Sunday thoughts..

For those of you interested in such things (and why wouldn't you be?) Robin Peterson finished off the innings in South Africa to complete figures of 5-60 and match figures of 8-121 to go with his first innings of 70. He only needed two balls on the last morning to take the final wicket and this is encouraging news from our new all rounder.

For me, that sort of track is exactly what the game needs, with four innings between 200 and 250 and batsmen and bowlers alike having a chance. The Cobras were kept in the game on the first day by Peterson's knock and then given every chance on the third by a fine century from Alistair Gray. The latter was the sort of knock that builds reputations and creates memories, scoring runs when most needed and in testing conditions.

I mentioned in the week about Peterson's role being to score runs when most needed and not to set targets. To be honest, making such a comment assumed that our top order batting would be as successful as it was this year, an assumption that we cannot make. I think this is our best top four since the halcyon days of Barnett, Bowler, Morris and Adams, but we must remember that Wayne Madsen, Garry Park and Dan Redfern will all be better known next season. We cannot expect Madsen to average 60 every season and while all three have played before, my point is that their strengths and weaknesses will be better known. I have confidence in all of them to maintain standards, yet it will be understandable if second season syndrome kicked in and there was a dip. All are fine players, but the bowlers on the circuit now know about them and will have worked out the best areas to bowl. If that's the case, Peterson, Borrington and Goddard, together with Graham Wagg will have work to do.

Disappointing news from Australia where umpire Mark Benson has left the Test match between Australia and West Indies and is said to be retiring over the referral system. I'm perhaps in a minority here, but while acknowledging the role of technology, feel it should be kept for line decisions only.

For me, questioning a referee or umpire is a no go area. Maybe it was the way I was brought up, but having done plenty of it myself in football, hockey and cricket it is a thankless task. Chris Broad said that the referral system takes pressure from the umpire, but does it? When your decisions are constantly questioned it is tiresome and then to stand there all day when a couple are contentiously shown to be incorrect without genuine proof must be very difficult. There are no "bent" umpires and we must restore faith in them and their occasional human frailties.

The problem can be worse in club cricket. I remember a few years ago chatting to the elderly umpire of a visiting club before a match and asking him how the season had been going and who had got the most wickets for the club that season.

"Me" he replied laughing, yet his performance that day suggested he was not kidding. One batsman was given out lbw having been hit in the box, a second was "caught" off his thigh pad and a third given run out when he was almost past the stumps.

So my wish would be for sporting tracks to be encouraged and a review of the referral system. I love cricket and would be loathe to see its values tarnished by the consistent challenging of decisions.

That's it from me today. We're putting up the Christmas tree this afternoon and Christmas is less than three weeks away.

Can't wait!