Who would wish to be a groundsman in the wet springtime this year, to say nothing of during the pandemic? When Hampshire won the second of their two County Championship titles, 50 years ago, one of Simon Lee’s predecessors was not required to prepare a pitch until the first match on May 9, more than a month later than their opening fixture this season. There have been advances in technology since but not thus far in the prevention of rainfall at cricket venues.
Quite apart from the ceaseless rain during March that restricted practice for the players, Lee, 40, has had the most trying of tenures as a head groundsman. He started at the Ageas Bowl in unpropitious circumstances, Somerset having been docked 12 points
