Colchester's annual county cricket festival is expected to yield a profit - despite losing more than two-and-a-half of the five days to monsoon rains.

A greatly relieved Essex County Cricket Club chief exectutive Daivid East said, when paying tribute to a number of unsung heroes, Sunday's totesport League win over Kent definitely salvaged what would have been a damp squib otherwise.

East told the Evening Gazette: "We will make a profit. I'm unable to publish the figures today, but a crowd of 3,500- 4,000 fans witnessed some cracking cricket whatever the result and we are very pleased with the day.

"Hopefully the festival will not be the disaster everyone thought it was going to be.

"I must point out, however, we wouldn't have had any cricket at all to watch on Sunday if it wasn't for Saturday's fantastic efforts by head groundsman Stuart Kerrison and his team."

Published Monday August 23, 2004

Brought to you by the Evening Gazette