Worcestershire flooded with optimism

Cricket returns to New Road in Worcester for the first time since June 21 last year as the county begin their recovery from the heavy floods that caused more than £1million of damage. “It has been a very long ten months and none of us can wait,” Mark Newton, the Worcestershire chief executive, said yesterday. “But the sun is beginning to shine and the outfield is in remarkably good condition. The pitch looks better than it has for six or seven years.”

The floods left the ground covered in an inch of dirt, which was stripped off and the earth replanted with 1,000kg of seed. New drainage was added, which will help to mitigate against the high water table, but New Road, above, remains vulnerable to flooding. A heavy flood in January and a smaller one in March set back the repairs, but Newton said that the county remain on track to pay off their losses within two years.

Graeme Hick, the Worcestershire batsman, will have surgery to remove fragments of cartilage in an elbow today. He should be out for two weeks and Moeen Ali takes Hick's place in the squad. Simon Jones is a doubt with a stiff neck.

James Taylor, 18, has been given permission by Shrewsbury School to take time off from revising for his A levels so he can be in the Leicestershire squad for today's match against Worcestershire. Taylor made his case with 129 for England Under-19 against Middlesex second XI last week. He scored 200 runs at an average of 50 for England Under-19 in the World Cup in Malaysia last winter. “James has forced his way up the order,” Tim Boon, the county's senior coach, said. “He is a resolute character and hates giving his wicket away.”

Taylor made his mark aged 15 when he scored 541 runs without being dismissed when his school won the Lord's Taverners Cup.

Gough injured

Darren Gough took three for 15 in six overs for Yorkshire against Leicestershire in the second XI championship yesterday but will not captain the first XI in their opening four-day match against Hampshire this week because of fears over his back injury. Matthew Hoggard, who has been suffering from a stiff neck, is expected to play.

Hampshire are in a dilemma over a crackdown on dogs at the Rose Bowl, the newly appointed Test ground. Stewards were told to enforce a ban last week. “A spectator might get bitten,” Jill Smithers, the club's membership manager, said. But before the end of the four-day match against Sussex stewards were allowing pets in after a pooch putsch from members. A decision on who will go to the doghouse is awaited from Rod Bransgrove, the chairman.

Stewart switches allegiance to lend Sussex a hand

Alec Stewart, for 23 years a key figure with Surrey, made his coaching debut in Hove yesterday. Stewart, who is the agent of Matt Prior, the Sussex and England wicketkeeper, has filled a formal role as part-time coach of batsmen and wicketkeepers at Sussex. “People will see me as a Surrey person, which is not surprising, but I see myself as a cricket person,” Stewart said.

Zondeki fills Maddy's boots

Monde Zondeki makes his Warwickshire debut in Northampton today in Darren Maddy's spare pair of bowling boots. The South Africa fast bowler, who practised for the first time with Maddy, his captain, and his team-mates yesterday, had his kit stolen at Dubai airport last week.