The Cat's still going strong, strutting his stuff on Strictly Come Dancing!

Tuffers is doing very well and every week he seems to upset that foreign chap who sits on the end. Apparently he wiggles his bum too much!

I've seen The Cat doing line dancing in the past and I can confirm he's very good at that too. If it was a line dancing contest, he'd win easily. Come on The Cat!

Tufnell: dancing shoes on

I must admit though, dancing isn't really my cup of tea. It interrupts the drinking.

In fact, I would like somebody to commission my idea for a TV show; Strictly Come Drinking?

It's a fabulous idea. I could go around the world... no let's start modestly... around the nation sampling the local tipples from Scrumpy Cider in Somerset to Guinness in Ireland.

We could look at the demise of the local pub, we could look into the problems of cheap booze, we could find the oldest pub in Britain, the smallest pub, the most famous ... the possibilities are endless.

I reckon there's a good eight-part series to be made there. I'd host it with a couple of my mates who'd be ideal for this format: Charlie Lawson (who you might remember as Jim McDonald on Coronation Street) and James Quinn (one of the bent policemen from Early Doors).

Strictly Come Drinking... let's get it made!

Due South

Speaking of pubs, somebody on Twitter has promised to take me to a cracking bar while I'm over in Johannesburg. Apparently Manny (the landlord?) will be waiting for me when I arrive.

So I'm looking forward to that... and the cricket should be good too.

I notice we got tonked in the warm-up against South Africa A. Some of the players have been complaining about burn-out, which is odd. They've only just got there!

In all seriousness though, they do play a hell of a lot of cricket - and that needs careful management. It's about time cricket started moving towards more of a rotation policy.

They've got used to it in football. Some weeks Wayne Rooney won't play for Manchester United so he can rest and Liverpool's star man Fernando Torres has been taken off several times lately to leave some petrol in the tank.

Cricket isn't far off that. We did it with Andrew Flintoff last summer, putting him in for certain games and leaving him out of others. With so many games, cricket has got to adopt more of a squad mentality.

People might complain that the so-called best team isn't playing in every match - but it should be up to the coach to pick the best team for a particular game, taking into account the need to rest players. That's what football mangers do.

We have to look at the bigger picture. Using different players for different games is very sensible as long as you've got the depth and quality to call upon (and I believe England have that).

It's no good if the players are grumbling about playing too much cricket, they have to be managed better. Football is conditioned to that idea and it's time for cricket to do the same.

Feelgood factor

In terms of form we shouldn't have much hope in the Twenty20 matches against South Africa - but I've seen enough Twenty20 to know that it's impossible to predict.

England have a feelgood factor after beating South Africa in the Champions Trophy, but it's all about performing on the day.

I hope Joe Denly does really well because I've got a lot of regard for him. Sajid Mahmood has been talking a good game, but can he deliver? I think there's something there with him. I'm looking to those two to perform because we need some good young players coming though.

If England want any advice, I've got two words for them: no fear.

And if they want some more technical advice, I've got two more: high backlift.

They've been talking about playing with no fear, but let's prove it. And if you don't pick the bat up like all of the great one-day players do, you're not going to get very far.

Packing it in

I hate packing. It's an ordeal for me.

I travel light, but I always seem to forget something. Furthermore, I couldn't make it to Stanley on Tuesday night because I had to get ready to fly out to South Africa.

Thankfully Accrington won 3-2 against the Shakers and they're in the semi-finals of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, which is a great result. A cup run is always good for the coffers.

I also passed my Module One motorbike test, so there's only one more to go now before I'm qualified. That'll happen in the New Year when the tour of South Africa is out of the way...

Bumble answers your questions...

Send your questions to Bumble by filling in the feedback form below. Or you can mail them in by e-mailing skysportsclub@bskyb.com

ABU DHABI DO?
Hi Bumble! Just wondering what your thoughts or on the possibility of the MCC playing matches such as the champion county match in Abu Dhabi under floodlights with a pink ball. Although I'm a Durham member and was hoping to go to see the champion county match at Lord's next year (as I've never been there), I think that this is probably the best way to trial things that could help evolve the four-day game. It would also be good for the players to experience playing in sub-continental conditions, and could help showcase those players to new fans. Saying that, I don't know whether Durham would be keen, as they turned down a request to trial the pink ball in their game at Worcestershire in the final round of games. Maybe with it being a friendly they'd be more open to the idea? Lee Jones
BUMBLE SAYS: I don't think a lot of that idea really. What do they want to play in Abu Dhabi for? The champion county match is an ideal chance to give the young Durham chaps some experience of playing at Lord's - and it allows spectators to go and see a game at the home of cricket. The idea of taking it to Abu Dhabi doesn't do a lot for me. Would the people of Abu Dhabi really want to go and watch it? It's more of a showpiece game for us here in England. I don't really see the point.

FRED ROSE
Do you think Andrew Flintoff signing for Lancashire is good? I think it will disrupt the team with him nipping in and out. I don't question his ability, far from it, but for him to play then not play would be annoying for the person who has to be dropped for him. Craig Moore

BUMBLE SAYS: As far as I understand it, he's committed to playing one-day cricket for them - and I think that's terrific for all sorts of reasons. Flintoff's arrival is a plus for the team and will give the fans some 'wow factor'. Remember, they've got a chipper new stand opening in June and they want the ground to be full so I'm very happy with the situation. Andrew will give it everything because he's said he wants to be the best one-day player in the world - and if Lancashire have got him it can't be bad. Obviously he won't play when England are playing - but nothing changes there. The interesting thing will be if England ask Lancashire not to play him. Will England leave him to get on with things or will they suggest from time to time that Andrew needs a rest? Overall though, I'm really pleased about it.

Bumble's jukebox

The Brigadier and the Dazzler remain very enthusiastic about this little quiz. They always get it wrong but at least this pair of aged rockers put the effort in! Cliff Richard was a good shout lads, but the answer was actually Love on the Wrong Side of Town by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. See if you can do better with this one...

"Those summer days spent outside corner cafes..."

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