If Ben Stokes wants the positive philosophy that transformed England’s Test team to trickle down to the county game, in Alan Richardson he could have the perfect emissary.
Richardson, 47, was appointed head coach of Worcestershire in November and at the top of his agenda are several items that Stokes, the England Test captain, would approve of: accept defeat, love what you do — and forget about the “county grind” .
Richardson knows “the grind”, a reference to the sometimes relentless schedule of red and white-ball cricket through the county season. He is a hugely popular figure at New Road, having been a big part of their seam attack for four seasons up until his retirement at the end of the 2013 season, taking 268 wickets.