As the second Test match meanders to a draw, the main cricket news of the week clearly comes from Perth, Australia where South Africa knocked off an astonishing 414, this being the second highest total ever achieved batting last in a Test match.  The shock waves of this have quickly done the rounds internationally, but I am now sure that Ricky Ponting has a realisation that they are quite probably the number one team in the world anymore.  Without his two champion bowlers, McGrath and Warne, who he has been able to turn to over the years, his bowling attack now looks a tad threadbare; in fact he probably knows now what it feels like to be a normal Test captain!

Having lost in the Test series in India just recently and then losing his first rubber against South Africa, it is all adding up to be a fascinating summer over here next year and probably the third and fourth best teams in the world, Test match wise, will slog it out for the Ashes.

England have again done it the hard way in Mohali, probably earning a draw as much through lose of play, as much as good play.  I think England's bowlers have stood up really well in very testing conditions, if there has been a low point it is only managing to score 302 in the first innings, the highlight being Kevin Pietersen's 144 and his very entertaining partnership with Andrew Flintoff which was curtailed in very gloomy light at the end of day three. 

England pick their squad for the West Indies trip on the 29th December and I am sure there will be one or two question marks hanging over Monty Panesar's performances in the last three weeks and also Ian Bell appears to be the vulnerable batsmen in the squad at the moment.  I am sure there will be some long hard discussions by the selectors; wouldn't it be great if Michael Vaughan's name appeared in the squad for the West Indies.  Surely with an eye on next summer they will want to reintroduce the ex-skipper as soon as they can.

Merry Christmas to everybody and look forward to speaking to you again in the New Year.