London, Dec. 30 : Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan''s international career remains ajar after his omission from England''s Test squad for the Caribbean.

It does so for three reasons (1) The first is his central contract, controversially awarded in September and now performing the role of a reassuring umbilical cord (2) The second is the doubt over Ian Bell''s suitability for the No. 3 slot and (3) Is the faith of others, principally the selectors and Kevin Pietersen, and Vaughan''s own bloody mindedness and tactical acumen.

Melbourne, Dec. 30 : This week's third Test between Australia and South Africa will not be a testimonial for out-of-form opener Matthew Hayden, said team skipper Ricky Ponting and Australia's chief selector Andrew Hilditch.

The 37-year-old Hayden has scored 313 runs at 22.35 in eight matches, leading to comments that he is now a mere passenger with the squad and should make way for better performing openers.

Ponting and Hilditch both denied the Sydney match would be a testimonial for the 102-Test veteran before his retirement.

Melbourne, Dec. 30 : With five wins, five losses and four draws in 2008, Australia will have to strive to be recognized as the number one team in world cricket again, and that objective could take a couple of years to reach, belives captain Ricky Ponting.

Ponting said that having lost a home series after 16 years should not be reason to chop and change a squad that has been used to winning against all opposition.

Referring to the two-nil loss to South Africa, Fox Sports quoted Ponting as saying: "We''ve all got to remain upbeat. There''s no time for panic or as Andrew Hilditch said, chop and change."

Karachi, Dec. 30 : As Pakistan looks forward to wear white clothes on a cricket field after a year against Sri Lanka, Captain Shoaib Malik is set to get an extension of his job.

"There are strong indications that Malik's stint as captain would be extended for one more year," The News quoted a PCB official, as saying.

Former Pakistan captain and wicket keeper, Moin Khan has also backed Malik for the post, saying that Pakistan cannot afford to have anybody else at the helm of their team at this point of time.

London, Dec 30 : Chelsea footballer Ashley Cole has topped a new poll of ‘Britain’s Most Reviled Celebrity of 2008’.

Ashley Cole, 28, became the most hated celebrity after he reportedly cheated on his wife — Cheryl Cole of ‘Girls Aloud’ and ‘The X Factor’ fame, reports the Sun.

After a media frenzy the ‘Girls Aloud’ star and the Chelsea defender patched up the cracks in their relationship to and finally put their marriage back on the tracks.

Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay landed the second spot for his alleged affair.

Kerry Katona came third due to her slurred This Morning interview.

Bangkok  - Laos, which will host the South-East Asia Games in November 2009, has received assurances that the Chinese-constructed National Stadium will be completed by March, a Lao foreign ministry spokesman said Tuesday.

"The Chinese contractors have assured us that the stadium will be completed by March," said the ministry's spokesman Yong Chanthlangsy.

"This will give the Lao government enough time to rehearse all the things we need to do to prepare for the games," said Yong in a telephone interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

Land-locked Laos, one of South-east Asia's poorest countries with a population of less than 6 million, will host the SEA Games for the first time this year in mid-November.