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The Guardian
3 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Country diary: The fields are green again after misty midsummer mornings
In the relative cool of evening I pick yet more blueberries and blackcurrants from unusually heavily laden bushes in the fruit cage. The top net is not yet replaced after the snow damage before Christmas but, amazingly, there is no bird or squirrel predation. A blackbird continues to sing in the hedge and a young robin flits beside me, in search of insects. Across the lane, silence is broken as our neighbouring farmer, with telescopic handler, dextrously manoeuvres big round bales from the long trailer on to the spinning wrapper, before piling up the black-plastic-covered haylage in readiness for winter. Late sun still lights the north‑facing slope opposite, where pale brown suckler cows, their calves and a bull spread across the pasture. Part of the main herd of around 100 pedigree South Devon cows, this group of 20 cows and calves at foot are rotated between the fields, and in our view throughout the summer months. Their long days of grazing are interspersed with regular lie‑downs, all gathered around the bull as they chew the cud. Grass growth in this predominantly pastoral parish benefited from substantial rain in early June, when narrow lanes became streams and deep puddles formed along New Road, between former mills in the Cotehele Valley. The subsequent hot, dry days involved a frenzy of cutting, spreading, drying and rowing-up of grass for the baling of valued fodder. Showers and misty damp mornings have tempered midsummer's hot, dry weather; now, cut fields are green again, some with swaths of fragrant white clover. Maize (to be cut and ensiled in early autumn) is more than head high and has already formed tassels. Here we have twice as much growth as upcountry (according to our farmer friend with relatives in the drier Midlands). Among the dusty hedgerow ferns, seeding hogweed, pink hemp agrimony and valerian are entwined in bedstraw, honeysuckle and bramble. Gatekeeper and dark ringlet butterflies spiral up from tangled grasses in the orchard and, with peacock, admiral, comma, various fritillaries and a rare hummingbird hawkmoth, seek out the marjoram and buddleia in this overgrown garden. Cherry stones surround the tall Burcombe tree, and fox faeces indicate a night-time trampler, reaching for ripening clusters of Discovery apples. Under the Changing Skies: The Best of the Guardian's Country Diary, 2018-2024 is published by Guardian Faber; order at and get a 15% discount
BBC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Shame Rapids form did not come sooner
Worcestershire Rapids all-rounder Ethan Brookes says it is a shame the side's current good form in the T20 Blast did not come earlier in the race to qualify for the six-wicket victory over Leicestershire Foxes at New Road was the Rapids' third win in their past four games but still sees them needing to win their last match in the North Group to stand any chance of making the knock-out who struck an unbeaten 56 off just 28 balls to steer Worcestershire home, said there was a tinge of frustration about the past few results."On the one side the lads are going to take a lot of pleasure and pride from it but if we'd have done that a lot earlier in the tournament it would've been a lot nicer," he told BBC Hereford and Worcester."We can still qualify if we can put in a good performance in on Thursday so we'll see where we're at." Brookes' match-winning half-century on Sunday was supported by a career-best unbeaten 18 off 12 balls from Henry 22-year-old was playing only his fourth T20 game, 48 hours after signing a new two-year contract with the club."I'm really pleased he's staying," Brookes, who last month also penned a new deal, said."I think he'll be a great talent. It's still early in his T20 career but he's got all the shots, he's a real talent."I just think he needs the confidence in himself that he's good enough to play and this standard because he is." 'We want to put ourselves in the hat' That final fixture takes place at New Road on Thursday against Nottinghamshire Outlaws [17:30 BST] with the Rapids, four points points off the top four, needing to win and hope results involving the Bears and Durham - who have two games remaining - go their losing to Worcestershire, Leicestershire are still a threat as they are level on points with the Rapids but have two games to play. The Foxes take on Durham at Chester-le-Street on Wednesday [18:30 BST].Although the 2018 Blast champions' chances of a seventh quarter-final appearances are slim, Brookes says the way they've played in seeing off Northants, Derbyshire and the Foxes - with a 23-run defeat by the Bears the only loss in the four games - gives them hope."It can go your way one day and not go your way the other, so that's T20 cricket," Brookes said."But if we can string performances together like we have in the last games - I know we lost the other night [to the Bears] but we were pretty close - you know, the confidence is high."We want to put ourselves in the hat for the top four. "A win might get us there along with other results and if we can win it will help us take confidence into the next block of games."
BBC News
10-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Wicketkeeper Cullen signs new Pears deal
Wicketkeeper Henry Cullen has signed a new two-year contract with new deal will keep the 22-year-old academy graduate at New Road until at least Cullen is yet to play first-class cricket for the Pears but has featured in four List A and two T20 Blast 50-over appearances all came in 2022, with his second T20 game coming in the six-wicket win over Northants four days ago, playing as a specialist batter."I love playing my cricket here at Worcestershire, I feel like I am very much still at the start of my journey and I am really happy I can continue to grow here," Cullen said."I want to kick-on and show my skills at the highest level. I know with the coaches and lads around me, I have the best environment to do that."Cullen is the fourth Worcestershire player to agree a new contract this year after bowling all-rounders Matthew Waite and Ethan Brookes and left-arm seamer Ben Gibbon.
BBC News
24-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Pears old boy Smith bowls Surrey to three-day win
Rothesay County Championship Division One, Visit Worcestershire New Road (day three)Worcestershire 214 & 125: Hose 40; Smith 6-38, Fisher 4-47Surrey 291 & 53-1: Patel 35*Surrey (20 pts) beat Worcestershire (3 pts) by nine wicketsMatch scorecard Nathan Smith's exceptional six-wicket haul inspired Surrey to a dominant County Championship win inside three days, as the reigning champions made light work of lowly dismantled their hosts for just 125 in their second innings, taking the final five wickets for just 13 runs, as Matt Fisher (4-47) continued to just 49 to win at Visit Worcestershire New Road, Surrey only needed 15 overs to secure an emphatic nine-wicket win.A third victory of the season keeps them firmly in the hunt for a fourth straight Division One title, as Worcestershire's relegation concerns deepen. After surviving the late Surrey barrage on Day Two, Worcestershire pair Adam Hose and Ben Allison started the morning in buoyant fashion, adding 66 for the fifth Smith continued his memorable return to the county where he played last year, picking up the wickets of both Allison (27) and Hose (40) in consecutive overs, as Surrey strengthened their grip on the Matt Fisher feathered the top of Ethan Brookes' off-stump for a duck and trapped Tom Taylor (six) lbw 11 balls later, Worcestershire were floundering at 133-7 with a lead of just made light work of the final two Worcestershire wickets, as his ruthless performance saw him finish with exceptional figures of supported by Fisher, who took seven wickets overall in the match, Surrey's seam duo swept aside Worcestershire, who unravelled in spectacular style to be skittled for lost Dom Sibley during the chase, but Ryan Patel and Rory Burns led the visitors to a dominant victory, collecting 20 points in the process. ECB Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay
BBC News
23-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Surrey take control against Worcestershire
Rothesay County Championship Division One, Visit Worcestershire New Road (day two)Worcestershire 214 & 69-4: Hose 23*; Smith 2-27, Fisher 2-29Surrey 291: Sibley 73; Allison 5-44Worcestershire (3 pts) trail Surrey (4 pts) by eight runsMatch scorecard Four late wickets for Surrey saw them take control of the County Championship game at New Road, as Worcestershire ended day two on 69-4, trailing by eight Allison led the way for the hosts, with his 5-44 helping restrict Surrey to 291 all out, were Dom Sibley top scored with a measured a lead of 77, Surrey's seam bowling attack ensured the day belonged to them with another potent bowling Smith and Matt Fisher collected two wickets apiece, as Worcestershire's top four all fell in an evening session that put the visitors well in added 40 to their overnight total, but shortly after Ryan Patel had brought up an elegant half-century, Allison made the breakthrough for Worcestershire as he hurried the left-hander with a back of a length delivery that was chipped straight to Jacob Duffy at Burns joined Sibley, as the pair continued Surrey's batting dominance, bringing up their 100 in the 35th Sibley easing his way to a measured 132-ball fifty, Worcestershire's seamers offered little in the way of opportunities, as lunch arrived with the visitors in total control at home side struck twice in quick succession upon resumption however, when Jacob Duffy drew an edge from the bat of Burns for 34, followed up three overs later by the industrious Matthew Waite, who produced a gem of a delivery to see the back of Sam Curran for just had seamer, Allison, their standout bowler on the day, to thank for a vital three-wicket burst, that swung the momentum of the afternoon and checked the visitor's ending Sibley's 184 ball repost of 73, he then claimed the wickets of Will Jacks and Mitchell Santner in successive overs, as the home side reduce their opponents to a result of Santner's frustration at his dismissal, Worcestershire were awarded five penalty runs and saw their total rise to 214, with confirmation the New Zealand international had been charged with two separate Level One Lawrence came together with Jordan Clark, as Surrey raced into a first innings lead of 52 when tea was continued his fine four-day form, passing fifty early in the evening session, but failed to capitalise as he edged a rising Tom Taylor delivery shortly after the new ball was taken, departing for a well-made 3-37, was consistent throughout, claiming more two-wickets late on, before Allison returned to complete his five-wicket haul as Surrey were bowled out for 17 overs left in the day, Smith wasted no time exposing the hosts top-order batting frailties, as he dismissed both Gareth Roderick and Henry Nicholls inside his first two Fisher picked up where he left off in the first innings, nicking two wickets for himself as the home side fell to 69-4, still eight runs from parity and well behind in the Reporters' Network supported by Rothesay. Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network, supported by Rothesay
