The earliest ever test in England starts today.

Apparently, Lord's will be just a third full. That's hardly surprising given the approach of many of the players on both sides: Several have played just 20-20 cricket as preparation, which in Collingwood's case means no cricket at all because his IPL team never selected him to play. Gayle parachuted in just in team for the pre-match photos and Bravo is still at the IPL.

Geoff Miller has revealed the ECB's attitude to the tests by saying that it is good that Flitoff is injured now rather than during the 20-20 World Cup.

But, they could be two good games between two ordinary sides.