A holiday in the clouds

I am taking a week off to sit on a tropical beach sipping exotic cocktails served in coconut shells. This means some good news and some bads news for us all.

The bad news for you lot is obvious, I won't be around a computer - let alone a television with cricket coverage - for the next seven days and that means little or no new posting from me on Mike on Cricket. The good news is that Ben, Dan, Marie and Karl are all around and they will hopefully step into the breach.

I also have to suffer some bad news. I am going to have to wait a week until I find out the result of the fourth Ashes test and the one-dayers in Zimbabwe. Not only that, but the weather forecast for the Pacific atoll I will be visiting seems to involve an awful lot of cloud, the chance of an odd spot of rain and not a lot of sunshine. Luckily I still have some good news to console me. The slightly iffy weather does mean a good swell and surf at my beach is meant to be glassy all week long with an average wave height of 2 to 2.5 metres. The second bit of good news is that the 2005 New Zealand Cricket Almanack has just been released so even if I have to spend the whole break inside, it won't be wasted.

Take care and see you all in week's time.