Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statistician

"Sri Lanka are a side supposedly in transition, but eight of their side played here two years ago, whereas only five of England's team played in that match."

I need to know more about this. Geoffrey has finally ventured into the kitchen? What's happened to his chef? Speaking of Chef, Sri Lanka have two catchers on the leg side for Alastair Cook, a short leg and a lurking mid-wicket. With the ball swinging into the pads, they're hoping he'll offer a catch or play round one and be pinned in front. Cook, up to the task, takes a single wide of mid-on.

Lovely from Hales, getting off the mark with a whip to the mid-wicket boundary when Pradeep gets too full. Ooohhh, that's a good shout for leg before. Good enough for me to give it out. Not out, says Rod Tucker. Has he hit it? No, but it's sliding down. That's why he's an umpire and I'm not.

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"It's been a fairly sedate 20 minutes. The ball isn't doing too much in the air - it could be a good toss to lose for England."

Without labouring the point, it's flatter than Aston Villa's end-of-season do inside Headingley at the moment. A contrast to what it will be like on Saturday, when 20,000 beered-up Yorkshiremen will turn the Western Terrace into a night at the darts. More work off the pads from Cook for a couple.

Sarah Gosling: My favourite thing about first Test of the summer is... wonderful memories of 30+ summers of cricket spent with my Dad.

Dyer: Glass of cider, Jonathan Agnew and a good old batting collapse.

Joshua Murray: The gentle applause that accompanies the first English runs of the Test summer.  

I'm already experiencing the dilemma suffered by all who attend a day at the cricket. When is too early to dip into your lunch? A Test match patron will usually have a cool box full of enough sandwiches, scotch eggs, pork pies, cocktail sausages and crisps to feed the Western Terrace. That crouch of Alex Hales really does look exaggerated. Wideish again from Pradeep - Hales barely playing at a maiden.  

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Test Match Special

"Umpire Aleem Dar isn't happy with Shaminda Eranga. He's shooing him away from the cut strip, as if he were shooing a broody old hen back into its nesting box."

It's edging dangerously towards being declared sunny, with layers being removed by those in the stands. Long-sleeved jumpers the order of the day for the Sri Lankans. Eranga again gets too straight to Cook, who works off his pads past short leg for a couple.

Tom Fordyce
Chief sports writer at Headingley

"Smatterings in the stands rather than jam-packed, the only fancy dress on the Western Terrace so far a solitary Father Christmas. It's never warm in Leeds in May, but that's maybe taking it too far."

Alex Hales, tall and lean, crouches over his bat, head right across over off stump. Pradeep is hinting at moving the ball away from the right-hander, towards three slips. No-feet defence from Hales, a maiden greeted by a hint of sunshine. Flat atmosphere, mind.  

Steve Pye: On the first day of every English Test summer since 1994 I have eaten a Toblerone. Yes, I am odd.

Tarbin Basnet: My favourite thing about the first Test of the summer is overcast conditions.   

Nuwan Pradeep, a favourite cricketer of mine, shares the new ball. Disappointingly, the bouncy mullet he had two years ago is gone. A Test bowling average of 46.50? I remember him being better than that.

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"The first runs you score in the first innings are always the sweetest. Alastair Cook has got a very pronounced pre-emptive back-and-across movement now - maybe that's something he's worked on with Graham Gooch. But it's obviously working - he's in great form for Essex."

Swing for Eranga with the dark red new cherry. Arcing back into Cook, who defends from the crease. No great pace, no great noise from the crowd either. There's a few on the beer already - surely the weather is more suited to a good brew? When Eranga gets too straight, Cook whips the first boundary of the summer off his pads.

Graeme Swann
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

"It was very interesting to hear Alastair Cook admit he was nervous. [The 10,000 runs landmark] shouldn't matter, but it does. He wants that monkey off his back. I love that honesty from players."

Shaminda Eranga has the ball. Three slips and a gully. Pretty gloomy. Play.

The players are in the middle, both Alastair Cook and Alex Hales underneath sleeveless sweaters. Cook is taking strike. The voice of England cricket, that chap who mans the PA at every international, booms out something inaudible.  

Roshan Abeysinghe
BBC Test Match Special

"Sri Lanka are a side with potential. If they could come out of this Test match with a draw, they will become that much more confident. But England have brought them to Headingley with a plan..."