Thanks to John for his comprehensive fixture list for April. We feel it is rather appropriate that the first class season should open on April Fool's Day as having organised a pre-season trip to the Midlands in the hope of seeing some county friendlies, we returned home yesterday without having seen a ball bowled. We fortunately had an excellent plan 'B' which means that we already are in profit on our National Trust subscription for the coming year.
We started at Edgbaston last Monday, only to find that Warwickshire's three day game with Somerset had been been put back to start on Tuesday. We returned the following day when hopes were high and a fair few potential spectators were gathered in the excellent Tom Dollery member's suite where ample food and drink was available. The first hint that something might be amiss (not Amiss) was that the scorecard had no players' names on it.
The ground was being prepared and despite the lack of a prompt start we thought play might begin before lunch. Creases were being painted, the large sheet covers removed and all looked well with the world until predictably the rain returned. By early afternoon play was called off for the day and the assembled throng reluctantly did the equivalent of the retreat from Moscow.
Our original plans, assuming a week of heat wave conditions, included optimistic thoughts of trips from our Malvern base to Bristol and Oxford where other friendly matches were scheduled. However while we did find some dry spells between the showers to visit local National Trust properties, particularly a fine day on Good Friday, it did not seem prudent to travel any distance in search of cricket.
We did however pay a visit to Worcester's Royal Grammar School, whose ground Flagge Meadow was due to host a first class match with Leeds/Bradford University starting today. I had eventually received an e-mail reply to my queries about parking, seating and refreshment facilities at this venue which to say the least were not encouraging. Certainly no parking whatsoever on the ground, street parking only I was told.
I had only visited this ground once before, back in 1992 for a second eleven match in which David Fulton of Kent scored a double century. Other than the fact that a canal ran alongside the ground my memories were rather hazy. We found a startling banner outside the ground saying this was now Worcestershire's second home - despite the lack of facilities and were not impressed with the chances of finding street parking anywhere in the immediate vicinity.
As it turned out a monsoon like rain appeared on Friday night and Saturday morning by which time it seemed impossible for any cricket to be played on Sunday (which has proved to be true) and in view of the forecast unlikely for the remaining two days. So we packed our bags and came home a day early yesterday in time to see Test Match cricket on TV.
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