Cape Town (South Africa), Mar. 13: Australian captain Ricky Ponting is scared that the "glitz and glamour" of Twenty20 will overtake Test cricket in the popularity stakes.

Johannesburg  - An armed gang walked into a church north of Johannesburg during a service and shot a man in the face, South African police said Thursday.

The South African Press Association quoted the police as saying that nine armed attackers - eight men and a woman - entered an evangelical church in the Randburg district during Wednesday evening service and robbed the worshippers of mobile phones and cash.

They then took the caretaker to his room and shot him in the face after stealing his DVD and mobile phone, police said.

Durban (South Africa), Mar. 11: South Africa have dumped opener Neil McKenzie and pace bowler Morne Morkel for the third Test against Australia that begins from March 19 in Cape Town.

The Proteas, who trail Ricky Ponting''s men 2-0 in the three-Test series and have surrendered their chance to take the No. 1 ranking from Australia, will also be without skipper Graeme Smith, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Smith broke his right little finger when struck by a short ball from Mitchell Johnson while batting in this week''s second Test in Durban and is hoping to return for next month''s five-game one-day series against Australia.

Berlin  - German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said late Monday that South Africa's important position in Africa, which goes far beyond mediating conflicts in Sudan and the Congo, "underlines the role that South Africa has found in recent years."

During a meeting late Monday in Berlin with South African Foreign Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Steinmeier spoke of the "multifaceted cooperation" between Germany and South Africa.

Durban (South Africa), Mar. 6 : Michael Hussey, Australia's Mr. Cricket, plans to break his lean trot with the bat in a relaxed manner.

Hussey is an upbeat and enthusiastic individual. No one celebrated Australia''s victory in the first Test with more vigor.

He has heart, soul, passion, commitment and a bloody horrible singing voice. He''s determined, but not too determined, to come good when hostilites against South Africa resume in the second Test at Sahara Stadium on Friday.

Durban (South Africa), Mar. 6 : Australian fast bowlers Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle have been cleared to play in the second Test against South Africa in Durban. The match starts from today.

Tasmania''s Hilfenhaus, who took three wickets on debut in Australia''s win over South Africa in the first Test in Johannesburg which ended on Monday, has a back complaint but bowled a long spell in the nets behind the Kingsmead ground in an encouraging effort.