A NEW spinner has been in action at Worcester's New Road cricket ground - a helicopter brought in to ensure the pitch dried out following a bout of flooding this month.

Worcestershire batsman Reuben Spiring - an aspiring helicopter pilot who is halfway through his commercial exams - contacted a friend to fly the machine over the pitch.

"I discussed with a groundsman how to get the pitch dry and I mentioned I had a friend with a charter business," he said. The Augusta 109 was duly requested from Knightway Aviation and hovered over the pitch yesterday to scatter the remaining droplets.

The New Road ground is now dry on the eve of the new season. The first match at Worcester is to be a four-day encounter against Sussex, starting next Wednesday.