Johannesburg, Feb. 25: Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke knows that he is racing against the clock to prove his fitness for the first Test against South Africa.

The Age quoted Clarke as saying last night that he needed to power through Australia''s final two training sessions to be seen as a guaranteed starter at the Wanderers Ground tomorrow.

He was Australia''s leading batsman against South Africa in the recent 2-1 series defeat and losing him would be a savage blow to the tourists.

Christchurch (New Zealand), Feb. 25: The New Zealand cricket team stands to gain 25 million New Zealand dollars if it come off with a win against India in the cricket series which starts with a Twenty20 international at AMI Stadium tonight.

Apart from the two Twenty20 matches, both sides will compete in five one-day matches and three Tests, reports stuff. co. nz.

The money will mainly come from television revenue.

With the Future Tours Programme (FTP) schedule ending in 2012 and up for renegotiation it underlines the need for a creditable display.

India is well documented as the game''s powerhouse financially and of late its playing standards have lifted to match.

Johannesburg, Feb. 25: Australian cricket selector David Boon has called on fans and critics to be patient about team selection and performance a day before they take on South Africa in the first Test at the Wanderer''s here.

Commenting on main selection issues, Boon said that as far the Wanderer's was concerned, it "has "essentially been a seamers'' wicket."

Brisbane, Feb. 25: Out-of-favour Australian all rounder Andrew Symonds is set to play his 100th first class match for Queensland when the Bulls host New South Wales in a crunch Sheffield Shield fixture at the Gabba here.

"I knew I was somewhere in the 90s, but with everything that''s been going on, I had no idea I''d got to 100," the Courier Mail quoted Symonds, who played in Queensland''s Ford Ranger Cup final win on Sunday, as saying today.

Wellington  - The New Zealand cricket team's scheduled tour of Zimbabwe in July has been postponed until next year, it was announced on Wednesday.

Justin Vaughan, chief executive of New Zealand Cricket, said he and his Zimbabwe counterpart, Ozias Bvute, had agreed to put off the tour for 11 months after a meeting of the International Cricket Council in Johannesburg.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said last week that his government did not want the national team, the Black Caps, to go to Zimbabwe.

Wellington  - The New Zealand cricket team's scheduled tour of Zimbabwe in July has been postponed until next year, it was announced Wednesday.

Justin Vaughan, chief executive of New Zealand Cricket, said he and his Zimbabwe counterpart, Ozias Bvute, had agreed to put off the tour for 11 months in talks during an International Cricket Council meeting in Johannesburg.

New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said last week that his government did not want the national team, the Black Caps, to go to Zimbabwe.