No more B*nking for England

 

Early start - my feline alarm decided that I needed to get up at 2.30am instead of the usual 6.30am (feeding time).

 

The sun is shining across most of London although it is overcast at Lord’s. I arrived just before 10.00am but the ‘jobs worth’ told me that I could not go in until he’s told that he can let spectators in. The same ‘jobs worth’ told me that the wickets will be Grand Stand side until after the first test match.

 

I witnessed our boys hard at practice pre match, including Keegan.  Keegan is sporting a short ‘Mohican’ hair cut with a stripe down the centre.  [Editor’s note: very King Kurt.  He should pal up with Klusener for Destination Zululand].

 

The media centre is now sponsored by “Investec”. Other changes at Lord’s include new padded seats in the Allen Stand. I found these very comfortable.  [Editor’s note – any chance of padded cells to go with them?  Just asking.]

 

The programmes are a new format and better quality paper. I approve as they are now very clear.  [Editor’s note – I think Janet means that the content is clear, not the paper].

 

Ed Smith won the toss and decided to bat. At that stage I thought he’d done the right thing, until the game started. The ball seamed and zipped all over the place. Hutton scored 5 off the first over and after that it was slow going. Hutton was bowled in the 7^th over by Van der Wath when we were 10/1. 

 

In the 13^th over Compton suffered the same fate (bowled) and the score was 39/2. I was beginning to wonder if this was a good toss to lose as batting seemed difficult (later confirmed by Nick Compton when I spoke to him after the match).

 

Well by the end of the first hour I had completed both Sudoku puzzles in the Telegraph. There was a man with a grating voice in the Allen stand who sounded like he could talk for England so I set up my Ipod………….. Ah that’s better - soothing Byrds.  [Editor’s note: This is not exactly All I Really Want To Do at 23:30 on a Wednesday – thank goodness I have a day off tomorrow].

 

Shah was playing some beautiful shots, and seemed to reach 41 in no time, when he slashed at a ball from Klusener straight into the hands of Peters at slip (74/3).  [Editor’s note: did it go Eight Miles High?]

 

I was really thinking about whether we should have bowled first at this stage as there were intermittent spots of rain.

 

Van der Wath then started a spell from the pavilion end and Smith was promptly caught behind (97/4). Now it’s up to Nash and Godleman.  [Editor’s note: Van der Wath has been referred to elsewhere as a Billy Joel lookalike.  I suppose that’s Just the Way He is.  Personally, I prefer the Van der Wath Generator rock reference for him].

 

Rain coincided with the lunch interval and was heavy enough for the covers to be put on. We lost 4 overs for this.

 

I spoke to Embers in the lunch interval, and he queried why Smith had opted to bat. He (Embers) remembered us being put in last year and losing on this Lord’s wicket. [Editor’s note: I don’t recall the toss and/or us batting first or second having much influence on the results last year – we lost most everything.]

 

During the luch interval I listened to ‘Dylanesque’ by Bryan Ferry, and when that ended I opted for Buddy Holly. It started raining again as ‘Raining in my heart’ played.  [Editor’s note: Do the Allen Strand?]

 

Oh no, now Nash caught in the slips for 10 (127/5). I’m now running my Ipod on the solar charger, and have changed to David McWilliams.  [Editor’s note: The Days of Umpire Tommy Spencer?]

 

Godleman and Murtagh staged a fight back and put on 74 for the 6^th wicket, with Godleman’s 50 coinciding with our 1^st batting point. Murtagh and Johnson both out in the same over, Murtagh making 40 and Johnson a 2 ball duck. I change to Jacques Loussier from tea onwards.  [Editor’s note: very Stephen Potter – “some have beards – some like Bach”]

 

Godleman top scored with 77 and was the last out, while Van der Wath takes 6 wickets for 49 runs.

 

Murtagh and Silverwood are already warming up with Pybus (good sign!) Silverwood opened the bowling, and the ball still seems to be zipping about. Johnson opens from the Nursery end. I see Jamie D is already on the player’s balcony (and I heard that Ed J had been in also). Johnson then gets a wicket in the 4^th over (12/1). In the 7^th over Silverwood took a wicket…………… caught it on camera but only batsman in view!)

 

Richardson took over from Silverwood and with his 3^rd ball takes the 3^rd wicket. Murtagh took a wicket in his 1^st over also leaving Northants 70/4 at close.

 

I’ve never seen a Lord’s wicket like it, with 14 wickets falling on the first day.

 

ECB mentioned that in his 5 first class innings Billy Godleman has made more than 55 each time.

 

I was also nature watching as there seemed to be NO pigeons at the ground. They landed on the outfield at 5.00pm

 

Janet