Brisbane, Dec. 8 : Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds is preparing for another feisty Test summer against the South Africans, following last year’s run-ins with Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

According to the Daily Telegraph, there is no love lost between Symonds and South Africans, whom he has labelled as "humourless".

Several of the Proteas top players have vivid memories of clashing with Symonds during Australia''s 2006 tour of South Africa, and some privately admit they cannot stand the controversial all rounder.

Abu Dhabi, Dec. 8 : England''s cricketers have decided to undertake the tour of India for a two Test series beginning from December 11, but not before some reported high drama behind closed doors.

According to former Test player Derek Pringle, the drama surrounding the tour ratcheted up around 8.15 p. m. in the evening on Sunday with the late arrival of the two Morrises, Hugh the general manager of the England team and Sean the chief executive of the Players Cricketers Association, and security officer Reg Dickason, the Test squad, and coaches decamping to the team room.

Dubai, Dec 7 : The International Cricket Council (ICC) has made a change to the previously announced umpire appointments for the upcoming Test series in India.

Pakistani nationals require city-specific visas when travelling to India. This week Asad Rauf, the Emirates Elite Panel umpire who was to officiate in both Tests, received his passport back with a visa appropriate for the original venues. With the change in venues he required a new visa but due to the weekend, followed by the Eid al-Adha holidays, there was insufficient time for one to be issued, so he has had to step down from the first Test.

He will be replaced by Billy Bowden, also of the Emirates Elite Panel, who will officiate in the first Test in Chennai, beginning on December 11.

Abu Dhabi, Dec. 7 : England cricket coach Peter Moores has said that there is a possibility of all-rounder Andrew Flintoff skipping the tour to India, which was recently ravaged by a terrorist strike.

"I''m fairly confident everybody will go (to India) if the security report is okay. But it is a difficult situation and everybody sees things differently. The worry is that if somebody makes their choice, they get marginalized," The Sunday Times quoted Moores, as saying.

Sydney, Dec. 7: The South African cricket team can fancy its chances of beating the Australians for the first time on their home soil for four very solid reasons.

London, Dec 7: England''s decision to return to India to play two Test matches, a fortnight after the terrible terror attacks in Mumbai commands respect for two reasons, says noted cricket commentator Peter Roebuck.

According to Roebuck, first, it shows that captain Kevin Pietersen can lead a team through a crisis, and second, England''s willingness to go back, makes the long-awaited split on racial lines less likely.

In his article for the Sydney Morning Herald, Roebuck contrasts this with the lack of spunk shown by the Australians, saying that cricketers from Down Under "have repeatedly turned to jelly in the face of arbitrary danger."