Bettys Triptych

Lot's to see ... even me!

I stayed up last night to watch the first session of play from the third day of the test match. It was as compelling as I expected it to be, and, if I'm honest, the outcome was pretty much as I expected too. England are in disarray but the Aussies are playing superb cricket. They are irresistible at the moment.

I have to admit that I find myself liking many of this Australian team. I've always had a lot of respect for Clarke and I've long had a soft spot for Mitchell Johnson too. It's hard not to like someone who plays his cricket with such mercurial passion and has been through so many trials and tribulations. I've even got a sneaky regard for Warner, the pantomime villain of the team. He's as raw as his talent, but both the man and his cricket are likely to mature together to be around to pillage us for runs for many series to come. I do like the way the Aussies play their cricket. For me, it's not really about beating them but about being competitive. My hopes for a close contest were blown away in the early hours of the morning while I was asleep. I fear now this could become embarrassing.

It's been a mostly working day, making the most of some rather miserable weather, but I did get out for a brief run on the moor just before it got dark. It was damp and gloomy and actually rather wonderful. The legs are coming back to some kind of life. It felt good to be putting some real efforts in on the hills.