Melbourne, Jan 10 : After a summer of disappointing results and growing discontent among cricketers, the Australian selectors have taken the extraordinary step of scheduling a meeting with every national team player to improve communication with them.

All contracted and prospective players were notified of the offer by chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch to update them on the selectors' views on their standings.

The move comes after criticism of selection and uncertainty surrounding omissions. The players were notified of the offer by email yesterday, with the meetings to be held as soon as possible.

London, Jan10 : Former Aussie Captain Steve Waugh has termed Kevin Pietersen's decision to quit from captaincy, as a `wrong decision'.

Commenting on the Pietersen- Moores controversy, Waugh said that it was not as bad a situation which would have forced a captain's resignation. He added that Pietersen has committed a blunder by quitting from the post.

"It didn''t look like it was a terrible situation. It does take a while to work with someone. I mean you''re not just going to come on board as a captain and work smoothly and fit in exactly the way he wants," the News quoted Waugh, as saying.

He said that the coach-captain controversy has put England cricket on the backseat, and both Pietersen, and Moores will have to suffer.

Melbourne, Jan 10 : Proteas skipper Graeme Smith has said that Ricky Ponting's side is eager for revenge in next month's Test series in South Africa, because defeat is hurting the Australian side and they are going to come back hard.

Smith wants to delay surgery on his troublesome right elbow and repel an Australian side eager for revenge in next month's Test series in South Africa.

"Australia is hurting and they are going to come back hard at us. We know with Australia you have to earn every inch and I think they have a lot of respect for us now," he said.

"We are going to need our guys to be fresh and so we are going to have to manage our bowlers during the one-day series in Australia. They know we never went away, and we pushed them all the way," Smith added.

London, Jan 10 : Kevin Pietersen, who stepped down as captain, is set to have his loyalty to England tested by a host of Indian Premier League teams.

Pietersen will be the star attraction when the IPL player auction commences on February 6, The Sun reported.

He could command a 1million pound deal to play in the six-week tournament, which starts on April 10.

Under the terms of his new England contract, Pietersen would only be available for the first 15 days, before returning for a two-Test series with West Indies.

London, Jan 9 : Legendary spinner Shane Warne has said that he is not interested in coaching England at present because he has given up following a team around the world.

He claims that the offer from Kevin Pietersen to replace Peter Moores as England head coach was `not taken seriously' by him.

Writing in The Times today, Warne reveals that he did receive a tongue-in-cheek approach from Pietersen via text message, but turned it down.

Warne, who would require a salary way beyond the 250,000 pounds earned by Moores, distanced himself from the England job.

Melbourne, Jan 9 : Kevin Pietersen's good friend and former Hampshire teammate Shane Warne has warned that Pietersen would be an even more dangerous and committed player now that he has relinquished the England captaincy.

Pietersen resigned from his leadership duties on Wednesday after a bitter feud with coach Peter Moores, who was sacked soon after Pietersen quit.

As Pietersen prepares to head to the West Indies as a rank-and-file player under new skipper Andrew Strauss, Warne said his controversial mate would become an even more threatening cricket animal.