Warwickshire will stand at a crossroads this morning when they face Lancashire at Edgbaston.
The dramatic victory over Durham last Saturday has thrown their season a lifeline and given the squad a second chance at a campaign that threatened to pass them by.
Warwickshire showed many positive qualities in the final stages of that game; resilience and character in particular. The most encouraging aspect over the final three sessions, however, was the evidence of a thriving team spirit. Such spirit hasn't always been obvious this season.
Now is the time for the real Warwickshire team to stand up. Too often this season they have appeared a diffident collection of individuals, but those few who saw them fight tooth and nail on Saturday morning will know how much better they can be.
Now they have to capitalise on that recovery and build on the foundations of a remarkable win. Confidence and spirit was visibly restored by the performance and it has enabled them to regroup and look at the rest of the season with some optimism.
Victory will not have solved all the problems, however.
The mis-firing batting unit, in particular, simply has to improve if the team are to perform more consistently. The average opening stand of just 24 is one area of pressing concern, and it would do wonders for the team's self-belief if that could be improved.
The circumstances going into this game are not ideal. Ian Bell and Alex Loudon are on England duty, so Ian Westwood and Moeen Ali are recalled. Moeen will also front a thin-looking spin attack, though it is hard to believe that a turning pitch will have been prepared for a squad that is now missing its three first-choice spinners.
Neil Carter, who has been released to play for the seconds, can count himself unlucky. He has been the victim of more than his fair share of dropped chances and has given his all without due reward this season.
In 55 first-class games for Warwickshire, however, he has a bowling average of 42, and may find his involvement primarily in one-day cricket.
For Jimmy Anyon and Lee Daggett are the future. Both are aged 23 and both have shown enough this season to suggest they could be useful performers for the next decade.
Lancashire represent formidable opposition. The only unbeaten side in either division of the County Championship, they will go top of the table if they win.
There will never be a better time to play them, however.
Injuries and international calls mean they are without Sajid Mahmood, James Anderson, Glen Chapple and, of course, Andrew Flintoff. Though their middle-order batting, in particular, remains daunting, their seam bowling unit is less potent than it might have been.
It is somewhat ironic that Warwickshire's attack will include Daggett and Anyon. The pair were once part of the Lancashire set-up and would, no doubt, have been in contention for a place in the visitors' side had they remained.
Lancashire's remarkable wealth of bowling resources has done much to boost the current England squad. It does beg the question, however, if Lancashire can produce so many home-grown quick bowlers - and don't forget Warwickshire's newest signing, Andrew Miller, is also from Preston - why is it that so few emerge from Birmingham and Warwickshire?
