South Africa in Australia

Jonty Rhodes said he does not feel guilty for declining repeated pleas for him to play for South Africa during their 3-0 Tests series defeat in Australia. The 32-year-old refused to come out of retirement to take part in the Test series because he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Rhodes retired from the Test scene in 2000 but will play in the one-day series against Australia and New Zealand starting on Friday.

________________

South African debutant Justin Ontong had been told to expect a mouthful from the Australian players at the recent Sydney Test, but he didn't think it would be so personal.

The 22-year-old Cape Coloured, who played under enormous pressure after his selection on racial grounds because he was not white, was clearly taken aback by the Australians' verbal assault on him when he batted. "I won't go into it but I would just like to say they get very personal sometimes," Ontong volunteered yesterday during an interview about his position as a role model for black and coloured players in South African cricket.

________________

Australian Matthew Hayden has been rewarded for his tremendous recent form by moving up from eighth to fourth in the PricewaterhouseCoopers Test batting rankings.

Brain Lara remains top, but it was left-hander Hayden who was the big mover.

In the last Test match against South Africa, Hayden scored 105 in a 219-run opening partnership with Justin Langer.

________________

United Cricket Board of South Africa president Percy Sonn, who arrives in the country on Monday afternoon, will be called before a special meeting on Tuesday to explain comments that have thrown South African cricket into turmoil.

Sonn caused a furore in Australia last week by interfering directly in the selection of the side to ensure that a second black player was included and then stated in a radio interview that disgraced former captain Hansie Cronje might return to the cricketing fold.

So unexpected were his comments about Cronje that the CEO of the UCB, Gerald Majola, said he was "shocked" and "very surprised".

Zimbabwe in Sri Lanka

Muttiah Muralitharan believes Sri Lanka can challenge Australia's world dominance if they can emulate their home performances overseas. Sri Lanka won their seventh straight match at home by beating Zimbabwe in the second Test at Kandy.

"We have won seven Tests in a row. I think we are the best along with Australia in home conditions, but we have to prove ourselves abroad. "If we win overseas, then we are not second to Australia," said Muttiah Muralitharan.

England women in India

England have made two changes and reshuffled their batting order for the second one-day international against India at Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Yorkshire spinner Helen Wardlaw comes in for Sarah Clarke and Laura Spragg, who also plays for the white rose county, replaces Mandi Godliman.

England fell to an eight-wicket defeat in the first ODI after scoring a paltry 106 in their innings.

Miscellaneous

Pakistan's cricket authorities will stage a last-ditch effort to save the proposed tour by the West Indies by meeting President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday. Pakistan Cricket Board chairman General Tauqir Zia said the talks will centre on security issues surrounding the tour.

The West Indies have doubts for the safety of their players if the tour to Pakistan goes ahead and have suggested that the series should be played in a neutral venue, likely to be Bangladesh.

________________

South African batsman Jacques Rudolph said he was disappointed at being deselected for the third Test against Australia.

The 20-year-old was originally picked to play in Sydney, but was replaced by Justin Ontong at the insistance of United Cricket Board of South Africa president Percy Sonn.

Sonn said at the time that the selection of Rudolph "amounts to exclusion of a person of colour who has the right to be given the opportunity."

________________

Muttiah Muralitharan has been ranked as the world's best bowler after edging out Australia's Glenn McGrath to claim top spot in the latest Test ratings.

The Sri Lankan spinner moved up two places in the PricewaterhouseCooper standings after his 13-wicket haul against Zimbabwe in the second Test in Kandy. Muralitharan nearly became only the third player in history to take 10 wickets in a single Test innings during that match and his career-best 9-51 is the fifth best bowling anaylsis of all time.

________________

West Indies fast bowler Cameron Cuffy says he'll pay for medical treatment in Trinidad and Tobago out of his own pocket for a foot injury if the board won't cough up.

A member of the West Indies' board of directors, Lennox John, has confirmed that the board do not believe it is necessary for Cuffy to have an MRI and said they do not have money right now. The board made arrangements for him to see a doctor in his native St. Vincent and the Grenadines, John said. There are no facilities on St. Vincent that can do an MRI scan. Cuffy said that he'll pay if he must to have the scan done in Trinidad.

________________

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has been appointed as vice-captain of Lancashire for the 2002 season.

The 24-year-old, who flies out to India on Thursday with England's one-day squad, will serve under new skipper Warren Hegg.

He will be able to seek advice from several veterans as the club has already signed Australian batsman Stuart Law from Essex, and extended the contract of Neil Fairbrother.

Yesterday's News .........................  News Roll archive