IT’S the start of the season and the time when everyone thinks they’ve got a good chance of being crowned champions.

That’s definitely the case at Glamorgan where the mood in the camp is very positive heading into tomorrow’s Championship opener against Durham.

The Sophia Gardens track looks good although I’ll definitely be packing a few extra sweaters as it’s not exactly cricket weather in the first week of April.

We had a friendly at Bristol last week. It was three degrees but felt like minus three and we were in the field all day.

That was after the warm spell we had that gave us the chance to train and play outdoors.

We’ve been training for three months and while indoor nets give you the perfect chance to work on technique, it’s totally different when you get out onto the square in April and the wind is blowing and the ball is swinging.

We’re all looking forward to the start of the season.

It’s going to be great to have our supporters back in larger numbers and they make a big difference to us.

The last couple of years have been tough for everyone but having the fans back at Sophia Gardens will be great for us and give us that extra 10 per cent in games.

There’s a great buzz around the place and we think we can challenge on all fronts and have real competition for places in the squad.

And that’s probably been the most difficult part of my captaincy to date, having to tell players that they won’t be in the starting line-up.

That’s something I’ll need to get used to and that’s why, as a captain, it’s important to stick to your decisions.

It will be a learning process, a challenge, but it’s a challenge I’m really looking forward.

Captains are judged by every decision, including what to do when you win the toss.

I haven’t been flipping a coin, trying to work out whether it lands heads or tails because sometimes losing the toss works out in your favour.

My main concern will be the team and trying to get them off to a good start opening the batting.

I’ll be opening up with Andrew Salter and it would be nice to get some runs on the board in the first few matches of the season.

One of our key figures this season will be Australian all-rounder Marnus Labuschagne - and he should be with us for the second game of the season.

Marnus does get stick and the lads bring him back down a couple of pegs or two.

When we first signed him no one really knew that much about him and I think it shows that the coaching staff and the playing group must be doing something right to help him develop into what he’s become.

He works extremely hard and when he’s in the environment he oozes confidence so hopefully we see him a bit more this season.

Talking about Australian cricketers, I think the whole world not just cricket felt the aftershock of Shane Warne passing away.

He was a sporting icon, a childhood hero for some young cricketers growing up. It was so sad, especially at such a young age.

He was world class and someone who lived his life to the full, someone that will be sorely missed.

Talking of entertainers, you won’t see a better goal in world football than the one Paul Mullin scored to set Wrexham on their way to another FA Trophy final.

The video of the goal has gone viral. I think it’s had three millions views and that’s amazing.

But it was a brilliant chip and I think he’s really benefitting from having Ollie Palmer playing alongside him.

I’m also pleased for manager Phil Parkinson.I had the pleasure of meeting him a few weeks ago and he deserves success.

It took a while for him to win the fans over but I think he’s doing that now.

And I can’t wait to cheer the lads on at Wembley against Bromley.

Glamorgan haven’t got a game that day so I’ll be getting my ticket for the game and by the time May 22 comes, I’ll have hopefully clocked up a few early season runs.