If this season is to be regarded as one of steady progress for Gloucestershire, we need to finish it on a high note rather than with a whimper.

We set out back in April with the intention of improving on what had gone before and, to an extent we have delivered.

But at the same time, we are all acutely aware that we have allowed a position of strength to slip in the County Championship and that our performances during the second half of the campaign have not matched those that went before. In short, the jury is still out.

If we can win two of our last three games, then we can still be there or thereabouts in terms of winning promotion to the First Division. But if we continue to lose games as we have done in recent weeks, it will be difficult to describe the season as anything other than disappointing.

No matter what happens, I believe we have improved this year. While I understand members being disappointed with results and performances during July and August, they ought to keep a sense of perspective.

Those with good memories will recall the dire situation we were in 12 months ago and be better able to appreciate the improvements that have been made in 2009.

We could not win a single Championship game last year, yet have managed four victories already this season. We have also reached a semi-final in the Friends Provident Trophy and played some decent 50-over cricket.

Our performances in Twenty20 and Pro-40 cricket have been about the same, but no-one can deny we have improved in the four-day arena.

For me, the main difference is that we have been able to bowl sides out twice this season. That is something we struggled to do before and it explains why we won only three Championship games in the whole of 2006 and 2007 and none at all last year.

Steve Kirby were in urgent need of additional support to help share the workload and the signing of James Franklin, Ian Saxelby and Gemaal Hussain proved key in that respect.

It may not always have been outstanding, but our seam department has generally performed well and that has been a big plus for the entire team. As a club, I feel we should be happy with where we are at with the seamers.

But there is definitely room for improvement in other areas and I think we need to challenge our spinners in a bid to get a bit more out of them.

I have said on numerous occasions before in this column that there is plenty of talent in our batting. But we still seem to be making quite a few mistakes and that has cost us again this summer.

Although we look a really powerful side when the batting comes off, as it did against Essex last month, we've lost wickets in clusters on too many occasions and failed to post decent first innings scores on a regular basis.

We're either very, very good or very poor and it is difficult to put a finger on the reason why. But I'll have a go anyway.

In my opinion, we have some talented top-order batsmen, but they lack experience. In an ideal situation, the club would be looking to sign a senior batsman over the winter, someone who can take on the role played previously by Craig Spearman.

For whatever reason, Craig has not performed as well as we know he can over the past couple of seasons and our requirement is going to be for a senior player who can bat at the top of the order.

But given the current scenario at Gloucestershire, I'm not so sure whether the funds will be made available to recruit such a player.

The England Wales Cricket Board give each of the 18 first class counties a handout every year and it is up to each club to decide how they spend it.

From a player's perspective, I would like to see that money put into strengthening the squad. If they choose to allocate it elsewhere, then that is their prerogative.

One thing I would not dispute is our choice of overseas player this year. James Franklin may not be an out-and-out match-winner in the Muralitharan or Shane Warne mould, but his contribution with both bat and ball has been crucial.

He has chipped in with wickets on a regular basis and is only just short of being our leading run scorer in four-day cricket. James has given the team balance, the guys have responded well to him and we hope he is able to return next year.

You know what you are going to get with James and our requirement next year will be for a similar kind of overseas player, one of contributes on a consistent basis.

The key to playing really good cricket is having a balance and every side needs to have senior players performing at the top of their game.

It is all very well having a nucleus of promising youngsters, and that is something we are working hard to produce at Gloucestershire, but those guys need help and guidance from the more experienced professionals.

Chris Taylor, Steve Kirby, Alex Gidman and I have all come through the ranks and progressed to the point where we are now regarded as senior players. Now is the time for others to follow in our footsteps, step up to the plate and begin to take on greater responsibility.

For instance, Kadeer Ali is no longer an up-and-coming cricketer. He has played in excess of 80 first-class matches and needs to move up to the next level. If so-called promising players can step up to the plate and come to the fore, it will stand us in good stead in the future.

The quicker that happens, the sooner we will be able to blood the likes of Chris Dent, David Payne, Jack Taylor and some of the other lads coming through our Academy

Interview: Andy Stockhausen