"I couldn't have dreamed of anything better" - A conversation with Kadeer Ali

Thanks to having the requisite skill, built on a bedrock of hard work and sacrifice, he is living that dream. Kadeer is now decades into a fulfilling career as a player and then a coach - and that career has come full circle in his current role as assistant head coach at Worcestershire.

The young batter who was moulded by the likes of Damian D'Oliveira, Graeme Hick and Tom Moody at New Road is now doing the moulding. He loves the role and responsibility that it brings to help young cricketers be the best they can be - and his is, as much as possible in the mentally toughest sport there, keep it simple.

“I am a big believer in the fundamentals,” Kadeer said. “If you don’t have strong basics you are not, over time, going to be consistent. Cricket is the biggest leveller ever. One day you get a hundred, the next day you get a nought. One day you bowl brilliantly and don’t get a wicket, the next you bowl poorly and get five wickets. There are so many uncontrollables - the conditions, overheads, ball, umpiring decisions – and so many variables, you must do everything you can to keep it simple. There are more downs than ups, so it is vital that you stay level.