By Andy Wilson
Yorkshire returned to Headingley today to step up the preparations for their defence of the LV= County Championship to find that the beginning of March does not necessarily mark the end of winter.
The champions were back at base for screening and appraisals, ahead of their first full squad session of the spring tomorrow – with not long now until they open the county season in Abu Dhabi on March 22 with the four-day fixture against a Marylebone Cricket Club XI including England Test captain Alastair Cook.
Welcome back to headingley, pre season has started!! Haha #snowing #summersontheway http://t.co/W84KskNowk pic.twitter.com/59mBtHYDb9
— Jonathan Bairstow (@jbairstow21) March 2, 2015
Across the Pennines the Lancashire squad were greeted by hail and sleet as they arrived at Emirates Old Trafford to practise in the indoor school.
There was a similar feeling of counties getting back to business, albeit in friendlier weather, for other counties further south.
Surrey’s squad gathered at the Kia Oval to receive their new kit stash and then practise in a marquee which has been erected on the outfield.
Great to be back with the lads, first day of pre season! Training arena for the next month or so… https://t.co/9yPnMMFs0y
— Jason Roy (@JasonRoy20) March 2, 2015
Several other counties are benefiting from marquees to allow them to practise outdoors, including Gloucestershire, whose new head coach Richard Dawson told the club’s official website: “It has been great to have the opportunity to get outside well before the season starts, whatever the weather.
"Practicing on a grass wicket a month before our first pre-season game gives us the best possible preparation going into the new season.
“Bowlers are able to come off their full run-ups and practicing on real wickets rather than indoors has made for really good competition between bat and ball.”
Gloucestershire are one of the few counties who are not travelling abroad ahead of the start of the season.
It is less than two weeks until they are due to play a first pre-season fixture against Glamorgan in Cardiff, and they also have a game against UCCE opposition in Bristol before the championship begins on Sunday 12 April.
Fingers crossed that the winter, and the snow, are long gone by then – even from Yorkshire.