount of money being thrown around may all have contributed to my apathy although I do feel more kindly to those lower down the league pyramid.
   For that reason I have more interest in seeing Norwich get promoted from the Championship or if Darlington can make the Conference play offs (former looking good; latter not so) but in the meantime at least I have the cricket to distract me.