Ah! Here are the umpires!

The sun is shining, Lord's suddenly looks a picture and we can only hope that we will have play very shortly.

A couple of damp spots on the edge of the square are being looked at, though...

All the covers have now been removed so you would hope common sense prevails and that inspection might be brought forward by a few minutes.

We shall see...

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

I have long campaigned fruitlessly for a Test series, however long it is, that it should comprise of an A Team match first. It suits the hosts, it suits the touring team.

The lesson for the Australian cricket board this winter is, if you don’t allow teams to warm up properly is, you get you’re fingers burned and it’s cost them millions.

Michael Vaughan
Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

I would love the ECB to give the public something to aim for. My guess is [for the Ashes review] they spoke to people who they knew would give them answers that they wanted.

There was a brief little flurry of rain after that 13:25 BST restart was announced.

It didn't seem like too much but it seems to have been enough to push things back a bit.

The umpires will be out at about 13:30 BST to check on the conditions. Hopefully to give us to OK for a prompt resumption.

Thanks, Ffion.

Given the movement of the groundstaff, who have just removed the weights holding down the covers, I think that 13:25 BST restart might just happen.

In fact, as I write this, the first of the covers on the square is being rolled away. Good news!

Ffion Wynne
BBC Sport cricket writer

Right, 25 minutes until we finally get some cricket to talk about again (if the weather behaves), and that's my cue to leave you with Sam Drury for the afternoon session.

Michael Vaughan
Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

Fundamentally, you’re judged on Ashes series and big India series and this team have fallen short when it’s really mattered at the crucial moments against the better sides.

You have to be more robust, more adaptable, more consistent and you can’t be flamboyant. This team have tried to do it a different way. They’re very lucky to carry on to get this next stab at managing an England team.

Wait!

There is movement. The ground staff are back out and they are sweeping some surface water off the covers.

The players have taken an early lunch and if there is no more rain, play will resume at 13:25 BST.

Stephan Shemilt
BBC Sport cricket correspondent at Lord's

In terms of the players they’ve got now, if you think to the top seven that started the Ashes, there were more players that wanted to attack as their natural game.

I think the blend of styles in the batting order is much more balanced now. They’ve got more complementary skills in there.

I was a spectator at two Ashes Tests over the winter, as I was lucky enough to be in attendance at both Perth and Melbourne.

So seemingly, I only deal in two-day Tests, but I don't think we're going to get one of those this week. It is still raining heavily, the full covers are still in place and I wouldn't be surprised if the ground staff have gone for an early lunch.

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

It’s two words for me: discipline and maturity. On and off the field. I think both of those were lacking in Australia. The way you approach the matches, the decision making process in the matches but off the pitch it was very loose, very relaxed, very easy going. This is the top of our sport.

Kieran Parmley
CricViz analyst

There's been plenty of talk around the lack of bounce at Lord's in recent years and the early data in this Test certainly backs that up - good length deliveries are reaching the stumps 7 cm lower so far today compared to 2022.

Average height for good length balls passing the stumps on day one at Lord's:

• 2022 - 76 cm
• 2023 - 73 cm
• 2024 - 72 cm
• 2025 - 71 cm
• 2026 - 69 cm

Michael Vaughan
Former England captain on BBC Test Match Special

England are going to have to [play in a different way] if they want to be a team that consistently beats the better teams. If you look at the whole Bazball cycle, they’ve won some incredible games. You’ve got to remind people of the start England made in the Ashes series. It was a good start, that bowling on day one was as good I’ve seen in Australia from an England attack. There wasn’t one person that wasn't thinking England are going to go 1-0 up.

I don’t think they’ve lost the fans, the England cricket fans are very loyal. How do they get them back on side? It’s just winning.

Jonathan Agnew
BBC Chief Cricket Commentator on Test Match Special

We kept saying that England were contributing to their own downfall, we kept raising it. The Ashes was different because it was about the preparation and none of it was in hindsight. Everyone was saying it, you’re not going to go to the Ashes and win it without preparation and getting a sense of where you are.

From my perspective, I’m glad that Ben Stokes is saying it but what we don't know was were they saying that to each other at the time. The impression they were giving publicly at the time was ‘we’ll just move on’ and that’s why I think so many of us were quite outspoken and critical because it was so obvious what was going on and they wouldn’t accept it.

It is still raining pretty heavily at Lord's.

It looks unlikely that the players will get back out there before lunch.

During this rain delay, the TMS team are going to be discussing how England can win over their fans after the Ashes disaster.

Do let us know your thoughts, too - use the 'Get Involved' button to have your say.

Emilio Gay was the one wicket to fall during that brief period of play, as he nicked to slip off Kyle Jamieson for eight.

In favourable bowling conditions, it was a beautiful delivery and there wasn't much that Gay could've done about it.