The Surfer

Were you absorbed from a distance by the uncertain outcomes of the simultaneous Test matches in Centurion and the Waca ground in Perth? Crowds for both games were no more than satisfactory but much of the cricket was spell-binding, proof if it were needed that Test cricket will confound those sages who fear that it is an anachronism in an age of instant gratification.

At tea yesterday, Sir Ian Botham and I got stuck into a decidedly warm discussion following the upholding of the not-out lbw verdict in favour of AB de Villiers. Hawk-Eye had shown that the delivery from Graham Onions would have clipped the leg stump pretty hard. The crucial point was that it was not within the tolerance levels prescribed by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for such incidents.

A lot will depend on the fitness of Shane Bond, the late season form of the middle order and whether or not the two 50-run stands the openers put on was progress or just a reflection of the flat pitch.

He needs to be careful, because umpires around the world do talk to each other about the moaners, just like they do in county cricket. It is ironic that his father, Chris, is one of the tougher match referees. The way he is going, Broad junior could end up being banned for a couple of games.

If yesterday's incident was a one-off then it wouldn't be too much of a problem but this is far from the first time that Broad has shown stroppiness towards officials, and if he carries on it is going to lead to umpires turning down his appeals and generally having a downer on him ... I am not one for calling for a cricketer to be fined or banned, but Broad was out of order yesterday and perhaps someone has to make a statement with him.

"I'd been sitting there with my feet up but then I came onto the ground, I think it was for Ross Edwards, my laces were undone so I had to do them up, get out there and go straight to forward point," Jenner said. "And the first ball off (Gary) Gilmour was a massive square drive that curved towards me, I got down and it spun straight past me and went for four. Bloody embarrassing - when you're the 12th man and that's what happens to you."

Yet Strauss admits that the system is almost certainly part of the future and that he, along with everyone in cricket, has to work both to understand it and show it in its best light.

International T20 crowds have fallen in all Australian markets. Gabba crowds have decreased from 38,894 in 2005-06 to 27,457 last summer. MCG crowds have slipped from 84,041 in 2007-08 to 61,255 last summer, while the SCG attendances went from 35,628 in 2006-07 to 22,101 last season.

Swann inserted himself into the heart of the Ashes triumph last summer and here yesterday he surely created new waves of mystique. The trick, it appears, is to produce the jauntiest of styles, all the better to conceal behind it the most ferocious ambition.

Daniel Vettori is showing signs of being among the finest leaders in the history of cricket and his bosses at New Zealand Cricket need to ensure they don't rock the boat when they appoint a new coach. NZC say they want the new man in place before we play Bangladesh in early February, although I don't believe there is a need for undue haste.

It could only happen in warmer climates than this. Fancy shivering on a dewy bank at Seddon Park at 8.30pm among a smattering of spectators while a batsman pokes out his pad with three fielders round the bat? Or, as a colleague pointed out yesterday, playing cricket at night needs a full house, a balmy night and plenty of beer on board.