The views now expressed by the cricketers themselves, in print and on television, sometimes straight after they have done something excellent, are increasingly numerous, interesting and informative. But they are words from the horse's mouth, and the horse can only be subjective.
If a team need 120 to win with two wickets left, their next man in will still say they have a chance, even ``a great chance''. If he did not think that way, you would not want him in the side. But the rest of us should not be lulled into thinking that he is giving an objective assessment; he might even be speaking for propaganda purposes, to daunt the opposition.
The subjective England view was that they had far the better of South Africa at Edgbaston. So they did - on the opening day, thanks to the exceptional batting led by Mike Atherton. Thereafter England did not use the initiative like a side who knew how to win, even before Darren Gough broke his finger, and gradually let South Africa off the hook.
England's batting in their second innings was commendably adventurous, but it was more gesture than substance as everyone knew rain was coming. If there had been some aggression after lunch on the second day instead, if somebody had used his feet to Paul Adams, England might have stayed on top of South Africa, and given themselves the time for a moral victory at least. Only when it was too late did England try to make things happen.
The International Cricket Council are going to announce on Tuesday some scheme for a Test World Championship. Whatever it is, England will not qualify to be among the 'Big Boys' - Australia, West Indies, South Africa, Pakistan, and India at home - until they alter their habit of not trying all out to win a Test match until they have made sure of saving it.
At Edgbaston they not only wasted time but momentum. Players know more of what is occurring in the middle, but from a subjective dressing room the one thing it is difficult to see is where the momentum or balance of power lies. An objective observer can stand back and discern an almost visible pendulum swinging from side to side in the course of a Test series. Not only that, but it is one of the great attractions of Test cricket that if one side do not make the most of their opportunities when the pendulum or momentum is in their favour, the other side will, certainly if they are one of the 'Big Boys'.
If South Africa are not an exception to this rule, the pendulum will offer itself to them at Lord's to see what they can make of it. At Edgbaston the tourists' bowlers under-pitched and under-performed; they have more scope for immediate improvement than England have. They also have fond memories of Lord's, and their 356-run win in 1994, whereas England were dispirited last season when they went from the patriotism of (over-)enthusiastic Edgbaston to the more neutral atmosphere of Lord's. ``It can be the most annoying venue to be an England player,'' remarked Nasser Hussain in Ashes Summer.
The pitch will be the same re-laid one as that on which England were dismissed for 77 by Australia, although it has had another year to bed down. ``Most of our re-laid pitches have tended to have a little more pace than the old ones,'' said MCC's cricket secretary John Jameson, but the unceasing troughs of low pressure are bound to make it another slowish seamer. The South African pace bowlers, especially Shaun Pollock and Lance Klusener, naturally tend to bowl a shorter length than England's: we will see if they and Allan Donald make the same improvement that Glenn McGrath did between Edgbaston and Lord's last summer.
England's selectors can hardly make any changes to their XI - dropping players after one Test would promote general insecurity, and they were also promised that any failure during their run-chase at Edgbaston would not be held against them - beyond promoting Dean Headley to replace Gough. Headley has bowled 'only' 16 no-balls in 140.2 championship overs before this current match; in addition to his marker, he currently scratches out a box for his left foot to land in.
But are England playing their strongest team? The whole side was turned upside down and Alec Stewart made wicketkeeper in order to accommodate a fifth bowler: in the long term Ben Hollioake, who will never be consistently accurate until he uses his left arm to point the way in delivery, while in the short term Mark Ealham will tidily support Dominic Cork from the Nursery End at Lord's but surely not much more. England's side have been redesigned to make room for five bowlers; the only hitch is they have not got five of international standard.
England's series strategy is to ensnare South Africa with two spinners at Old Trafford, but Ian Salisbury's groin tear has ruled him out of that plan as a partner to Robert Croft. As for the Ashes tour, English and Welsh off-spinners have never succeeded in Australia, except when Australian batting has been weak or on the odd Sydney turner. Happily Mark Ramprakash has improved hugely as a part-time off-spinner by shortening his delivery stride since the winter tour.
For 12th man at Lord's it would be rather too mischievous of England's selectors to vent their frustration with Andy Caddick by making him fetch and carry. They could call up the controversial Ed Giddins, or Durham's Melvyn Betts, or settle for the safe Chris Silverwood. Giddins would no doubt prefer to play in Warwickshire's county match. It happens to be against Sussex at Hove, unsweet Hove.