Summary

Live Reporting

by Matthew Henry & Sam Dalling

  1. PopeGetty Images

    England managing director Rob Key on Test Match Special: "The way they were going about, playing very well it didn't look like was dark. What you need is to have a proper look and some proper investment into what is dangerous.

    "When full floodlights are on, how hard is it to see the ball? I don't think we have ever done a study on that. It is frustrating. I am saying that as an administrator. As a player I would have said what are we doing out here?"

  2. Quite, Fabian.

    It's hard to overstate how nice a day it is in Manchester. Glorious sunshine, literally a cloudless sky.

    There's plenty of folks out on the MediaCity plaza, basking in the warm weather. They had a stall with a couple of horses out there earlier for some reason - not sure why, if they're not giving out free food then I'm not interested.

    Probably can't pop a Shetland pony in a bap.

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    Clear blue skies here in Manchester. When will the ECB learn and stop playing Test matches down in that there London!? You can always depend on the weather here!

    Fabian, Levenshulme

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    In the ground with my family having spent nearly £400. Yes it's dark but with the floodlights on and zero physical threat from Sri Lanka. It's a poor decision from the umpires take the players off. Realistically the light may remain like this all day and there may be no more play. If Test cricket wants to survive it has to consider the paying public.

    Duncan

  5. Something to help us on that front - Test Match Special are about to interview England's managing director Rob Key.

    Plenty to talk about there, from the selection of Josh Hull and generational change in the England side, to the appointment of Brendon McCullum as white ball coach.

    So if you're slipping out for your lunch break, be sure to stick some headphones in your ears and tune in.

  6. Thanks Matt.

    Without wishing to delve too deep into the arcane nature of BBC rota scheduling, I'm just popping up from the background to cover us for lunch today.

    So let's make it an interval for the ages.

  7. Lunch taken at 12:40 - Eng 76-1

    Well the news is lunch has been taken so we are at least not losing any more time.

    I'll leave you in the hands of Mike Peter.

  8. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent

    The counter argument is someone gets all their teeth knocked out.

    A dark day, the players had said it was too dark to play but the umpire dismissed it and said to continue with play.

    Could they sue?

  9. Just joining us? We're off for bad light. Dan Lawrence was out in ugly fashion early but otherwise England have been flying along.

  10. My wife has no interest in cricket. Whenever I tell her bad light has stopped play she always asks why don't they turn the lights on.

    I never manage to come up with a clear answer.

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    Hopeless decision. Taken a day off work and paid £100 for tickets. If that's the light standard there will be no play after 5 every day if it's overcast. Please stop taking the spectators for granted! Tickets to this game start from £75 per day, making a match ticket well over £300 per adult. Tickets to the Hundred Final were £30. Tickets to the IPL Final are £4. Flip the prices and see how many fans you get then. Test cricket isn’t dead - it’s grossly overpriced in the UK.

    Steve, in the pavilion

  12. That seems strangely sensible from Zaltz...

  13. Andy Zaltzman
    Statistician on Test Match Special

    Would it be possible to make a red ball that is not as dark?

  14. Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    You go to a pink ball and carry on. Teams will have to accept they get unlucky.

    All these ideas, you're not going to appease everyone.

    I just want too see them carry on.

  15. Ben Duckett has been seeing it fine but they're going off. Make it make sense.

  16. Jonathan Agnew
    BBC cricket correspondent

    This is one of the faults in the system.

    The umpires come on and say the light's not good enough but I'm sure that the batters would have carried on.

  17. if you're in the ground, let me know what you think.

    Does it feel dangerous?

    England haven't seemed threatened. I guess you have to consider fielder safety a little.

  18. Stephan Shemilt
    BBC Sport chief cricket writer at The Oval

    Yes, it's dark, but England are scoring at nearly a run a ball. It's not dangerous. Absolutely awful for Test cricket.

  19. It's probably a good time for me to point out to all those who moaned last week that it's glorious in Manchester.

    Not a cloud in the sky.

  20. Michael Vaughan
    Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    What delivery have we seen in the last 15 minutes that has been a physical threat?