Sydney, Feb. 15 : Australian wicketkeeper batsman Brad Haddin will lead the national team for the first time today in the absence of Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke.

With the squad leaving for South Africa on Monday, the Australian selectors have told Ponting to take a break, while his deputy Clarke is recovering from an injury to his back.

"It''s probably come about in the same way that me opening the batting has come about - with blokes being rested or injured," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Haddin as saying on Saturday.

Sydney, Feb 14:

Melbourne, Feb 14 : A rainstorm saved Australia from major humiliation when the match was abandoned with the Kiwis in sight of victory, but skipper Ricky Ponting was left red-faced in a dramatic series finale at the Gabba.

Australia was saved from the final insult of a woeful summer, allowing Ponting's side to retain the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy with the series finishing at 2-2.

Sydney, Feb 13 : Skipper Ricky Ponting is not happy with player management of the Australian team, and believes that getting the issue right is the key to success in the big series this year, including the Ashes.

Ponting through his comments on Thursday made it obvious that he would like more say in the resting and rotational policy of the team as the side prepares for what he said would be the busiest period of his career.

Brisbane, Feb. 13 : Skipper Ricky Ponting believes that Australia's policy of resting its star players is controversial and self-defeating.

Speaking ahead of the final Chappell-Hadlee one-day match between Australia and New Zealand that has begun at the Gabba in Brisbane, Ponting said that while there was a need for Australia's cricketers to rest between matches to avoid a burnout, the current strategy was far from perfect.

Johannesburg/Brisbane, Feb. 12: South African vice-captain Ashwell Prince has expressed his bitter disappointment over being left out of the side for the first two Tests against Australia, while Oz skipper Ricky Ponting has expressed surprise over his omission.

Middle-order batsman Prince made a strong case for selection with 900 Test runs at 64.28 in 2008, but missed South Africa''s historic 2-1 triumph in Australia because of a broken thumb.