Siddle puts Australia in command

A maiden five-wicket haul for paceman Peter Siddle saw Australia finish day three of the third Test on top.

Siddle, who finished with impressive figures of five for 59, took just 22 deliveries to capture the final four wickets and restrict the Proteas to 327.

Boucher arrived at the crease with the Proteas in trouble at 166 for four, but put his head down to grind out a patient 265 minute-innings before Siddle sent his stumps sprawling to secure his first Test five-for.

The veteran Proteas gloveman shared in a 115-run partnership with Morne Morkel (40) to frustrate the home side before the Victorian changed the course of the match with his inspired spell.

Siddle goes on a rampage

Having captured Morkel, Siddle then removed Paul Harris (two) and Dale Steyn (six) in quick succession before capturing the free-swinging Boucher.

Australia openers Matthew Hayden (18) and Simon Katich (9) survived a nervous six-over period before stumps to progress to 33 without loss - a lead of 151.

JP Duminy (11) was the only batsman out in the afternoon session, given out lbw after playing back and being caught on the crease by Mitchell Johnson.

While Morkel rode his luck - playing and missing at a number of deliveries - Boucher also enjoyed some good fortune.

On 27 he played a ball from Nathan Hauritz onto his stumps only for the bails to stay rigid in their grooves.

No luck for Bollinger

Debutant paceman Doug Bollinger bowled without luck in search of his first Test wicket, having strong lbw appeals against Duminy and Morkel turned down by umpire Billy Bowden.

Before lunch Mitchell Johnson struck with the ball and in the field to leave South Africa in trouble.

Johnson shifted dangerman Jacques Kallis (37), caught at first slip by Hayden, then ran out AB de Villiers (11) with a brilliant piece of fielding.

Debutant Andrew McDonald chipped in with his first Test wicket - removing Hashim Amla (51) lbw - as the Proteas' strong overnight position of 125 for one quickly eroded.

The first session yielded just 51 runs for the loss of three wickets.

Hayden fading away

Kallis added one to his overnight tally before driving at Johnson and edging a comfortable catch to Hayden.

Amla passed the half-century mark but was then involved in an unnecessary run out with De Villiers.

Pushing a quick single to Johnson at mid on, Amla called for a run but watched in horror as De Villiers moved slowly out of his crease and was beaten by a direct hit at the wicket-keeper's end.

Aussies being tamed alright

McDonald, who had done an excellent job strangling the South African top order, then trapped Amla with one that nipped back to leave the Proteas in a deep hole at for four before Boucher and Morkel combined.

South Africa skipper Graeme Smith, whose side have already won the series 2-0, is unlikely to play any further part in the match after suffering a hand injury on day two.

CA may downsize Ashes squad

Australia may downsize its Ashes squad for the 2009 series against England by three players, reducing the touring party to 13.

A 16-member side -- one less than the traditional 17 -- travelled to England for the 2005 series which Australia lost, and Cricket Australia is planning to reduce it further for next year.

"Just one tour after cutting the Ashes squad from 17 to 16 members, CA is now thinking to slash 3 more players," 'The Australian' newspaper reported.

The back-up players, instead of travelling with the team, would be put on standby even as they play for their state and county sides.

"The make-up of that squad is incredibly up in the air. It could be anywhere from 13 to 16 in that group," the daily quoted a source as saying.

"Why would you have 15 or 16 there when they're just going to be carrying bags or sitting watching the blokes in the nets? The thinking is why would we carry 15 around as the whole group when the reality is three blokes are there without much of a prospect of playing any cricket?" he reasoned.

A decision on the size of the squad is likely to be made next month.

South Africa nail down historic win

South Africa won their first-ever Test series in Australia after they reached their victory target of 183.

Skipper Graeme Smith made 75 while fellow opener Neil McKenzie finished 59 not out to give the Proteas an unassailable 2-0 lead going into the final Test in Sydney.

Following their stunning fightback in Perth, where they chased down 414 in the second innings, the tourists once again were on the back foot as they were reduced to 198 for seven at the end of day two in reply to Australia`s 394.

Hayden in the squad for Sydney

But a ninth-wicket partnership of 180 between Jean-Paul Duminy, who made 166, and Dale Steyn (76) helped them take an unlikely lead before the latter`s five wickets saw Australia dismissed for 247 in their second innings.

South Africa eye top spot

And skipper Smith, who has been in fine form throughout the series so far, laid the foundations with an aggressive innings that saw South Africa comfortably make the 183 they needed as the Australian bowlers failed to make any significant inroads on the final day in Melbourne.

Smith departed lbw to Nathan Hauritz shortly before lunch but McKenzie and Hashim Amla (30 not out) saw their side home to inflict a first home Test series defeat on Australia since they lost to the West Indies in 1992-1993.

New Zealand all-rounder Styris out for six weeks

New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris will be out for six weeks after breaking his thumb in the opening Twenty20 match against the West Indies, New Zealand team officials said Saturday.

Styris, a limited overs specialist, was injured during his short-lived knock of 21 from 12 balls in Friday's match when he was rapped on the hand by a delivery from Fidel Edwards.

The West Indies won the encounter in a one-over bowl-off after the scores were tied at 155-all at the end of the regulation innings.

The New Zealand management said Styris was to have a pin inserted in his right thumb.

There would be no replacement added to the squad for Sunday's second and final Twenty20 match, opening the way for either the uncapped Ewen Thompson or Friday's 12th man Mark Gillespie to make the starting XI.

Uncapped Broom picked for Kiwis

Broom toured Australia and India with Emerging Players and New Zealand A

Uncapped batsman Neil Broom was named in New Zealand's 13-man squad for the first two matches of a five-game one-day series against West Indies.

The 25-year-old Broom replaces Scott Styris, who is out for six weeks after breaking his thumb on Friday.

All-rounder Grant Elliott and opening batsman Jamie How have also been recalled to the squad.

Rookie Ewen Thompson and fellow all-rounder James Franklin were the two players released.

"Neil performed well with the bat in Australia and India with the Emerging Players and New Zealand A," said head selector Glenn Turner.

"He's also been scoring a lot of runs in (domestic cricket) this summer.

"Grant gives us options with both bat and ball. He can come in down the order and push the ball around and also offers a good bowling option with his medium-paced swing."
The first one-day international is in Queenstown on 31 December, with the second in Christchurch on 3 January.

South African one-day championship standings

South African one-day championship standings on Saturday (played, won, tied, lost, no result, points):

Central Eagles 9 6 0 2 1 29 Northern Titans 8 6 0 2 0 25 Western Cape Cobras 7 3 0 2 2 17 KwaZulu-Natal Dolphins 8 3 0 4 1 15 Highveld Lions 9 2 0 7 0 9 Eastern Cape Warriors 7 2 0 5 0 9

Remaining fixtures

Dec 28

At Paarl

Cobras v Eagles 0800GMT

At East London

Warriors v Titans 0800

Jan 2

At Cape Town

Cobras v Warriors 1415

At Durban

Dolphins v Titans 1415

Jan 4

At Paarl

Cobras v Lions 0800

At Port Elizabeth

Warriors v Dolphins 1415

New Broom sweeps into New Zealand team

Batsman Neil Broom is the one new face in the New Zealand cricket side named Sunday for the first two one-day internationals against the West Indies.

The squad contains three changes from the Twenty20 side with Grant Elliott and Jamie How recalled to the team.

Broom comes in for the injured Scott Styris, who broke a thumb in the first Twenty20 match on Friday, while James Franklin and Ewen Thompson are the two players omitted.

The head of the selection panel, Glenn Turner, said Broom had shown his potential as an international batsman playing in Australia and India with the Emerging Players and New Zealand A sides.

The second and final Twenty20 match is to be played in Hamilton on Sunday evening with the first one-day international in Queenstown on Wednesday.

New Zealand ODI squad:

Daniel Vettori (captain), Neil Broom, Grant Elliott, Daniel Flynn, Mark Gillespie, Jamie How, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jeetan Patel, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.

Border: T20 good for the game

Allan Border feels Twenty20 cricket is good for youngsters and certainly has high commercial value.

Border says the T20 format maynot be bowler-friendly, can attract new viewership.

Border also sees the Twenty20 franchises challenging the primacy of the traditional game and was of the view that it would be challenging for the administrators to run three versions of the game.

"While it worries me T20 cricket discourages bowlers, I can see it is a good package from a commercial standpoint. It brings new viewership to the game and is a good entry level game for kids. But that said, Test cricket must be preserved. Certainly having three forms of the game is testing for the programmers," he was quoted as saying by 'The Australian'.

"This is a vital period; a huge challenge to see whether the three forms of the game can co-exist," he added.

Border, who played 156 Tests and led Australia a record 93 times, still serves the game as a director of both Queensland Cricket and Cricket Australia.

For a time after his retirement from the Test arena in 1994, he served as a national selector and as a manager and mentor to emerging international players.

However, Border does not aspire to become Cricket Australia chief.

"The way the game has developed the chairman's is effectively a full-time job and I don't see myself in that role," Border said.

His only on-field activity now is mostly on beach cricket sponsored by an Australian beer company and playing Warehouse Cricket matches at Marchant Park in Brisbane along with his 24-year-old son Dene.

Murali puts Bangla in a spin

Bangladesh were once again undone by Muttiah Muralitharan, as they slipped to 177 for nine against Sri Lanka.

Muralitharan took his wickets total against the Tigers to 81 at a miserly 11.8 with yet another five-wicket haul in Mirpur.

Bangladesh began the day in a promising position with tourists on 172 for six, but closed 116 runs behind with one wicket remaining.

The turnaround started when Thilan Samaraweera (90) and Chaminda Vaas (37) put on 99 for the seventh wicket to take the tourists to 293, despite figures of five for 70 from Shakib Al-Hasan.

The hosts began the morning session looking to wrap up the Sri Lankan innings but found Samaraweera and Vaas resolute obstacles.

Vaas cracked the first boundary of the day in just the third over when he cut Shahadat Hossain to the fence before giving Al-Hasan the same treatment.

Samaraweera then took over, punishing Mahbubul Alam with consecutive fours as Sri Lanka forged past 200. The 32-year-old then whipped Al-Hasan through midwicket for his eighth boundary to bring up his 16th Test fifty from 83 balls.

Mashrafe Mortaza made the breakthrough with the new ball, getting one to move one away from Vaas and a thin edge carried through to wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim to leave Sri Lanka 270 for seven.

Shakib dismissed Dammika Prasad for three and Rangana Herath was run out, before the spinner removed Samaraweera to end the innings.

Bangladesh began their reply confidently, reaching 44 before Tamim Iqbal (17) gloved Muralitharan to Malinda Warnapura at short leg.

It was a steady stream after that, with Imrul Kayes (33) falling to a Vaas short ball and Mohammad Ashraful (12) finding Tillakaratne Dilshan with an uppish drive to give the seamer his second.

Muralitharan then bowled Junaid Siddique for 29 in the last over before tea to complete an excellent session for Sri Lanka.

The parade continued after the break as a number of Bangladesh batsmen got starts but failed to make meaningful contributions.

Raqibul Hasan (11) was bowled by Prasad and Herath drew and indudicious stroker from Mehrab Hossain Jnr which saw him caught at slip for 29.

Murali then removed Shakib (26) and Mortaza (0) in successive balls, before having Shahadat Hossain stumped just before the close for his 66th five-wicket haul in Tests.