It is 6:00 am and the sun is shining brightly through the window. The first thing that comes to my mind is there are only five hours left to the start of the test match. The first thing I do is to open my BBC weather app on my iPhone and check the weather in Dublin. This is what I see.

The rain that was predicted for tomorrow seemed to have moved up by 24 hours. The chances of rain during the day are high too. If this test match was an investment then it would be classified as a Frontier Market. It would not be something I would invest my money in. However, if I resided in Dublin instead of London then I would have bought tickets for all five days. That is the optimism of a cricket fan and a cricketer. No matter the odds you always hope that your team will win until it is mathematically impossible to do so.

I do not want to be negative first thing in the morning and think that Ireland should be relieved that the follow-on has been reduced to 150 runs rather than 200. They should play their brand of cricket that got them to this place in the first place. I have not seen or heard the pitch report but considering the overcast conditions and the possibility of rain today it may be better to bowl first. I have a feeling that it will be a good test match. Our Church is having their summer fair today and I am carrying my sunglasses and I’m wearing a T-Shirt. I have not carried an umbrella or jacket. I have not had the need to consume any caffeine or sugar product so far and I have been singing “When Irish eyes are smiling.” It will be a good day because;

“When Irish eyes are smiling

Sure, ’tis like the morn in Spring

In the lilt of Irish laughter

You can hear the angels sing

When Irish hearts are happy

All the world seems bright and gay

And when Irish eyes are smiling

Sure, they steal your heart away”