First class cricket

To the Home of Cricket, with L, for a 40 over final between Surrey and Somerset. A fine morning session with a loudly-supported Surrey making short work of the Somerset batting line-up -- only Jos Buttler putting up resistance with a fine 86. New England (he's new, not from the US) bowling star Jade Dernbach took four Cider Boy wickets. Here's the match report http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/14932847.stm

We were invited for lunch in the futuristic Lords media centre where, over curry, we basked in the glory reflected off the likes of Mike Atherton and Alec Stewart. L went weak at the knees when Alastair Cook (Test hero and limited overs Eng captain) wandered in on sponsors' duties.

Lords cricket ground -- please don't call it a stadium, they say -- is a bit of a mish-mash of buildings but generates a unique atmosphere. Access is nowhere near 100% but they've done what they can: we sat on the outfield (such beautiful grass) and basked in the late summer sunshine. Stupendous bacon rolls.