Good morning from New Road, where the sun is (in and) out for Worcestershire’s first home fixture of the season against Durham. Things are tinged with a touch of sadness here after the recent passing of club journalist and former Press Association writer John Curtis. JC was among the very best people on the circuit: knowledgeable, generous and just so incredibly welcoming to anyone who walked into the press box. One of the members has just passed me some flowers to pop in JC’s usual spot, where he would spend a day’s play cracking jokes and swapping stories. As the BBC’s Martin Emmerson quipped just now, the minute’s silence planned before the start of play could scarcely be less appropriate (or more deserved). For further reading, there is a lovely tribute on the Worcestershire website here too. Cheers, JC. I’m sitting next to the Wisden editor, who allowed me to touch (once) Jamie Smith’s embossed Cricketer of The Year 2025 edition before it was handed over. Lovely end papers. Any questions for Lawrence? Just email me at tanya.aldred.freelance@theguardian.com, or ask BTL. Ali talks to Leicestershire’s big beast: How well do Somerset travel? Let’s just say that they haven’t won at The Oval since 1995 and haven’t won an away game in two years. Limping Durham have been desperately leafing through the address book. In come three pace bowlers: South African Codi Yusuf ( signing for six games) plus Jake Ball (Somerset) and Jack Blatherwick (Lancs)on loan for the next two games. DIVISION ONE Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire v Sussex The Oval: Surrey v Somerset New Road: Worcestershire v Durham DIVISION TWO Derby: Derbyshire v Middlesex Bristol: Gloucestershire v Leicestershire Good morning! An early train down to London (off peak all day on a Friday) and The Oval is beaming. Footballs are being kicked about in warm-up and there’s a lazy-days net to the side, next to the banks of blackbird-egg seats. It’s a truncated progamme of games today – just two in Division One and three in Division Two. We’ll be here all day – play starts at 11am.
Author: Tanya Aldred at the Oval