The Idle Skiers returned to London yesterday. With the Lord’s test between England and South Africa starting today, it was the only place to be. We had a very good journey, making it home in about the best time possible. So there was an inevitably that having returned in good order, it would rain at the cricket today.
In the afternoon session, the rain arrived in enormous blotches. Within minutes, it was a deluge and then lightening joined in the fun, combining into the heaviest storm I have witnessed in this country.
It was clear almost immediately that the match would not continue today, but it was impossible to leave without being prepared to swim for it. The capacity crowd sheltered at the back of, and underneath, the stands. We had to go when the day was abandoned a couple of hours later, but it was still raining cats and dogs.
On the way home Earl’s Court tube station was closed to passengers by flooding, but my District line train surfed through without stopping. The rain has finished now and the lawns surrounding us are looking a bit greener than they did last night. Tomorrow’s weather forecast is for a warm, cloudy day without rain.
Idle thoughts from a mountain 