Ten turbulent days after the crapshoot at Lord’s, there came some welcome and familiar Test-match rhythms south of the river. Not that it was entirely familiar, given the churn of England players that was triggered, in part, by that late night for Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson at the Rex Rooms in Chelsea.
They call the Oval the People’s Ground and the people could have been forgiven for squinting at England’s team sheet, perhaps even Googling a name or two on the sly. Not since 1958 against New Zealand at Old Trafford have they followed a Test win by picking three debutants (Ted Dexter, Ray Illingworth, and Raman Subba Row).
