South Africa News

For Australian cricketers, nothing is bigger than an Ashes tour and for many of our young players it will be their first experience of Test matches in the country which gave us this great game.

Ponting is making an early start to his spell as Surrey's overseas signing because South Africa skipper Graeme Smith had to return home for an ankle operation.

Here and Now: Letters 2008-2011 , by Paul Auster and JM Coetzee, Faber RRPA 20/Viking RRP$27.95, 256 pages With the advent of email, volumes of literary letters are likely to become a thing of the past.

IT'S costing Olympic gold medals, reputations, prestige and money but elite athletes cannot shake the allure of social media habits.

CAPE TOWN: Understanding the fragility of the world's top players and the human element of the game have been the cornerstone of Gary Kirsten's approach to coaching international cricket teams.

In the township, the late radio and television presenter Vuyo Mbuli was known as mjita, which roughly translated means a dude, chap or cool cat.

The Nottinghamshire bowler - who was once reckoned to be a future genuine all-rounder - has always been a hugely frustrating mercurial talent, and that shows no signs of changing any time soon.

Captain Alastair Cook believes the spectre of Kevin Pietersen's return will create healthy competition in England's batting line-up during the second Investec Test against New Zealand.

Dr Ali Bacher, the Executive Director of the 2003 World Cup, at the Opening Ceremony at Newlands Cricket Ground before the start of the championship on February 8, 2003 © Getty Images Ali Bacher, born May 24, 1942, led South Africa in four victorious Test matches against Australia in their last series before isolation.

Vice-captain Denesh Ramdin has backed West Indies to make a smooth transition to the 50-over format when they open their campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy starting next month.

His alleged links with bookies have dragged Asad Rauf into the IPL spot-fixing scandal.

Bart Campbell has done rather well for a Palmerston North lad who held stop-go signs on the road for Higgins contractors.

Brendon McCullum's decision to answer the New Zealand team's wicketkeeping SOS is his first test behind the stumps since playing Australia in March 2010.

Calcutta: Top-bracket T20 specialist Brad Hodge, who stood out in the Rajasthan Royals' win on Wednesday night, spoke to The Telegraph before the franchise was hit by the spot-fixing scandal.

The demise of Somerset in very much the talking point on the county circuit at the moment, with the county giving further ammunition to their critics by collapsing for 108 to lose inside two days to Sussex.

Karachi: May 23, 2013 Pakistan cricket head coach Dav Whatmore does not believe that the Test drubbing his team got in South Africa early this year will impact their performance in next month's ICC Champions Trophy in the United Kingdom.

The International Cricket Council Thursday withdrew Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf from next month's Champions Trophy in England and Wales after his name cropped up in the Indian Premier League spot-fixing scandal.

The White Rose county are doing all they can to give their players the best possible chance of succeeding, starting with their England trio at this weekend's Headingley Test match.

Woorkeri Venkat Raman, born May 23, 1965, was an Indian Test cricketer whose international career never fully took off, although there was no denying his prowess with the bat.

This has been a season of plenty for the Board of Control for Cricket in India .