The Sydney Morning Herald: national, world, business, entertainment, sport and technology news from Australia's leading newspaper.

Tsotsobe packs for tour down under

BLOEMFONTEIN: Left-arm pace bowler Lonwabo Tsotsobe, 24, is the only new cap in the 15-man South African squad for the three-Test series in Australia next month.

The rock among the sandcastles

Simon Katich's innings has been the difference between two ordinary batting sides performing poorly on an improving deck. Alone among the local batsmen in the second outing, the unfashionable lefty sniffed the ball, bided his time, worked the ball into gaps and selected his shots judiciously, writes Peter Roebuck.

Binga makes the gang of four and returns to his smiling ways

ALMOST a decade after he scattered the stumps of obscure Indian opener Sadagoppan Ramesh to claim his first Test wicket, Brett Lee yesterday became only the fourth Australian to bag 300 and he immediately set his sights on the next milestone.

Breakers' baby boom

SCHOOL'S out and it's time to get stuck into representing NSW. We're not talking about the men's team, which last week defeated New Zealand with a Baby Blues XI. This is the Baby Breakers, the women's squad which features four players who just completed their HSC.

Australians who have carried their bat

Lee joins 300 club with victory in sights

IT MIGHT not have been the ruthless, three-day victory they so dearly sought, but Australia's bold resurgence yesterday will nonetheless provide a welcome boost to a team grappling with an identity crisis.

Love blossoms as Blues falter

IF THE NSW team are too young to remember Martin Love at the height of his career, they got a pretty good idea when the Queenslander posted a fighting century in the Sheffield Shield match at the SCG yesterday.

Aussies on verge of victory in Test

Australia finally wriggled out of a first Test bind and flexed their muscles in a day of domination.

Struggling Hayden's 100th game could be his last ton

THE focus isn't so much on Matthew Hayden's impending 100th Test, as whether he will get to 101. Hayden has spent considerable time mulling his options over the past year, and while he insists the fire within still burns, the fiercely proud Australian opener gave no time frame as to when it might extinguish.

Brutus inspires Blues rally with the bat

TRAGEDY struck the NSW camp yesterday after opening batsman Peter Forrest's father, Ian, passed away following a heart attack on Thursday night. Hugely popular within the team circle, Mr Forrest - affectionately known as "Brutus" - was a regular member of their touring party.

Haddin gets chance to ease pressure

BRAD HADDIN today has a chance to atone for the dropped catch that intensified the glare on Australia's fledgling gloveman, who has struggled to settle in behind the stumps since the retirement of the peerless Adam Gilchrist.

It's not all white: slogan causes stink

CRICKET officials in Dunedin have apologised for using the slogan "It's all white here" to promote a Test match between New Zealand and the visiting West Indies side in the city next month, it was reported yesterday.

The barbarians are at the gate

WHAT was billed as a summer of revival has become a fight for survival, as an unconvincing Australian side struggled again to contend with a spirited, if not polished, New Zealand.

The thin edge of the wedge

CRICKET is in worse trouble than the financial markets and nothing seen at the Gabba is going to brighten its mood, writes Peter Roebuck.

Young Blues struggling at SCG

The youthful New South Wales batting lineup battled for runs on the opening morning of the Sheffield Shield cricket match against Queensland at the SCG.

NZ gain edge despite Katich defiance

A fighting half century by Simon Katich could not stop the pendulum swinging New Zealand's way on day two of the first Test at the Gabba.

Nannes thrown out of Shield clash

Victorian paceman Dirk Nannes was thrown out of the attack, three wickets were taken and Western Australian opener Liam Davis retired hurt during an action-packed start to the Sheffield Shield clash at the WACA Ground.

Sri Lanka thumps Zimbabwe

Sri Lanka cruised to a crushing six-wicket defeat of Zimbabwe on Thursday in the first of five one-day internationals.

Tendulkar returns to face England

One-day cricket's leading batsman Sachin Tendulkar was on Thursday included in the India squad for the next two matches against England, the cricket board said.

South African pacemen crush Bangladesh

Bangladesh were forced to follow on after collapsing against South Africa's pace attack on the second day of the first Test at Springbok Park here on Thursday.

India take 3-0 lead over England

Virender Sehwag's aggressive 68 led India to a 16-run victory against England in the third limited-overs international on Thursday, which was decided under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

Fortune favours the brave, and Vettori is smart enough to make the most of it

DANIEL VETTORI had a day to relish at a storm-battered Gabba. Every now and then a cricket captain crosses his fingers as the coin is tossed, suspecting that the fate of his side depends on its fall.

Exuberance of youth goes both ways

UPBEAT NSW skipper Dominic Thornely denied his young troops got carried away after their tour match victory against New Zealand, but added they must start being more systematic if they are to turn around the disappointing one-day loss to Queensland on Wednesday night against the same opposition today.

Clarke's class shines on dismal day

THIS was not the triumphant homecoming Australia had hoped for, with vice-captain Michael Clarke the only batsman to overcome his Indian malaise against a committed New Zealand attack on the opening day of the summer.

No love for Black Caps

NEW ZEALAND have been friendless in betting on the first Test against Australia despite gaining the upper hand on the first day of play.