Sydney, Jan. 8 : Forgotten Australian opener Phil Jaques has declared that he is available to return for next month''s tour of South Africa.

With Hayden showing no signs of retirement, Jaques, 29, declared his availability for the crunch tour as he tries to return from back surgery on a bulging disc.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the left-hander thinks he has the runs on the board after scoring 108 in his last Test against the West Indies in Barbados last year.

He will play club cricket next week and then return to the first-class scene when NSW play Tasmania in Newcastle on January 30.

If his back shows no signs of more problems, Jaques appears a must-have selection for South Africa after averaging 47 in his 11 Tests.

Sydney, Jan. 8 : Australian cricket's chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch has given opener Phillip Hughes a ringing endorsement as Australia looks to replace Matthew Hayden

Hilditch''s comments are a sign the selectors are seriously considering the 20-year-old for higher honours in the not too distant future.

"As far as Phillip Hughes is concerned, he is a very fine player and showing great potential," the Courier Mail quoted Hilditch, as saying.

Sydney, Jan. 8 : Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has said that Graeme Smith's decision to come out to bat on the last day of the SCG Test with a broken finger, is the bravest thing he has ever seen.

Smith had to be dressed by teammates before batting in extreme pain with a broken left hand and a busted right elbow to try to salvage a draw in an amazing climax to the SCG Test.

London, Jan 8 : Former England cricket captain Nasser Hussain has said that claim, counter-claim and denial has reflected worse on English cricket than any Ashes whitewash, adding that Kevin Pietersen should have flown home to deal with the situation in a more professional manner.

"Kevin Pietersen should have gone about this in a much more professional way," Hussain told Sky Sports.

London, Jan 8 : Kevin Pietersen was forced into resigning as England Test and one-day captain after all rounder Andrew Flintoff and new skipper Andrew Strauss refused to back him and ECB's Managing Director Hugh Morris hinted at divisions in the team.

London, Jan 8 : England's new cricket captain Andrew Strauss has tough tasks on hand of getting his teammates united in the present scenario and make the team perform as it has scored victories only against lower-ranked opponents in the last 18 months.