Hints of McGrath . .

While most counties spend fruitless hours in pursuit of the world's best players, it is not often that the roles are reversed and a leading player advertises his services. Glenn McGrath had just proved in the first Test at Lord's that, at 35, he is still one of the world's finest seam bowlers, when he alerted Worcestershire to his availability for next summer.

As a mid-season tonic it could not have gone down better at New Road, where McGrath enjoyed the summer of 2000, taking 76 Championship wickets at the typically miserly average of 13.77. "Ever since, we've always said that we would have him back straight away," says Mark Newton, the Worcestershire chief executive.

"It was Glenn who started the current round of speculation and it was very nice for us to be spoken about in such glowing terms. Nothing will be decided until the autumn but, if the timing is right, we'd love to have him back."

Any county would clearly be interested in a bowler who takes a wicket every 32 balls, as McGrath did in 2000, but the appeal for Worcestershire lies as much in his presence off the field. "He was so popular," says Newton. "The members still talk about being able to have a drink with Glenn after the game. Not many overseas players do that. His wife is from this area and he loved living in the countryside, so let's hope we see him here again."

Moment of the month Steven Davies' auspicious maiden Championship fifty, against Yorkshire.