1919: It's been one of those marathon days with all the rain breaks, but thank you for staying with us and sending all your messages. Tom Fordyce will be in the chair for the remainder of the Test - however long it lasts (one, two or three more days). I hope you'll join him tomorrow - until then, enjoy your Saturday night, and try not to get too upset if your Football League team lost today...

1913: Aggers and Boycs are limbering up for their end-of-day summary which will be available to download a little later as the Test Match Special podcast.

From Lenny, via text: "Can someone find out what the lowest first-innings score that led to an innings victory is? Could a record be on the cards?"

Michael Vaughan on TMS: "England will be concerned that they keep suffering these batting collapses, like they did at Trent Bridge and here today - if Pakistan's fielding was up to scratch, we could have been bowled out for a lot less than 250, but we look like a good bowling unit and our fielding's been exceptional. But I think Pakistan will lose the game tomorrow unless something miraculous happens and Pakistan get some momentum."

1906: I really didn't think it looked that dark, but them's the rules.

1905 - BAD LIGHT STOPS PLAY - Pkn 19-1 (17.1 overs)
After one ball of the over, umpire Steve Davis holds Anderson up to have a look at his light meter - and he takes the players off. Because we're past the "official" close of play time (1900), that will be it for the day.

Michael Vaughan on TMS: "England are bowling nicely, but I'd like to see them make Pakistan play a little more, as the ball is moving off the seam a lot."

1902 - Pkn 19-1 (17 overs)
Farhat sways out of the way of a short ball from Finn, then tries to nudge him to fine leg and they run a single. Five overs left, and the light is still pretty good.

1858 - Pkn 18-1 (16 overs)
A change of ends for Anderson (figures of 5-4-1-1 so far), who replaces Broad at the City End. Azhar doesn't quite know how to play him, with the ball swinging all over the place... the results is another maiden. Six overs left tonight, time for a bit of Swann before the close?

1854 - Pkn 18-1 (15 overs)
With eight overs remaining tonight, we shouldn't even need to go as long as 1930 BST... While a couple of possibly inebriated spectators are corralled by the stewards, Farhat plays out a maiden from Finn.

From Jonathan Farrington, TMS inbox: "If only Sepp Blatter was watching this excellent demonstration of sport and technology in harmony - pretty unlikely, I know!"

1849 - Pkn 18-1 (14 overs)
Azhar isn't using his feet much, but guides Broad for his first four through square leg. The Edgbaston crowd remain lively, even those dressed as penguins, and Azhar has to get forward well to defend against Broad. "Get your head over your front knee," advises forward defensive expert Michael Vaughan on TMS.

From Saiyed Husain, TMS inbox: "Salman Butt has shown neither any leadership or lead the team from the front, that is what captains do. PCB should wake up and reinstate the seasoned and experienced Mohammad Yousuf as captain for the next Test match and beyond."

1846 - Pkn 14-1 (13 overs)
Aggers and Michael Vaughan on TMS have already spotted Mohammad Amir, padded up and helmeted, on the Pakistan balcony - ready to come out as nightwatchman, even though there are still nine overs left after this one. Finn keeps Farhat tied down, before a bouncer is flicked over the slips for four.

From Dave, TMS inbox: "Champagne moment of this Test? Without doubt Boycott trying to explain to Aggers how he was man of match in a one-day game, scoring 52 not out in 45 overs chasing 102! Well done Aggers for almost rendering the man speechless!"

1841 - Pkn 10-1 (12 overs)
A nudged single from Farhat brings Pakistan into double figures, Broad is a little wayward as he strays down the leg side to Azhar. But the Pakistan number three then has a rush of blood, charges down the pitch to a length ball (in the manner of K Pietersen) and the ball squeaks between bat and pad! Surely you don't do that when you're still 169 runs away from avoiding an innings defeat...

1837 - Pkn 9-1 (11 overs)
Steven Finn takes over at the Building Site End, and finds some bounce against Azhar in the 82-86mph range as he bowls a maiden over.

From alfie on 606: "It has been Ajmal's day. Unless one of the England quicks manages a hat-trick tonight."

1832 - Pkn 9-1 (10 overs)
Broad is finding some movement on this sunny evening, Azhar dabs a single to third man to avoid his "pair".

From Murphy, via text: "Just driven home from work listening to Aggers and Boycs on TMS. A better pair of commentators and observers of the game you will not find anywhere else. Loved the story about Fred Trueman."

1828 - Pkn 8-1 (9 overs)
Anderson switches to bowling round the wicket from the Building Site End to the leftie Farhat, that's four maidens from five overs for the "Burnley Express".

1824 - Pkn 8-1 (8 overs)
The technology does its job, showing (a) it hit Azhar's pad rather than his bat so he wasn't caught, and (b) it was going over the stumps so wasn't lbw either. The review is upheld and Pakistan retain both reviews.

1823 - Pkn 8-1 (8 overs)
Farhat on the defensive against Broad, who sends a poor ball down the leg side which Prior appears to see late and they run two byes. Farhat jabs a single, then Azhar is given out caught behind and immediately asks for a review...

From Tom Bishop, TMS inbox: "Re: Dave in Dublin [1737] - and what exactly do we have to fear regarding the Australians? Their erratic batting displays, their inconsistency with the ball, or the fact they just drew 1-1 against a side we are dominating?"

1819 - Pkn 5-1 (7 overs)
Anderson moves his short mid-wicket to third slip for Farhat, who rotates the strike with a leg bye. Pakistan hanging on in the evening sunshine at Edgbaston.

From Andy in Bangkok, TMS inbox: "Re: George Monck [1758] - don't know but in 1956 a gentleman called Laker took 19 in the match - the other falling to Lock - all 20 in a match to bowlers beginning with 'L'."

1815 - Pkn 4-1 (6 overs)
Farhat drives and misses against Broad, then clips him through mid-wicket for three as Jonathan Trott pursues and stops the ball just inside the rope.

1811 - Pkn 1-1 (5 overs)
Anderson has three slips and a gully in for the rookie Azhar, who evades anything he doesn't have to play. Still a theoretical 17 overs to be bowled tonight.

1807 - Pkn 1-1 (4 overs)
New batsman is Azhar Ali, he's on a pair too. My colleague Oliver Brett points out a great stat - in the two Tests of this series, Anderson has taken 16 wickets at an average of 5.75. But for now it's Farhat, white bandana under his green helmet, facing Broad - he's struck on the pad but umpire Steve Davis lugubriously shakes his head. (Hawk-Eye reckons England were right not to review it as it was going over). Another maiden over.

1802 - WICKET - Butt c Strauss b Anderson 0 - Pkn 1-1 (3 overs)
Farhat tries to nudge Anderson down the leg side, a spectacular take by Prior prompts a half-hearted appeal, but the ball clearly brushed Farhat's thigh pad. The left-hander from Lahore is off his "pair" with a single past square leg, and Jimmy is getting plenty of early movement against Cap'n Butt - who hangs his head after he tries to turn Anderson to leg and gets a leading edge to Cap'n Strauss at first slip.

1758 - Pkn 0-0 (2 overs)
Stuart Broad has three slips, a gully and a forward short leg for Pakistan captain Salman Butt, who looks a little hesistant at the crease. With Farhat on a pair, Geoff Boycott on TMS admits to being out for a pair at Bradford once, while Aggers claims never to have suffered that fate. Another maiden.

From George Monck, Bristol, TMS inbox: "How many times has a side been bowled out with all the wicket-taking bowlers having names starting with A?"

1753 - Pkn 0-0 (1 over)
Hawk-Eye shows the ball going over the leg stump, so England have "burned" a review already. Jimmy opens with a maiden over.

1752 - Pkn 0-0 (0.4 overs)
Just two slips and a gully in as James Anderson bowls to Imran Farhat who shoulders arms. Farhat is then hit on the pad, Umpire Erasmus shakes his head but England call for a review...

From Amir Mir on 606: "Well I can't defend myself this time because Ajmal has taken five wickets. But, overall Kaneria is a much better Test bowler. If you remember in the first Test, if Akmal had stumped Collingwood it could've been a different game for him. If Ajmal continues to play in this Test series you'll find out what I'm talking about."

1747: England's fielders limbering up on the boundary edge - we could still have more than an hour and a half of play tonight if the rain stays away and the light holds. Officially, we can play until 1900 (to make up time lost to rain) and then an extra half-hour if the overs haven't been bowled. Cynics might suggest England may also need to claim the extra half-hour to finish the match tonight...

From Rob, TMS inbox: "I'm bewildered by the constant KP backbiting. Sure he played a lucky innings and hasn't scored a century for a while, but he's top-scored in this innings by a country mile. Give the guy a break and some room and he'll be back on top in no time."

Geoff Boycott on TMS: "I've just worked out that the catches Pakistan dropped cost them 129 runs - without that, they'd have had England out for 122 and they'd still be in the game."

From Anonymous, via text: "What was it Amir Mir was saying on 606 [at 1609] about Ajmal not getting enough wickets?"

1740: Great spell from Ajmal there, the selectors will pat themselves on the back for picking him and dropping Danish Kaneria. Please manually refresh your page for the innings details to change above.

1738 - WICKET - Swann c & b Ajmal 4 - Eng 251 all out (83.1 overs)
Swann swings at Ajmal, the ball skies towards mid-off, and (with good reason) not trusting his team-mates to pouch the catch, Ajmal runs back and takes it himself. That's his maiden Test five-for - he finishes with figures of 26.1-5-82-5.

1737 - Eng 251-9 (83 overs)
Last man Steven Finn, as he did last Saturday, defends doughtily against Amir. The tall Middlesex seamer ducks a bouncer - meanwhile, Worcestershire have beaten Gloucestershire at Cheltenham in an exciting County Championship game, despite having conceded 480 in Gloucestershire's first innings.

From Dave, Dublin, TMS inbox: "The batting collapses in the last two matches show just why the Aussies shouldn't be worried! Losing wickets at key times and relying on one or two batsmen to come good really won't work down under"

1732 - WICKET - Anderson lbw b Amir 0 - Eng 251-9 (82.1 overs)
Anderson rapped on the pad, it looks out and he's given out, but England have one review remaining - and he decides against using it. Hawk-Eye suggests it would have hit leg stump (or at least was likely enough to hit leg stump that the umpire's verdict would have been upheld).

1731 - DROPPED CATCH - Eng 251-8 (82 overs)
Swann reverses his hands again to switch-hit at Ajmal... and captain Salman Butt puts down a relatively easy catch at mid-on! Coach Waqar Younis, on the balcony, can only laugh in frustration. Maiden over, England are 179 ahead.

From Richard in Tamworth, TMS inbox: "Can you give out Radio 1's inbox and we can bombard them with comments about KP's batting, Pakistan's fielding, and Boycott's moaning?!"

1728 - Eng 251-8 (81 overs)
No sign of the new ball yet but Swann pulls a single to the man on the deep square leg boundary. Anderson fends off a lifter to mid-wicket... a forward short leg may have snaffled that.

Infostrada Sports on Twitter: "Pietersen has now gone 23 Test innings without a century. He has never gone a full calendar year without a century and before this streak he had never gone more than 10 innings without going into triple figures."

1723 - Eng 250-8 (80 overs)
Swann tries an audacious switch-hit against Ajmal but is struck on the body. A single brings Anderson on strike but he doesn't look like he's reading the off-spinner too well. The new ball is available.

From Michael Branwell, TMS inbox: "Re: 'Two for one deal' [1629] - Please warn anyone trying to come to Edgbaston that there is an extra charge of £2.00 on top of the entry fee 'to print out your tickets at home'."

1720 - Eng 249-8 (79 overs)
Swann pulls Amir for a single to leg, Anderson defends a brute of a yorker from the teenage left-armer.

From Jamie, Bristol, via text: "Hi, can you play The Ashes Song by Tuffers and the wooden Urn?"

1716 - Eng 248-8 (78 overs)
One left-hander replaces another as the new batsman is James Anderson. There are now five close fielders plus the wicketkeeper. Jimmy survives his first two balls as Ajmal completes a double wicket maiden. He has 4-81, his best Test figures.

1714 - WICKET - Broad c sub (Yasir Hameed) b Ajmal 0 - Eng 248-8 (77.4 overs)
The lanky left-hander Stuart Broad is the new batsman, surrounded by four predatory close catchers. But he's out third ball when he nudges one to leg slip.

1711 - WICKET - Collingwood c Farhat b Ajmal 28 - Eng 248-7 (77.1 overs)
Ajmal grabs his third wicket as Colly gets an edge to Imran Farhat, the solitary slip. Batting not easy out there at the moment.

1710 - Eng 248-6 (77 overs)
Mohammad Amir replaces Asif at the Building Site End, it'll be interesting to see if Pakistan take the new ball when it's available after 80 overs. Meanwhile, Ramiz Raja on TMS confirms the news from earlier - Umar Gul is out of the rest of the Test series with that hamstring pull. Swann edges just short of second slip... not that he'd necessarily have caught it anyway, but Hameed makes a good stop on the bounce. Maiden over.

1705 - DROPPED CATCH - Eng 248-6 (76 overs)
Swann prods forward at Ajmal... and is dropped by sub fielder Yasir Hameed (who took a catch earlier) at slip. I don't know what to say about these drops without repeating myself - but even TMS summariser Ramiz Raja describes Pakistan's fielding as "abysmal". Swann is off the mark with a single. Meanwhile, the number of music requests in our text inbox (everything from Katy Perry to Grandmaster Flash) indicates that Radio 1 may have given our text number out by mistake.

1702 - Eng 247-6 (75 overs)
No umbrellas going up just yet, but Aggers has noticed a few coats being pulled on as Graeme Swann walks out with England 171 ahead. Colly plays defensively at Asif, who rather unnecessarily throws the ball back at him and only just misses Colly's head. But Colly has his revenge as a half-tracker is brutally pulled through mid-wicket for four, to the delight of some fans dressed as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Colly survives the rest of the over.

1656 - WICKET - Prior lbw b Ajmal 15 - Eng 243-6 (74 overs)
Hawk-Eye says it was hitting middle near the top... a good decision by Mr Erasmus, and Prior has to go.

1655 - Eng 243-5 (74 overs)
Ajmal spins another one down the leg side for four more byes, new keeper Zulqarnain is having a bit of trouble reading the off-spinner. After hitting a two, Prior then goes to sweep, he's hit on the pad and is given out by umpire Erasmus... but decides to review it (as well he might, as the last recognised batsman).

1652 - Eng 237-5 (73 overs)
Single from Prior, then Asif swings one back into Colly's pads, but he was well down the track.

From trebell on 606: "300 and it'll be over. I feel for Pakistan's bowlers really, knowing that it's already a lost cause as they'll just have to try and bat on this simply to save the game let alone win it."

1648 - Eng 236-5 (72 overs)
Ajmal still bowling round the wicket (and wide of the crease) to the two right-handers - Prior opens the face and dabs a single into the off side. Single from Colly, then there's a strong lbw appeal against Prior... which rather dies away when Pakistan decide not to use their one remaining umpire review. Hawk-Eye suggests it may have shaved the leg stump, but it was close enough to be "umpire's call" in terms of whether it was hitting the wickets (ie the on-field umpire's decision stands).

From Jack W, TMS inbox: "I think the online scoreboard is broken, it's showing five catches for Pakistan..."

1644 - Eng 233-5 (71 overs)
Colly shoulders arms against Asif, another maiden and Asif has a tidy 2-36 from 18 overs.

From Anthony in Malawi, TMS inbox: "Re: KP - Please do not start getting your assorted and horrid media talons into the poor man. He has scored 80 under difficult circumstances - eight more than the entire Pakistan team."

1641 - Eng 233-5 (70 overs)
As CMJ showers Aggers with papers in the TMS box, Pakistan appear fiercely for a catch down the leg side, but the umpire is unmoved - and rightly so, as Hotspot shows the ball flicked Prior's pad. A rapid Ajmal over yields just two singles.

1639 - Eng 231-5 (69 overs)
Asif's tail is up after that wicket in his last over, but Collingwood is defiant in defence and plays out a maiden. 39 overs left today (if the light holds). Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports claim that Umar Gul, who limped off the field with a hamstring problem earlier today, is going to be sidelined for two to four weeks - that's pretty much the rest of the Test series, although I guess he could be back for the one-dayers.

1633 - Eng 231-5 (68 overs)
Colly prods Ajmal for a quick single and new batsman Matt Prior, who was involved in a couple of run-outs in the last Test, scuttles through. The Sussex stumper is off the mark when he cuts a loose delivery for four, while a forward prod pings off the edge and brings him four more. A fluent sweep shot brings him two - he's already in double figures.

1629 - WICKET - Morgan c Zulqarnain b Asif 6 - Eng 220-5 (67 overs)
Cap'n Butt belatedly recalls Mohammad Asif to the attack from the Building Site End (which is what CMJ appears to be calling it too). But it looks like he's only trotting in at not much more than medium pace. Apparently if you show your match ticket from today, you can get £30 off a ticket for tomorrow at Edgbaston - or buy one and get one free for Sunday and Monday (when children get in free if accompanied by an adult). But Asif makes another breakthrough as he has Morgan tentatively prodding and he feathers an edge to the keeper.

From Paul in Spain, TMS inbox: "Re: David in Dublin [1526]; Very good Test batsmen average between 40-50, as do all England's first seven in this match. Truly great players average 50 or more. That'll work."

1624 - Eng 220-4 (66 overs)
Morgan fences at Ajmal and earns two byes, before angling the bat to paddle a single to fine leg. Easy ones and twos for the England pair - Pakistan need to keep the pressure on here, and they ain't gonna do that with Amin bowling.

1620 - Eng 215-4 (65 overs)
Pakistan persist with part-timer Amin, despite that breakthrough - Morgan laces a three through the covers, and Colly biffs a four through backward point before adding a two, he's already up to 20. Meanwhile, a great event occurred during that rain delay - England captain turned TMS pundit Michael Vaughan has begun tweeting, and for those of you so inclined, I'm sure he'd love for you to follow him (and the other TMS guys).

1616 - Eng 206-4 (64 overs)
Eoin Morgan is the new batsman, and the Dublin-born left-hander is soon off the mark with a single.

1613 - WICKET - Pietersen c & b Ajmal 80 - Eng 205-4 (63.1 overs)
KP's luck finally runs out as he fails to pick Ajmal's doosra and pops a simple return catch back to the delighted off-spinner.

1612 - Eng 205-3 (63 overs)
KP nudges his first run since tea, while news reaches us that burly New Zealand opener Jesse Ryder has been up to his old tricks again. Apparently he's on a "final warning" from the Black Caps after being "intoxicated and rowdy" at a party. Colly and KP exchange singles as Amin's over ends - why aren't the fast men on?

1609 - Eng 202-3 (62 overs)
Ajmal tosses it up to Colly, but it spins sharply behind his legs and sails past the debutant wicketkeeper Zulqarnain for four byes. Colly chops a well-run two to third man.

From Amir Mir on 606: "Hopefully the selectors can see that it was a stupid idea to drop Kaneria. I really don't like the way he gets treated by the PCB. Ajmal is good, only economical, but does not pick up enough wickets. He should be kept at ODIs and T20s... just like Saqlain."

1607 - Eng 196-3 (61 overs)
Even though Amir and Asif have had a good long rest, Pakistan rather surprisingly continue to bowl Amin from the Building Site End, shirt-tails flapping in the breeze. Kevin Pietersen is carefully playing himself in at this stage - it's another maiden.

1603 - Eng 196-3 (60 overs)
Saeed Ajmal to continue with his off-spin and doosras from the City End. Hamstring injury victim Umar Gul is sat up on the Pakistan boundary, literally (and probably metaphorically) biting his nails. Colly isn't happy with a brightly-jacketed steward moving next to the sightscreen, but survives a maiden over.

1601 - Eng 196-3 (59 overs)
Umar Amin to resume his over with three balls of military medium, and Paul Collingwood celebrates his return to the crease with an exquisite cover-driven four and a dabbed single past gully.

1558: Woo hoo! We have some cricketers! England set to resume, 119 runs ahead. And we think we've fixed the updates bug - manually refresh your page again and the "rain stopped play" will disappear.

From Vaughan Griggs, via text: "The reason for the drop in Test match attendances is obvious. It's because cricket is not shown on terrestrial television. If people cannot watch it on TV there will be no interest. In 10 years' time no-one will watch Test cricket."

From Nick Wait, TMS inbox: "My preliminary research suggests that Steve Waugh fails David in Dublin's great batsmen test [1526]. The exception that proves the rule, or do we need to reconsider history?"

1549: Ground staff are rushing round trying to get everything ready for play to begin at 1600. Apparently one or two of you have been having problems with updates not appearing - do manually refresh your page (however tiresome this may be) if you think it's stuck.

1545: "Play will restart at 1600," notes CMJ on TMS. Hello, three-hour final session (light permitting)...

From Anonymous, via text: "So according to David [1526], all of England's current batsmen are great batsmen except Trott and Morgan who are the two with the highest averages!"

1531: To clear up any confusion, Sam (below), the NatWest Trophy was indeed 60 overs for most of its life, as was its predecessor the Gillette Cup (except the first year, 1963, when it was 65 overs. Imagine 130 overs bowled in a day!). However, the Trophy was reduced to 50 overs for the last two years of NatWest's sponsorship (1999 and 2000), and remained 50 overs under subsequent sponsors C&G (2001-2006) and Friends Provident (2007-2009).

From Sam Stevenson, Haiphong, Vietnam, TMS inbox: "Re: 1519. Wasn't the old NatWest Trophy a 60-over competition?"

1526: "Tea is being taken," announces Jonathan Agnew on TMS.

From David, having a coffee in Dublin, TMS inbox: "While nothing is happening on the pitch, how about considering my rule of thumb separating very good from truly great batsmen: tot up their Tests played and the total of 50s and 100s scored. The great batsmen will average a 50 or more in over half their matches played. Try it - it works!"

1519: If you're just joining us, I'm afraid we've been off the field for the best part of an hour because of rain. It has stopped raining, and the Super Soppers are on mopping it up. I'll let you know as soon as the situation improves - but Richard (below) may have a long time to wait if he's hoping for a 50-over showpiece final to conclude the domestic season...

From Richard Pye, TMS inbox: "For me the football season only starts when the NatWest Trophy Final has been played. Especially when running a cricket commentary page."

1507: Any Warwickshire fans listening may be interested that chief executive Colin Povey has just joined the TMS crew for a chat. As a former England water polo captain, he may be quite well suited to comment during a rain delay.

Former Yorkshire and England opener Geoff Boycott on TMS: "The Aussies are good winners, but not so good at losing. I love to see them lose."

1500 (and one second): The football season has officially started in my eyes (never mind Europa League qualifying rounds). Still raining at Edgbaston.

From Paul Jennings, TMS inbox: "We should have more stops for rain, the 'entertainment' from the commentary team should be bottled... keep it going"

1450: Craig (below), I wouldn't make any rash promises. We already know actor Daniel Radcliffe, who plays Potter, is a big fan of cricket (and TMS)... Who knows, give it a few years and someone could be here giving you live text commentary on Quidditch.

From Craig, TMS inbox: "Re: 1431 - I shouldn't worry too much Mark, if JK Rowling is an avid reader of BBC Sport's live cricket text commentary then I'll eat my copy of the Goblet of Fire (with difficulty)"

1447: CMJ on TMS reports it's just started raining again. Meanwhile, ground staff are still working on the mopping-up operation, and locals are probably pining for the days of the Brumbrella...

From rich1uk on 606: "Pakistan have Gul off the field, why not be ruthless and keep Pakistan bowling for as long as possible when they are a bowler short?"

1441: As all areas of the English and Australian media seem to be turning their thoughts towards the Ashes (see Derek's comment below), I can attest that when I visited Australia four years ago, it seemed the Aussie papers couldn't write the words "Kevin Pietersen" without preceding them with the words "South African-born". Curiously, even though Andrew Symonds played in that series, you didn't often see "Birmingham-born Andrew Symonds" referenced by the Aussie press. As well as Kepler Wessels, you could add Clarrie Grimmett and Brendon Julian (born in New Zealand), and I'm sure one or two others.

From Derek Mathieson, Laidley, Queensland, Australia, TMS inbox: "The Aussie media are obsessed with the amount of 'non English' players in the team. On the radio this morning we were informed that England were 112-2 and that there were two South African-born batsman at the crease. Hopefully that Irishman can get another century! All I can say Australia is this - Kepler Wessels!"

From Amesh, via text: "What's the most number of times a player has been dropped in a single innings? Surely KP must be getting close to the record?"

1434: If you're frustrated by all this rain, I can point UK viewers towards Final Score, your one-stop shop for all today's Football League scores and reports, which has just started elsewhere on the BBC Sport website and is soon to be the only Saturday football results show on free-to-air television.

1431: Still raining heavily. And Neil (below), at the risk of getting sued by JK Rowling, I'm sure that a long time before "liquid luck" entered the Harry Potter books, Red Dwarf had a similar idea with a "luck virus" in an episode called "Quarantine", which also memorably featured the malevolent glove puppet Mr Flibble. And I didn't have to look any of that stuff up...

From Neil on 606: "KP has just edged the spinner through the keeper's gloves and legs for four. Has KP been drinking that 'liquid luck' thingy from the last Harry Potter movie?"

1426: This is suddenly the heaviest rain we've seen today, the hover cover is on and both bowlers' run-ups are being covered.

1425 - RAIN STOPS PLAY - Eng 191-3 (58.3 overs)
Simon Mann thinks this will be a speedy shower and the players will stay on - Colly chops a four between slip and gully, and they're staying on even though the drizzle looks quite steady. But after three balls of the over, they're off again...

1423 - Eng 187-3 (58 overs)
Ajmal, who is playing only his fifth Test (and his first since the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne last year), tosses it up to KP - and Pietersen's amazing fortunes continue when he is beaten through the gate, the ball flicks his pad and sails fine past the keeper for four leg byes! At least Pietersen can find it amusing, he must be aware of how streaky this innings has been. Oh dear, umbrellas going up...

From JK, Kilburn, via text: "Having had the pleasure of playing cricket with 'Archie the Inventor' (Miles Jupp, see 1128) I can confirm that it is always entertaining. Generally before he'd go into bat there would be children seeking out his autograph. Seeing this, the opposition would assume that he was a famous ringer that they couldn't recognise. Sadly the myth was invariably exposed and usually within just a few balls. Safe to say Archie is a better comedian than he is a cricketer"

1420 - Eng 183-3 (57 overs)
Can lightning strike twice for Amin? Not this time, the ever-resilient Colly plays out a maiden over.

1418 - Eng 183-3 (56 overs)
Ajmal gets a doosra to turn out of the rough across Colly, who nudges a single off his legs. KP's innings of fortune continues when he's pinned back in front of his stumps, and edges one which hits the inside of the wicketkeeper's pad and scoots away for four! Simon Mann and Alec Stewart on TMS reckon KP should buy a whole raft of lottery tickets tonight, considering the luck he's had.

1415 - Eng 178-3 (55 overs)
Having been padded up for ages, Paul Collingwood is England's new batsman, and he's off the mark with a single against his fellow part-time medium-pacer. "Amin's shirt's untucked, and I don't like to see that," notes the always impeccably-dressed Alec Stewart on TMS.

1412 - WICKET - Trott c sub (Yasir Hameed) b Amin 55 - Eng 177-3 (54.3 overs)
Trott tries to punch Amin through the off side, and is caught low at gully by one of the substitute fielders! Pakistan have the breakthrough.

1410 - Eng 177-2 (54 overs)
Ajmal bowling around the wicket, so that's a different angle of attack to the two right-handers. Two singles added to the score, and Aggers appears to be seeing people carrying ice-creams everywhere - come on TMS, get the man an ice-cream!

From Chris R, via text: "Sitting on my balcony overlooking Edgbaston with a cold can, a 50-hour work week behind me, looking forward to KP pushing on to his ton and regaining some form!"

1408 - Eng 175-2 (53 overs)
After a drinks break, it's going to be Umar Amin with his gentle right-arm medium pace to bowl in place of Gul, with 12th man Wahab Riaz on to field. Amin has a quite a whippy little action, and his lack of a long run-up will improve the over-rate. KP, as if keen not to get out to a part-timer, just guides a single from the last ball.

1403: England lead by 102 - Gul runs in to bowl, then appears to pull a hamstring while running in, and has to leave the field. Pakistan will need another bowler, and we have a short delay.

1400 - Eng 174-2 (52 overs)
Pietersen down the track to Ajmal, but has to scurry back into the crease when he prods forward and the bowler hurls the ball at the stumps, trying to run him out. But KP makes amends with a fierce square cut for four. He's racing ahead of Trott now, a single takes him to 72, while Trott is hit on the thigh pad by one which rips and bounces.

1357 - Eng 169-2 (51 overs)
Gul trots in and bowls a bouncer, Trott ducks and Zulqarnain takes it in front of first slip. Cap'n Salman Butt comes to have a word with the umpire. Trott pushes a two through the covers before shouldering arms at the last ball..

From Stuart Broads Hair Stylist on 606: "Just keep batting. No point in declaring."

1353 - Eng 167-2 (50 overs)
KP is rotating the strike well, but Trott plays and misses when he fails to pick Ajmal's doosra. A single takes him to 52, KP has 67 but apart from that burst of boundaries a couple of overs ago, the game has gone into a mid-afternoon lull (with another two hours of this session left, folks...)

1350 - Eng 165-2 (49 overs)
Single from KP, then another handsome straight-driven four brings Trott his third Test fifty, to an appreciative round of applause from his home Edgbaston crowd. There's been plenty of chat on TMS about how he could be moved up to open if Ali Cook's run drought stretches into the Ashes tour...

1346 - Eng 160-2 (48 overs)
A recovered KP nudges Ajmal for a two to fine leg, before forcefully cutting a four through third man, and whacking another boundary past the bowler. That's vintage KP, tucking into the off-spinner, though he's then taking a risk when he pushes a quick single to Shoaib Malik at point. If Malik's throw had hit the stumps, Trott may have been struggling.

From Darren in Sydney, via text: "Expat, been in Oz eight years. Trust me the Aussies are very worried. For a nation that are over confident enough to think they'll win the 'soccer' World Cup to be even considering losing an Ashes series on home soil tells me the pendulum has swung."

1340 - Eng 149-2 (47 overs)
A double change as Umar Gul replaces Amir, and KP pushes a single past mid-on as someone in an adult-sized Orville the Duck costume keeps an Edgbaston stand entertained. No sign of Keith Harris, or indeed Cuddles the monkey. Trott edges a little closer towards his own half century, then KP nicks the strike - before leaving the field (leaving his bat and gloves on the square), possibly to answer a call of nature...

1334 - Eng 146-2 (46 overs)
Pakistan's first change of bowling today as Saeed Ajmal comes on from the City End (aka the Non-Building Site End). Trott tentatively plays out a maiden over.

1331 - Eng 146-2 (45 overs)
Amir moves back to bowling over the wicket, and slings down one so wide that it's called a wide. A quiet over as Trott nudges a single to fine leg - he has 46.

From laughingdevil on 606: "KP loves his records so ugliest 50 ever will probably please him. Wouldn't call it the worst though, on this pitch in these conditions in his form it's a top effort. KP showing some application and grit, well done!"

1327 - Eng 144-2 (44 overs)
KP nudges Asif for a single, then a handsome on-drive brings Trott four - possibly the best shot we've seen today. A single to fine leg brings up the century stand.

1322 - Eng 138-2 (43 overs)
A single takes Pietersen to 47, while Jonathan Trott's characteristic marking-out-his-crease-after-every-ball routine may do no favours for Pakistan's over-rate, but gives Simon Mann the chance to read out several emails on TMS. The Warwickshire man, on his home ground, neatly guides Amir for a single off his legs - then Pietersen finally plays one off the middle as he guides a four through mid-wicket, that's his 20th Test fifty (he has 16 hundreds, same as VVS Laxman who scored his 16th this morning). A leg bye means this partnership is now worth 94.

1318 - Eng 131-2 (42 overs)
Mohammad Asif to continue from the end of Edgbaston that isn't a building site, with Trott squeezing a two through the covers, while Michael Vaughan admits he will soon be entering the murky world of Twitter, where he can join Simon Mann,Aggers,Tuffers,Malcolm Ashton,Alison Mitchell, and that's just on TMS...

1313 - Eng 129-2 (41 overs)
Two more balls of Mohammad Amir's incomplete over to be bowled - Kevin Pietersen is practising a rare forward defensive or two. But he edges the first ball... which shoots low past the slip cordon for four. "This is going to be the streakiest fifty I've ever seen," notes Simon Mann on TMS. Please manually refresh your page for the "rain stopped play" line above to disappear.

From Max, Saltburn, TMS inbox: "England should put on another 120 or so before declaring, with the instructions coming from the balcony when KP is on 99. I would absolutely love to see that. You know you would, too."

1308: Mega-session coming up - play will continue from 1310 BST until 1555, then tea will be taken from 1555-1615, followed by the evening session between 1615-1900 (with a possible extension until 1930 if the overs haven't been bowled).

1301: We're going to start on time (as it were) after lunch at 1310 BST.

From Barns, Blackpool, TMS inbox: "I'm thinking Tuffers will have to relinquish his nickname of 'The Cat' following KP's mission to see how many of the nine lives he can use in one innings."

From Zulf, via text: "I've been listening to the commentary and it's funny how many times the phrase 'spirit of the game' has been used in relation to KP's dismissal. I don't recall the same 'understanding' when Inzamam was dismissed twice by England in very similar circumstances."

1232: Right - lunch is now being taken while the ground staff mop up, and hopefully we'll be back under way at 1310 BST. Aggers has just begun his "View from the Boundary" interview with Ralph Bernard on TMS - keep an ear on that, I'm going to dash off for a sandwich as this may be my only chance to leave my seat for about four hours...

Former England captain Michael Vaughan on TMS: "Kevin Pietersen's so out of rhythm, he's coming down the wicket to Asif to nullify the lbw, but he's having to play on the jump. He hasn't got a forward defensive at the moment, he's playing across the line and if he goes on to get a hundred it'll be incredible. He's had all these chances but he's got to try to make hay today."

1227: It's stopped raining, ground staff rushing to get the covers off. But it's just been announced that an early lunch will be taken at 1230 BST. So lunch is a moveable feast after all. No news over whether we get a three-hour afternoon session...

1224: Alasdair (below) makes a good point - the floods currently affecting Pakistan have now been described as the worst in the region for 80 years. I'm sure all our thoughts are with those affected and their families.

From Alasdair Moore, TMS inbox: "Before condemning the Pakistan team too heartily, it is probably worth remembering that their nation is currently undergoing a disaster of such magnitude that performance on the cricket pitch is rendered pretty meaningless."

From Dwight, Wiltshire, TMS inbox: "Lee in Tripoli [1104], the significance of a four-match series is simply that both sides had the time and inclination to play each other four times. An odd number of matches doesn't guarantee that a series cannot be a draw so a three or five-match series would only be worth it if you could guarantee a winner for every match. Indeed, even if a series was to end honours even, cricket is a game full of performance differentiators which could produce an outright series winner if they really wanted one."

1216: Aggers and Alec Stewart on TMS are poring over the Laws of Cricket relating to "dead ball" (as seen on the MCC website). "The players of any sport won't know every single law - that's what the umpires are for," notes Alec.

From bigallyd1985 on 606: "Ooh, Sky have just shown that the ball was delivered before the call of dead ball was made, hence under the Laws he should be out actually."

From James Hope, TMS inbox: "If you want to remind yourself what competitive Test cricket looks like, search YouTube for footage of Bishop and Walsh peppering Robin Smith with bouncers in 1990. Thrilling cricket that makes this match look really second rate."

1209 - RAIN STOPS PLAY - Eng 125-2 (40.4 overs)
There's light drizzle in the air, and the hover cover is being revved up - meanwhile, in relation to the "dead ball" shenanigans from the other over, Cricinfo have dug out Law 23.3 b (v) which reads: "Either umpire shall call "dead ball" when he is satisfied that for an adequate reason the striker is not ready for the delivery of the ball and, if the ball is delivered, makes no attempt to play it." They reckon Pietersen should have been given out. And after a few balls from Amir, the umpires decide the rain's too heavy to continue. So they all troop off, and the hover cover chugs on.

1206 - Eng 125-2 (40 overs)
Aggers reveals that today's "View from the Boundary" guest is Ralph Bernard, the man behind Classic FM - so do email any questions you have about digital radio to tms@bbc.co.uk (probably best mark it clearly in the subject line). The umpire's ball calipers come out again, and once more Cap'n Butt is told to get on with it, with the same sphere. KP tries to flick Asif through mid-wicket, it flicks off his pad (though runs are signalled - he could have been out lbw) and to add embarrassment to his earlier drop, Umar Amin's trousers come down to half-mast as he dives forward for the ball. KP is certainly leading a charmed life.

1200 - Eng 124-2 (39 overs)
Left-arm paceman Amir switches his angle of attack, going round the wicket in the manner of Wasim Akram. Trott carefully tickles a slower ball past the slips for four.

From Anonymous, via text: "With rain around, England should think about a declaration... At worst they will only need to 'chase' down five, 10, maybe 20 runs."

1156 - Eng 120-2 (38 overs)
Hawk-Eye shows the ball was sailing over the stumps, so that's another good decision and Pakistan only have one review remaining. But the fielders aren't happy about the condition of the ball - Erasmus whips out his ball calipers (you know, those metal things that look like a set of handcuffs - the ball must be able to go through one, but not the other) but they carry on with the same ball. Then we have a controversial moment - Pietersen moves away as Asif runs in, Erasmus calls dead ball, but KP steps back and french-cricket-style, pops a catch into the hands of captain Salman Butt at mid-off. Just for once, Pakistan hold onto a catch - but with dead ball called, he's not out. Alec Stewart on TMS isn't happy - he feels that as Pietersen chose to play the shot (after the call of dead ball), he should be out.

1151 - Eng 120-2 (37.4 overs)
KP drives at Asif, smearing one through the covers which just about has enough legs to sneak over the boundary in front of the Hollies Stand. He's then hit on the pad again, Umpire Erasmus shakes his head but Pakistan call for a review...

From Emma, London, TMS inbox: "Hi TMS team! I just booked flights to Australia for the Ashes. Really excited about it and heading to the Melbourne and Sydney Tests. I'll bring cake!"

1149 - DROPPED CATCH - Eng 116-2 (37 overs)
Trott pokes Amir for a single through the covers. Big stride down the pitch from KP, Amir yells an lbw appeal but it flew off an inside edge - and Umar Amin spills the chance at gully. That's the third time Pietersen's been dropped in this innings - it's like the 2005 Ashes in reverse... Another fumble in the field allows him a single off the last ball.

From TNT, Wiltshire, TMS inbox: "I'm a lifelong England supporter - but after just hearing the Pakistan team described as a primary school team, it offends my native spirit of fair play - Come on Pakistan!"

1143 - Eng 114-2 (36 overs)
Mohammad Asif takes the second over of the morning, finding a bit of outswing in the cloudy conditions. As KP plays forward, there's an appeal for a catch behind by debutant wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider, possibly one of the tallest stumpers I've ever seen, but that's a good decision by umpire Marais Erasmus as it just whistled past his outside edge. Maiden over.

From crickeet on 606: "If the oppo is poor you're always going to get a poor attendance in England. People want to see a contest. But pricing the tickets at £90, if that's true, in the Oval is nothing more than shooting yourself in the foot. It is greedy and foolish. However, I wouldn't mind betting that the grounds will be full next year when India and SL come over. People in England like their Test cricket when it's a contest."

1138 - Eng 114-2 (35 overs)
Mohammad Amir has four balls remaining in his over from last night. (By the way, apparently the man himself has requested that he would like to be known as Amir rather than Aamer - hence the change compared to what we called him in the first Test). Jonathan Trott and Kevin Pietersen both add singles to their overnight score - Trott has 32, KP has 37.

1133: Pakistan's fielders and England's batsmen are ready to resume. We've got a slight change of plan with the sessions today - we'll begin with the morning session from 1135 until lunch at 1300 (lunch being an immovable feast). We've then got a mega-session between 1340 and 1610, and then the evening session will be from 1630 to 1847 (plus half-an-hour if 94 overs haven't been bowled).

1128: Another little morsel I've been asked to alert you to - actor, comedian and cricket fan Miles Jupp explains how he used to try to blag his way into press boxes. Apparently he used to play a character called "Archie the Inventor" in a children's TV show called "Balamory". A colleague sat opposite me, who is a parent, can't understand how a childless person like me is not aware of the aforementioned show...

England pace bowler James Anderson on Twitter: "The football season could cause friction in the dressing room on day 1 with Burnley v Forest! Me and Broady may not be friends by 5 o'clock!"

1119: Aggers says we'll be starting in 15 minutes' time.

From Carl Broadhurst, London, TMS inbox: "Stuart Broad's performance yesterday was even more remarkable considering the funeral of his stepmother earlier in the week. His father Chris's second wife died of motor neurone disease. Deepest sympathies to this great cricketing family and good for Stuart's bat sponsor for allowing the profile of the charity to be raised."

1111: Positive signs - the hover-cover has been whipped off the pitch and the heavy roller is on, while the umpires have a look.

1104: If you're just joining us, I'm afraid rain has delayed the start at Edgbaston - the covers are still on. Lee (below), I understand what you mean - but I think the series which only contain two Tests are the most inconsequential of all (particularly if followed by up to seven ODIs). Mind you, when interviewed on TMS last summer, singer and cricket fan Lily Allen suggested that Ashes series could be extended to seven or nine Tests...

From Lee in Tripoli, TMS inbox: "Could somebody please explain to me the significance of a four-Test series? Surely it should be three or five?"

1058: Elsewhere in the world of cricket, India have beaten Sri Lanka by five wickets in Colombo which squares the series at 1-1. VVS Laxman was in Very Very Special mode, hitting his 16th Test century to see the tourists home.

1055: Weather centre man is clearly very optimistic for England's chances as far as the game is concerned, he wonders whether they'll even need to play tomorrow. I can't see the ticket authorities or the pie-sellers at Edgbaston welcoming a two-day Test...

From Jimbo on 606: "Pietersen to get a 50 but then fall short of a 100. Pakistan got any slow left-arm bowlers?"

1053: The man from the BBC weather centre says there are widespread showers across England and Wales today - we can expect the odd 10-minute shower early on, but the skies should brighten as the afternoon moves on. And a dry day tomorrow.

1047: TMS is on air - with Alec Stewart (below) lamenting Pakistan's out-cricket - and Simon Mann confirms that play will not start on time as if anything, the rain has got a little harder than it was 20 minutes ago.

Former England captain Alec Stewart on TMS: "Pakistan have three good seam bowlers, but their catching has been appalling. I was just watching their catching practice, and it was kindergarten stuff."

1039: No official word yet on whether we'll have a delayed start. While we wait, you can review yesterday's play by reading Jonathan Agnew's column or listening to the Test Match Special podcast. Aggers didn't pull any punches yesterday, describing it as "a pitiful advert for Test cricket".

1030: Hello, all - I'm Jonathan Stevenson and welcome to the first day of the new Football League season... had you fooled for a minute (or probably not). Anyway, over on this side of the office it's still the cricket season (being only the seventh of August and all that), so we're going to stick with day two of the second Test. It may be a day to dodge the showers at the edge of Baston though, it's already raining but we may be dashing on and off today.