IT was everything I could have hoped for and more. Carrying the Olympic Torch is the experience of a lifetime for anyone who loves sport. I have played in front of big crowds on some memorable occasions, but never have I had such a sense of being part of sporting history as on Monday evening
From the moment all the torch bearers for our area met at the County Ground in Taunton there was an air of great excitement.
We all got on a bus to be taken to the various points where each of us was to be dropped off to await our turn at carrying the torch. The streets were already lined as we drove along the route in a convoy, headed by police cars and a big bus full of security people.
A few eyes opened wide when Will.i.am got on the bus. We were all extremely star-struck at seeing the famous American rapper, music producer and judge on 'The Voice'.
I definitely include myself in that. I know some people have questioned his involvement as he has nothing to do with Taunton, but he has helped a lot of people throughout the world and I feel his presence just added to a wonderful event.
If Didier Drogba could carry the torch through part of Swindon, I don't see why Will.i.am shouldn't be welcome to do the same in Taunton. People enjoy watching him on TV and there is no reason why everyone involved in carrying the torch should be from the local community.
I know my Somerset team-mate Peter Trego was happy to see him take part. His daughter, Amelia, is a massive fan and I managed to get Will.i.am to speak to both of them on my mobile phone, which I know made their day.
His stage was the third one after mine, pretty much right in the town centre, after which he was whisked away by car. I heard afterwards that he did some interviews back at the cricket ground and he was soon tweeting a load of photos of his involvement, so I guess he found it as special as I did.
The flame was passed on to each bearer and we were able to keep our individual torches. I can assure you mine will not be ending up on ebay, although I understand motives for selling such treasures on behalf of charity. Fortunately, my profile enables me to raise money for good causes in other ways. On Tuesday, I took my torch into Taunton School where my children are pupils and the following day did the same thing at a school in Yeovil.
The kids and the teachers were thrilled to see it and it gave me a big kick to look at their faces. I have never been as popular because I am getting requests to appear at so many other places – providing I bring the torch.
Eventually, the prized possession will have pride of place in my home, souvenir of a night I will never forget.
Of course, I had to walk my stage of the relay with my injured ankle encased in a strapped-on boot, which I shall be wearing for another three weeks.
There have been some fairly gloomy reports coming from the Somerset camp about my rate of progress towards recovery, with even suggestions that I won't play again this season.
While it is a serious injury and we won't know a lot more until the boot comes off, I am certainly not ready to write off my summer yet.
The intention will be to start doing some light exercises in a few weeks' time, although I may well have to wear a splint in one of my trainers for a while.
I can't make an accurate guess at when I will play again, but I do expect it to be this season. In the meantime, it is good to see some of my injured team-mates a lot closer to full fitness than I am.
Gemaal Hussain is pretty much ready after his hamstring problem, while Steve Kirby is probably only a week or so away from getting over his quad muscle injury.
It was good to see Jos Buttler back in the side against Durham this week after splitting the webbing on a hand and equally encouraging to have Alfonso Thomas back from his latest stint in the Indian Premier League.
It says everything about 'Fonz' that he did not take any persuading to play in the LV=County Championship game with Durham, even though he only arrived back in England the previous day.
His body clock must have still been all over the place when the match started on Tuesday and he had to come off the field at one point with a stomach problem.
It didn't stop him taking two wickets and a catch in the Durham first innings. It's hard to think of a more enthusiastic cricketer and his presence will be a major boost in the weeks ahead.
Asking Alfonso to play immediately on his return was a risk because we can't afford to have him breaking down. But we desperately needed his experience in a bowling attack deprived of Kirby, Hussain, Adam Dibble and Craig Meschede by injury.
I have been so impressed by the character, as well as the ability of our young players in recent games. It surely augurs well for the future of Somerset cricket.
Interview: Richard Latham
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