How about it, Maan?

The Oval may be the oldest Test venue, but nothing, except English weather, remains same. Least of all, the nature and colour of the crowd.

Amid unconfirmed rumours that the British pound might get stronger if England won, the West Indies met the host country of the ICC Trophy at the Oval.

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Home to Surrey county, the Oval is the oldest Test venue in the world. It was here that the Ashes originated in 1882. Nothing, except possibly the English weather, has remained the same since then. Least of all, the nature and colour of the crowd. England, it sometimes seemed during the final, was playing an away game.

About 18,000 came to see the game on Saturday, at least half (the louder half) of them were West Indians and Asians.

Even as recently as the 60s — West Indian migration to the UK picked up tremendously in the early part of that decade — it would have been hard to imagine the fatigues-clad West Indian barracker going at the home team right under the noses of the members. (He quietened down when the West Indian innings began and Hinds, Sarwan and then Gayle trudged back to the pavilion early).