Get ready

It's hard to believe I know, but tomorrow sees the first day of the county season's opening encounter, as always between previous year's First Division winners (this time, Lancashire) and the MCC. For the third year now the match will take place in Abu Dhabi, with a pink ball and (partly) under lights - as part of the MCC's continuing trial of day-night test match cricket.
     The previous two matches have been against Durham (in 2010) and Nottinghamshire (in 2011) and MCC have won one and lost one. This year Mark Ramprakash is to captain their team.

The highest team score in either match was 459-9 by Durham, which also included the highest individual score of 172 by Coetzer. However that is one of only three centuries in the fixtures, the others made by Di Venuto (also in that Durham innings) and Rahul Dravid (for the MCC).
     There has also only been one 5-wicket haul, which was taken last year by Kirby who finished the innings with brilliant figures of 12-6-29-5.

Meanwhile the other teams will be wrapping up their pre-season training, with several returning from overseas. Friendly matches will ensue and before we know it the 5th of April will be upon us (that's a Thursday) and with it the first round of County Championship matches.
     Following this will be several more rounds of the 4-day format before the 1-day games finally begin on the bank holiday weekend of the 4-7th of May. This is either excellent scheduling or awful scheduling and I guess we won't know which until the middle of May.

But for now enjoy the sun, pray that it's here to stay and get ready for another great summer of cricket.