There’s a glitch in the pitchside hoardings at the Oval. Two of the letters in the message “BUY YOUR TEST SHIRT NOW” have been compressed so that, for a large part of the third day’s play the word “SHIT” appeared to be written in 24-inch letters on the LCD screen that runs right beneath the England team’s balcony. It has been one of those weeks in English cricket. The optimism some people seemed to feel on the first day faltered on the second, and foundered altogether on the third when they conceded a lead of 100 runs in the first innings.
