Groundsman Peter Marron enjoys the rare distinction of rendering Lancashire’s historian Malcolm Lorimer speechless … twice. “The first was when he asked if I would marry him,” says Lorimer, “though I should add that I am a Methodist minister. The second was when he invited me to be chair of his testimonial committee. I felt honoured on both occasions.”

Marron, who arrived at Old Trafford in 1973 as assistant to Bert Flack and took over 10 years later, is halfway through his testimonial year. “He’s produced fantastic wickets over the last 20 years,” says former skipper Neil Fairbrother. “Great when I was a batsman but sometimes not quite what I required as captain.”

Marron is renowned for his capacity, in the words of Sky pundit David Lloyd, to “call a spade a shovel” but above all for the quality of his pitches. Lloyd was at Old Trafford for Lancashire’s Twenty20 match against Notts in June, the first game of Andrew Flintoff’s abortive comeback, and spotted immediately the potential in Marron’s square.

“Typical Old Trafford wicket,” he enthused. “Pace, bounce, carry. I bet Steve Harmison can’t wait to get here for the Test against Pakistan.” Prophetic words.

The Wisden Cricketer, Andrew Collomosse