SCENE: Taunton. A stadium in the town centre, April 12, 2020. 10.40 am: Somerset CC v Warwickshire CC; the start of the County Cricket season.

The entrance gates opened at 10am, by which time hundreds of cricket lovers were queuing to get in.

Now, the numbers have swelled to thousands.

There is an air of anticipation, the like of which has not been felt here since the days of Viv, Joel and Ian.

Somerset and Midlands accents abound; there is something special about bank holiday weekend cricket.

Old friends greet each other with broad smiles; how are you, have you wintered well? Are all your loved ones safe and well?

Then the talk is of football and rugby; Liverpool champions again at long last, will Man City win the Champions League for the first time? Will Taunton Titans hold their own in National League 1?

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Next, who will be in the teams today?

The Somerset team is announced: Banton, Babar Azam, Abell (c), Hildreth, Bartlett, Davies (wk), Gregory, Philander, Bess, C Overton, J Overton.

No place for the local hero of Headingley! But when has Jack ever played in the first game of the season?

Warwickshire has won the toss and has chosen to bat first; their international batsmen, Bell and Sibley, follow the umpires and the Somerset team on to the field of play.

Then a familiar voice revs up: "Come on Ovurs, come on Vurn. You can do it lads."

Play begins. Click! The ground erupts! The umpire does not move.

"Wake up umpire! Wake up! Michael! You're talking gibberish in your sleep again!"

MICHAEL PITT

Staplegrove