Read Barney Ronay on Ben Duckett

At the same time Duckett also very obviously chucked away his wicket. Poor execution is the mantra with this England team, not poor selection. This is how I score. Back your talent. Be where your feet are. Find your neutral space. Put a lid on the squid. Eat some pizza. Do what it takes.

“This feels like a heyday for English cricket, with genuine questions and options for selectors and coaches, for immediate use and development,” writes Bill Hargreaves. “The squad seem as though they’re in a good place. (A statement made all the more painful by the news of Graham Thorpe, a personal favourite of mine.)

“Watching Freddie Flintoff’s talk as he presented Josh Hull’s first cap was icing on top of icing on the cake. Am I being realistic here, I do I need shaking from my stupor?”

Not at all. Books will be written about this era. Books already have been written. We are so blessed to watch this life-affirming lot.

Read Ali Martin’s day one report

The Oval is Ollie Pope’s happy place, however, where everything is familiar and comfortable and his first-class numbers are celestial. And as he slotted Asitha Fernando through the covers moments before the early finish, England’s stand-in skipper had Test century number seven. Remarkably, he is the first player in history to get their first seven against different opposition.

Preamble