Lord’s has a resident cat and now The Oval is home to a fox. Not Graeme ‘Foxy’ Fowler, the former England, Lancashire and Durham batsman, but a living Basil Brush who popped in to check on the field after stumps on the opening day. It’s basically impossible to get on the playing surface unless you are wearing the fluorescent green vests of the security staff - unless you’re a fox.

With the covers on, the animal trotted out to guard the square and lay down near the practice pitches. The security men spotted the animal and let him be. Apparently he visited early in the morning as well. The Oval is almost in the centre of London so spotting any animal that is not a pigeon is rare, although some quick brown foxes have somehow managed to retain a presence in the suburbs.