County cricket: Surrey v Somerset, Notts v Sussex, and more on day three – live

Updates from day three of the Championship matchesEmail Tanya or comment BTL | Sign up for the Spin

Thanks to Romeo for this cracking essay on The Oval – cabbage patch, communal gardens and all.

The Oval had developed a reputation for experimentation and communal living. One of the most famous examples was Bonnington Square, just a stone’s throw from the cricket ground. In the 1970s, this cluster of Victorian houses was earmarked for demolition, but a group of squatters—many of them artists, musicians, and activists—moved in and transformed the area into a thriving countercultural hub. They set up co-operatives, grew vegetables in communal gardens, and founded the still-beloved Bonnington Café, a charmingly ramshackle eatery where different volunteer chefs take turns cooking each night.

Continue reading…

About Author