Cape Town

Proteas opener Gibbs doing community service to save himself from booze charge

Proteas opener Gibbs doing community service to save himself from booze chargeCape Town, Mar. 24 : Habitual cricketing "bad boy" Herschelle Gibbs has been asked to perform a form of community service after being charged with driving under the influence of alcohol last year.

He was pulled over in Sea Point in the early hours of March 28 last year.

Gibbs is not entirely off the hook, as evidenced by a statement issued by his lawyer, Peter Whelan, after the court appearance.

Ponting hopes unwell North will play Cape Town Test

Ponting hopes unwell North will play Cape Town TestCape Town (South Africa), Mar. 19 : An unwell Australian middle-order batsman Marcus North is still likely to feature in the squad that takes on South Africa in the third Test that starts here today.

The 29-year-old left-hander made a century on debut in last month''s Johannesburg Test and is a key member in Australia''s batting line-up, especially with no reserve batsman in the squad.

"There''s no other batters here to bring in," Australia captain Ricky Ponting said.

36-year-old McGain to debut for Oz, replaces sick Marcus North for Cape Town Test

36-year-old McGain to debut for Oz, replaces sick Marcus North for Cape Town TestCape Town (South Africa), Mar. 19 : Thirty-six-year-old Victorian leg spinner Bryce McGain achieved a cherished dream on Thursday, when he was told that he would be making his Test debut for Australia in the third and final Test against South Africa.

The match starts from today.

McGain replaced off-spinning all rounder Marcus North, who was sent to hospital on Wednesday night and was still there when the third Test was about to start.

Oz to push for series whitewash, Ponting targets Proteas skipper Kallis

Cape Town (South Africa), Mar. 19 : Australia have made clear their intentions to push hard for a 3-0 sweep of their Test series against South Africa by suggesting that stand-in Proteas skipper Jacques Kallis has "enough on his plate".

Kallis quit as vice-captain in 2007 after being left out of Proteas'' squad for the ICC Twenty20 World Cup.

The 33-year-old is the only South African in Test cricket''s 10,000-run club and has also taken 258 wickets at 30.88 in 130 matches, as well as being one of the game''s finest slips fielders.

Beware of a South African fight back: Hussey

Beware of a South African fight back: HusseyCape Town (South Africa), Mar. 18 : Australian batsman Mike Hussey believes that the internal conflicts within the South African team could help unite the side against Australia in tomorrow''s third Test.

The South Africans have been in crisis in the past week with skipper Graeme Smith to miss the Cape Town Test through injury, meaning Ashwell Prince was recalled as skipper but a day later he was stripped of the captaincy and told to focus on his new role as opener.

Spinners McGain, Hauritz could play Cape Town Test: Hussey

Spinners McGain, Hauritz could play Cape Town Test: HusseyCape Town (South Africa), Mar. 18 : Australia batsman Mike Hussey says spinners Nathan Hauritz and Bryce McGain are under consideration for Thursday''s third Test against South Africa in Cape Town.

Leg-spinner McGain, 36, was set to make his Test debut in India last October but was sent home for shoulder surgery and has been overlooked for the Johannesburg and Durban Tests on the South African tour because of pitches that favoured the fast bowlers.

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