John Etheridge, the Sun: Pathetic goings on at O.Trafford. 'Player safety'- nonsense expression. What about the thousands who've taken day off and paid for tickets? This 'player safety' stuff is total nonsense. They are professional sportsmen, paid to entertain 1000s who have turned up. Ridiculous.

Paul Newman, Daily Mail: Times have changed and cricket cannot afford to treat paying spectators badly...common sense needs to prevail and we should get this game on. Worth remembering the Old Trafford outfield was perfectly fit for both teams to play football earlier...

Dan Kenward: Surprised the issue of the ball getting soaked doesn't get raised at times like these. One good splash and it's toast.

Andy Pickford: How about the local pubs around Old Trafford donate their patio heaters? They'd dry the outfield in no time.

Schweizermag: Cricket. Manchester. September. Anyone see anything wrong with linking those three things?

Mark Nicholas, Channel 5: A disgrace there is no play yet at Old Trafford. The sun is shining, the ground is fine. Dew tonight will be far worse! Aarrgghhh.

Andrew Miller, Cricinfo: West Indies closing in on the minimum requirement of four wins and a no result that will give them automatic qualification for the World Cup.

Jeremy Broadhead: Ridiculous scheduling by the ECB. Of course it's going to be damp.

David Wallace: Why doesn't Cap'n Morgan make the umpires walk the plank? It's "Talk like a pirate day."

Neil Virani: If this gets called off, there will be serious questions about LCCC drainage and ability to host future matches.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

If you do choose to play international matches at this time of year, you do leave yourself open to this sort of nonsense, otherwise you're not going to get a lot of cricket. You're not going to get perfect conditions on 20 September, or even 29 September at the Ageas Bowl. I wasn't at Durham, I'm not sure the West Indies were happy with the conditions there and this may be a hangover from that.

Scott Read
BBC Test Match Special

How much of that concern about the outfield has been because there have been a lot of concerts here? Have they been a factor in the state of the outfield?

Without question, the concerts have had an impact. We had one scheduled, then two that weren't because of the One Love concert after the terrorist attack, and then Radiohead came here. There have been problems all season - but it's been compounded by the two extra concerts. There's only so much the groundsman can do - it needs the sun to dry it out.

I just don't see what waiting it going to achieve. Has anyone ever seen sodden turf dry that much in three quarters of an hour?

Umpire Tim Robinson on TMS: "It hasn't dried a great deal, there are still areas we're concerned about and the captains are both concerned, so we're going to give it another hour, but we're going to do our best to get a game on. It's where the water has come off the covers, a lot of grass has come off and it's just like saturated mud.

"We've asked the groundsman if he could roll it more, he's forked it but he said if he rolls it again, it could make it worse. As an umpire, you've got to be optimistic - the captains are both concerned about the safety of players, but they both want to play."

Ben in Manchester

Scott Read
BBC Test Match Special

Had this been a regulation County Championship match, there would be play here. The areas of concern all season have been the area just in front of the media centre, and the area near backward point just in front of The Point.

Vic Marks
Ex-England spinner on BBC Test Match Special

The umpires clearly don't think it's ready. We live in a litigious age, and if it's not ready, what about if someone's injured and the umpires are under the pump.

Charles Dagnall
BBC Test Match Special

I understand player safety is a concern. No-one wants to see twisted knees - we saw Chadwick Walton have problems at Durham. Sometimes though, do you have to think of the game itself. We have perfect conditions - doesn't the interest of cricket take priority?

I'd be booing too. Either it is fit or it isn't. I can't see what these extra 45 minutes are going to achieve.

Alison Mitchell
BBC Test Match Special

That two o'clock inspection has not gone down well with the crowds - you can hear those boos on the microphone.

Believe it or not, nothing is going to happen. There will be another inspection at 14:00.

Umpires now with one of the groundstaff. Only cricket could have us commentating on some men having a chat.

Charles Dagnall
BBC Test Match Special

There are apparently "areas of high traffic" on the outfield. That's a new one on me.

Alison Mitchell
BBC Test Match Special

I'd be amazed if we're not going to start a game today. We'll find out as soon as this little huddle breaks up.

Umpires and skippers together again. Lots of folded arms. No one looking particularly happy.