England v South Africa to resume with historic rendition of national anthem

The third Test between England and South Africa will resume on Saturday morning, with the start of play to be preceded by what may be the first full, official televised rendition of God Save the King at a sporting event.

One of the many issues of protocol that the England and Wales Cricket Board had to consider on Friday was whether there would be any issue with the anthem being played in SE11 before the Accession Council formally proclaims Charles III as monarch at St James’s Palace. With the Council’s meeting scheduled to start just an hour before play gets under way at the Oval any problem could have led to another delay, but the cricket was eventually cleared to resume. The first official rendition of God Save the King will be sung at St Paul’s Cathedral at the end of a memorial service for the Queen on Friday night.

Organisers also had to decide whether they should hold a single minute’s silence or two (protocol demanded one), whether it would be appropriate to ring the bell before play (yes), whether a military band could be involved – the Band of the Household Cavalry would have performed the anthem on Thursday had rain not intervened (also yes) – and whether the traditional rendition of Jerusalem before the start of play should also go ahead (probably not).

But the Test will have to be decided in just three days after attempts to extend the match, which had already lost its first day to bad weather before surrendering the second as a mark of respect to Queen Elizabeth II, were stymied by South Africa’s hectic schedule. The tourists are due to return home on Tuesday and several players will have only a few days there before leaving for a white-ball tour of India.

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