AGAINST all the odds, the 2008 Essex AutoGroup Southend Cricket Festival has been lauded as a success by organisers.

Essex were beaten within three days in their LV County Championship clash with Glamorgan, while Sunday’s NatWest Pro40 win over Northamptonshire was first delayed by heavy rain and then completed in just 35 overs.

But despite those setbacks, festival committee chairman Peter Butler has reported a rise in both attendances and profits from 2007.

“The festival overcame the hurdles of a shortened LV County Championship game and a showery Sunday to record a six per cent increase in attendances in 2008,” Butler said.

“Although final figures are not yet available the financial surplus on the week should be well up on last year, making this the fifth successive year of profit after the losses at Southchurch Park in 2001 to 2003.

“The chairman put the event’s success down to a host of improvements made at Garon Park in the close-season as well as the festival committee’s decision to sell tickets in advance.

“This was the fourth festival at Garon Park and, slowly but surely, the year-by-year improvement in facilities is beginning to make a difference.

During this summer's festival new outdoor nets were formally opened.

Tonnes of earth have been delivered in the past few weeks to be shaped into new viewing banks for spectators, while the committee has been given planning permission for a new electronic scoreboard to be installed.

Local farmers are also being consulted ahead of the planting of trees and hedges in a bid to shield players and spectators from the often blustery wind.

The improvement works are being funded by the festival committee with the support of the Norman Garon Trust and Essex and Southend Sports Trust ahead of Southend’s increased role in 2010.

Then, with Essex’s Ford County Ground headquarters being re-developed, Garon Park will play host to up to a third of the county’s home fixtures.

Before then, in 2009, the festival will play host to an LV County Championship Division Two and NatWest Pro40 Division One fixture in early August.

Exact fixtures and dates will be confirmed later this month.

>CHECK out the next “Essex Cricket” magazine (available from the club in early December) for more information on the Essex AutoGroup Southend Cricket Festival.