Melbourne, Jan. 15: Cricket authorities are expecting Friday's 50-over one-day international between Australia and South Africa on Friday to show which format is more popular among fans -- Twenty20 or the 50-over game.

According to the Courier Mail, Cricket Victoria CEO Tony Dodemaide expects a smaller crowd than the 63,000 who watched the pyrotechnics of Twenty20 specialist David Warner in Melbourne four nights ago, and said the turnout would say a lot about the health of "traditional" limited-overs cricket.

Sydney - Serena Williams felt the effects of a long night match and the searing heat as the top seed crashed out of the Medibank International 6-3, 6-1 to Olympic champion Elena Dementieva on Thursday.

Williams, second in the world, was coming off a nearly three-hour effort the previous evening against Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki, where she had to save match points for the second time this week.

The 27-year-old American's early season fitness wilted in the summer heat as Dementieva went through into the final - a repeat of the Beijing Olympic gold medal match - against Dinara Safina despite firing six double-faults.

Melbourne - Roger Federer got in a good workout as he won the semifinal of the AAMI Classic on Thursday, holding off Spain's Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/5) at the Australian Open tune-up event.

2006 Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis, beaten by the Swiss three years ago in the Melbourne Park title match, finally had something to smile about after winning a relegation round match at the eight-man event.

The Cypriot defeated Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.

Sydney, Jan. 15 : Former Australian Test great Mark Waugh believes 20-year-old Phillip Hughes is the man who should take the opener's slot in the Australian squad.

Waugh said a fit and firing 20-year-old Hughes was worth the gamble, instead of Phillip Jacques, for the tour to South Africa.

"You could go either way but if you wanted a younger guy you''d go with Hughes," Fox Sports quoted Waugh, who played 128 Tests and was arguably one of the country''s greatest fielders, as saying.

London, Jan. 15 : As the English squad continues to struggle with sudden departures from their own ranks, sports blogs and newspapers are celebrating the exit of one of Australia's all time batting greats - opener Mathew Hayden.

Speculation is rife that Phil Jaques or Phillip Hughes would take Hayden's place, but "neither will give England''s opening bowlers quite so many sleepless nights as Hayden - Australia''s ship has lost its figurehead," declared London''s Telegraph.

Melbourne, Jan. 15 : Cricket Australia has said that it will not ban any of their top players from participating in the Indian Premier League this year - despite a growing injury toll which has now claimed half the team.