The Surfer

“We will thoroughly review the 2007 tournament, learn from any mistakes and do our best to ensure they are not repeated. I think 16 teams is a good number, but there is scope to knock at least a week off the duration by playing through Easter and scheduling more than one game a day. The popularity of day/night matches in the four host countries could enable us to have day games and day/night games running on the same dates.”

This would be a crushing blow for the game's governing body and its ten Test-playing countries, including Australia, which could expect tens of millions of dollars over the life of the agreement.

Harish Thawani, head of rival company, Nimbus Communications, which paid an amazing $US612 million for the rights to cricket in India, said there had been dramatic changes in the country, where broadcast rights were now worth substantially less. "There has been a lot of talk on the streets that there has been some alarm in the minds of rights holders," Thawani said. “I can confirm on our own behalf, given the fairly dramatic regulatory changes that have taken place in India of late, I think it's a matter of concern for all sports broadcasters and agencies as to what cricket rights are going to be worth."

It is unfortunate that a position could not be found in New Zealand that would enable Wright to pass on his expertise to both budding Black Caps and those already in the top team. At the highest level, New Zealand appears to lack batting nous as shown by poor performances at test level and some inconsistent displays in the one-day game.

Sometimes he seems to resent his power, like a tormented superhero in a Marvel comic. He has been given great powers – the power to hurry the greatest and terrify the rest, the power to force an error from any batsman who ever took guard, the power to blast out an entire team with the force of his nature.

Those seated around … included Nevisians, Jamaicans, Trinidadians, Barbadians, Haitians, and Guyanese. Allegiance to the West Indies team had to be pledged by anyone wanting to sit in that area, who did not appear to be West Indian. There were two England supporters of Asian descent seated in the front row. They were "allowed" to stay because they said they were enjoying the banter. They were also "allowed" to cheer, without harassment, when wicket after wicket fell for Monty Panesar.

Patil became India's coach in 1996. His term lasted six months. A few weeks ago, a board official said Patil was replaced by Madan Lal because of a player revolt. “I am in touch with many players in the Indian team," said Patil. "They call me and I call them. I don’t make calls to congratulate them on their centuries and five-wicket hauls. I call them when they are down.

There was an occasion on Saturday when Harmison bowled two consecutive deliveries, one down the offside, and one down leg, that were fully three cricket pitches apart. The only bonus in all this being that Matt Prior, England's new wicketkeeper, was unable to shout "bowled Harmy!" while hurling himself sideways with the same velocity of a man being shot from a circus cannon . There is something about England wicketkeepers which apparently compels them to shout: "well bowled!" to six deliveries in every over, even if the ball is flying back over the bowler's head en route to the 12th row of the Compton Stand.

Lord's on the opening day of a Test series; all human life is there. On Thursday I met a Biafran barman who knows nothing about cricket, and Michael Holding, who knows plenty. At various junctures I talked about pit closures with the MP for Barnsley East and Mexborough, about the delights of Bath with a merchant banker, about bad light with Dickie Bird ("it's these foreign umpires, y'see. If they come off for light like this they'll never play in England"), and about Jose Mourinho's dog with just about everyone. The joke in the Mound Stand was that Mourinho had sprung a surprise by having a Yorkshire terrier in the first place; we all agreed that he ought to have an expensive foreign import.