Sydney, Nov 18 : Former Aussie opener Justin Langer has said that after the just concluded India series he has changed his mind about Australia''s Test batting opening partnership, once again favouring his former opening mate Simon Katich instead of the newcomer Phil Jaques, who averages 47.47.

One century and three 50s by Katich, besides his tenacity and aggression, have convinced Langer about his utility for the Oz team.

Sydney, Nov 18 : Australian fast bowler Bret Lee has said that his bowling speed would increase as he grows older. He said his bowling will reach peak speed in his mid-30s, and added that he always focused on fitness.

He said he alter his approach to fast bowling as he approached his mid-30s.

Islamabad, Nov 18 : Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi has become more of a liability than a utility in recent times for the national side, so he should be axed, the country’s former Test fast bowler Sarfraz Nawaz has said.

Nawaz said that everytime Afridi is included into the team on the basis of his so-called charishma.

Melbourne, Nov. 18: A cocktail party on Monday helped heal Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds strained friendship with teammate and vice-captain Michael Clarke.

A leadership group featuring Clarke sensationally sent Symonds home from a one-day series against Bangladesh in Darwin in September after he skipped a team meeting to go fishing. Symonds later admitted that he had gone on a drinking binge after last year’s hostile series against India and was prone to aggravated behavior.

Melbourne, Nov. 18: New Zealand cricket captain Daniel Vettori has described his Australian counterpart Ricky Ponting, all-rounder Andrew Symonds and opener Matthew Hayden as world cricket''s most aggressive nigglers.

Vettori also ruffled more feathers when he claimed Ponting was often "spoiling for a fight".

He also insisted that he was not surprised that last summer''s volatile battle between Australia and India had descended into a bitter slanging match.

London, Nov. 18: Liverpool's Fernando Torres has been named Barclays Premier League player of the year at the Northwest Football Awards.

Torres scored 33 goals in his first season at Anfield before helping Spain to European Championship glory, reports the Daily Express.

Ryan Giggs was named footballer of the year while his manager Sir Alex Ferguson won an outstanding achievement award following Manchester United's league and Champions League double.