T20 Blast coming uppublished at 18:20 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
It's been a traditional day of "proper cricket" at The Oval, but there are three T20 Blast matches this evening. (And despite the Oval's rain, they've started at Lord's!).
Summary
Rain shortens opening day - just 59 overs bowled
Cook holds England together with unbeaten 82
Stokes unbeaten on 21 - failures for Jennings & Malan
Westley makes 25 and skipper Root adds 29
T20 Blast coming uppublished at 18:20 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
Get Involvedpublished at 18:16 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
#bbccricket
Richard Thomas: At Waterloo. Deluge! Think an ark better bet than SW Trains. There'll be no more play.
Postpublished at 18:15 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
Simon Mann
BBC Test Match Special commentatorAn inconclusive day so far, England fighting hard and resisting with this partnership. We've had some tremendous weather this summer but not at the moment.
Image source, ReutersPostpublished at 18:14 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
The TMS team are recalling some of the famous Oval Tests of the past, given that this is the famous old ground's 100th Test.
Even in the last 25 years, there's been Devon Malcolm's "You guys are history" against South Africa (1994), Tuffers' 11 wickets (1997), Steve Waugh's century on one leg (2001), the 2005 draw against Australia, the Pakistan forfeit (2006), England whitewashing India to get to number one in the world (2011) and Hashim Amla's 311 (2012), as well as the climax of plenty of other Ashes series.
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 18:09 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
#bbccricket
Patrick Brennan: Horrible toss to win. Considering the day, full of disruption, England's position is fairly impressive.
Ben Hughes: Root got a peach, Malan got a peach - it's nothing to do with bad batting. It's called great bowling.
Watch Root and Malan's dismissals here:
Postpublished at 18:09 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
Looks like it's sheeting down at The Oval now - the run-ups are covered and the side covers stretched across the "square" (which is more of a rectangle). And fans are scampering for the exits - a lot of them will think that's that for the day.
How's stat?!published at 18:07 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
Andrew Samson
BBC Test Match Special statisticianThese two have a good record batting together, this is their 10th innings and they have two century partnerships, three fifties and they are averaging 65 at the moment.
Postpublished at 18:07 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
Not many video highlights to bring you from this truncated final session, which has only lasted seven overs - but here's a boundary apiece from Stokes and Cook.
Postpublished at 18:06 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
Just to put you in the picture, the delays earlier mean that the official close of play time tonight has moved back to 19:00 BST (from 18:00).
So, while play can continue until 19:30 to get through the overs, if they are not on the field at 19:00, play cannot be restarted after that time.
Postpublished at 18:05 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
Alec Stewart
Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match SpecialAlways look out to the right when you're sat in the OCS Stand at The Oval and that looks like it's in for a while.
Postpublished at 18:02 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
Graeme Smith
Ex-South Africa captain on BBC Test Match SpecialTerrible day to be a groundsman I always felt for them trying to move the covers on and off and the amount of time it takes the get the ground ready.
Rain (or possibly bad light) stops playpublished at 18:01 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
And they're going off again. Simon Mann on TMS think it might be as much for the bad light as the rain (though I've not spotted the umpires taking a light meter reading).
It's been a disappointing, stop-start day, but the covers are back on again.
View from the press boxpublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
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Eng 171-4published at 18:00 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
Cook 82, Stokes 21
Morkel is still getting the odd one to lift, TMS hear it's raining in nearby Putney and a few brollies are going up at The Oval as a dark cloud of doom descends over the ground. Can Morkel get through the over? Yes he can.
Image source, PAPostpublished at 18:00 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
Graeme Smith
Ex-South Africa captain on BBC Test Match SpecialMorkel hasn't quite found that rhythm that he had to Root. There seems to be a boundary an over at the moment.
50 partnership for Cook and Stokespublished at 17:58 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
Eng 171-4
Stokes continues his progress in singles, Cook turns a two off his toes and nearly earns some "buzzers" from a wild throw. That's the 50 partnership.
get involved Get Involvedpublished at 17:58 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
#bbccricket
Mark Whitrod: Is it just me or does anyone else think that we have too many left-handers in the line-up?
Postpublished at 17:56 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
While Radio 4 LW listeners are dragged off for the Shipping Forecast, here's that slash over the slips for four from Ben Stokes, who has been slightly favoured by Dame Fortune today.
Eng 168-4published at 17:55 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
Cook 80, Stokes 20
Stokes is beaten by an absolute jaffa from Philander, who swings one just wide of his back-foot defensive prod. I can almost hear the great FS Trueman muttering something like "Eh, that were wasted on you, lad". Stokes smiles - what else can you do? - considering some of his team-mates have fallen to unplayable deliveries today. He moves to 20 with a single.
Postpublished at 17:55 British Summer Time 27 July 2017
Graeme Smith
Ex-South Africa captain on BBC Test Match SpecialBowlers will always want to be involved on days like this, with the conditions and the batters have got to fight. Cook's 80 runs are invaluable, he has been the glue and the type of play that England are looking for.