Last month, younger brother Nasser, 58, told BBC Essex he would “not get out of bed” to play senior cricket, believing he left the sport on the perfect note.

He retired after scoring a match-winning 103 not out in his final match for England against New Zealand at Lord’s more than 22 years ago.

Mel, four years his senior, is one of four Essex players in this year’s squad and thinks it is not a guarantee Nasser would make it into the 16-man playing contingent even if he wanted to.

“First of all, Nass needs to be able to get into the team. He hasn’t picked a bat up in about 10 years,” he said with a smile.

“He’s fit as a fiddle still but I suspect he put his bat in the bin after the big 100 he got at Lord’s.

“I followed him in his career and I think he takes great interest in mine now so it’s good.”

In the build-up to the tournament, England have been dealt a triple blow as Paul Radage, Steve Aston and Nick Gaywood had to pull out because of health and injury issues.

Captain Edward Gordon Lennox, who represents Gloucestershire, believes the replacements have not affected squad depth, however.

“Injuries at our age are inevitable,” he added. “We’re two thirds of the way down the season so people are naturally feeling it a bit, but we’ve made some really great replacements.

“Two and a half years ago, we were in the final in Australia, and people expected that. Now, there are probably five or six sides that could do really well and isn’t it great that the standards of senior cricket is improving?

“I have to pinch myself every morning to have the privilege [of captaincy]. What’s really important is that we pull everyone’s great experience, sense, and emotion and power it in a positive way.”

You can listen to the full interviews with Victoria Polley on Around the Wicket from 18:00 BST on BBC Essex.