Haha! Or his MiL p'haps?

My mate is at Lords today - says LD was naff & it's chuffin' hot.

THese 2 looking well set now.....

...and indeed they were until Sir James of Anderson had the final say.

We are all waiting for de Kock to come in (stop sniggering at the back)

Don't have a good feed at work, so relying on cricinfo text commentary for the second test, but the England batting is looking a little bit collapsible today, in between the raindrops. Westley and Root both got started and got out... I gather the delivery that did for Malan was an absolute beauty, might have to find a video of that one. Skipper and his deputy in at teatime, ready to steady the ship for the evening session, here's hoping they can calm things down a bit.

The ball has been swinging in the air a lot and Philander has been bowling well. Plus, we had two batsmen on debut so time will tell. The last hour or so will be difficult so I'll be a bit of a result if we don't lose anymore wickets. Fortunately I had a quick early morning meeting just as rain stopped play so not too much time wasted.

Strange things are afoot at the Oval.

Not a bad day I would say

The last test of the summer and it's well poised nearing the end of day two. Anderson is lighting it up.

3 Tests, 1 T20 and 5 one dayers V West Indies still to come this summer.

Well, the next test will be a day/night game, starting at 2:00pm BST (I think that's a thing). And while my reactionary personality shivers with such a paradigmatic shift in tradition, I must say it makes for a lot better viewing for us poor lost souls on the West coast. For you lucky lucky naffers out East it'll feel like it's in real time. I can't see much work being done for the next three weeks. TBH, they're lucky I'll even go in at all.

So what colour ball do they use for a day/night test match.

I think it's a pink one. Just makes the whole test situation weird. I have no idea how they behave, especially under flood lights.

I've heard (read somewhere) it swings for first 10 overs, then goes lifeless, so bowlers need to fill their boots with the new ball

Don't want to miss the start then.

Well that was er...pretty predictable.

Stoneman & Westley miss out, Root & Cook cash in. Windies looking like they don't want to be there.

All a bit underwhelming really.