Johannesburg, Feb. 28 : Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke has rallied behind young opening batsman Phil Hughes, who made a fourth-ball duck on debut against South Africa.

Hughes, aged just 20, tried to cut a short ball from Dale Steyn in the first over of the match and was caught behind.

"He was disappointed," said Clarke, who made 151 in his Test debut against India in Bangalore in 2004, aged 23.

"He wanted to do really well but he''s a pretty tough cookie and it was a pretty tough wicket to make his debut on.

Johannesburg, Feb. 28 : Having scored a combative 117 in his debut Test, 29-year-old Australian all rounder Marcus North, is keen to deliver some more of the same at the international level.

North was extremely upset upon his dismissal, and that in itself, is an indication of his approach to the game.

The 29-year-old West Australian scored almost 9000 first-class runs before winning a baggy green. He has also become the 18th Australian to score a century on debut.

North and Mitchell Johnson (96 not out) had steered Australia from 7-296 to 8-413 with a record partnership of 117 but North clearly wasn''t satisfied.

Johannesburg, Feb. 28: Former Australian leg spinner Shane Warne believes the Australian selectors have erred hugely in not picking Victorian Bryce McGain for the first Test against South Africa.

"Bryce McGain is clearly the best spinner in Australia. I was disappointed that he was not picked for the first Test in South Africa. The South Africans don''t play wristies well," Warne was quoted, as saying.

Johannesburg - Southern African leaders will hold yet another summit on Zimbabwe, this time to discuss the new government's request for 2 billion dollars in aid, South Africa's foreign affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said Friday.

Reporting back on a meeting of Southern African Development Community (SADC) ministers in Cape Town, Dlamini-Zuma said the finance ministers from the 15-nation bloc had drawn up a "regionally-supported" economic recovery programme for cash-strapped Zimbabwe.

Melbourne, Feb 26 : Johannesburg's bullring stadium, the Wanderers Ground, provides no refuge for the timid cricketer and has always produced results either good or bad.

The last time Australian and South Africa played a one-day international at the ground, Australia set a world-record score of 434 only to watch the home side better it in the next innings.

Australia, meanwhile, have a 3-1 post-Apartheid record in Test matches, having twice won by an innings, FOX Sports reported.

Australia and South Africa are eying the top spot in the ICC Test rankings ahead of the three-Test series, which begins here from today.  

It can be recalled here that Aussie’s are clinging on to the top spot - a position it has held for almost six years - with 126 points.

However, the Proteas, with 121 points, are also not too behind them.

With 118 points, India is placed at third position.