Getting steamy with Onions

It’s hotting up at Centurion. The mercury is nudging 35 degrees (and temperature readings are taken in the shade). Out in the middle it’s sizzling. No wonder England’s bowlers looked cooked after 153 overs in the field.

Conditions made for a sharp contrast from what England experienced for much of the previous two weeks. There was rain in Durban and more rain in East London before the sun finally made an appearance, but down on the coast the heat wasn't nearly as oppressive. All eyes are now on the forecast for the next few days to see if the thunderstorms return.

“I've been to South Africa a few times, so I knew it was going to be hot,” Graham Onions said. "In the build-up to this Test it hasn't been boiling hot, and it's been raining. We all expected it to warm up when the Tests started.”

The weather is certainly far removed from what Onions is normally used to in the north-east of England, where even in the height of summer it’s always wise to have a jumper and raincoat close to hand. “It’s the first Test for me away from home and slightly different conditions than up north,” Onions said.

Maybe, for once, the players won’t have minded jumping into their post-play ice baths.

A by-product of the hot weather has been an increase in the number of insects making an appearance. There’s been a real collection in the last few days, including the wasps that have taken great delight in buzzing around the press box.

It started off with one and then his mates began to arrive, no doubt attracted by the various open drinks cans and their sugary contents. They made for some hasty wafting of match programmes and any other implements to hand, but funnily enough that only seemed to annoy them.

Then when the sun sets a whole manner of weird and wonderful things are on display. Some fly, small crawl and some seem to do both. Fortunately, none seem to bite and I've yet to be stung. So far at least.