England v South Africa, Fifth Test, Thursday 4 September 2003 The Oval, London

With "Jerusalem" ringing around the ground, Alec Stewart was given the perfect start to his farewell Test as he came out to field.

He's irreplaceable Mike Selvey He has been England's second best all-rounder after Ian Botham Angus Fraser Gus and Selv on retirement

And the sight left Angus Fraser's verdict that the Gaffer would "milk it" ringing true as well.

The 40-year-old looked as sprightly as when he made his debut in 1990 and will be keen to bid farewell in the best possible circumstances.

What odds on a century?

Mike Selvey's not dipping his hand in his pocket to put any money on that, but is quoting short odds on a "parade down the Harleyford Road with an open-top bus".

All a far cry from when Mike Atherton sheepishly slinked off centre stage with a small wave of the bat.

Bill Frindall was out off the blocks almost as quickly as Alec Stewart.

The Bearded Wonder - books, clocks, pens and paper in place - had a teaser up his sleeve for Messrs Agnew and Selvey.

tms@bbc.co.uk Send in your questions to Bill

When was the last time four Surrey players played for England in the same Test?

He put them out of their misery by revealing that it was as long ago as January 1959 in Sydney, and gave them a start on the famous four, naming captain Peter May.

Jim Laker and Tony Lock - yes. Peter Loader and Alec Bedser - no. The fourth man? Wicketkeeper Roy Swetman.

Only one problem, and whisper it quietly, Bill was wrong.

Christopher Martin-Jenkins soon pointed out that four Surrey men - Alec Stewart, Graham Thorpe, Mark Butcher and Alex Tudor - played against New Zealand at Edgbaston in 1999.

"Wonders will never cease" CMJ reflected as Bill got his coat.

Bill's sprightly start to the morning may have had something to do with the night before.

In a Test Match Special outing to the theatre, members of the team took in a London show before the final Test of the summer - The Rat Pack at the Strand.

You have to tie him down on those sorts of occasions Henry Blofeld on the Bearded Wonder and dancing girls

And sitting in the second row, Bill was lucky enough to get a close up view of the dancing girls when they came on stage.

"There were some very attractive young ladies," was all Angus would say on the subject.

The excitement didn't stop there. Who should pop up but former Test umpire Barrie Meyer, who now lives in South Africa.

And an after show tipple at a nearby hostelry threw up another tale of the unexpected.

"Dean Martin" - AKA Mike Neilson - strolled in and struck up conversation with Mike Gatting, his former cricket coach.

"Look on the bright side," Selv remarked. "It could have been him batting for England and Gatt hoofing it on stage."

Angus Fraser was left unimpressed by the lunchtime presentation made to Alec Stewart.

Stewart was joined in the middle at The Oval by five of the captains he had played under during his England career, with only Allan Lamb missing from the line up.

England would have been a lot worse off without him over the past decade Graham Gooch England stars salute Stewart

But while Graham Gooch, Mike Atherton and Nasser Hussain were all in civvies, Michael Vaughan and Mark Butcher were in whites.

"Alec's career should be marked. He has been a wonderful servant for England, but to see him, Vaughan and Butcher stuck out in the middle for 20 minutes on a vital morning for English cricket is not right," Gus remarked.

"With South Africa at 111-1 Michael Vaughan has to get his side concentrating on winning the Test. Instead he has a distraction like that.

"Waiting around for TV companies to come back from advert breaks - the timing was all wrong."