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.

Melbourne, Jan. 15 : Australian batsman Michael Clarke has passed a fitness test and will play against South Africa in Friday''s first one-day international match at the MCG.

According to Fox Sports, Clarke passed a fitness test on his injured right thumb at training on Thursday, including a couple of net sessions, after missing the two Twenty20 matches.

Dubai, Jan. 14 : The South Africa team was fined for the second successive time for maintaining a slow over-rate during its six-wicket defeat against Australia in the second Twenty20 International (T20I) in Brisbane on January 13.

Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees imposed the fines after Johan Botha's side was ruled to be one over short of its target when time allowances were taken into consideration.

Karachi. Jan. 14 : The itinerary of the Sri Lanka tour to Pakistan has been revised again.

According to the new schedule of the two - phased tour, the first two of the three one-day internationals will now be played in Karachi on January 20 and 21.

The third one-day will be in Lahore on January 24.

"The change has been made in the schedule on the request from Sri Lanka Cricket," The News quoted a Pakistan Cricket Board official, as saying.