Durban (South Africa), Mar 4 : Australian fast bowlers Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus, who are recovering from their respective injuries, are doubtful starters for the second cricket Test against South Africa on March 6.

While Siddle has left-foot soreness, Hilfenhaus is suffering from lower-back pain.

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch has already announced that Western Australia paceman Steve Magoffin, who would be having his Test debut, would be flown to Durban "as a precautionary measure".

Pretoria - South African Gordon Parratt and his wife drove for 170 kilometres aware that a deadly spitting cobra was in their car - but not knowing exactly where, it was reported Wednesday.

Parratt felt the 85-centimetre-long snake against his leg several times during the drive from the Kruger National Park, and at one point "the snake wound itself around my left leg and ankle - its head came up to my knee," Beeld newspaper quoted him as saying.

"Fortunately I'm not the panicky type. My wife immediately put her feet up on the dashboard," Parratt added.

Johannesburg, Mar. 4 : Former Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson, who had criticized cricket teams for canceling their Pakistan tours due to security fears, now concedes "everything has changed" after the terror attack on Lankan cricketers in Lahore.

Johannesburg, Mar. 4 : Cricket Australia (CA) has indicated that next year''s scheduled cricket Tests between Australia and Pakistan could be held in England. The discussions had been going on for several weeks before Tuesday's terror attack in Lahore.

"Pakistan has accepted for some time that we aren't able to visit because of the safety and security concerns in that nation. Pakistan has started the discussion about playing three Test matches at neutral venues in England in 2010," CA spokesman Peter Young said.

Powered by a tidy bowling performance, India registered a comprehensive 23-run victory over South Africa in their women's World Cup warm-up fixture in Sydney on Tuesday.

Batting first, the star studded Indian team could only score 167 runs in 45.3 overs.

Opening batsman Anjum Chopra top scored with 53. In a 107 ball knock, Chopra scored 73 runs for the second wicket with former skipper Mithali Raj, who scored a crucial 29 runs.

For South Africa, pace bowler Shabnim Ismail took 4 wickets for 35 runs.
 

Johannesburg - Twenty-eight parties plan to contest general elections in South Africa on April 22, the country's independent electoral commission (IEC) said Tuesday.

Of the 28 parties, 11 will contest seats to the National Assembly and all nine provinces in the concomitant national and provincial polls, the IEC said.

Of the three parties that are only fielding candidates for the 400-seat National Assembly, one is called Keep It Straight and Simple (KISS) and another A Party.