After what seemed a never-ending World Cup filled with pyjamas, agricultural slogging, a few admittedly good matches and Mr Cliche himself - Ravi Shastri, it was wondrous to behold the start of the County Championship last Friday.
White clothes, proper cricket and even beautiful weather.
Several players impressed during the first round of matches. Here is what we hope (probably in vain) will be a regular feature selecting our County XI of the week:
Will Jefferson - set up Leicestershire's win over Glamorgan with a patient second innings knock of 112.
Jimmy Adams - composed hundred ensured that Hampshire comfortably batted through the final day for a draw against Durham.
Sam Northeast - struggled in 2010 (when we selected him as one to watch), but the promising Old Harrovian recorded the first ton of this championship season at Chelmsford.
Dale Benkenstein - Durham's Mr Reliability with the bat hit a first innings hundred and an unbeaten second innings fifty to put his side into a strong position at the Rose Bowl.
Ben Stokes - One of our 10 to watch in 2011 made an impressive start to the season with a career best six for 68 before stroking an unbeaten 135 featuring five sixes in one over.
Gerald Brophy - may have lost the gloves to Jonathan Bairstow, but his unbeaten 177 turned a likely first innings deficit into a decisive lead for Yorkshire at New Road.
Darren Stevens - the veteran may be better known for his pugnacious batting, but it was as a bowler that he starred at Chelmsford. He opened the bowling for Kent and was rewarded with nine wickets including a career best six for 60 in the first innings.
James Foster - his side may have ultimately lost to Kent, but Foster's classy unbeaten first innings 88 at least made a game of it.
Adil Rashid - another of our 10 to watch in 2011 made a barnstorming start to the season with match figures of 11 for 114 as Yorkshire thrashed Worcestershire.
Glen Chapple - proved how absolutely key he will be to Lancashire's fortunes this season with match figures of nine for 117 as Sussex were put to the sword at Liverpool.
Reece Topley - seventeen year old left arm Essex seamer showed he is one to watch with a maiden five wicket haul in only his second first-class match.
Where next?
Adil Rashid makes a quiet start to the new County Championship season
Ten to watch in 2011: Adam Lyth, Jade Dernbach, Rory Hamilton-Brown, Samit Patel, Alex Hales, Danny Briggs, Ben Stokes, James Harris, Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid
An England under-23 XI - the future looks bright
County Championship Previews - Division 2: Derbyshire, Essex, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire, Middlesex, Northamptonshire, Surrey
County Championship Previews - Division 1: Yorkshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Sussex, Somerset, Nottinghamshire, Lancashire, Hampshire, Durham
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