Johannesburg, Mar. 4 : Former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson, who had criticized cricket teams for canceling their Pakistan tours due to security fears, now concedes "everything has changed" after the terror attack on Lankan cricketers in Lahore.

Johannesburg, Mar. 4 : Cricket Australia (CA) has indicated that next year''s scheduled cricket Tests between Australia and Pakistan could be held in England. The discussions had been going on for several weeks before Tuesday's terror attack in Lahore.

"Pakistan has accepted for some time that we aren't able to visit because of the safety and security concerns in that nation. Pakistan has started the discussion about playing three Test matches at neutral venues in England in 2010," CA spokesman Peter Young said.

Powered by a tidy bowling performance, India registered a comprehensive 23-run victory over South Africa in their women's World Cup warm-up fixture in Sydney on Tuesday.

Batting first, the star studded Indian team could only score 167 runs in 45.3 overs.

Opening batsman Anjum Chopra top scored with 53. In a 107 ball knock, Chopra scored 73 runs for the second wicket with former skipper Mithali Raj, who scored a crucial 29 runs.

For South Africa, pace bowler Shabnim Ismail took 4 wickets for 35 runs.
 

Johannesburg - Twenty-eight parties plan to contest general elections in South Africa on April 22, the country's independent electoral commission (IEC) said Tuesday.

Of the 28 parties, 11 will contest seats to the National Assembly and all nine provinces in the concomitant national and provincial polls, the IEC said.

Of the three parties that are only fielding candidates for the 400-seat National Assembly, one is called Keep It Straight and Simple (KISS) and another A Party.

Johannesburg - City officials in South Africa's capital Pretoria burnt the makeshift homes of over 300 refugees of last year's spate of deadly xenophobic violence on Monday, to force them to vacate a camp.

Black smoke billowed over the refugee camp north of the city, where 382 people who fled attacks on foreigners last year had been staying. A spokesman for the city confirmed to reporters that city officials had set fire to their shacks, the South African Press Association reported.

Johannesburg, Feb. 28 : Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke has rallied behind young opening batsman Phil Hughes, who made a fourth-ball duck on debut against South Africa.

Hughes, aged just 20, tried to cut a short ball from Dale Steyn in the first over of the match and was caught behind.

"He was disappointed," said Clarke, who made 151 in his Test debut against India in Bangalore in 2004, aged 23.

"He wanted to do really well but he''s a pretty tough cookie and it was a pretty tough wicket to make his debut on.