The Joneses keeping up

Just back this weekend with Dad from a welcome return to Worcester to see some County Championship cricket between Worcestershire and Essex. Along the way it was also an opportunity to meet up with my old friend Bob Cole, and also meet some more friends, who coincidentally happened to be in Birmingham on the Saturday.

Worcester is such a beautiful cricket venue. Looking out over the ground from the main members pavilion is a glorious view of Worcester Cathedral overlooking the River Severn. The place not only is a pleasant venue, one of the best on the county circuit (its Ladies Pavilion cakes are legion), but has become almost near-legendary for its tendency to flood - the groundsman is the only one in Britain that has to keep a rowing boat in his shed! Thankfully this was not necessary on this occasion.

The cricket itself was quite tense and see-saw, with Worcestershire skittled out for 176 on the first day, only to sting Essex back by bowling them out for 116 in their first innings. That they went on to win the game by 74 runs, was due in no small measure to one Simon Jones (MBE), whom 2 years ago was one of the victorious Ashes winning side against Australia (ah, how it empowers me to write those words), and was also the secret weapon in England's arsenal - less celebrated than the likes of Andrew Flintoff or Kevin Pietersen, but no less vital. For those technically minded in the ways of the game, he has the ability to swing the ball both ways unpredictably, and works up a match faster speed than his short bowling action suggests.

Cruelly, for both Jones and England, injury ruled him out a year later from travelling to Australia in defence of the Ashes, where England were thrashed 5-0. But now, Simon Jones is back, and Essex were among the first to be on the receiving end.

After the pulsating pleasure of the cricket, I travelled up the line to the Electric Cinema just outside Birmingham New Street with Bob, where another Jones was making something of a comeback, in the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. My own enthusiasm for this film was at best lukewarm, although I did manage to catch what would probably have been my favourite part - the end title music by John Williams (well, they did open the doors at the end, didn't they!)

It was also a nice opportunity to briefly catch up with some old friends - some of whom I hadn't seen in over 5 years - who were all predictably buoyant and happy having just enjoyed the film.

I returned to Worcester that evening and rejoined Dad at a pleasant guesthouse, "The Gables" on Bromyard Road, so that we were fresh in the morning to watch the conclusion of the cricket on the Sunday. In the morning before breakfast we had a little walk down the road towards the birthplace of Sir Edward Elgar, in the village of Lower Broadheath. Sadly we didn't have enough time to see Elgar's house itself (as time and our breakfast called!), but walking through country that surely was inspiration for Nimrod (which I found myself humming all the way there and back) and others, we got a flavour for "Elgar's country", especially a great view from Crown Lane East looking over the hazy landscape of Worcester that morning.

A Lancaster and Hurricane fly past New Road, whilst Simon Jones (No. 9) bowls to Ravi Bopara

Back at the cricket, and speaking as an Essex follower it was pleasing to see Ravinder Bopara (another England prospect) flying the flag of resistance, but Essex's target of 340 soon became insurmountable once Bopara was dismissed lbw for 84, which we witnessed just before we left at 5.00 to get our train back to London Paddington.

By the time we were out of Worcester and on our way back to Essex, the victory for Worcestershire was sealed, thanks to the wrapping up of the tail-end once again, by that man Simon Jones.

I hope other, more illustrious teams than Essex, are on the further receiving end of his formidable skills in the future.