Australia in South Africa

Just like predecessor Steve Waugh would often chat to vice-captain Adam Gilchrist or Shane Warne, Ponting seeks the ear of confidants Darren Lehmann and Gilchrist.

"Darren has an excellent cricket brain and he's very experienced with his time at Yorkshire and South Australia," Ponting said.

"I'll always go to him because he thinks really well about the game."

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Shane Watson's tour of South Africa is proving successful even if he has so far collected more nicknames than one-day international appearances.

The 20-year-old allrounder has become known as "Willie", after former New Zealand medium pacer Willie Watson, and "Ken Doll", because he struggled during an exercise routine in the first weeks of the Australian squad's tour.

"We had to do some push-ups early and I couldn't get through all of them - and I was sore for days afterwards," Watson said.

England in New Zealand

New Zealand wicketkeeper Adam Parore is expected to bow out of Test cricket after the final test against England in Auckland on Saturday.

Parore survived the cut today when the New Zealand selectors announced a re-arranged squad of 12 players for Auckland.

However, The Evening Post has reported Parore is to call a press conference in Auckland on Good Friday when he will announce the England test will be his last.

Hollioake's funeral

England captain Nasser Hussain has been selected to represent his team at the funeral of Ben Hollioake, who died in a car crash on Friday.

In an attempt to minimise disruption ahead of the crucial final Test against New Zealand, Hussain will travel to Perth to pay tribute to the young all-rounder.

Chairman of selectors David Graveney has already flown to Australia from England's base in Auckland.

Miscellaneous

Queensland wrapped up their fifth Sheffield Shield title on Tuesday, after defeating Tasmania by 235 runs in the final of Australia's domestic cricket competition.

Needing 530 to win, Tasmania were all out in their second innings for 294, almost an hour after lunch on the fifth day.

The result means that Tasmania are still without a success in the contest after taking part for 25 years.

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Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan has said Australia are the best one-day side at the moment but next year's World Cup in South Africa is still wide open.

"Australia is a cut above the rest but except for 1979 no favourite team has ever won the World Cup, so it will be a wide open tournament in South Africa," said Khan, who moved into politics after his retirement in the early 1990s.

"Australia does remain the top team, yet any other team can lift the cup."

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