Why Wales?

You may be interested to know that Cardiff will be the 100th venue when the first Test begins in seven days.

I am still not clear - apart from the money, I mean - why the city was given the most important Test of this summer anyway. I know Welsh men and women who support Glamorgan wherever they play but I wonder if they will turn up for this match. I would also like to know how the pitch will play and I worry that if England lose the match they might be 2-0 down by the end of the second Test.

England never win at Lord's against Australia; well, once last century

I guess a lot of people were concerned about the choice of Melbourne in 1877 when the first Test was staged on what old pictures suggest was an open field with one small stand. Of course it was not called The First Test until later.

But you would think that with all the tradition, all that history and all those records the first Test of 2009 might have been played at Lord's.