There was a welcome air of expectancy as The Oval loomed larger thismorning. A steady stream of fans crocodiled down the Harleyford Road from Vauxhall station, side-stepping the seedy touts and savouring the atmosphere. The weather was warm and welcoming. And what had seemed a summer stroll for England had turned into a nailbiting series decider after India's Headingley heroics.

For the first time this summer the Thursday of a Test was a sellout. And happily it seemed, from an early stroll around the ground, as if most of those tickets had been sold to genuine cricket lovers rather than corporate fat-cats. Most people were glued to their seats, and the bars and burger-vans were doing only a modest trade.

There was just the one outlet serving Indian food, and a smallish queue had developed near its Hobbs Gate patch. The "Indian Special" – chicken tikka with veg jalfrezi, rice and a samosa – was proving popular despite the £5.50 price tag.

One of the Surrey Lions mascots was nearby in the pavilion forecourt, attracting slightly more attention than usual. Feeling the heat, she – yes, it turned out to be a Surrey Lioness – had peeled off the top of her costume to reveal a sports bra which clashed with her tufty tail. Back up in the press box npower, the sponsors, had continued the off-the-wall thinking that has seen them provide a graphologist and an astrologer for the media this summer. Today's star turn was a reflexologist, complete with imposing-looking massage chair.

First in for a spot of spine-alignment was Michael Henderson, the splenetic Daily Mail columnist. He reported a "bit of gyp" in the shoulder, but said the therapy had worked wonders. Several other sufferers lined up for their medicine from the masseuse. One was rumoured to have put his name down three times.

Of course, given the terrible layout of the Oval press-box, Hendo's bit of gyp might have been caused by having to peer round the shoulder of the chap in front of him. The rows of seats are too shallowly arranged, which means that actually seeing the pitch is a bit of a lottery. My view of the business area is neatly obscured by the imposing frame of Derek Pringle, the England allrounder turned Daily Telegraph correspondent. So a memo to the sports desk: don't expect too much on how the ball is ducking and diving. And do expect an ongoing series of massages on a contorted spine.

Steven Lynch is database director of Wisden.com.

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