Posted by Peter Davies

Friday 16 April

25 overs in the late-afternoon sun at Old Trafford, Lancs v Warwickshire. Arrived 4.45 via the slow train to see Lancashire’s openers make their way to the middle, the visitors having taken an ultra-slim one-run lead on first innings. It was cool and sunny – really perfect spring conditions. And hadn’t OT changed? The grass looked greener and the ‘new structure’ to the right of the pavilion looked imposing and very red, and also not yet open.

Going to OT for the first time in a summer is always special – I have a great sense of anticipation and ritual. Just somewhere I love being. Sat outside the pavilion in my usual spot. Familiar but unfamiliar faces all around. Had a cup of tea, then a pint of pineapple and lemonade. Not a huge turnout but I had come at teatime and many will have been and gone.

Smith is still opening the batting. A talented cricketer but they seem to be ‘forcing’ him into being a proper batsman when maybe he just isn’t. Moore and Horton, on the other hand, looked steady. Their partnerships upfront or at 1 and 3 will hopefully be a feature of the summer. And they remind me of each other: in the way they look as batsman, their attitude and also their Southern Hemisphere connections. Moore always scored runs at Worcester when I was there. I was also watching when he was a guest on Cricket AM last year and he’s a very impressive bloke – mentally strong as they say. Also more aggressive today than I thought he was going to be. Anderson made a cameo as nightwatchman late on.

Other goings on? Heckles for the Bears’ over-zealous appealing, Ashley Giles in supershades, and sitting next to a girl who later gave the impression of being Tom Smith’s lady friend. She was lovely! And she high-fived him when she saw him in front of the pavilion, even though he’d just been out for 7. I picked up my season ticket – or card. A good-value £160.