13:33

For some reason in my early season excitement I had neglected the scenario I’m just witnessing. Which is Marcus Trescothick (43) taking guard against Darren Stevens (43 later this month). I imagine Stevens is breaking the 70 mph limit but not by much.

He has three slips and a gully standing very close to the stumps and poses an unusual challenge for opening batsmen (in first-class cricket rather than club cricket) but it is a very different one to that presented by Matt Henry last season. At the other end to Stevens is the former Guardian columnist, Harry Podmore.

So we’re off in between munching the lime and zucchini cake which has been delivered to the press box. Through the haze the Quantocks are now visible. Glass half full again.