Birmingham Mail

Warwickshire continue to battle through the jungle of red tape required to get Kolpak signing Vaughn van Jaarsveld registered. Faxes, e-mails, phone calls and pigeons galore have been despatched from Edgbaston to the Home Office and the ECB.

Of course there is one 24-carat way to evade all this kerfuffle. You don't need any of this registration malarkey if you follow the advice of my dear old Uncle Ron. And "grow your own".

"Grow your own," Ron always used to say. "Grow your own".

THE German bombs that pounded Birmingham during the bleakest days of the Blitz nor the IRA explosions that brought bloodshed three decades ago achieved their aim of intimidating the people of this city.

Nor will the current wave of terrorist attacks. We are too resilient, steadfast and courageous to be so readily cowed.

It's been pouring down in Cardiff since half past five and has just about stopped. Sophia Gardens is drenched but the floodlights are on and the groundstaff are looking purposeful.

There's talk of a 7.15pm start, though that would be a Herculean effort from said staff.

If there is play, Luke Parker will replace Nick James in the Warwickshire team.

7.30pm start, weather permitting. No overs lost.

Warwickshire's quest for ever-more inane warm-up exercises reaches new grounds with a strange, war-dance type activity not unlike one of the early Terpsichorean offerings of Pans People.

Still drizzling.

A 17-overs-a-side contest will start at 8pm. They are trying, bless 'em.

Trouble is, it's still raining and the sky looks full of it.

To compound a somewhat dreary scenario, the P.A. is playing Bananarama.

A 15-overs-a-side contest finally begins at 8.20pm and Neil Carter promptly edges the first ball to slip.

1 for 1 off 1 over.

Glamorgan won the toss.

Warwickshire 43 for 2 off 7. Maddy 22, Ambrose 15.

Troughton sent up a skier and was caught. Batting is tough in damp conditions. Both batsmen relying heavily on the nurdle.

With Warwickshire 73 for 2 from 10 overs and Ambrose having just clouted Croft for 4 and 6 off successive balls, the heavens open again, this time perhaps terminally.

This bizarre evening hurtles onward. Warwickshire went back out and clattered another 21 off an over to finish with 94 for 3 off 11.

Glamorgan are chasing a Vera Duckworth of 83 off 9.

They are 9 for 0 after 0.3 overs.

Warwickshire have qualified for the quarter-finals after a 9 run (D/L) win over Glamorgan.

Paul Harris somehow managed to bowl two overs for seven runs in a nine-over slog and the catching from all the Bears fielders was immaculate.

IN A world that has grown increasingly unfazed by images of violence, today's pictures showing the murder of Lozells shopkeeper Mohammed Basharat retain a chilling power.

Few readers will be unmoved by the photographs we publish showing the killer, sinister a dark hood, striding into the store and cold-heartedly opening fire with a sawn-off shotgun. Some may be offended.

THEY are cute. They are charming. Their smiles gladden the heart.

We send our congratulations to Regan Smith, Inaaya Khalifa-Morgan and Jay-Jay Boyce, three bundles of fun who are today named the winners of our Baby of Year competition.

A CRITICISM often levelled at the West Midlands' movers and shakers is that they fail to provide the strong political leadership this region needs to prosper, that they do not shout loud enough and fight hard enough on our behalf.

This is a deficit that has - we hope - been addressed by the appointment of Liam Byrne, to the new post of West Midlands Minister.

TODAY'S release of the British hostage Alan Johnston from captivity in Lebanon is a cause for celebration.

For him, for his family, for his friends, for colleagues and for all of us.

I do love it when readers get specifically involved with the rights and wrongs of the words/descriptions/headlines we use in the Birmingham Mail. Today I received this email: "May I complain at the use of the word 'executed' on pages 1 and 3 of todays paper [Tue July 3]. Surely the correct word is 'murdered'. My dictionary defines 'execution' as ' The act of....putting to death by law'. Mark Cowan's use of the incorrect word may almost imply some justification in the killing which I am sure was not intended! Regards, David Hidson". I think he's right, and my reply was: "Point taken, and thanks for the comment. We used the term to describe the style of the murder, but perhaps should have been more explanatory about that. Best regards. S"

BIRMINGHAM'S council leaders are throwing their arms up in alarm as they struggle to find ways to solve the crisis that surrounds this city's ageing swimming pools.

They face a bill of up to £90 million to modernise ramshackle Moseley Road, Harborne and Wyndley pools. More money will be needed to repair the city's other sites.

IN THE space of a few yards, you will be able to sample curries, posh nosh, Italian food and Oriental dishes.

The second Taste of Birmingham festival, which opens at Cannon Hill Park tonight and runs until Sunday, provides a unique opportunity to sample cuisine from some of this city's best eateries.

THE tide has turned in the debate about the rights and wrongs of letting Birmingham's voters decide whether they want an elected mayor.

A increasing number of influential figures, from politics, business and the voluntary sector, have spoken out in favour of a referendum.

To repeat an earlier question which appeared to stump all you esteemed Bears experts:

Which legendary Warwickshire bowler owned a spaniel called Fifi?

Not Willis, Small or Obuya,

Some reflections on Warwickshire's successful Twenty20 group campaign.
1. They fully deserve to go through, having batted solidly, bowled well and fielded brilliantly.
1 (b) Although, to be picky, the direct-hit-from-shies-at-the-stumps quota was rather low.
2. Tim Ambrose's batting continues to be of the highest order.
3. Paul Harris bowled cleverly. Of six hauls of four wickets or more by Bears bowlers in Twenty20 history, in fact, five have been by spinners. Spin-bowlers are the cool dudes of cricket.
4. Something MUST be done about that alleged scoreboard at the Pavilion End at Edgbaston.
5. Let's have a Twenty20 game at Stratford-upon-Avon next season.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. The Rose Bowl is sparkling in the sunshine and it's hot already, (although it probably won't last - showers are forecast for later today and the next few days).
The ridge of trees above the Pavilion End, crisply outlined against the deep blue sky, looks magnificent. Hampshire are playing football while, on the other side of the square, Paul Harris is warming-up with a few gentle deliveries to Steve Perryman. Other Bears knock a football about while early arrivals in the press-box grapple with this teaser: To what are we referring here: Kent 9, Glamorgan 8, Essex 7, Somerset 6?

Warwickshire win the toss and bat against a new ball which, in the initial overs, is moving about all over the place.

5 for 0 (4 overs). Westwood 1, Maddy 4. Maddy fishes fecklessly at his first ball from Bruce and is beaten then edges his second through the slips for four.

A streaky start but it's the first boundary - and as Chairman Mao said: "Every great march begins with a first step",

Warwickshire 39 for 0 (14 overs). Westwood 20, Maddy 17.
The Bears starting to lay a solid foundation which is a good effort because Hampshire's seamers have found plenty of movement. Westwood (four fours so far) looking compact, Maddy slightly less comfortable.
Trott is back for the Bears as is Mascarenhas for Hampshire. Tahir, rested for the Twenty20, returns to the bowling attack.

A cloud the shape of a rabbit is passing above the ground.

Hampshire make the breakthrough when Westwood nicks Mascarenhas and Pothas takes a fine catch behind the stumps. Westwood goes for 23 from 59 balls in 70 minutes but yet again perishes after setting down roots. He has now played 42 championship innings since his last century.
Warwickshire 66 for 1 ( 25 overs). Maddy 28, Trott 8.

Warne has just brought himself on, his first ball met by an immaculate forward defensive by Trott which, for some reason, prompted half an appeal from the bowler.

Lunch: Warwickshire 99 for 1 (36 overs). Maddy a workmanlike 43, Trott 22, having picked off several full tosses and long hops from Warne.

A good effort from the Bears. Batting never totally straightforward with help from the wicket for all bowlers.

Just before lunch a cloud in the shape of Juliet, leaning over the balcony to address Romeo, wept imperiously across the ground.

Warwickshire 152 for 1 (56 overs). Maddy 71, Trott 42.

On a difficult, slow pitch a total of 350 might be pretty good - 400 would be commanding - so this is a good effort from the Bears. You wouldn't call Maddy's innings a creation of beauty but it's a real captain's innings of application and fighting spirit. Trott is playing with patience too.

The Rose Bowl is looking handsome in its tree-lined bowl. Shame the imminent developments will radically enhance its capacity while possibly just as radically reducing its charm.

Hampshire turn to the part-time spin of Carberry and he strikes. Trott leans forwad and is caught off bat and pad at short leg for a very patient 50 with just three fours.

Carberry, not renowned for his hostility, also makes a ball lift so violently that it smashes into wicket-keeper Pothas's face. He has to go off for treatment, Crawley taking over the gloves.

Warwickshire 173 for 2 (66 overs). Maddy 81, Troughton 1.

Tea: Warwickshire 207 for 2 (75 overs). Maddy 99, Troughton 12.

Maddy is just 82 runs short of the highest score by any Warwickshire player in Hampshire - the 181 by Wasim Khan at the old Northlands Road ground in Southampton in 1995.

Warwickshire 248 for 2 (83). Maddy 112, Troughton 40.

Maddy's ton, from 229 balls with 14 fours, is amongst the scrappiest century of this or any season but a real triumph of concentration and application on a low, slow track. Support has come from all the rest so far with Troughton batting watchfully and sensibly.

A cloud the shape of a penguin playing a trombone has just drfited across the sky towards the Solent.

Showers lopped off the last 50 minutes so Warwickshire close the opening day on 267 for 3. Maddy 121, Loudon 6.
Maddy threaded some fine strokes among a fair few streaky ones. But his focus and purposefulness were immense. He has batted for 343 minutes, faced 263 balls and struck 16 fours, not all of them to third man.
Suddenly, clouds have closed in. Time to go. Another night on the lonely, hostile old road covering the Bears up and down the country beckons. As country and western legend Don Williams always used to say: "And now I'm gonna take my hat off".

NO-ONE should doubt that this country faces a grave threat from terrorists intent on spilling innocent blood.

But there is no room for alarmist stories that exaggerate the risk.

OKAY, we may never see Bruce Willis or Julia Roberts sauntering through the Bullring in their Ray Bans.

The word "Brummiewood" will probably never be spelled out in giant letters alongside the M6.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Despite morning showers, play will start on time.

By the way, the loss of the last 14 overs yesterday was quite bizarre. There had been a bit of rain but the sun was out again and the grass can not possibly have been more than slightly damp. During the preceding two weeks, several Twenty20 games had taken place on sodden ground in heavy drizzle, which shows what's possible. But they couldn't call it off quickly enough yesterday. Championship cricket supporters are still taken for granted in a quite astonishing way.

Warwickshire advanced to 279 for 3 (Maddy 123, Loudon 14 [Loudon, on 6, dropped by Mascarenhas at extra cover]) before the mother, father, grandmother, uncle, another uncle, second cousin and niece's hamster of all downpours arrived.

Throw in the truly feeble attempts of the groundstaff to cover the ground quickly - and some pretty modest covers - and, even though the downpour was quite short, this could be quite a stoppage.

Lunch to be taken at 1pm, the umpires to inspect thereafter.

It's stopped raining and a mop-up operation is underway but the grass got a lot wetter than it should have done.

If you ever saw Laurel and Hardy attempting to shift that piano up a flight of stairs, then you will have an idea of how efficient and successful Hampshire's groundstaff were in unfurling covers for the square as the rain swept down.

Inspection at 1.30pm with a view to playing "fairly soon after that".

Play has resumed. Warwickshire 297 for 4. Loudon 22, Ambrose 6.
Maddy's long stay ended at 123 with a nick to the wicket-keeper. Ambrose was caught at third slip off a no-ball before he had scored.
Readers of this blog might remember that, with an eye on the forthcoming visit to Kent, I recently cancelled my booking at an old coaching inn just outside Canterbury after being informed that it was haunted.
The fearless George Dobell, of the Birmingham Post, intends to check himself in there.
Hope he doesn't regret it. Yours faithfully, C.Custard.

Warwickshire 350 for 5. Loudon 41, Streak 2.

Ambrose was bowled off-stump by a beauty from Mascarenhas for 32. Good batting as a unit by the Bears though, with partnerships so far of 60, 106, 86, 31 and 60.

Hampshire have not bowled very well. If Warwickshire bowl straight on a pitch that sometimes keeps low, they could win this game. Weather forecast for the next two days not too bad.

Rain. It has haunted this cricket season, it wrecked Warwickshire's first championship visit to the Rose Bowl in 2001, ruined their last championship visit to Hampshire's old Northlands Road ground in 1999 and, accompanied by spectacular thunder and lightning, has stopped play here again today. Warwickshire taking an early tea at 353 for 5. Loudon 41, Streak 5.

Even the nasty rain was, however, powerless to prevent members of Southampton Astronomical Society enjoying a fascinating talk entitled: "Bang - The Complete History of the Universe" at their meeting on May 10 this year.

4.35pm. Called off for the day. Warwickshire 353 for 5.

But they can still win this match if the rain stays away and they bowl well.

"BORDESLEY Green isn't the right place for these people to be rehabilitated," says a resident fighting plans to open a psychiatric unit which opponents claim will house dangerous patients.

Without wishing to appear unsympathetic to the concerns of people who live nearby, where, then, would be a suitable location? In some else's neighbourhood?

POLICE walk a tightrope as they attempt to tackle the terrorism that haunts Britain.

Crack down too hard and they risk inflaming passions. Adopt a more relaxed approach and they risk failing to prevent bloodshed and mayhem.

Laura. Otherwise known affectionately as Wangers.

Or, to the less kind, the pointless waste of space that has spent more than half of the last 800-odd hours of Big Brother 2007 in bed.

BB bosses made a serious foul-up by choosing her as one of its housemates.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. The start will be delayed as it is raining and the ground is already wet anyway. Looks like a no-play-before-lunch scenario at best.

This rain really is starting to grate. Everywhere we go, it rains. Not much fun.

Lunch to be taken early at 12.45pm. The sun has come out so hopefully play will start 2pm-ish - although, of course, further rain would change that.

Months of rain-enforced inactivity are taking their toll on the media. One reporter in the press box is sitting in a corner with his underpants on his head and a pen up each nostril. Another is on the floor over by the tea urn chewing the venetian-blind cord.

Meanwhile, in the upper pavilion, about 80 spectators sit avidly watching the grass dry. Strange.

The umpires took a look at 1.30pm and reported that the ground was drying only slowly so they will look again at 1.45pm.

This really is a strange state of affairs. Apart from one brief shower it's been dry all morning and, while the grass is no doubt less than perfectly dry, is it really dangerous?

The spectators remain patient but really sometimes you can see why many punters don't bother to attend championship cricket.

The umpires have inspected - and will inspect again at 3pm! This really is ludicrous and, judging by Shane Warne's body language as he and Darren Maddy spoke to the umps out in the middle, he reckons so too.

Man down in the press box. One scribe has just peeled off his clothes, fled to the window, yelled: "I can't stand it any more, I'm a banana" and jumped out. Eight of the nine us left now have our underpants on our heads with pencils up each nostril. Only the chap from the Guardian holding out.

At 3.07pm, play is abandoned for the day because the ground is too "wet".

So it won't dry in the three remaining hours scheduled for play? Not a drop of rain has fallen since 11.30am.

Simply outrageous

It is a sunny morning in Southampton, in fact the sun has been out virtually all the way through since dawn so surely they can't possibly find a reason not to commence playing cricket at 11am.

As for what awaits then, well there has been talk between the two camps about a possible agreed target for Hampshire to chase but, of course, both have their own ideas of what a fair target would be. We'll have to see if they can reach agreement.

A deal has been done. Warwickshire declared overnight and opened the bowling with Troughton and Westwood to gift Hampshire a few runs.

Carberry promptly lifted Westwood into Anyon's hands at long-off but Hampshire declared at 23 for 1 from two overs so will now, after the Bears forfeit their second innings, chase 331 for victory. Game on.

Well now after the rain-soaked frustrations of the first two days and the appalling farce of yesterday we now have a plot full of intriguing possibilities.

Hampshire, chasing 331 in 92 overs, are 4 for 0 after 3. It looks like an equation fair to both sides and, on a slow pitch which has a bit for the bowlers but is no minefield, either side will have to play well to win.

I'd say neither will win, though. I reckon 268 for 7 at the close.

Hampshire 31 for 1 (14 overs). Carberry 16, Crawley 2.

Anyon has just smuggled a tremendous inswinging yorker through Brown's defence and bowled him.

Anyon is an excellent prospect with the potential to play for England. I wonder, if he is contacted by the ECB to ask whether he would be available to tour New Zealand this winter, if he would reply in the words of that other famous Preston-born megastar John Inman: "I'm free".

Twenty minutes before lunch the Bears take a big wicket as John Crawley clips a leg-stump half-volley from Darren Maddy low to Jonathan Trott at short mid-wicket. It was so low that Crawley waited for the umpire to raise his finger.

50 for 2 (21 overs). Carberry 23, Lumb 0.

Not certain at this stage whether Pothas (fractured cheek) will bat for Hampshire. Paul Harris has just come on to bowl and immediately beaten Lumb on both sides of the bat.

Lunch: Hampshire 72 for 2. 64 overs left for them to get another 259 runs or the Bears to take another eight, or if Pothas does not bat, seven wickets.

Bad light has stopped play between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Kandy.

Some goldfinches are making their lovely unique chirruping noise atop the Rose Bowl radio box.

I've just had a corned beef and salad granary baguette followed by a custard tart.

The goldfinches have fluttered away and Hampshire have started the afternoon strongly.

97 for 2 (37 overs). Carberry 56, Lumb 14.

Dangerous partnership developing here - 50 so far with Carberry starting to open up a bit. His innings is a bit like Maddy's on the first day. He's edged a few - as I type this he's just edged Harris short of slip - and been beaten plenty of times but he's still there and that's something Warwickshire need to change.

Just as Hampshire were becoming ascendant, Lumb turns Harris to short-leg where Westwood takes the catch. Lumb goes for 15 and it's 111 for 3.

What a strong position Warwickshire would be in if, the over before, Maddy had not spilt a chance at slip off Streak, offered by Carberry on 65.

On a boiling hot afternoon, Streak deserves at least one wicket for his accurate, testing bowling: so far 10-4-25-0.

Hampshire 146 for 3. Carberry 83, Benham 20. 185 runs or seven wickets (six if Pothas doesn't bat) needed from 39 overs.

Warwickshire need to strike again soon but the game has entered a soporific stage, not helped by long delay for the sun shining off windscreens. Harris and Tahir probing away.

Draw starting to look favourite with a Bears win third favourite. Just had a delicious New Forest '99'. First ice-cream of the season.

Tea. Hampshire 163 for 3 (58). Carberry 91, Benham 27.

Hampshire might just fancy a tilt at victory now. The Bears need to keep it tight straight after tea. They have plugged away but without great penetration on this sluggish pitch.

Harris has bowled well but with little help from the strip. Concerns remain that without Steyn (not that he would have enjoyed operating on this pitch) Warwickshire's bowling does lack a bit of cutting edge.

It has been exactly the post-tea flurry Warwickshire did not want. Carberry reached his ton, his first of the season, and his confidence was unlocked that instant. Several boundaries followed in quick succession. Carberry is motoring and the Bears need to dig in here.

Carberry pulls Maddy for another four. Hampshire 206 for 3. Carberry 122, Benham 39.

125 needed from 29 overs. Suddenly very gettable indeed.

Benham is carelessly run out when he watches an lbw decision from Groenewald being turned down and, yards from his ground, has his stumps thrown down by Troughton.

Nic Pothas nobly walks out with his fractured cheekbone but quickly and daftly runs himself out.

Carberry is now batting regally - but with a runner! Getting lively. Hampshire 245 for 5. Carberry 149, Mascarenhas 0. 24 overs left.

Credit the skippers for setting this up. A cracking finale - unfortunately, for the three Bears fans who, half an hour ago, departed for home with a weary: "They don't look remotely like taking a wicket".

Hampshire 254 for 5. Need 77 off 17 overs. Carberry 154 - wounded and weary but can he finish the job?

Harris has come back on and bowled well. Streak has bowled huge-heartedly all day.

Hampshire 273 for 5. 58 needed from ten overs.

Carberry 159, looking tired. Mascarenhas 16, looking dangerous.

Streak and Harris are making the batsmen earn these runs.

Compelling finish. Hope the tension level doesn't get so high that conditions are deemed dangerous and the players are taken off.

So just as the nation’s schoolchildren prepare for a wonderful six weeks of doing absolutely nothing – he said without any hint of envy or bitterness – the nation’s footballers prepare to go back to school.
Or at least that’s how some of the Wolves players described returning to pre-season training after their own six week ‘holiday’.
It’s been just over a week since the Wolves squad checked back in at work and, almost to a man, they seem absolutely delighted to be there.
Infact Michael Kightly, Stephen Ward and Andy Keogh were so desperate to get back in the swing of things they actually came in a day early!
Presumably they also left an apple on Mick McCarthy’s desk and asked if he wanted the blackboard wiping just to make sure.

10 off 9 balls required

Six required off the final over, by Groenewald.

Then two required off the last three balls - and T.G. delivers a no-ball.

Hampshire win by five wickets with three balls to spare.

Think I preferred the rain! I'm off for a lie down, sadly after a long drive first! Ta ta for now.

BOY or girl, babies are a blessing and should be regarded as such.

The idea that couples should be free to choose the gender of the child they are about to conceive is repugnant.

BIRMINGHAM City Council and West Midlands Fire Service have been quick to defend themselves after residents' complaints of inaction following floods that engulfed the Witton area.

But one simple truth remains.

THE spotlight this newspaper shone on the case of church-going refugee Olivia Senaratne, who provides round-the-clock care for an elderly Birmingham couple, helped persuade the Home Office to defer her deportation.

Now Olivia, who fled her homeland after suffering domestic violence, has been told to report to immigration offices in Solihull next week so fresh deportation papers can be served.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Yet again it's raining. It's been raining for hours and looks like it's set in for hours more. Looks like a cast-iron no-play-today scenario.

Why? Why is it raining so much?
Is it global warming? Is is just bad luck? Or is it God's punishment for the human race for, having been granted the precious gift of life, using it to produce nuclear weapons, EastEnders and taps which go off when you stop pressing them thereby making it impossible to wash both hands at one time?

You may or may not know (and may or may not care) tha tthe Birmingham Mail is being sold as a title. It currently belongs to Trinity Mirror, and this publisher has decided to sell, among other assets, it's Midland titles.
This initial announcement came in November last year, and the final stages are now being processed. This could see a formal change of ownership by September, and will result in a pretty instant property move and revealing of very modern publishing and multi-media plans.
Instead of being owned by a large plc with ultimate bosses in London, the paper will probably be owned by locally-based investors.
News on the eventual sale, ids of new owners and location of new property will all come out in the Autumn, but I will file snippets of info on this blog from time to time.

Heavy rain is whipping across the ground and the covers are full of water. Surely they will take an early lunch and then abandon the day's play.
When they do get round to some cricket, I'd pick Neil Carter because all the right-arm seam looked a bit samey at the Rose Bowl on Wednesday.
By the way, caught a bit of EastEnders, which for some bizarre reason Mary watches, last night. What a load of depressing, dreary, cliche-stacked, sterotype-driven drivel. Wouldn't the BBC be better off devoting the millions EastEnders costs elsewhere? Like trying to get back some of the cricket which, in telly terms, they have shockingly deserted.

The rain has almost stopped and instantly nine groundstaff and two blotters are out there embarking on the mopping-up operation.

What a contrast to the tardy operations and paucity of equipment at the Rose Bowl earlier this week.

There is obviously a desire to get some cricket in - even though it's still drizzling.

It's raining cats, dogs and hamsters again and the call-off is surely nigh. The covers, having been emptied once, are filling up again.
By the way, a reflection on the defeat at the Rose Bowl. Several national newspapers suggested that Warwickshire were the victims of some sort of captaincy genius master-stroke by Shane Warne and that Darren Maddy had been duped.
Not at all. The original plan, a declaration overnight and a double forfeit, favoured the Bears. Warne evidently realised this overnight and what the captains actually came up with was spot-on. It's just that Hampshire, or rather Carberry, batted better than Warwickshire bowled.

...off for the day.

Pre-season tours just ain't what they used to be.

Blues flew safely into Germany, all focused and ready to get down to some hard graft in the sun. Nothing has been left to chance, it seems.

They are billeted in a typically spick and span family-run hotel in a small village in Baden-Wurttemberg, to the south west of the country, near Stuttgart.

There are no distractions in a place that's better described as 'comatose' than 'quiet' and the sports complex of the local side where they are training is a mere five minutes stroll away.

Rewind to the early 1990s and it was different, to say the least.

Remember when Blues won the Leyland DAF Cup in 1991? Well they received a Leyland DAF minibus for their troubles (really) and took it on tour to Ireland with them.

Trouble was that the whole squad, plus kit and luggage, had to be crammed into it for an horrendous drive from Cork up country to Galway.

I can still remember poor Simon Sturridge lying across laps and suitcases trying to get comfortable as everyone packed inside like sardines.

As for the training facilities, Blues were presented with a bumpy parks pitch, complete with rusty goalposts and a worn out six-yard area.

If nothing else, that trip was good for building team spirit as Blues went on to win promotion that season from the old Third Division.

DJ Campbell was left out of the travelling party in order that his transfer from the club can be concluded. But his presence, of sorts, is still with us as the first thing you see when you walk through the entrance to the team's hotel is a poster advertising Wednesday's friendly against Heidenheimer SB that shows Campbell in all his glory celebrating a goal.

David Beckham might have the whole of America bowing down before him - okay, perhaps just the one per cent who like 'soccer' - but I bet he's never had a drink named after him.

Albion fans can raise a glass or two to their favourite team in the literal sense the next time they fly on an Irish-owned budget airline.

Ryanair's in-flight drinks menu includes a 'Bullseye Baggies' drink, which is effectively a discounted spirit of your choice. Naturally my photographer Sam and I abstained from the offer, but the same perhaps couldn't be said for the group of four 30-something Albion fans who stumbled onto our Slovenia-bound flight just moments before the doors shut with more rocket fuel inside them than our 737.

Slovenia, you have been warned...

Standing water on outfield. Everywhere streaming with water. Still raining heavily. Surely has to be a case of scoff an early lunch then all go home.

Off for the day

Albion players are getting their very own crash course in Slovenian as they bake in temperatures in the mid-30s at their Moravske Toplice training base.
Robert Koren, The Baggies' resident Slovenian, had a word with some of his team-mates before Friday's game against Hajduk Split. And it wasn't very pleasant.
Do tell us more Robert...
"When we played against Hajduk (last Friday) I passed on some bad words to our players for them to say to the opposition players if anything was said to them. The English players are so focused I don't think they remembered. But I spoke to some of the players from Hajduk and, yes, a few bad words were exchanged but that happens in football..."

Thankfully, Koren had the good sense to remove his not-so-macho hair braids before embarking on his war of words with Split's finest.

Meanwhile, David Worrall has probably used a few swear words of his own this week after seeing red for the second time in 24 hours. Harshly sent off against Hajduk, the Albion midfielder took a blow to the nose from a wayward swimmer during a trip to the local water park yesterday. Ouch!

Just as well German-speaking Eric Black wasn't in earshot of the PA after Blues opening game of the tour.
The hosts at the Kunzeslau sports stadium got Steve Bruce, the coaches and players from the two sides they played together for a post-match interview and presentations.
Bruce was his usual charming self, giving goalkeeper Axel Muller a Blues shirt for his man-of-the-match performance.
Had Black been at his side and not in the dressing room area, he might have decided against it.
A Hollenbach player was what he thought of Blues and replied 'not much'.
He went on to say that he had expected them to be much better than they were before shuffling away to get changed.
Charming.
The scorching heat wasn't ideal for fast, slick football. And Blues were blowing the cobwebs away.
They also were up against 30-odd players.
Hollenbach were transformed into a local select side after the interval whereas Blues made just four changes, much to Gary McSheffrey's annoyance.
Bruce wanted to take McSheffrey off with 20 minutes left and send on Rowan Vine, who had been replaced at half-time.
The referee was having none of it.
"Not possible", he barked, showing impressive teutonic efficiency in noting that Vine had already been subsituted.
Bruce wasn't best pleased and pointed out that substitutes were coming and going nine to the dozen for the opposition.
The referee remained unmoved and so poor McSheffrey, whose fair skin hardly lends itself to the sun, had to fry out there for a little longer.

Just as well German-speaking Eric Black wasn't in earshot of the PA after Blues opening game of the tour.
The hosts at the Kunzeslau sports stadium got Steve Bruce, the coaches and players from the two sides they played together for a post-match interview and presentations.
Bruce was his usual charming self, giving goalkeeper Axel Muller a Blues shirt for his man-of-the-match performance.
Had Black been at his side and not in the dressing room area, he might have decided against it.
A Hollenbach player was what he thought of Blues and replied 'not much'.
He went on to say that he had expected them to be much better than they were before shuffling away to get changed.
Charming.
The scorching heat wasn't ideal for fast, slick football. And Blues were blowing the cobwebs away.
They also were up against 30-odd players.
Hollenbach were transformed into a local select side after the interval whereas Blues made just four changes, much to Gary McSheffrey's annoyance.
Bruce wanted to take McSheffrey off with 20 minutes left and send on Rowan Vine, who had been replaced at half-time.
The referee was having none of it.
"Not possible", he barked, showing impressive teutonic efficiency in noting that Vine had already been substituted.
Bruce wasn't best pleased and pointed out that substitutes were coming and going nine to the dozen for the opposition.
The referee remained unmoved and so poor McSheffrey, whose fair skin hardly lends itself to the sun, had to fry out there for a little longer.

In temperatures approaching 90 degrees (old money), Blues training sessions are as demanding as they were a year again in Marbella, Spain.
That trip really set the template for how Blues are conditioned under Dan Harris.
Thankfully, from the players' perspective, ball work is included and an eight-versus-eight game took place on the opening day here in Aalen.
Olivier Kapo joined in for the first time and his quality was evident from the moment he casually pinged a 40-yard crossfield pass straight to feet as if it was a routine short ball.
He also nutmegged Sebastian Larsson, although the Swede remains in denial.
Kapo, incidentially, is a ringer for NBA basketball star Stephon Marbury, for those who enjoy their lookalikes and know their hoops.
Honourable mentions go to Sone Aluko, who was a real livewire and looks to have got stronger, Neil Danns and a sharp and sprightly Mehdi Nafti.
Nigel Spink rolled back the years (even if he wasn't able to comfortably do the same with his jersey, such is his 'fuller figure') in keeping goal at one end in the temporary absence of Maik Taylor and Richard Kingson.
And Spink, sporting an all black kit like a Lev Yashin tribute act, made a couple of excellent reflex stops.
The more serious stuff gets underway tonight in Kunzelsau against Hollenbach/Hohenlohe-Auswahl.
There will be substitutes galore by the hosts as different teams in either half will take to the field.

CITIES are not just dormitories, there to provide shelter for their inhabitants when they are not working.

They are living places that should provide a wide range of leisure activities so that people can take time out from their busy lives to relax.

Apologies ladies and gentleman. Due to a faulty cable, which is flickering into life just long enough for me to post this message, the cricket blog cannot be provided today.

Back up and running at Canterbury on Friday, all being well.

There was 'Old Woman' Chaplow, 'Sheikh' Phillips, 'no-hands' Albrechtsen and 'Yellow Jersey' Koren.
Welcome to the Tour de Slovenia - the shortest bike race in the history of bike races.
Tony Mowbray left the team bus in the garage this morning and ordered his players onto the saddle for the five mile journey from hotel to their training venue at Murska Sobota's stadium (which is surely the only stadium with a beer garden looking out onto the pitch - English football clubs take note).
The early minutes of the race were hard. Richard Chaplow, wearing his shirt wrapped around his head like a Babushka, raced into the lead while Jon Greening smiled, said 'this is the life' and free-wheeled past us, showing all the urgency of a Sunday-afternoon pensioner out on a bike ride with his grandkids. He was lucky. With the pack well ahead Jonno and Craig Beattie were left behind and almost ended up in Hungary. Thankfully Joe Corrigan was waiting to check on the stragglers. 'This way lads'.
Back to the front runners.
Martin Albrechtsen, who was obviously not new to his bicycle lark, took a chunk out of Paul Robinson's knuckle as he whizzed past no-handed while Kevin Phillips had transformed his training top into arabic headwear. Nice.
As the training ground came into view there was a sudden surge from Greening, showing that he's more Lance Armstrong and Louis Armstrong when he wants to be. But it wasn't to be.
At the finishing line - or the stadium car park actually - Robert Koren stormed through looking like a man who had had a lift all the way there. This man doesn't seem to sweat. But then he knows Slovenia like the back of his hand, which was hardly fair on the others.

There was 'Old Woman' Chaplow, 'Sheikh' Phillips, 'no-hands' Albrechtsen and 'Yellow Jersey' Koren.
Welcome to the Tour de Slovenia - the shortest bike race in the history of bike races.
Tony Mowbray left the team bus in the garage this morning and ordered his players onto the saddle for the five mile journey from hotel to their training venue at Murska Sobota's stadium (which is surely the only stadium with a beer garden looking out onto the pitch - English football clubs take note).
The early minutes of the race were hard. Richard Chaplow, wearing his shirt wrapped around his head like a Babushka, raced into the lead while Jon Greening smiled, said 'this is the life' and free-wheeled past us, showing all the urgency of a Sunday-afternoon pensioner out on a bike ride with his grandkids. He was lucky. With the pack well ahead Jonno and Craig Beattie were left behind and almost ended up in Hungary. Thankfully Joe Corrigan was waiting to check on the stragglers. 'This way lads'.
Back to the front runners.
Martin Albrechtsen, who was obviously not new to his bicycle lark, took a chunk out of Paul Robinson's knuckle as he whizzed past no-handed while Kevin Phillips had transformed his training top into arabic headwear. Nice.
As the training ground came into view there was a sudden surge from Greening, showing that he's more Lance Armstrong and Louis Armstrong when he wants to be. But it wasn't to be.
At the finishing line - or the stadium car park actually - Robert Koren stormed through looking like a man who had had a lift all the way there. This man doesn't seem to sweat. But then he knows Slovenia like the back of his hand, which was hardly fair on the others.

THE bitter row that erupted several months ago over the opening of a probation service centre in Kitts Green refuses to go away.

Opinions have become entrenched, a 8,500-name petition has been collected, numerous protests have been staged and the centre, built at a cost of £1 million, has been vandalised.

A few weeks ago, Coun Ken Hardeman called me re. a number of matters, some of which we agreed on and some we didn't. One was a very simple issue we did agree on and which the Mail could have quickly changed in the paper (it actually related to the picture of him that we constantly used, which he really disliked). I wasn't sure which one, and said I'd contact him by email/in person to check which one it was. I never got round to it. He died in the early hours of this morning. Why do we leave some things too late? In our tribute piece today, and in a follow up tomorrow, I will take personal care that I use the best picture of him I can, and just hope that it isn't the one he dislikes. God Bless Ken. Goodnight. You were one of the good guys.

It's quite apt Albion should be playing the team known as Red Star Belgrade this week of all weeks as they evoke memories of their 1979 Uefa Cup run, which ended with a quarter-final defeat against the Serbian giants.

This Tuesday marked the 18th anniversary of Laurie Cunningham's tragic death, the Albion genius who made his career on the back of that famous European adventure 10 years earlier, notably against Valencia in the previous round. That performance earned him a move to Real Madrid in the summer of 1979.

Tony Mowbray's men will take on the Serbs tomorrow (now known as Crvena Zvezda, which actually means 'Red Star' anyway - so why the name change?) at the 5,400-capacity Fazanerija stadium in Murska Sobota, home to Mura 05.

That game in '79 also saw arguably the greatest-ever Big Ronism.

Albion were knocked out after conceding a controversial last minute equaliser at the Hawthorns following a 1-0 loss in Belgrade.

Mr Atkinson was not happy.

"I never comment on referees and I'm not about to break the habit for that idiot (for want of a better word)".

Quite.

Finally, a member of the press corps in Slovenia is nursing a rather white handprint on the left shoulder after taking off his shirt to catch some rays as temperatures reached a frightening 39 degrees celsius during this morning's training session. The hapless journalist brushed his hand, which was covered in Factor 35 intended to cover his forehead, against his shoulder to swat away a rather excitable fly.

Tomorrow, I intend to keep my shirt on at all times.

WOLVES' base for their pre-season tour - Portmarnock Hotel - houses a championship golf course designed by Bernhard Langer and was once the family home of the Jameson Whisky dynasty.
And some of the travelling party could have probably done with a tot or two after an eventful plane journey from Birmingham to Dublin.
Thanks to some more wonderfully seasonal weather - rain, rain and yet more rain - as well as a brief and fierce thunderstorm, Wolves' plane endured some pretty hefty turbulence, including at one point a ten second spell where one staff member remarked, "it was going sideways!"
As for myself, photographer Steve Murphy and Wolves press officer John Hendley, it was the more sedate, and lengthy, route of travelling to Holyhead, a pleasant one-and-a-half hour ferry across the Irish Sea and then, why are all capital cities the same, a far from pleasant crawl through Dublin City Centre in rush hour.
For the players last night was just about having a quick bite to eat, walk down the beach and acclimatising to their 'home' for the next six days.
Today it's a light training session ahead of tonight's first friendly with Bray Wanderers.
With the Irish Wanderers already well into their League of Ireland season, there could yet be a spot more turbulence to cope with from 7.45 tonight

THE seeds of the violence that tore through Lozells during two nights of rioting were scattered by careless words and a readiness to believe the worst.

Tension mounted after rumours spread that a black girl had been raped by a gang of Asian men.

WHATEVER your political persuasion, it is hard not to be perturbed by today's revelation that the gap between Britain's rich and poor is at its highest level for more than 40 years.

While the rich have got richer, the number of families living below the poverty line has increased.

Wolves were certainly - to use one of those marvellous pre-season phrases - "put through their paces" on their first training session of their Irish tour at the
nearby Athletic Union League complex in Clonsmaugh.
Meanwhile messrs John Hendley and I, having missed the chance to tail the coach following the late submission of copy, once again made a devil's job of
actually finding the place through the region's country lanes.
There seems to be a theme developing here.
Still, we got there just a few minutes into the players' warm-ups at the small facility to join the smattering of Wolves fans who had travelled to get a close
eye of their heroes.
Included among their number were the indefatigable Swedish Wolves, regular attenders at both pre-season and regular season games for plenty of years.
They were there to present their Player of the Year award to Matt Murray, who looks like making his comeback from injury in tonight's friendly at Bray.
Meanwhile the training session was conducted among the constant sights and sounds of aeroplanes making their low descent into Dublin Airport.
Apparently, as someone pointed out to me, that particular airport is the biggest in the world.
Every year, it just keeps Dublin and Dublin and Dublin....
Meanwhile, the complimentary copy of the Irish Independent, left outside our rooms each morning, still lies, completely pristine and untouched, outside Room 303 down the corridor.
Do you think we should investigate?

John Hartson. Call him what you will - he's actually a really nice bloke - but the Slovenian press are clearly big fans.

Ahead of tonight's game against Crvena Zvezda, Big John was the main topic of conversation in one local newspaper.

Hartson opted to run rather than cycle the 5-mile journey back from the training ground to the hotel two days ago.

The Slovenian press described him as the 'perfect role-model'.

In fairness, John has been putting in the effort and mileage during this trip. Will it be enough? We'll see...

There were more shenanigans as the foreigners took on Team England game at the training pitch this morning. England normally win at a canter.

Not this time.

The overseas contigent - including the Irish, Scottish and Welsh lot - coasted to a 6-1 win.

At 4-1, Tony Mowbray said: "Zolly, are you missing Jason and Diomansy?"

The silence was deafening.

Mind you, Mr Bean doesn't say much anyway...

And then there's Jonathan Greening. The Albion midfielder signed shirts and flags for the few Baggies fans who made the trip to the Balkans - hi Sauce, nice flag by the way - but clearly the heat had got to Jono.

Albion's resident Countdown expert (yes, of course I'm joking) had signed his name and the words 'Bong Bong' on the souvenirs.

Are you going to tell him or shall I?

So that's the first Irish game out of the way for Wolves, a blistering second half display and two goals apiece for new boy Freddy Eastwood and Jay Bothroyd clinching a 4-0 win at Bray.
Although the first half wasn't exactly thrill-a-minute, it will have done Wolves no harm at all, and as well as that second half goal blitz they have now kept two clean sheets in two pre-season friendlies.
Bray, a delightful little town about half-an-hour out of Dublin, had staged the friendly as a testimonial for their former striker Kieran 'Tarzan' O'Brien.
Why Tarzan?
Well according to the local Irish journos as a young whippersnapper O'Brien used to swing from tree to tree in a ravine not far from his home.
Marvellous.
Meanwhile there was also an added bonus for the Wolverhampton press core attending the game.
On arrival, the photographers were tipped off by an Irish colleague that new signing Stephen Elliott was at the game.
Within minutes all the necessary photos were in the can and thanks to Wolves' later on an interview was secured with Mick McCarthy's latest signing.
Spare a thought too for Wolves' club secretary Richard Skirrow.
Having flown out in the afternoon to bring the relevant papers to complete the Elliott deal, all was signed and sealed by just after midnight, leaving Skirrow with barely time to say "Make mine a Guinness" before departing back to Molineux in the early hours of the morning.
Meanwhile the mystery of room 303 has been solved.
Amid fears that the untouched newspaper outside the room meant some great horror had befallen the guest inside, turns out it's the current residence of Post & Mail photographer Steve Murphy.
And while that prompted all the usual stereotypical gags about snappers struggling with spelling and long words, Murphy assures me he'd read the same paper down in the restaurant while consuming a herculean breakfast.
Our pictures are in safe hands.

DOCTORS, patients and politicians have voiced their disquiet at plans to downgrade Birmingham's busy City Hospital.

Yet the health trust's number-crunchers have been keen to push through proposals to reduce the number of emergency operations at City Hospital, sending the vast majority of patients to Sandwell instead.

AMID the fog of confusion over whether the government is or is not ready to stump up cash for the rebuilding of New Street Station, one thing shines clear.

The station is unacceptable and must be replaced.

Change of routine for Wolves this morning, as after the exertions of last night's friendly with Bray it was a morning down by the seaside on Portmarnock Beach.
But this was not a trip to the beach of the bucket-and-spade, writing your name in the sand, running in and out of the sea variety.
This was still work. And damned hard work at that.
Several of the squad nursing slight aches and pains such as Darren Potter, Michael Kightly, Freddy Eastwood and Matt Jarvis were 'treated' to a dip in the sea to soothe those weary limbs.
But the way Kightly emerged after his half an hour in the water describing the "freezing water" meant it certainly wasn't one he was hoping to repeat!
Meanwhile the rest of the squad were back doing their running and fitness exercises under the expert guidance of fitness coach Kunle Odetoyinbo.
They did indulge in a fiercely-contested game of beach football, including some skills from Darren Ward which had manager Mick McCarthy describing him as the "Cantona of Crystal Palace."
Keep an eye on the Post & Mail over the next few days for some superb shots of the team in beach action taken by our Mr Murphy.
Meanwhile, it's now 11.40am and there's a copy of the Irish Independent lying untouched outside room 328? Mmm.....

Two games, two goals for Mikael Forssell.
Anyone who has met 'Miklu' will tell you he is such a decent bloke, and very fascinating to speak to about a range of subjects.
He always has time for supporters and, because of his spell in the Bundesliga (and interest from Hannover) he is a popular figure over here in Germany too.
It explains why everyone you talk to about him always says the same thing: they hope he can put his injury nightmare behind him for once and all and recpature his old form.
Being fair-skinned - 'the Milky Bar Kid', as Clinton Morrison once described him - Forssell doesn't enjoy the sun.
And it's no wonder as I can officially declare him the sweatiest footballer in the game.
Before you go 'urgh' let me explain. Forssell can break into a sweat just by getting out of a chair.
When you see him just a few minutes into a training session, his shirt is absolutely drenched through.
But the person you have to feel for most is Blues kit manager, Denis Butler.
Where Blues are staying, there is little to do in the immediate vicinity.
The village of Aalen-Waldhausen consists of two family-run hotels, a mini-supermarket, a school, no pubs (repeat, no pubs), an impressive church and lots of farming machinery.
Most of the players have brought laps tops over to keep themselves amused and stay in touch with those back home via email.
And when they are looking to catch up on the latest football gossip, which site is clicked onto most? www.birminghammail.net of course.
However, Rowan Vine wasn't too impressed to read of my colleague Chris Lepkowski's description of him as a 'peripheral Blues player' in his story about the proposed swop for Paul Robinson.
He remarked that obviously the quality of reporter at other clubs wasn't as high. I couldn't possibly comment . . .

Why is it that airports in hot countries never have air conditioning?
Maribor airport in Slovenia could certainly do with it after temperatures edged towards the late 30s in the nation's second city today.
The 90 minute delay to our flight following Albion's successful tour didn't help matters either.

But at least there was a consolation - a chance for super snapper Sam and I to mingle with some of the fans who travelled over to support the club in the former Yugoslav republic. A big 'good to meet you' can officially go out to Shrew and his mate, Alistair and friends, Dean Walton, Fabrize from West Bromwich and the two lads from Bromsgrove who got hassled in Split after the Hajduk game. And then there was Sauce with the cleanest and biggest St George's flag in Slovenia - coming to an away ground near you next season. Hope you all got back safely.

Mind you our photographer Sam's stress levels weren't too great. After a fraught journey trying to find Maribor airport - Slovenia do maps and road signs as well as England do summer weather - he then endured more fun and games at the check-in desk. Ryanair at Stansted clearly have different rules to their colleagues at Maribor, with Sam being forced to fork out for overweight baggage. His mood took another dip when he was called over the tannoy to report to the baggage handers and open up his camera bag.

Still, it could have been worse, Albion players were up at 4am and then had a five hour delay over at Zagreb airport. Football isn't all glamour...

And finally, before I log off, I'd just like to say a big hello to my friends over at Blues' training camp in Germany, particularly our regular reader Rowan Vine. Good luck for this season Rowan.

LAST night's Big Debate did not end with a solution to the row surrounding the opening of a probation centre in Kitts Green, but it did provide a chance for listening.

Residents were able to tell police, politicians and probation service officials of the very real fears that have led to their fierce opposition to a centre that is close to schools and homes and which deals with dangerous offenders.

CYNICS might think they have worked out the real purpose of the beach that lies damply outside Birmingham Council House.

Is it there to provide sand in which the council's Tory leader Mike Whitby can bury his head?

Start delayed at Canterbury - and it could well be another no-play-today scenario.
For this information I am indebted to sources at the ground. I am at South Mimms service station, just off the M25, having just driven down all the way so far with windscreen wipers on full throttle, and now soaked through having just popped in for a wee, looking at the rain streaming off the petrol station forecourt and reflecting upon the glamour of a life in sports journalism.
I know that driving in hideous conditions is part of the sports-reporting package - but constant torrential rain on July 20? It's a disgrace. Who do I write to about this?

A truly hideous journey, complicated in the last five miles by a milk-float struggling up a hill at two miles per hour, at last complete, a surprise awaited. Much of the rain missed Canterbury and, when the drizzle stopped, the sun came out and play started at 1.55pm.

Kent won the toss and are batting against a Bears bowling attack opened by two players making their first championship appearance of the season, Carter and Daggett.
Key and Denly make a solid start, with the highly-rated Denly punishing Carter for two fours in an over. 27 for 0: Key 10, Denly 17.

What an extraordinary day of two halves.
The first half spent slugging through a wall of water and inching traffic and spray in the Stygian gloom of the M40, M25 and M2. The second spent watching cricket in the sunshine at the lovely, elegant St Lawrence ground.

Kent 77 for 1 (28 overs): Denly 31, Van Jaarsveld 17. Key edged Groenewald into the slips but the Bears attack not causing too many problems. Harris wheeling away.
Streak was always going to be rested here but I'm surprised Anyon was left out.

Tea. Kent 100 for 2 (36 overs). Van Jaarsveld (who got a century in each innings last time Warwickshire played here in the champo) 18, Tredwell 11. Tahir winkled out Denly with a good one, well caught by Ambrose. Tahir the pick of the bowlers so far.

It has come to light that yet another new series of Last of the Summer Wine has been made and started its run on the telly this week.

In the name of God, why?

Warwickshire winkle another one out as Tredwell walks across his stumps and falls lbw to supply Carter with his first championship wicket of 2007.

Daggett is bowling at the other end. On a decent batting track, this is a good effort so far from the Bears. If they could get Van Jaarsveld, they would be delighted with their start to this match.

Darren Maddy recently labelled Naqaash Tahir's talents as unique.

Well, Naqaash is certainly the only bowler in the world to have just dismissed Darren Stevens, caught by Tim Ambrose for six.

Warwickshire winkling away. Kent 134 for four. Van Jaarsveld 45, Dexter 0.

Kent 195 for 4 (68 overs) at the close. Van Jaarsveld 67, Dexter 37.

The above pair have added 75 to leave the match perfectly-balanced at the end of day one. 195 for 5 would have favoured the Bears. 196 for 4 would have favoured Kent.
The Bears bowlers plugged away nobly to ensure batting was never easy. Bit short of penetration, perhaps, if one was to be picky.
Right then, how does one spend a lonely night in Canterbury? Ah yes...just off to see if anyone in the old city sells Last of the Summer Wine DVDs.

A staple diet of more training for Wolves today - this morning in the rain back at the AUL ground on the way to Dublin and this evening more fitness work and running drills on the beach.
And for Mick McCarthy, a press conference at Bohemians training ground to promote Sunday's second and final friendly of the tour.
That also brought him into contact with a footballing figure sporting a bit of Birmingham history.
Sean Connor, the Bohemians manager, spent just over a year as Blues' press officer in the early part of the decade, picking up valuable footballing experience as he pursued his coaching badges.
From there he went to coach out in America under Wolves' public enemy number one John McGinlay, before taking the helm at Sligo Rovers in the League of Ireland.
Success there landed him the post at Bohemians, one of Ireland's biggest clubs, where expectations are high.
Connor, still in regular contact with Blues boss Steve Bruce, was keen to catch up on all things Birmingham and to be remembered to the Mail's 'Mr Blues', Colin Tattum.
Having sat on the other side of the fence, Connor knows all about handling the questions from the Irish press contingent.
And so too McCarthy, who in his usual top form was able to comfortably fend off any movements towards asking about, you guessed it, Sunderland and Roy Keane.
It was an entertaining 20 minutes, including one particularly surreal moment midway through.
A chap walked through the main entrance to the site, each of his feet covered in plastic bags, carrying a bike.
McCarthy's fit of giggles said it all.

£6.50 for an egg sandwich? No ta.

The start of play is delayed for three minutes because the ice cream man has not covered the windscreen of his van so the sun glinting off the windscreen is distracting the batsmen.

Only at cricket...

Sun shining, quite windy, showers in the vicinity but should get plenty of cricket today. Tahir and Harris open for the Bears.

Kent 247 for 4; Van Jaarsveld 95, Dexter 55.

Dexter reached 50 with a six into the Frank Woolley Stand off Loudon.

Untroubled progress for the batsmen,

£6.50 for an egg sandwich. I mean, think about that. How much does it cost to actually put an egg sarnie together?

Jonathan Trott gets Warwickshire back in the game by dismissing Martin Van Jaarsveld (caught at slip) for 117 and Dexter who grows frustrated and chips to square-leg where Tim Groenewald takes a good diving catch. Trott the pick of the bowlers this morning which is great for him but perhaps a bit of a worry for the rest.

Kent 311 for 6 at lunch then in the second over after nosebag Andrew Hall attempts a crazy single and is beaten by Jim Troughton's direct hit. 313 for 7.

Kent 450 for 7. Jones 78, Arafat 59.
The eighth-wicket pair have so far added 133 against a Bears attack showing a lack of punch, albeit on a pretty flat pitch. Kent's refusal to declare after getting maximum batting points suggests they reckon they have a chance of pursuing the follow-on route to victory.

A pedestrian performance in the field from the Bears today, not least when Arafat, on 56, was badly dropped by Tahir at long-on off Loudon. But on this good batting track, Warwickshire should not lose this game.

Tea. Kent 482 for 7: Jones 100 (199 balls, 17 fours), Arafat 68.

They have set an new eighth-wicket record for Kent against Warwickshire, their 165 (so far) beating the 78 by Eldine Baptiste and Chris Penn at Edgbaston in 1987.

Much for the travelling Bears supporters to chew on - not least the revelation that the Essex 2nd XI that played here at Canterbury in 1957 included both Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst.

The Bears look somewhat resigned to simply waiting for a declaration. Geraint Jones finally went, for 105, after lifting Harris to long-on where substitute Jimmy Anyon (fielding for Jim Troughton who has a sore back) took a simple catch.

Vanburn Holder has wided Harris three times for bowling negatively far down the leg-side and Yasir Arafat, hardly a batsman to strike fear into bowlers, is closing in on his first century in county cricket.
511 for 8. Arafat 82, MacLaren 5.

Kent 550 for 9 declared. Warwickshire 43 for 2.

Chasing 401 to avoid the follow-on, the Bears are in deep trouble thanks to two shots that the batsmen would like to forget. With 14 overs to survive tonight, Darren Maddy went for a big drive and edged MacLaren into the gully. Then when the ball was thrown to spinner James Tredwell for the last over, Ian Westwood tried to force his third ball off the back-foot and edged to Geraint Jones.
At least two Bears need to make centuries tomorrow.

Play will start all time in sunshine although there is a risk of showers today and rain might bail the Bears out tomorrow.

After both openers perished to loose shots last night, Warwickshire need to get their heads down - as ther did here to good effect in 1978 when they succeeded with a backs to the wall struggle against Derek Underwood, ending their fourth innings on 64 for 4 from 52 overs.

The big question: will Paul Harris end today on 178 not out?

Kent strike early thanks to a superb piece of bowling from Simon Cook. He sends a lifter steepling past Jonathan Trott's outside-edge then pitches the next ball right up on a full length and wins an lbw decision from Vanburn Holder.

Trott out for 0, then Cook's next ball climbs past Jim Troughton's outside-edge. Next over Paul Harris edges MacLaren into the slips. 51 for four.

Is this really the same track on which Kent's lower order plundered so plentifully yesterday?

Warwickshire take two further blows. Loudon edges MacLaren to the wicket-keeper and then Troughton essays a forcing shot at the same bowler - a shot ill-suited to the match situation - and plays on.

70 for 6, chasing 401 to avoid the follow-on.

Ambrose and Groenewald seriously need to beat the Bears seventh-wicket record against Kent - the 250 posted by Tom Dollery and Jimmy Ord at Maidstone in 1953.

Many professionals will tell you that nowadays pre-season tours are a necessary evil.
No longer is it challenge to see how quietly they can can shin down a drainpipe to escape for a night on the tiles.
Football's a multi-million pound business and that is reflected in the graft they put into such tours in order to get out over the course of a season.
There is a danger of going stir crazy on a 10-day trip when they are in each other's pockets, of course.
In all, the players have only been allowed a couple of afternoons off to do their own thing.
Many elected to stay around the hotel, or go to the Hirschbach-Freibad outdoor swimming poor in Aalen, the closest city.
Martin Taylor often had his nose in a book, or sat on the restaurant veranda doing coursework for his Open University degree in political science.
On Thursday the more adventurous sped off into Stuttgart on the train - it's about an hour's journey - for shopping.
Needless to say, they came back clutching designer bags galore.
On Sunday afternoon, Maik Taylor and Sebastian Larsson organised an expedition to the Mercedes Cup tennis to watch Rafal Nadal defeat Stanislas Wawrinka.
It was a tight squeeze, but the group just made it back in two cars from Stuttgart in time for dinner.
Compared to Blues last trip to Germany, the concensus is that this has been better.
Three years ago Blues were again in a small village, near Bayreuth in Bavaria, but there was much less to do.
Blues were stuck right out in the middle of nowhere and the travelling time to games was great. One of the journeys was a near six-hour round trip after the coach driver got lost.
The opponents here have been of a better standard, the training facilities superb and the weather glorious, which only heightens the amazement of the flooding back home.
The hotel Adler, in Aalen-Waldhausen, where we are ensconced until tomorrow, boasts a manager called Stefan Grimm. You couldn't describe it as such, however.
Small and family run, it has been a popular venue in the past. A picture of Blackburn Rovers hangs in the foyer from their stay (in Graeme Souness's time, so there were no haunting reminders of Robbie Savage), England's women football team were based here last year and, for all you ageing rockers out there, Uriah Heep have been guests. Quite.
The only black mark is the proximity of the local church of Sankt Nikolaus which overlooks the restaurant veranda and is 20 yards from some of the rooms.
The 7am clanging peel of its bells that wakes the village doesn't go down too well, needless to say.

Not quite tour de France, or even tour de Germany, but there is quite a competitive sideline happening here in the village of Aalen-Waldhausen.
Kit manager Denis Butler started it off by cycling to the training ground, and the bug has bitten.
The backroom staff are keeping in trim by undergoing daily rides on the undulating country roads and through the forests on the outskirts.
Steve Bruce even bought a new bike and he and assistant Eric Black have quite ferocious battles for the Blues yellow jersey (if you get my drfit).
Inevitably saddle soreness has struck and the manager in particular has been suffering.
It may have explained why, in a practice match yesterday, Olivier Kapo nutmegged him.
As our photographer Tim Easthope remarked: "All that cycling's making him walk like John Wayne".
And there is no way, the manager made it clear to Tim, that he wanted a picture of him pedalling in the Birmingham Mail: "I can just see your headline now: 'On Your Bike, Bruce', and all our supporters going 'yeah, too right'!"
It's true what they say about German efficieny and cleanliness.
Things have run like clockwork here all week and there's not been a scrap of litter anywhere.
Although Joe Carnall, the Mat Sadler lookalike who works for the club's Blues World TV, spotted that the good burghers of Aalen have slipped up.
Glancing over a footbridge, he spied a shopping trolley in a stream. It seems some things don't change the world over after all.

Groenewald gets a good one and has his off peg knocked back by MacLaren. Ambrose actually manages to reach double figures but the edged Hall into the slips on 13. Tahir edges to third slip.

95 for 9. Carter and Daggett at the crease needing to find 306 to avoid the follow-on. Not an entirely attractive situation.

Lunch: Warwickshire 11 for 0. Westwood 7, Maddy 4.
All out for 107, so they need 443 to avoid an innings defeat. That really was a baffling collapse. There were some poor and reckless shots played. Maybe it was just a freak session - we'll see.

On a good pitch, and with rain forecast tomorrow, this match is still very much there for the Bears to save if they properly second time round.

Swifts are circling in the sky above the Nackington Road End.

Tea. Warwickshure 105 for 0 (47 overs). Maddy 57, Westwood 44,

A totally different game to this morning. The batsmen have hardly put a foot wrong. Mostly watchful, with Maddy expanding briefly on to the offensive to reach his half-century with successive sixes off Tredwell.

Is Sir Colin Cowdrey the only man in cricket history to have a stand, a cul-de-sac and a sandwich named after him?

Warwickshire are progresing solidly and well at 122 for 0. Then Westwood falls in one of the unluckiest of ways, leg-glancing caught by the wicket-keeper. And another clatter follows.
After Westwood is gone for 47, Trott falls in identical fashion to complete a pair in a day and Loudon fences to slip to give former Bears trialist Ryan McLaren three wickets in two overs.

Tim Ambrose falls, caught off bat and pad at silly point off Tredwell, and the Bears are suddenly right back in that big old pickle. 141 for 4. Maddy 80, Groenewald 0. Troughton is nursing a sore back so down the order.

Groenewald is bowled by a beautifully flighted ball from Tredwell. Troughton comes in - he wasn't able to bat until seven due to his absence from the field for treatment yesterday.

Maddy battles on. On 85 he gives his first chance, a tough one to Denly at short-leg off Cook, but survives. That would have been curtains for the Bears.

As it is, thanks largely to the gallant captain, Warwickshire can still salvage a draw from this chaotic match, bearing in mind the poor weather forecast tomorrow.

A strange, strange day's cricket ends with Warwickshire 187 for five, needing another 256 to avoid an innings defeat tomorrow.
Maddy is unbeaten on 115 (234 balls, 11 fours, two sixes) and has batted superbly. Troughton got his head down late on to be unbeaten on 5 from 46 balls.

In the afternoon Maddy and Westwood added 122 untroubled runs in 53 overs. Either side of that, the Bears lost eight wickets for 58 runs and five wickets for 23 runs.
Strange.

PITY those families who today huddle in temporary accommodation as filthy water laps round their homes, destroying their treasured possessions.

Spare a thought, too, for shops, pubs, hotels and other businesses that will struggle to recover from the impact of the incredible weather that is afflicted Britain over recent months.

Started on time, although there is heavy cloud and the rain that Warwickshire need does not appear too far away.
Jim Troughton has resumed his innings but his sore back will keep him out of the Pro40 game with Nottinghamshire tomorrow.

It was noticeable, in the pre-play football warm-up, that Alex Loudon's corners were all whipped in to the near-post. He pointed out that hanging them up high is not the best idea when your strikers are Ambrose and Westwood but surely a bit of variation would be wise.

Warwickshire 228 for 5. Maddy 122, Troughton 30.

The resistance goes on. Maddy rock solid, Troughton battling gamely on in major discomfort from his sore back. A big reprieve for Troughton on 26 when he edged Hall but Geraint Jones OBE dropped a relatively straightforward catch.

It's cloudy but the clouds so far refuse to drop their load.

A hobbling Troughton's plucky 102-ball resistance ends with a catch for Geraint Jones.

Warwickshire 252 for 6. Maddy 133, Tahir 6. Still cloudy but the rain does not look imminent.

Naqaash Tahir has just played an off-drive the beauty of which Don Bradman could only aspire to.

Warwickshire suffer a blow in the last over before the interval when Tahir is trapped on the back foot and adjudged lbw to Tredwell. Lunch: 268 for 7, Maddy a superb 148 not out.
There is drizzle in the air but it needs to thicken up sharpish if it is to save Warwickshire. Maddy has only the tail for company now.
Incidentally, there was a good laugh yesterday when the Kent former players association gathered at the ground and the public address system introduced them all to the crowd. Due to gremlins in the system, his voice came out exactly like a dalek. Never thought I would hear a dalek utter the words "right-arm medium pace bowler".

That rain dance that Warwickshire's players are doing in the dressing room is working. It's raining steadily now, the covers are on and they certainly won't be resuming at 1.40pm.

The rain has set in, boosting the Bears' hopes of pinching a draw that they, Darren Maddy apart, do not deserve.

Although, as Kent could require only three balls to wrap up victory, they will no doubt leave it as long as possible before calling it off.

It's quite heavy now. The rain, that is.

At last, they have called it off but they did generously delay doing so long enough to ensure that we hit the M25 around rush hour.

A match for Warwickshire to forget. They badly need to reboot their championship form at Chester-le-Street the week after next.

Sangakkara will be back then. The Bears hope to have him back for the one-dayer at Cheltenham on Sunday.

THERE are times when we disagree strongly with Birmingham's council leaders and we are never afraid to speak out loudly when that is the case. But today we stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them over an issue that is crucial to the future of this city.
New Street Station must be rebuilt so that it is no longer a dingy, overcrowded and depressing hell-hole but a facility more suited to thrusting, welcoming 21st century Birmingham.

T IS not an easy job being a teacher.

The pressures of ensuring pupils achieve their potential. The discipline problems that are encountered.

Weather is dry and humid and play should start on time in this exciting Pro40 floodlit opener against Nottinghamshire.

Could somebody enlighten me as to whether ladies take a different driving test to the one taken by us chaps? Are they actually instructed to drive with less than eight inches between their vehicle and the one in front?

Warwickshire, having won the toss, 45 for 2 from eight overs. Maddy, on 24, looking in prime form. Trott 4.

Neil Carter and Ian Westwood, contrasting sorts of batters at two and three, were the early casualties. Powell is playing for the injured Troughton.

Gloucestershire will decide on Thursday whether flood-hit Cheltenham can host the Pro40 game with the Bears on Sunday. If not, it will be moved to Bristol (O joy!).

Not for the first time this season (the champo games at The Oval and the other day at Canterbury also spring to mind), Darren Maddy appeared to be batting on a different pitch to the rest of the Bears. Sadly, after a magnificent 56 from 51 balls, he departed tamely when he chipped a return catch straight back to Ealham.
Warks 93 for 4 (16.2 overs). Ambrose 14, Loudon 0. Trott was out for four, nicking a leaden-footed waft at Hogg.

Is this to be Powelly's day perhaps?

It was ten years ago yesterday that Edgbaston hosted the very first floodlit cricket match in England - and beat Somerset on a balmy evening in front of 15,000 people.

There's about a third of that number here today, it's a poor crowd partly no doubt due to the fact that the match is on the goggle box.

It is balmy again, though, and Warwickshire are 127 for 4 from 24 overs. Ambrose 32, Loudon 13.

Warwickshire 167 for 6 (32 overs). Powell 4, Streak 1.

The 40-over format has shown its age in the last hour or so. Warwickshire's single-laden progress has provided less than vivid entertainment, it has to be said.

Alex Loudon's 37 from 47 balls has just ended with a catch to long-on. It added a bit of substance to a stuttering team effort but it was not an innings to dwell in the memory for more than....er, sorry, what was I talking about?

Warwickshire 191 all out. Nothing to write home about.
The final throes were a bit tatty with six wickets falling for 38 runs in 11 overs. They included a laughable run out when Streak was called by Harris for a single when not even half a run was there and a slightly controversial catch by Mark Wagh. On the boundary, Wagh caught a big hit from Groenewald then, as his momentum took him over the rope, threw the ball up and, by the time he caught it again, was back on the field. Adriot fielding.
After a poor championship match at Kent, and now this modest offering, the Bears need a big effort to avoid a few stentorian cries of "Rubbish, Warwickshire" filling the warm summer air.

Chasing 191, Notts 53 for 1 from 8 overs.

Warwickshire picked up a bonus wicket when Fleming chipped Carter carelessly to mid-on and went for a duck. But Swann (38) is playing some handsome shots and Wagh (12) is looking comfortable.

Warwickshire 191.
Nottinghamshire 119 for 1 (16 overs). Swann 77, Wagh 34.

Not an entirely advantageous situation for the Bears. The bowling is, to say the least, not looking brimful of penetration.

Groenewald two overs for 22. Maddy two overs for 20. Five sixes and 11 fours already plundered by Swann and Wagh. Nice evening though. Sunny.

Nottinghamshire 153 for 3 (24 overs), Wagh 50, Patel 11. Need 39 in 16 overs.

Trott yorked Swann for 80 (53 balls, 11 fours, three sixes) and soon had Hussey caught in the ring but Nottinghamshire had eaten far into the target before darkness descended. The floodlights are on, of course, but we are into the familiar dusk period when the lights struggle against the fading natural light and sighting the ball is desperately difficult.

All credit to Notts. They did the vast majority of the hard work before the gloom descended.

Nottinghamshire 194 for 4, win by six wickets with 50 balls to spare.

A bit of a drubbing.

Can anybody finish the limerick that begins, "There was an old man from Kent..."?

We hacks love an old-style political scrabble... Labour knocking Tories down, Tories tripping Labour up, Lib Dems coming in from behind with a cosh to the head. But at times, on subjects of major import to local readers, we just have to rise above this temptation to make our politicians appear chaotic and sniping. Take the New Street Station story. Labour government agree on first stage grant, but fire a number of hardly-shrouded messages suggesting that the full grants won't come unless the Tory-Lib Dem coalition at Birmingham City Council sorts out its leadership, its value-for-money proofing and its private investment strategy. The Tory-Lib Dem coalition's first response is shock, horror and offence that anyone would think they haven't got everything right. It's all there if you concentrate and read our submission properly, they seem to say.

THE government has asked some detailed questions about plans to rebuild Birmingham's ramshackle, overcrowded New Street Station.

And the man in charge Coun Mike Whitby must now do what good leaders should – shoulder responsibility and answer the probes, however petty he feels they are.

TWO contrasting sides of Birmingham are revealed today on Page 5 of the Birmingham Mail.

The first is the behaviour of four yobs who caused mayhem on Erdington's Court Oak Estate.

PATIENTS are unlikely to be reassured by the one-month suspension imposed by the General Medical Council on a consultant anaesthetist who fell asleep during one operation and watched an action movie during another.

Lay people have long suspected that professional bodies such as the GMC are cosy organisations all too ready to close ranks than truly protect the interests of the public.

Like everyone else is thinking, where on earth are any of us going to get any sun? Well, one of my perks is getting to read every newspaper, every day. And according to a letter-writer in today's Daily Telegraph, the sun is shining and has been for some time in Mull, Scotland.
So cherio for now... Toblemory here I come!

SOMEBODY pinch me. Just had a bite to eat with comedy genius and Baggies fan
Frank Skinner.

He'd just finished his show at the Toronto Festival and I managed to introduce myself outside the stage door. It's not often I queue up waiting for 'celebrities', although Skinner is so down to earth I'm sure he doesn't see himself as such.

It was as if we were having a sarnie in some Oldbury cafe. The difference was the pretty girl who sidles over and manages to interrupt our chat: "Just to say I thought your routine tonight was fantastic", she smiles.

SOARING house prices allied to a shortage of supply means many families and young people have given up hope of finding somewhere to call their own.

The Government has announced plans to build three million new homes to tackle the crisis. But will it really solve the problem?

THE WORLD of showbusiness is in mourning following the unexpected death of comic Mike Reid.

So there I am motoring up the A1(M) towards Chester-le-Street. Dusk is falling beneath a vivid pink sky. Hardly another car visible for miles. From a slip road near Catterick, a woman driver emerges. There's just her vehicle and mine and miles and miles of open road.
So could someone please explain just why - why oh why oh why - this lady elects to position her car within about 2.5 inches of my rear bumper and keep it there until Durham?

Thirty-five minutes from my birthday. Three hundred miles from Mary.
Come in number three, your time is up.

THE MURDER of 21 innocent people enjoying a night out with friends in Birmingham on November 21 1974 is seared into this city's collective memory.

For years the sheer horror of the Birmingham pub bombings made it almost impossible to see how the conflict in Northern Ireland could ever be resolved.

BIRMINGHAM moves a step closer to the return of its famous Super Prix today.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. It's bright and breezy in Chester-le-Street and, glory be, for the first time since early May we should get a championship match unfettered by rain.
The ailing Bears need a big performance here but have their work cut out against a Durham side including Otis ("all-ten") Gibson, Dale Benkenstein, who always fills his boots against Warwickshire, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, making his champo debut.
The Bears need Kumar Sangakkara to come back with a bang and their inexperienced bowling attack to rise to the occasion.
No Troughton, Streak or Carter. Parker and Shantry have travelled with the squad.

Warwickshire have gambled on Streak's back holding up. He plays in a seam attack with Anyon, Tahir and Daggett. Parker is twelfth man and Shantry can spend the day contemplating this lovely Riverside ground.
The Bears have won the toss and will bat in bright sunshine. The longer they bat, the more time Streak has to recover.

Meanwhile, at Worcestershire, Graeme Hick has signed on for another year, until the end of the 2008 season.

Warwickshire 10 for 1 from seven overs.

Plenty of lateral movement and lift for Plunkett and Gibson, then from the sixth ball of the sixth over, Westwood shoulders arms and is adjudged lbw to Gibson for 0.

Four of the first 10 runs came from a streaky four over the slips by Maddy. Sangakkara has now joined the captain at the crease and the Bears need to get through this difficult start for when the hot sun (hopefully) sucks some of the life out of the wicket.

A big blow for the Bears. Maddy, having gritted his way to 7 from 14 overs, top-edges a pull at Plunkett and Davies takes a fine catch diving forward at long leg.

Sangakkara has played one or two sumptuous shots but plenty is still going past the bat. Trott has joined the Sri Lankan at the crease, eager to improve upon his last four first-team knocks of 0,0,4 and 0.

21 for 2 (15 overs). Sangakkara 17, Trott 0.

Warwickshire 76 for 2 (25 overs). Sangakkara 43, Trott 20.
Sangakkara, with his timing and placement and soft wrists, is playing beautifully. Trott has settled solidly looking like a man determined to follow his pair at Canterbury with a ton, just as earlier in the season he followed his pair against Lancashire with a ton. After good opening spells, Durham's back-up seamers look far less dangerous.

Just off for lunch. Need to feed myself up a bit. I've become so thin I went for a walk in St Nicholas Park last week and the ducks on the pond sped over and started throwing me crusts.

Yes, well I was just saying that Trott was looking determined and how Durham's back-up bowlers were not so threatening and hey presto Ben Harmison delivers an outswinger of great shape and Trott follows it and edges the small, red spherical object known colloquially as a cricket ball into the gauntlets of wicket-keeper Phil Mustard.

81 for 3. Sangakkara 48, Loudon 0.

Lunch. Warwickshire 102 for 3 (34 overs) Sangakkara 52, Loudon 13. Durham slightly on top and would be much more so but for the excellent Sangakkara.

What a delightful ground this is. Decent-sized stands but also plenty of open spaces. Flags fluttering. Lumley Castle up on the hill. Lots of trees. Knowledgeable spectators.

Just one downer. Every bowling change is accompanied by an advert, eg: Bowling now is Paul Wiseman, sponsored by so-and-so bistro. Pretty tacky.

Sangakkara and Loudon are just lifting the Bears into a strong position, having added 47, when Loudon slashes hard at Gibson and a thick edge is brilliantly clutched two-handed by Plunkett diving way to his right in the gully.
Next over, Sangakkara slashes just as hard at Plunkett and Coetzer pulls off an even more spectacular catch, parrying the ball then grabbing it as it falls to earth.

Streak falls plum lbw first ball and from 128 for 3, Warwickshire have careered to 128 for 6 in the space of nine balls.

When Anyon edged to second slip for 7 it was 168 for 8 and the Bears were in disarray but Tahir and Harris have launched a highly entertaining counter attack.

Tahir has defended sensibly when necessary and played some lovely wristy strokes while Harris has combined fortunate survival of good balls with some good old-fashioned slogging. He's swiped Davies for three sixes so far.

Warwickshire 213 for 8. Tahir 24, Harris 39.

Paul Harris, who before he had scored was softened right up by Otis Gibson and looked about to get out every ball, has just reached his maiden half-century, from 34 balls with three fours and five sixes.

230 for 8, Tahir 29, Harris 51.

Tea taken with Warwickshire 239 all out.
Tahir and Harris added a rumbustious 71 for the ninth wicket but then fell in quick succession. Tahir sliced into the gully to perish for an impressive 32 in 88 minutes. Although dropped twice on 3, he deserves great credit for helping dig his faltering upper-order colleagues out of a big hole.
Harris then top-edged a full toss to backward point. His 55, from 45 balls with four fours and five sixes, was a curious, agricultural cameo which has kept Warwickshire in the match.
With a very short boundary on one side they will have to bowl well though.

Durham 37 for 0 (9 overs). Di Venuto 17, Stoneman 20.
Rather worryingly, Daggett dropped short twice in the first over and Di Venuto rocked back and pulled him for fours both times as though there was nothing but trustworthiness in the pitch.

There's still a bit in it for the bowlers and Streak has produced one or two pearlers which climbed past the outside-edge but Durham's progress is quite solid. Anyon has replaced Daggett.

For the 14th over, with Durham 48 for 0, Warwickshire throw the ball to Naqaash Tahir. His very first ball draws a fatal edge from Di Venuto who edges to Darren Maddy at second slip.

Tahir does have a remarkable knack of striking in his first over. Remember Guildford 2004 when he took a four-for, all the wickets coming in the first over of spells?

The solution, clearly, is to bowl him in a series of ten quickfire one-over bursts. Doesn't Darren Maddy know anything?

In the final hour the day is as warm as it has been and Durham settle for slow, steady progress towards a position of ascendancy. 81 for 1 (23 overs). Stoneman 31, Coetzer 22.

The day enters a quiet phase and I am forced to text the journalist next to me to ask him to stop snoring.
"Er sorry," he admits, rubbing his eyes. "It's the third time I've fallen asleep today."

A small illustration of just how taxing and intense a job cricket reporting is.

Darren Maddy never says die and he pings in a good-length ball which Stoneman inside-edges on to his wicket. 86 for 2.

That brings in Chanderpaul. Now if the Bears could nip him out tonight what a fillip that would be.

Tahir has looked the best Bears bowler. Like Durham's attack did, he has unfurled a fair few balls that were miles too good to take the edge of the bat.

Three overs before the close, Chanderpaul edges Streak and the ball ends up in Trott's hands at slip. Most people in the ground were firmly of the view that the ball bounced well in front of Trott but the catch was claimed, the umpires acquiesced and Chanderpaul walked off with a surprising lack of evident indignation.

Close: Durham 110 for 3. Coetzer 31, Benkenstein 0.

That late "wicket" has given the Bears hope. They batted carelessly but are still in the match.