Perth, Dec. 13: South African pace bowler Morne Morkel swears by the disciplined off-stump line bowling of former Australian bowling great Glenn McGrath.

Morkel, who has modelled his game on McGrath, possesses the same confidence about his abilities as his Australian idol.

Asked whether his pace combination with Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini was the best in world cricket, Morkel did not hesitate and was quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald as saying: "Yes, right now, we are definitely the best. And looking into the future, I can see us only improving."

Melbourne, Dec 13: Graeme Smith, who became South Africa’s youngest captain in 2003, has said that he is still trying to prove himself and is a better leader now.

“I think the best way to explain it is, when I took over the captaincy at 22 in 2003 there were so many doomsayers saying it was the wrong decision – He’s still trying to prove himself in the world of cricket, he’s just 22, how can he be captain?’” Smith (27) said.

Lahore, Dec. 13: South Australia is looking to employ Pakistan fast bowler Sohail Tanvir for its Twenty20 campaign, but according to the Daily Times, the move depends on his international commitments.

Tanvir starred for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year, and if the short-term deal goes through, he will step in for Younis Khan, who is helping out the struggling Redbacks in 2007-08, says a report on a cricket website.

Tanvir, 24, was the most successful bowler in the IPL with 22 wickets and hit the winning runs while batting with Shane Warne in the final.

South Australian officials are excited by the prospect of Shaun Tait working in tandem with Tanvir and said the deal was ‘cheap’.

Lahore, Dec. 13: South Australia is looking to employ Pakistan fast bowler Sohail Tanvir for its Twenty20 campaign, but according to the Daily Times, the move depends on his international commitments.

Tanvir starred for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year, and if the short-term deal goes through, he will step in for Younis Khan, who is helping out the struggling Redbacks in 2007-08, says a report on a cricket website.

Lahore, Dec. 13  Pakistan cricket umpire Asad Rauf will be able to travel to India in time to officiate for the second Test between India and England in Mohali.

Rauf, who was designated to stand in both matches of the series, missed the first Test due to visa complications.

"I have got the Indian visa now and I am flying to New Delhi on Monday and will stand in the second India-England Test," the Daily Times quoted Rauf as telling media persons here.

Billy Bowden replaced Rauf for the Chennai Test after Rauf failed to obtain a city-specific visa in time.

Perth, Dec. 12 : Former Australian pace great Dennis Lillee once described a teenage Mitchell Johnson as a "once in a generation" bowler, and now seems intent that his young protégé fulfills his ultimate prophecy.

Lillee met Johnson yesterday to discuss tactics for bowling at the WACA Ground, passing on advice and experience from 15 years of bowling on the pace-friendly surface.

"It''s good to have his advice. We just spoke about how things have been going for me at the moment and also just bowling at the WACA,"The Age quoted Johnson, as saying.