Weather

Because this week was the first time I've ever had to miss cricket nets because of snow!

The Aussie lads should have packed their thermals before they left because the conditions are some of the coldest I've ever experienced.

It is weather more suited to ice hockey - never mind a game of cricket!

Everybody seems to be writing England off before the six-Test series has begun. But I think people are making a big mistake and England will do a lot better than most people are forecasting.

I think the destiny of the series will hinge on the first Test match at Edgbaston. If the Australians go one Test up early on it will be very difficult for England to claw their way back.

They have quality batsman in Mike Atherton, Alec Stewart and Graham Thorpe who have proved themselves at the top level.

But I think the key to the Ashes will be how England combat the double twin threat of Michael Bevan and Shane Warne.

They are a class act and Warne is the best in the world. I've played against both of them and they are so difficult to face.

Warne gets so much turn on the ball and his accuracy is unbelievable. It is very hard to predict what he is going to do next. He is a magician bowler.

Anyway, back to the awful weather. It even snowed, I believe, at Lancashire's Benson and Hedges Cup game against the Minor Counties at Walsall.

I think Lancashire have a fantastic coach in Dav Whatmore and he will get the best out of a very talented bunch of players at Old Trafford.

He proved what a great motivator and tactician he is in the way he revolutionized Sri Lanka's national team.

They won the World Cup under Dav and he has changed the face of one day cricket forever.

I am sure his appointment will turn Lancashire into an even greater power in English cricket.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.