But although any record gives added pleasure, McGrath will feel cheated if further rain means there is not a match for his match-winning figures to feature in.. So far 239 overs have been lost to the rain which means refunds of around pounds 1.2m Which works out at just over pounds 5,000 an over. As a gesture of goodwill today’s admission prices are pounds 5 for adults and pounds 2 for senior citizens and those under 16.However, despite the dreary sitting around and the near sisyphean futility of the groundstaff’s job, there has been a great performance by Glenn McGrath, whose peerless bowling from the Pavilion End brought England to their knees.McGrath has taken to Lord’s and its challenging slope like to the manor born. Indeed, it was only when Matthew Elliott decided to resume his normally compulsive hooking and scored at a run a ball that the visitors began to get the scoreboard rolling over at a decent rate.Elliott, who scored his maiden Test century before falling to Caddick on the hook, will probably never again receive the good fortune he has here.

On Saturday he was dropped three times in a distinctly shoddy England fielding performance. Nevertheless, his combination of obdurate defence and powerful driving served his team well and will be hailed as a gutsy, but not great innings should Australia manage to prevail today.Of course today is something Jameson, constantly supervising the mopping up, nearly did not get to see. Talking of his shocking experience he reckoned that when lightning struck, his brolly felt like a giant sparkler “It can’t have been a big bolt though,” he later mused. “If it had I’d have been tonight’s fish and chips.”It has not been a good game for those who run HQ. However, it was a gambit that spluttered as they lost four wickets for 12 runs as both Waughs, Shane Warne and Michael Bevan fell to optimistic shots.

Despite the flurry of wickets Australia, with their 136-run lead, are still the only side who can win this match. If rain stays away today England will probably have over two testing sessions against Glenn McGrath and Paul Reiffel on a pitch unlikely to have eased after spending so much time under the covers.
When play did start at 5.40pm, it was clear Australia were always going to hurry things along. With morning thunderstorms drenching the ground and a lightning bolt striking the umbrella of John Jameson, the assistant secretary of MCC, prospects of a safe seat, let alone play, did not look good. That 17.4 overs were bowled and five Australian wickets taken yesterday was a tribute to the Lord’s groundstaff, whose mopping up abilities are clearly more sophisticated than their pitch preparation. Lord’s can scarcely have seen a day as unlikely as this one.

His main weaknesses are his serves and his forehand which are good one minute, bad the next. The fact that he served nine double-faults against Kucera tells its own story.Henman’s world ranking will suffer if he does not match his quarter-final appearance at Wimbledon while Rusedski is on the rise and it is not inconceivable that they will pass each other in the near future. Rusedski, while expressing genuine sympathy for his friend, would probably enjoy that.. “My first round match against Philippoussis is a difficult encounter and I’ll need to be fresh and sharp because the match might swing on one or two balls as we both serve so well. I’m very confident but the important thing is to be well rested.”Henman, who lost to Kucera in the semi-finals, will be even fresher although the impression is that Wimbledon is coming too soon for the British No 1 who is struggling to recapture his best after an elbow operation in March. The organisers at Nottingham had intended playing the final yesterday but when the weather forecast showed showers interspersed with rain, the sensible course was taken and the semi-finals and final were rattled off on Saturday.”I’ve played 11 matches in two weeks so I feel I’ve more than enough tennis under my belt,” Rusedski said. If he was not facing the No 7 seed Mark Philippoussis in the first round you would be confident of him making some impact at Wimbledon.”My volleys are usually there every day,” he said, “but I still have to work on my returns.

The day when I can return with 100 per cent consistency I will be able to compete with the best in the world on any given day.”At least he will return to the All England Club with a break of a day. His booming left- handed serve will unsettle even the best players – as his taking of a set off Pete Sampras at San Jose in February testifies – but his groundstrokes have improved starkly so that his returns are now respected where they once were walloped. Not that Rusedski had to overcome too many hurdles at Nottingham himself. His semi-final appearance at Queen’s the week before suggested his form is arriving just in time for Wimbledon and last week did nothing to dispel that impression.