So as the eyes of a sporting nation turn towards Headingley for the match which will decide the fate of the series between England and South Africa, Yorkshire groundsman Andy Fogarty might be forgiven for having a few pre-packed excuses to hand. Just in case . . .
The Headingley pitch has, after all, earned a reputation for quixotic tendencies down the years. And on the face of it, the recent monsoon weather has hardly worked in Fogarty's favour in preparing a wicket that will do justice to England's most important home Test for more than a decade.
As the rain lashed Headingley on Monday, it was scarcely credible that a cricket match would take place at the ground before the end of August, let alone the end of the week. Yesterday, near gale-force winds buffeted the South African players as they trained 48 hours ahead of tomorrow's fifth and deciding Test.
Yet if the nerve ends are starting to tingle, it doesn't show. Rather, the amiable Fogarty gives every impression of relishing the challenge - which is no more than you might expect of a Lancastrian, and a Manchester United fan to boot, brave enough to forsake Red Rose territory and move into Headingley three years ago.
And despite the abysmal weather Fogarty, previously Peter Marron's deputy at Old Trafford, is ``optimistic'' his pitch will come up to scratch when hostilities commence. ``A Test wicket isn't prepared in a matter of weeks, you know. It's a year's work and December 1 is every bit as important as August 5.
``The aim is to have the pitch ready the day before the game and we're not too far off. The wicket is drying out all the time and we need to give the outfield a cut, make it nice and flat. Then it's just a few last-minute preparations.
``It's a nightmare when you open the curtains in a morning and it's pouring down with rain yet again. But as long as I keep the pitch dry, I can handle the rest. If there's a damp patch in the outfield or a puddle on the square, it can be sorted.
``What I would not want is to come out here at 7.30 in the morning and move the mobile covers to discover three inches of water on the wicket. I can live without knocking on the chief executive's door and saying, 'I think we have a problem'.
``That's why I always look last thing at night to make sure everything is OK. Then I can settle down and have a good night's sleep.''
In Test match week? Surely not. ``Oh, I sleep well enough. And I'm a married man with three kids so the whole world doesn't revolve around one cricket pitch.''
Maybe not. But there's still a lot riding on this one. How will it perform? Predictably, Fogarty is not keen to make any predictions. ``But I'm confident it will be a good, even wicket that will provide a true contest between bat and ball,'' he said.
``This is England's most important match for years and as a patriot I'd love to see them win. But my job is to prepare a pitch that does justice to both sides.''
Whatever the result, though, Fogarty will be spared any of the off-the-field anxieties of last year when his third son, George, was born midway through the Headingley Test.
``Sue went into labour after the close of play on Friday so I spent the night with her at Leeds General Infirmary before popping back here to put the practice nets up first thing on Saturday morning.
``At 8 o'clock the call came from the hospital and I was there when George was born at 8.30. But once I'd made sure they were both OK, I dashed back here to keep an eye on things.''
A groundsman's dedication, it seems, knows no bounds.