Worcestershire v Warwickshire

What a terrific cricket match. Fine batting and bowling, loads of twists and a compelling final day which, at tea, could still have gone either way.

New Road looked an absolute picture in the sunshine. Has the New Road outfield ever before been that fast in April?

Chopra batted beautifully again but let's hear it, too, for Botha's perky innings on the fourth morning which halted a major collapse and allowed Warwickshire to declare in time to have a bowl - and take a wicket - before lunch.

Woakes bowled superbly on the final day after Richardson had bowled really well for Worcestershire. The decision to release Richardson in 2004 was the third-worst decision ever taken by Warwickshire behind the decision not to offer a contract to Wilfred Rhodes in 1892 and the decision not to offer me a contract after my trial in 1981 when what they didn't realise was that my fiendishly flighted leg-spin in the indoor nets kept bamboozling the batsmen all of whom, I am sure, would have been caught in the deep had we been playing outside.

It was a bit of a dodgy game for wicket-keepers with 71 byes conceded though a fair few of those came when the keeper was left helpless by loose leg-side deliveries.

Even on the second evening, with Warwickshire 174 behind on first innings, there was a belief among supporters of both sides that Warwickshire would win.

Darren Maddy was desperately unlucky to be dropped, though the selection was vindicated by the team winning. "Darren was brilliant during the Worcestershire game," Ashley Giles said, post-match. "He stayed round all the game, did 12th man duty and helped everyone out. He was full of enthusiasm and just great. He was unlucky not to play but everyone here knows this is a squad effort. It has to be if we are going to win anything.

Botha bowled 16 over and four maidens in each innings.

Miller had a quiet game but even the greatest bowlers cop nought for a hundred-plus sometimes.

From the first ball he faced for Warwickshire, Mohammad Yousuf struck a boundary and he went on to record his best score for Warwickshire twice in the match.

Warwickshire's last three visits to Chester-le-Street have brought defeats by 219 runs, eight wickets and nine wickets. Time to hit back?

Far be it from me to refer to my prediction, two days before the season, not shared by many, that Warwickshire would win the championship...