DURHAM'S win at Southport this week was very reminiscent of the victory at Scarborough which went a long way towards clinching the 2013 title.

The difference was the win against Yorkshire came later in the year against genuine title contenders. Lancashire, despite being early front-runners, lack the quality to sustain their good start.

They did, however, compete to the end in a hard-fought contest which proved again that the festival atmosphere of an outground need not dilute the intensity of the action.

Admittedly, they got lucky with the weather, but it was hugely enjoyable for the 2,000-plus spectators who turned up each day, the players and the press.

Durham enjoyed it so much they stayed on after their victory to have a knockabout with local youngsters before socialising with the locals in the evening sunshine.

From the reaction on social media, it was much appreciated, with suggestions that such gestures help hugely in encouraging the game's grassroots.

From a personal viewpoint, in my 25 seasons of covering Durham this was right up there, just behind Scarborough and on a par with Arundel, as a memorable highlight.

Give me a press tent by the boundary's edge any day ahead of the large, modern media centres built for Test matches. The amazing hospitality was a lovely reminder of the Stockton tea ladies in Durham's early days.

What a shame that when Stockton asked if they could stage a Royal London Cup game this season as part of their 200th anniversary celebrations hard-up Durham requested a £10,000 staging fee.

Stockton replied that if they had £10,000 they would plough it into their facilities and Durham are going instead next week to South Northumberland, where the Gosforth-based club have a better chance of recouping the outlay through hospitality in their big indoor school.

It helps, of course, to foster goodwill north of the Tyne, where first-class cricketers were thin on the ground until Ashington produced the Harmisons and Mark Wood. But the same applies in south Durham.

It is understandable that Durham are reluctant to leave their headquarters, where they need to maximise revenue after meeting the requirement of what was then the Test and County Cricket Board to build a Test match stadium.

The cost of constructing it, with the attendant loan repayments, is the main reason for their financial difficulties, especially given the reluctance of the North-East public to support any but Ashes Tests in profitable numbers.

Given the number of England players they have produced, and the goodwill they have generated, Durham have every right to ask the ECB for preferential treatment.

They can also ask why they were required to build a Test stadium if more international games are awarded to the likes of Hampshire's Ageas Bowl.

Having said that, the need to foster the grassroots means it wouldn't do any harm to venture out into the sticks once a season. Four wonderful days at Southport and Birkdale Sports Club was a joyful reminder of that.