Nass car challenged

Bumble blogs on Nasser's car woes, Nick Knight's lizard woes and South Africa's cricket woes.

Bumble spills beans on his trips to Downing Street

It's been pouring down with rain in Durban for days. You might think we've been sat around on our backsides all week... and you'd be right. The weather forecast is terrible for Friday too. The players keep going down to practise but it doesn't look like the rain is going to clear any time soon. Five days is far too long between matches, but the South African Board want them to be played Friday-Sunday. As a result we've just been sitting around. I've passed the time by watching plenty of soccer on the television, although some of my Twitter followers get very annoyed when I use the word "soccer". When I use the word football, people ask me if I mean rugby football or whatever... so I just call it soccer. You wouldn't believe how many people have a go at me for that. I suspect they know what sport I'm referring to. There's a programme on the television that's quite a hoot called Soccer AM. You probably know what that is too...

Under par

We had a small window for golf on Wednesday morning, but myself and Nick Knight got beat 6&5 by Nasser and chief Chambers. That's the end of the series and we haven't won a single game. I'll be honest; I'm looking forward to the day Knight retires... The writing has been on the wall ever since Knight borrowed Beefy's clubs, opened the bag and a lovely little lizard scuttled out. There's a little Gecko lizard running around his hotel room somewhere. He still can't find it!

Silly shunts

You may have heard that Nasser crashed his hire car last week... well he's done it again with his second car. We've been given big combi-vans to get us around and Nasser is perhaps not used to driving such big cars. Last week he set off from the hotel and noticed a little lad running after him with a piece that had fallen off! Then this week he was parking up at the hotel and shunted it into a wall. I think he's now going under the name Mr Magoo...

The better team

Some of you didn't agree with me when I wrote last week that man-for-man England are the better team; well I can only assume you're staunch South Africa followers. Don't take my word for it. I've been speaking to people very close to the South Africa camp and they are very wary of England. They're particularly concerned that they won't be able to take 20 English wickets in the Test matches. South Africa will start the Test series as favourites, but they're false odds. Yes, both teams are inconsistent but South Africa simply don't have the players to cover for Jacques Kallis. They don't want Mark Boucher at six, but they're having to bat him there. England have the better attack, a stronger batting line-up (even if the players aren't necessarily better) and there is far more depth there. I have no concerns about Kevin Pietersen either. He's just finding his feet and the more innings he gets, the better he'll be. I've been around too long to know that you can't walk straight back into international cricket and score runs. He'll be fine. He doesn't care two hoots about all the booing either, in fact I think he'd be disappointed if he didn't get it. KP deals with it perfectly. He gets boos, then turns around and signs about a hundred bats until all the kids are satisfied. He signs all the autographs he can while he's out on the boundary and that's how he turns them round.

A word of warning

The venues are terrific out here, they really are. The new stadia all look fantastic and it's a pity this freakish weather has dampened things. South Africa is a wonderful place to come and visit, but if any of you are coming out for the Tests or for the football in the summer, make sure you keep your wits about you in shops. My credit card has been cloned and I know a number of people who've had the same problem - and I've only been here for three weeks. That can't be a coincidence. I'm sure the people of South Africa would agree with me in saying this is a wonderful place, but you must be careful when you're here.

A Tweet of warning

One final warning: the Michael Atherton on Twitter is not the real Michael Atherton. There's somebody pretending to be Athers, but let me assure you it's an imposter. I got a Tweet from him saying: "I'll ring you later." I don't think he will somehow... Athers says he's tried to put a stop to it, but they haven't shut it down, so don't be fooled everybody.

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 THE WRIGHT STUFF?
Bumble. May I suggest that the England 50-over team is looking stronger than it has for some time but my concern is regarding Luke Wright. Luke is a strong county player who gives his all for his country but I don't believe he is quite up to the calibre of the Test arena. I would be interested to know your comments and whether we have a replacement? Geoff Bristow BUMBLE SAYS: I agree with you, but I can also tell you that he's working like mad to improve his position. I'm not convinced hard work alone will make you a Test player, but the selectors clearly like him and he deserves credit for getting into the Test squad. He's got ambition, so good luck to him and I don't mind at all if he proves me wrong. DOWNING TWEET
Hi Bumble, I hear that Sarah Brown is organising a Downing Tweet Christmas Party and as Richard Bacon's been invited I'm sure you must have been! Have you ever been to No 10? Suzie Peters, Islington BUMBLE SAYS: Who's Sarah Brown? Anyway, I have been to Number 10 twice when I was England coach, once as a guest of John Major (who's a great cricket fan) and once as a guest of Tony Blair (who's not). It's a nice house, but those mingling things are a bit like a Two Ronnies sketch: 'Hello Rodney" / "Hello Charles" / "How is it?" / "Oh, it is fine..." You basically hang about with a glass of wine and talk crap. Have I been invited to this party? Easy answer, I don't do politics. I don't own a duck pond. I don't have a moat. And I don't need to claim for chocolates....

Bumble's jukebox

Last week's lyrics were from the song 'Homeless'. A lot of you suggested it was Paul Simon, but the artist I was looking for was Ladysmith Black Mambazo (as I'm in South Africa). People were coming up to me and asking if it was the Haka! Anyway, see how you get on with this week's lyrics.. "I think it's really where I'm going to..."