The death knell for county cricket has been rung many times over the last century but the landscape of almost non-stop franchise tournaments has had those who love the traditional game more worried than ever before.
But this weekend, with temperatures hitting 20 degrees and a full round of the world’s oldest cricket competition the only show in town, cricket aficionados have come out in force to show that the county game is very much alive.

Fan power! The crowds flocked to The Oval this week – a similar story throughout the country
PICTURES: Alamy

After a rain-hit first round of fixtures...