Sydney, Dec. 31: South African stars Graeme Smith and Dale Steyn may be focussing on overtaking Australia as the world''s No. 1 Test cricket side, but they can also reflect on 2008 as a stand-out year individually.

The Proteas can attribute much of their success this year - 11 wins, two draws and two losses from 15 Tests, and series wins in England and Australia - to Smith''s magnificent batting and Steyn''s brilliant fast bowling.

Sydney, Dec. 31 : Cricket is a game forever on the cusp of disappointing its traditionalists.

If 1932-33 was its defining angry flashpoint (Bodyline Series), then this year, or more specifically 2009 when the second season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) gets underway, must challenge Packer''s 1970s World Series revolution as the most violent rupture in the sport''s economics.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, 2009 looms as a crucial period in clarifying where the game is headed, for its fans, players, administrators, and those that make money from it.

One test will be the integrity of cricket''s new constellation of money and power - with India and Twenty20 at its center - in the face of the world''s financial crisis.

Karachi, Dec. 31: The Director-General of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Javed Miandad, has rejected chief selector Abdul Qadir's proposal to host a series of trial matches ahead of the home team's upcoming international fixtures.

Qadir failed to impress both Miandad and PCB chairman Ijaz Butt with his idea of playing trial matches which would help the selectors to pick the best possible team for the home assignment apart from providing the players a perfect opportunity to get ready for challenging assignments.

Sydney, Dec. 31: Well known cricket columnist Peter Roebuck believes that Australia's period of cricketing domination is over, and therefore, it needs to pass the champions baton to the South Africans.

With Australia losing its series to South Africa two nil, Roebuck says that the matches at Perth and Melbourne showed the hosts letting go of advantages after securing powerful positions.

Karachi, Dec. 31: The Sri Lankan tour of Pakistan seems to have hit another road block just when the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) was preparing to host Sri Lanka for a test and one day international series.

The Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has turned down the PCB's proposal to play three tests and five one-dayers.

"Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has turned down the Pakistan Cricket Board's proposal to play three Tests and five one-dayers, making it clear that such an assignment would put extra work-load on their players," The News quoted an SLC source, as saying.

London, Dec. 31: Manchester United and England football star Wayne Rooney has rubbished Arsenal Football Club's chances of winning the Premier League title.

The Old Trafford star also dismissed Aston Villa's chances, saying the champions will be Manchester United, Chelsea or Liverpool.