Sydney  -

Sydney - Sheepdogs have proved such perfect guardians for a colony of fairy penguins on a small south-coast Australian island that conservationists are confident the caring canines can be recruited to safeguard other endangered animals from being savaged by foxes and wild dogs.

"We're now starting to see some great results," said Middle Island Maremma Project manager Ian Fitzgibbons. "We've had our best penguin count since we began in
2006 with over 80 birds counted in one night and I think we have about 26 chicks on the island too."

Sydney, Jan. 4 : Michael Clarke''s 10th Test century and tail-enders' putting up a good show helped Australia score a respectable 445 runs all out on Day 2 of the Sydney test here on Sunday.

Michael Clarke''s 10th Test century came after over six-hour wait. He faced 250 balls, hitting 17 boundaries in the process. While Johnson''s career best 64 came in nearly three hours, off 124 balls with 11 boundaries in it.

Sydney, Jan 4 : Cricket Australia's chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch has asked critics to give selectors a chance to arrest the team's slump.

Hilditch made no excuses for recent series defeats by India and South Africa, but says the selectors intend to return the team to golden days, the Herald Sun reported.

"We are paid to pick players and teams on our experience, to get the right mix for a coming game, series, tour and the future. We just have to back our own ability at all times," Hilditch said.

Sydney, Jan 4 : Commenting on Australia's cricketing woes after series' losses to India and South Africa, former New Zealand cricketer Craig McMillan has said that Ricky Ponting's captaincy is suffering from "the mediocrity around him."

Writing a column for the Sunday News, McMillan said: "Their captain Ricky Ponting is a great batsman and one of the best to ever play Test cricket. But when he was captaining the side with Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath in it, he was on autopilot."