Somerset Head Groundsman Phil Frost made his first visit of the season to the Rec at Bath on Friday, where Somerset will be playing Yorkshire in a 4-day championship match starting on June 13th.

Phil spent the day watering and scarifying the wicket, as well as taking delivery of a heavy roller, which will remain at the Rec till after the festival is over.

"This year we will be able to have more time to complete our preparations at Bath, because there is no cricket at Taunton," he told me.

For much of the year the outfield area at the Rec is used as a car park for Bath Rugby Club, and very little cricket is played upon the square apart from the Somerset matches.

A sponsorship deal with local solicitors Withy King and matched funding from the local council looks likely to have guaranteed the future of the Bath Festival for the immediate future, but the local organisers will be hoping for fine weather and good support form local cricket followers.

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