Sydney, Feb. 6: There is palpable excitement around the selection of New South Wales batting prodigy Phillip Hughes, who is among four uncapped Australians in a squad charged with defending Australia''s No. 1 Test ranking in South Africa.

Hughes, 20, is poised to become his country''s youngest Test debutant since Craig McDermott pulled on a Baggy Green cap in 1984, and 36-year-old leg spinner Bryce McGain the oldest since Bob Holland in the same year.

Sydney, Feb. 6 : Since the upheaval of World Series Cricket, only two batsmen have made their Australian Test debuts before their 21st birthdays. The third will be New South Wales opener Phillip Hughes during the first Test in Johannesburg in South Africa three weeks from now.

The two other 20-year-old batting debutants proved hard to shift. Stephen Waugh played 168 Tests and Ricky Ponting is still entrenched, 14 years after his debut.

Melbourne, Feb. 6 : Cricket Australia has dismissed concerns that Michael Clarke''s physical altercation with Test team mate Simon Katich will affect his long-term captaincy ambitions.

Katich grabbed vice-captain Clarke by the throat in a heated row following the team''s victory in the Sydney Test against South Africa last month.

The altercation was sparked over the singing of the team song, Beneath The Southern Cross, following the win. It was reported that Clarke wanted the song finished early so he could leave to be with fiancée Lara Bingle.

London, Feb. 6: England football team coach Fabio Capello has decided to help winger David Beckham make England history.

Becks will equal Bobby Moore's record of 108 caps for an outfield player in Wednesday's friendly against Spain, reports The Sun.

Neither Capello nor No 2 Franco Baldini will bother to watch Becks play for Milan against Reggina at the San Siro tomorrow and will instead rely on their scouts' reports.

New York, Feb 6 : Ace swimmer Michael Phelps has been barred from competition for three months after he was snapped smoking a bong at a party.

The pics published in Britain''s News of the World, showing the eight times Olympic gold medallist using a bong, were taken in November at a University of South Carolina house party.

The 23-year-old star had also apologised for his `inappropriate conduct'.

USA Swimming has also temporarily withdrawing its financial support to him.

Melbourne, Feb. 6: Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke's desire to spend as much time as possible with his fiancée Lara Bingle is creating heart burn within the team, and rumor mills are agog with reports of him engaged in scraps with mates over the issue.

Reports suggest that so deep are the fissures within the squad; that questions are now being asked whether Clarke is up to the job of leading the side, a position that he has been wanting for most of his cricketing life.