England v Zimbabwe, 2nd Test, Thursday 5 June 2003 Riverside, Chester-le-Street

Lumley Castle has diverted some attention away from the cricket

Lily of Lumley Castle has got the TMS team talking ghosts, particularly Aggers.

To cut a long story short, she was killed and thrown down the castle well in the 14th century and rises up once in a while.

But it appears that Lily, although the most famous apparition, is not the only

Aggers reveals all

ghost in the area.

Tales of headless horsemen in a tunnel from Lumley Castle to Finchale Abbey reveal that nobody has survived travelling from one end to t'other.

The team are keeping their eyes peeled, although the only "wayward maiden" the Bearded Wonder claims to have seen was Douglas Hondo's fourth over of the day which included a no-ball and a wide.

Thank-you Bill.

Despite some of the sceptics in the press box, cricketers can't wait for Twenty20 cricket.

Durham's Paul Collingwood, who is on the road to recovery and undergoing rehabilitation after dislocating his shoulder, regrets not being able to play in the tournament.

"It suits my game and I would have loved to have played," the England international said in County Talk when he came into the box duing the lunch interval.

"If you speak to any county cricketer they're all looking forward to it."

Academy competition: Win a family ticket to Twenty20 cricket

And Middlesex skipper Andy Strauss backed him up and gave the game a ringing endorsement.

"It's fun to play, short and sweet, and I'm looking forward to it," Strauss said.

"They're strange affairs, you're not too sure what a good score will be, but it's a bit of a step away from the championship and allows us to express ourselves."

Although you can't please everyone all of the time.

Strauss was critical of England's selectors for not picking his county team-mate Owais Shah for the one-day squad.

"I'm surprised that they've left him out. He has a lot of talent and has shown enough in the international game to be given another chance."

Richard Stilgoe, President of the Lord's Taverners, described the scene at the Riverside as "absolutely fantastic" - although he was not so complimentary about one of Durham's former players.

"It looks beautiful and is full of kids which creates some happy noises," he said of the ground.

Is that Danny of "Foxy"?

"And it's great to watch cricket with a proper English castle in the background, Joanna Lumley must be so proud."

But while he had kind words for the Absolutely Fabulous star, TMS star Graeme Fowler came in for some ribbing.

"He's looking like Danny Kaye these days," Stilgoe said.

You'll be able to judge for yourself on the webcam when "Foxy" joins the team during the NatWest series.

The team are resplendent in a vast commentary box at the Riverside and are intent on letting everyone know - including Ian Botham.

The Bearded Wonder described the luxury box in which Aggers and co are residing for the duration of the match as the size of a "village classroom".

Riverside webcam: Inside the TMS box

And Aggers is keen on getting the television team over for coffee so he can gloat.

"Normally we'd have been ejected from here and television would have well and truly taken over," Aggers mused as the team reclined in their spacious box.

"They're in very rustic temporary jobs down at the far end. They're up on stilts and from experience they're either extremely hot or extremely cold.

"We're determined to get Botham in to show him - he'll have an absolute tantrum."

And Mike Selvey didn't hold back either.

"I'm looking forward to some sun. They'll be directly into it and haven't got some sun shade as we have with our little awning."