The schedule available for cricketers currently can be full and fruitful one indeed. No sooner had we finished celebrating hoisting the Sheffield Shield aloft and it was time to head to the UK to start the County season with Hampshire.

The culmination of one of the more remarkable Bupa Sheffield Shield seasons is almost upon us and I certainly can’t remember a closer season.

Chennai, so the locals say, has three seasons. Hot, hotter and hottest.

I love this time of year. Plenty of cricket on and plenty of tennis to go with it, which is always a great recipe and reminder of an Australian summer.

Ten from ten! The BBL|02 has thrown up a remarkable stat from its first few games. Ten times the team batting second has won.

The current Test series v South Africa has been fascinating for many reasons. One of the real eye opening moments for me has been the amount of no balls that have been bowled – and worse - that have managed to get a wicket.

The saying that goes on about ‘stopping once in a while to smell the roses’ is one I like to try and remind myself of periodically.

Despite the perceived and supposed differences in the Australian and Afghani cricket teams, our game on Saturday still had some interesting aspects to it.

Goodbye London and, cricket wise, good riddance.

The culture of a team is often spoken about when dissecting the success or failings of a team, or organisation.