Santa hats and sunscreen

A belated Merry Christmas from Durban. I hope those back home enjoyed their turkey and stuffing. It was steak from the braai out here.

Both teams trained on Christmas Day but it’s fair to say there wasn't an outpouring of festive spirit. There was only the one Santa hat on view as Graeme Smith got into the act, but with England it looked like any other training session. Cricket, it seems, is a serious business whatever the time of year. Stories have been doing the rounds of what it used to be like on tour at Christmas before players and media became much more segregated. Nowadays it’s very much them and us.

However, Boxing Day Tests are a special occasion whether held in Melbourne, where Australia are facing Pakistan, or here at Kingsmead. It's a focal point in the calendar and for South Africa it's their first at home in two years after being down under last Christmas.

But's it's probably more of an event for the travelling fans. Durban has been steadily filling up with England supporters in recent days and they all made a bee-line for the grass banks. Santa hats and tinsel were in good supply, but sunscreen and sunglasses were equally important.

Fans crammed into Castle Corner like sardines and the area was full well before the start of play. The queues at the bar quickly grew longer – it’s a day for keeping well hydrated, although the sponsor’s variety of drink is unlikely to have the same restorative qualities as the energy ones downed by the players at regular intervals.

There isn’t much shade the spectators, either – umbrellas are always useful in these parts, as for protection for the sun and the rain – so good luck to the man who was dressed on the full Father Christmas outfit. It was a surprise to see him really, you’d have thought he’d want a few quiet days after dropping off all those presents.