THE season is now officially over and I just can’t believe how quickly it has gone.

In fact the past five years have flown by and my career is whizzing by.

As is always the case after the last game of the season there are a few emotions flying round the changing room, particularly when you know it’s the end of someone’s career or the final time you’ll play with a good friend.

In last week’s case down at The Oval, which ended as a stalemate in a dead game, there were a few speeches from the outgoing lads and a few tears were shed.

It goes to show how much of a family you become in a professional environment and how great the game of cricket can be in uniting men.

Phil Jaques (pictured) leaves Yorkshire and goes back to Oz to concentrate on his coaching career.

He and I became good mates in our time together and is not only a great guy to talk and play cricket with, but off-field he’s a top man who will be greatly missed.

His nickname is ‘Professional’ or ‘Pro,’ so it sums him up as a model sportsman really. We also say goodbye to our physio Scot McAllister, who played a big part in getting me to Yorkshire having toured with him in the England Lions set-up.

It’s not all about the guys who play, but the backroom staff too, particularly the medical department, who I need to see daily to get me out on the park!

A top physio can make all the difference in someone’s career and he certainly helped mine. As for the game itself, it was bit of a damp squib really as Surrey had been relegated the week before and we were left in second.

We had no chance of either dropping or gaining places.

It was an uneventful match, aside from the young lad Dominic Sibley scoring a double ton – the youngest to do so in first-class cricket.

Although we dropped him five times, you still have to be good enough to make the most of the opportunity, so fair play to the lad.

AFTER the match we stayed in the changing rooms for a few hours, sinking beers, talking rubbish.

Most of the guys were either throwing kit away or swapping it with other lads as a memento.

I can confirm there was no urinating on the Oval pitch though!

We had already organised to stay in London for the whole weekend as part of our end of season celebrations.

It was great to see the lads not involved in the match make the trip down and make it an extended party to remember.

I’d like to share a few stories, but I’m not sure it would be acceptable in this paper!

Gutted as I am Yorkshire didn’t win the Championship, I’m chuffed with how my season has gone and we can be very proud of our efforts.

I now have six weeks off to recharge my batteries and let my body heal a little before the winter program starts.