Melbourne, Dec. 13: Australia’s key batsmen are likely to get fast bowler Brett Lee into the nets more aften than he would like in preparing themselves for the expected thunderbolts from South African pacer Dale Steyn during the forthcoming Test series Down Under.

Opener Mathew Hayden told the Daily Telegraph that Australia''s batsmen have asked Lee to work overtime to provide them with custom-made net practice ahead of their battle with Steyn.

London, Dec 13: The future of Lord’s as England’s pre-eminent cricket venue could be threatened by plans that may see Test matches shared more widely around the country.

The MCC is also warning that their ambitious 200 million pounds project to redevelop Lord’s into one of the world’s top sporting arenas will placed in doubt by any reduction in lucrative high-profile international matches at the ground, The Telegraph reported.

The England & Wales Cricket Board are considering proposals for new five-year staging plans with the nine category A grounds which will guarantee them a minimum of 11 days’ international cricket over the course of the deal.

Perth, Dec. 13: South African pace bowler Morne Morkel swears by the disciplined off-stump line bowling of former Australian bowling great Glenn McGrath.

Morkel, who has modelled his game on McGrath, possesses the same confidence about his abilities as his Australian idol.

Asked whether his pace combination with Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini was the best in world cricket, Morkel did not hesitate and was quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald as saying: "Yes, right now, we are definitely the best. And looking into the future, I can see us only improving."

Melbourne, Dec 13: Graeme Smith, who became South Africa’s youngest captain in 2003, has said that he is still trying to prove himself and is a better leader now.

“I think the best way to explain it is, when I took over the captaincy at 22 in 2003 there were so many doomsayers saying it was the wrong decision – He’s still trying to prove himself in the world of cricket, he’s just 22, how can he be captain?’” Smith (27) said.

Lahore, Dec. 13: South Australia is looking to employ Pakistan fast bowler Sohail Tanvir for its Twenty20 campaign, but according to the Daily Times, the move depends on his international commitments.

Tanvir starred for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year, and if the short-term deal goes through, he will step in for Younis Khan, who is helping out the struggling Redbacks in 2007-08, says a report on a cricket website.

Tanvir, 24, was the most successful bowler in the IPL with 22 wickets and hit the winning runs while batting with Shane Warne in the final.

South Australian officials are excited by the prospect of Shaun Tait working in tandem with Tanvir and said the deal was ‘cheap’.

Lahore, Dec. 13: South Australia is looking to employ Pakistan fast bowler Sohail Tanvir for its Twenty20 campaign, but according to the Daily Times, the move depends on his international commitments.

Tanvir starred for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) earlier this year, and if the short-term deal goes through, he will step in for Younis Khan, who is helping out the struggling Redbacks in 2007-08, says a report on a cricket website.