Christmas approaching fast

I have spent a part of a leisurely morning today watching the Mzansi Super League game earlier this week between Paarl Rocks and Nelson Mandela Bay Giants.

There were some big names on display, though the injured Imran Tahir would have enjoyed a slow track on which Tabraiz Shamsi bowled a very good spell. Cameron Delport, released by Leicestershire at the end of last season, won the low-scoring and slow-scoring contest with a brutal 84 from just 45 balls.

He's a good player, especially in one-day formats and it was a surprise when things didn't work out in England. Maybe, at 29, he will get another crack with someone and there is much to like in a bloke who can open the batting at a fair lick and bowl some handy medium pace.

Not much happening down Derby way, but we shouldn't expect that at this stage. The players are working hard in the gym on fitness and all is calm, all is bright, just like the carol.

I have been taking things a little easier on the winter blog because of hand trouble and my big news is that surgery is now likely in February, which will leave me hors de combat from a typing perspective for two to three months.

I will do pieces in that time, but they will be one-handed and perhaps not as detailed for obvious reasons.

Any offers of writing support in that period will be gratefully received, to enable things to tick over till mid-summer, when normal service will hopefully be resumed. My role can then be an editorial one for a few weeks. Please indicate any interest with an email to peakfan36@yahoo.co.uk

I will be back next weekend, just before the festivities.