New boy Simon is just pitch perfect

IN January, when Simon Lee cut his final blade of grass at Somerset after 19 years working on the Taunton pitch, he set himself a massive career challenge.

- Graham Otway

Having prepared hundreds of wickets in county cricket – and a couple for the 2019 World Cup – Lee joined Hampshire for what turned out to be a season he would never forget.

As Covid ruled out the County Championship, and domestic cricket of any form until August 1, Lee – the new head groundsman down in Southampton – thought he may enjoy a rare summer off.

Not so. Instead, he found himself working his fingers to the bone as the Ageas Bowl and Old Trafford, between them, shared sole responsibility for hosting England’s truncated international summer.

With it, Lee was left preparing a pitch for three hastily-arranged Tests – two against Pakistan and one with West Indies – three One-Day Internationals and three T20s against Australia.

A career challenge indeed, and there is solid evidence that he achieved his goal as his work stood up to the test, at least giving cricket fans something to cheer this summer to follow on from the heroics of last year