It's an Asian carnival at Grace Road, what with Leicester having such a large population of both Indians and Sri Lankans. A number of fans carried along trumpets, creating one heck of a noise through the day. One journalist, irritated with the extent of the noise, shouted out: "This is not India or Sri Lanka, behave as if you're in England."

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The fire-prevention authorities are here. Making the most of a packed house, they're giving out smoke detectors and pamphlets, stressing the importance of guarding against fire. The brochures are in three different languages – English, Urdu and Gujarati – and have been made specifically for Asian week. Around five feet away, a couple of young men light their cigarettes. Thankfully the alarms aren't on.

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Sourav Ganguly, meanwhile, is calmly jogging around the ground warding off fans seeking autographs. One fan, speaking on her mobile phone, is keen that he speaks to someone at the other end of the line. Ganguly doesn't stop the first time but consents to answer the phone when requested again.

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Some intensive wicketkeeping practice for Mahendra Singh Dhoni before the start of the game. Robin Singh, India's fielding coach, and Greg King, their fitness trainer, conduct drills to improve Dhoni's collection of throws. After a session lasting more than an hour, where he caught most and missed a few, Dhoni is knackered. Any guesses why he lasted just two balls while batting? Surely, no connection between the two.