Karachi, Jan 31 : Pakistan opener Taufeeq Umar, who was ruled out of the tour of South Africa just two days before the first Test starts in Johannesburg due to an injury, has been replaced by Imran Farhat.

Umar, 31, suffered a muscle injury in his shin and the team management decided to call for a replacement, reports Sport24. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) spokesperson Nadeem Sarwar said doctors have advised Umar four to five weeks rest.

Umar has played 43 Tests since making his debut in 2001 and has so far scored 2 943 runs.

Johannesburg, Jan 30 : Hashim Amla and Vernon Philander have recovered fully from their injuries and are back in South Africa''s team to face Pakistan in the first Test at the Wanderers on Friday, according to Proteas team doctor, Mohammed Moosajee.

The only player still uncertain was Robin Peterson who suffered a cut to the webbing between his last two fingers on his right hand in the last Test. Imran Tahir was brought into the squad to cover for Peterson, reports Sport24.

Sydney, Jan 30 : In a setback to the Australian cricket team, David Warner may miss out a slot in the Test squad to India after sustaining a blow to his thumb from a Mitchell Johnson snorter while training.

3Warner, who seemed to be in pain after the blow, was immediately sent for medical attention to determine the extent of his injury, The Age reports.

Australia’s selection committee would be forced to make changes in the team, and drop Warner if he has suffered any serious damage to his finger, the paper added.

Wellington, Jan 29 : New Zealand coach Mike Hesson has decided to meet former captain Ross Taylor and clear the air between them before the upcoming England series.

Experienced Taylor is a crucial part of the team as he is expert in Test, Twenty20 (T20) and one-day formats of the game, and thus must be taken into confidence by Hesson for success in the upcoming matches, Stuff. co. nz reports.

Following his removal by Hesson, who handed over the captaincy to Brendon McCullum, Taylor did not accompany the Black Caps during their recently finished South African tour.

Dubai, Jan 28 : India batsman Suresh Raina has broken into the top-10 of the International Cricket Council (ICC) Player Rankings for ODI batsmen for the first time in his career.

Raina has jumped 15 places to 10th in the latest rankings released Monday. Raina was named player of the series against England after he scored 277 runs in the five-match series at an average of 92.33. Raina's efforts also helped him achieve a career-best 669 ratings points.

Another batsman inside the top 10 to improve his ranking is England captain Alastair Cook, who has moved up one place to seventh.

Sydney, Jan 28 : Australian cricketer Cameron White has said that Test fast bowler James Pattinson's comeback from injury has been hampered by the bowling restrictions prescribed by Cricket Australia (CA) and practicing in the nets.

According to White, Pattinson, who suffered a rib injury sustained in a Test match against South Africa in Adelaide in late 2012, needs more bowling in the middle side to get back his rhythm, News. com. au reports.

Cape Town, Jan 28 : South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir has been added to the Proteas'' Test squad as cover for Robin Peterson for the first Test against Pakistan which starts at the Wanderers on Friday.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) selection convener Andrew Hudson said they are confident that Robbie will be fit to play but added that it is prudent to have a cover player for him available to take a full part in the team''s preparation this week, reports Sport24.

Karachi, Jan 28 : The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said it would add pacemen Tanveer Ahmed and Rahat Ali to their squad for the three-Test series against the Proteas.

The PCB said the team, currently playing a four-day tour opener in East London before the first Test in Johannesburg, sent a request for the extra bowlers.

A PCB press release stated that the Pakistan team management has requested the national selection committee to send two fast bowlers, adding that they would reach South Africa before the start of the first Test on Friday, reports Sport24.

Jaipur, Jan 26 : There is a lot riding on the upcoming India-Australia cricket series since it will help the selectors identify the next generation of players, Rahul Dravid, the team's mainstay till his retirement last yeaer, said at the Jaipur Literature Festival Saturday.

"Each series is significant like the series with England. But like India, Australia too has lost a lot of big players. So both teams are quite similar. But there is a lot riding on the teams. It will help them recognise the next generation of players," he told reporters here after taking part in a session.

Sydney, Jan 26 : Seventh-placed Australia could jump five places to the second rank in the ICC Twenty20 rankings in the next three weeks if the results go in their favour.

Australia takes on top-ranked Sri Lanka at ANZ Stadium on Saturday before an Australia Day crowd tipped to exceed 45,000, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Both the teams meet again in Melbourne next week, before a one-off match against West Indies in Brisbane on February 13.

Sydney, Jan 26 : Out of favour Nathan Hauritz insists he can again wear the baggy green as he sets his sights on displacing his successor Nathan Lyon in the Australian team for the India tour.

Lyon will be the first spinner picked this week for Australia''s coming four-Test tour of India but Hauritz believes he can fight his way back to the Test arena in the wake of his Big Bash League (BBL) heroics, News. com. au reports.

It has been more than two years since Hauritz last wore the baggy green, as the Queensland spinner was axed after claiming six wickets at 65 on Australia''s last Test tour to India in October 2010.

Mumbai, Jan 26 : The International Cricket Council (ICC) Saturday named the umpires and tournament referees who will be officiating the group stage of the Women's World Cup, which will take place in India from Jan 31 to Feb 17.

The tournament referee responsibilities throughout the event will be handled by David Jukes of the Panel of Regional Referees. Tony Hill of the Elite Panel of Umpires will also attend the event in a mentoring role for the 13 umpires involved in the tournament.

Sydney, Jan 25 : Australian cricket star Ellyse Perry is hopeful the women''s game will one day be able to share in the spoils enjoyed by the men in showcase Twenty20 tournaments like the Big Bash League (BBL).

Perry believed said it was a realistic proposition for the women to have their own version of the BBL provided they are given enough encouragement, News. com. au reports.

The BBL has made household names of several Australian first-class players, and the same could happen if the women had their own tournament.

Perry has watched the BBL with interest and remains hopeful she will enjoy such a competition.

Melbourne, Jan 25 : David Hussey was Friday dropped from the One-Day International (ODI) squad announced by Cricket Australia (CA) for the first two matches against the West Indies, being replaced by Victorian statemate Aaron Finch.

CA announced a 13-player squad for the first two ODIs against the West Indies Feb 1 and 3 at the WACA, Perth.

The Australian squad for the first and second matches: Michael Clarke (Captain), George Bailey, Ben Cutting, Xavier Doherty, Aaron Finch, Moises Henriques, Phillip Hughes, Mitchell Johnson, Glenn Maxwell, Clint McKay, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

Hobart, Jan 23 : Australia beat Sri Lanka by 32 runs in the fifth and final match of the Commonwealth Bank Series here at the Bellerive Oval Wednesday night to draw the series 2-2.

Phil Hughes scored his second ton of the series, hitting an impressive unbeaten 138 that helped Australia through to 247/5 in their 50 overs.

Xavier Doherty (3/21) and Moises Henriques (3/32) were the best of the Australian bowlers as they bowled out Sri Lanka for 215 in 48.3 overs while chasing.(IANS)

Mohali, Jan 23 : India beat England by five wickets in the fourth One-Day International (ODI) here at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium Wednesday.

Put in to bat, England made 257/7 in the 50 overs, which India chased down in 47.3 overs.

Suresh Raina top scored with an unbeaten 89 off 79 balls. (IANS)

Gros Islet (St. Lucia), Jan 21 : Only a few days ago, Chris Gayle was lying on a beach in Jamaica soaking up warm mid-January sunshine and unwinding from a difficult Australian Big Bash League (BBL).

There were no thoughts of the ongoing Caribbean Twenty20 in St Lucia after not being considered for the Jamaica squad because of his contractual obligations to Sydney Thunder, reports CMC.

Melbourne, Jan 21 : Cricket Australia's National Selection Panel (NSP) Monday announced a 12-member squad for the two Twenty20 Internationals against Sri Lanka to be played in Sydney and Melbourne across the Australia Day long weekend.

The squad: George Bailey (Captain), Ben Cutting, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Ben Laughlin, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Adam Voges, Matthew Wade, David Warner.

Melbourne, Jan 21:Cricket Australia (CA) Monday fined Melbourne Stars captain Shane Warne $5000 for breaching the CA Code of Behaviour.

Warne was found guilty of breaching Rule 5: Laws of Cricket and Spirit of the Game by CA commissioner Arthur Lodge.

For the Twenty20 Big Bash League (BBL) semifinal last Wednesday night, James Faulkner was listed on the Melbourne Stars team sheet as captain and took part in the coin toss with Perth Scorchers captain Simon Katich.

Gros Islet (St. Lucia), Jan 21 : Left-arm spinner Shanel Daley inspired West Indies women to clean sweep the two-match Twenty20 International series against South Africa, helping them to set up a comfortable six-wicket win in the final encounter here.

Sent in, South Africa laboured to 94/6 off their 20 overs with Daley snaring 3-22 from her four overs Sunday to stifle scoring, reports CMC.

Captain Mignon du Preez top scored with 26 and wicketkeeper Trisha Chetty chipped in with 22, but the runs proved difficult to come by.