It was with some trepidation that I looked at the pitch for the Yorkshire match starting today, but I need not have worried. Groundsman Steve Rouse has done a great job of preparing a good cricket wicket which, after the track we played on in Hove last week, is a huge relief.
It was a poor pitch in Hove. I haven't played on many pitches as slow as that, certainly not in England; in the end, it killed the game. It didn't make for great viewing for spectators, either.
Anyway, the pitch at Edgbaston looks to have some pace and bounce. It will encourage good, attractive cricket. In fact, the whole ground looks great and we're all very excited about appearing in front of our home supporters for the first time this season.
Bearing in mind the nature of the pitch, we made a reasonable start to our season against Sussex. Everyone chipped in, the batsmen looked good and we won more points than them. We lost badly against them last year, so to take maximum bonus points was a marked improvement.
Of course, that last day was frustrating, but I didn't feel we could have done much more. The pitch was so flat and slow that only a Shane Warne or a Muttiah Muralitharan would have made any difference.
I don't think any fast bowler - not a Shoaib Akhtar or anyone - would have got anything out of the surface. It was frustrating in more than one way. Murray Goodwin's batting showed once again just what a good side Zimbabwe could have had if other events hadn't intervened. Elsewhere, Andy Flower was in the runs and Sean Ervine bowled well.
You'll see enough quality players from Zimbabwe that prove what we could have achieved. Sadly, it looks as if those days are long in the past.
One of the most pleasing things to emerge from Hove was the form of the younger batsmen. Jonathan Trott, Jim Troughton and Alex Loudon looked good and I was delighted to see how they had responded to our call for them to show greater responsibility.
These young men are the future of Warwickshire. They have a lot of matches and a lot of runs ahead of them and they could achieve great things.
I don't want them to look too far ahead, though. If they can embrace that senior role and score runs consistently, the England selectors are bound to be interested.
But I've seen so many players lose focus by taking their eye off their short-term goals. I don't want them to think about next winter or any tours; if they carry on concentrating and scoring runs, selection will look after itself.
Loudon just needs a bit more bowling. He didn't get many overs for the MCC, but I was pleased to see him in the England A team to play Sri Lanka at Worcester next week.
We will have to look at our spin options for the Championship match at Trent Bridge, though. It will probably lead to an opportunity for Nick James or Moeen Ali.
I was pleased to hear Ashley Giles' good news. I know a hernia is never a cause for celebration, but it is so much better than had been feared. Things had been looking a bit grim for Ashley but, if he is back in about six weeks, that's great news for Warwickshire and England.
* Heath Streak's column is sponsored by Redrow
