India in South Africa

Wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra said he is "mentally and physically ready" to fly out to South Africa in case of an SOS from the touring Indian cricket team.

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Uncapped opening batsman Jacques Rudolph has been added to the South Africa squad for the second Test against India in Port Elizabeth beginning on Friday. The 20-year-old, who opens the batting for Northern Titans province, has been in a rich vein of form this season and had already been tipped to tour Australia next month.

Miscellaneous

Mathew Hoggard said he was ready to fill the gap vacated by his Yorkshire colleague Gough, "I've always been confident. Even when Gough and Caddick were there I was always ready to take over their role."
Asked whether he felt any extra pressure as England's leading seamer in the tour party, Hoggard typically shrugged it off, "Not really, I've only played two Tests before so I'm going in there as new as everybody else.

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New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming paid tribute to his Australian rival Steve Waugh for his sporting declaration which produced a thrilling end to the drawn first cricket test at the Gabba on Monday.

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Rushdie Magiet, is adamant that Daryll Cullinan has not been ruled out of contention for the Australia tour.
"We are considering a whole lot of players for Australia, including Daryll Cullinan," said Magiet on Monday. "It was very unfortunate that there was no play in East London and that there are no more SuperSport games (before Australia). But Daryll is still being considered. After all, he was our best batsman in the West Indies earlier this year."

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Bob Woolmer, appointed high performance manager ICC in October, has acknowledged that he faces a tough task preparing Canada, Kenya, Namibia and The Netherlands for the 2003 World Cup.
"There is a lot of work to be done in the 15 months," the former South African cricket coach said at the end of his inspection tour of the four countries he will be helping to prepare for the World Cup.

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Australia's draw in the first Test against New Zealand on Monday was their first in 24 matches, ending a record sequence dating back more than two years.
Skipper Steve Waugh has revolutionised his team's approach since taking over from Mark Taylor in early 1999, always looking to win games rather than settling for safe draws, even at the risk of defeat.

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Nasser Hussain, the Madras-born England captain said India are easily the most difficult side to beat at home.

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