In snooker parlance, Northants are in the balls early and already two frames up, the pots flying in from all angles, looking reborn this year.
Okay, Wantage Road is not the Crucible, but there is definitely a better feel to the place now that David Capel has gone and the players seem to be more of a team.
That’s nothing against Capel and what he has done for the County, but it seems the negativity has been lifted, and you feel the lush green table has been brushed down and the mahogany polished up and we are ready to go for a good season.
The players have the phlegmatic coach they always wanted in David Ripley, and performances have improved because of that concession, the iron rod of Kepler Wessels and the fastidious player management style of Capel a distant memory.
The pre-season jaunt to Barbados also seems to helped.
The invigorating performance and thumping win at a chilly County Ground against Essex for the first home championship game last week reflected that confidence to go out and perform. And the boys are top of the league!
The County Ground also looks more polished.
It has had a corporate upgrade to separate the gentleman from the players, with the old Aspers Casino lounge now looking like the officers mess in a Japanese prisoner of war camp!
The new decking (well this is Northampton) is sure to snare a stiletto or two as the Pimms to go flying, but it was needed.
The new cricket nets are almost ready and even the groundsmen looked smart in their blue tracksuits sitting on the freshly polished tractor.
It just feels right this season to put on a show.
That doesn’t mean we will win anything, but it does mean the entertainers in the team like David Willey will get to put on the top hat and cane in the big matches.
He was simply irrepressible in the win over Essex, and could be the homegrown all-rounder and match winner that Graeme Swann should have been for us.
I’m sure David likes to party too, but you also feel he wants to be leader and looks to himself to win matches.
I love that in a player.
Stephen Peters’ captaincy has also impressed, and he didn’t hesitate to put the opposition in on a greenish County Ground pitch, as he didn’t in Cardiff.
And that first game in Wales mirrored this one as Trent Copeland’s meticulous line and length from one end and Steven Crook’s spiky pace at the other again did the damage.
We have control of the new ball again, and that’s crucial.
The return to form of Graham Napier with a violent 73 did see the ball whacked around at the end, but 183 all out on that decent strip was again above par bowling, with Crook (4-39) looking like he is out to make a point in the four day.
Northants’ reply was certainly entertaining, with the springy pitch and short rope offering plenty of boundaries.
But the parity for the bowlers was there was enough seam and swing in the breeze early on as they reduced us to 171 for eight.
The captain posted another 50, but Napier also the man with the ball with five-for by tea.
So enter Willey, somewhat absurdly batting ninth on the card, and like Napier he was full of shots and on his toes, putting on a record 111 runs against Essex for the ninth wicket.
Crook (88no) continued at the other end with fellow Aussie Copeland, who started out his career as a batsmen in Australia and looked at least a number seven here, hitting some lovely fours as the pair put on 115 for the 10th wicket - another record.
I think it’s fair to say Northants have the best batting line up in the division, with the lower order out performing the top order by a mile.
We know Copeland wasn’t very happy at batting last and proved his point, and for me Murphy should bat last.
Essex were just in the game going into day three at 93 for two with Aussie Quiney (53) looking good, but they didn’t have much fight in them on a chilly third day at Wantage Road.
Like like Napier on the first day, Willey was the man with the ball this time around, firing it in on good lengths and the Northants bowling was always on top.
There were Jack Brooks style celebrations when Willey got the critical wicket of Ravi Bopara for 41, and I thinl Northants simply wanted it more and Essex simply wanted Saturday off.
A total of 207 all out for the innings win, with Willey taking five for 67 suggests Northants’ bowling is nearly as deep as their batting.
For me, Willey is on an unstoppable run to play for England.
He is young and hungry and the lefty option for coach Andrew Flower.
He is also aesthetically what England need to sell replica kits, and his swashbuckling style is exactly what I want to see in a player.
At the moment England fancy fellow southpaws Reece Topley and Tymal Mills with the ball from Essex, but only because they are at a favoured county.They were both very average in this match.
A total of 22 of the 30 players named in the England performance squad of 30 for the summer come from the Test match ground counties, and the other from the big four, regardless of what division they are in.
The England door is firmly slammed shut if you’re not from the rich teams, or move to them.
So can David Willey smash through that glass ceiling?