Smith plays down SA top ranking

South Africa captain Graeme Smith feels the team's current world number one ranking will count for nothing when the World Cup starts on 13 March.

South Africa have overtaken Australia as the leading one-day side after a series win against Pakistan and Australia's slump in form.

"Of course it's nice to be number one and it is a reward for our good form.

"But at the World Cup, it is necessary to maintain your best for more than a month," Smith said.

South Africa and Australia will clash in the group stages on 24 March.

Having comprehensively beaten India and Pakistan in home series, and seen Australia lose to England and New Zealand, the South Africans are highly fancied to win that game.

"It is dangerous to predict you'll win the World Cup, but we are confident," said Smith, whose team failed to reach the Super Six stage when they hosted the tournament four years ago.

"Previous South African teams may have allowed too many expectations to be created but I don't think it's going to happen this time," he added.

The skipper also believes Australia's current losing run will not last long.

"They have match-winners such as Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist who still have to return and will make a big difference. Their main problem is injuries and the way they solve that will probably determine their fate."

One-day crown 'boosts S Africa'

South Africa will head to the World Cup in a confident mood after toppling Australia at the top of the world one-day rankings, says Allan Donald.

Australia lost the title after slumping to their fourth consecutive defeat in a five-wicket loss to New Zealand.

South Africa sealed a 3-1 victory over Pakistan to move into top spot with three weeks to go before the World Cup.

"It's a great honour for South Africa, it's come at the right time," the former fast bowler told BBC Five Live.

"They played all right against Pakistan but I still think a few things need to be ironed out before the World Cup starts but this will give South Africa a massive boost, " said Donald, who played in 72 Tests and 164 ODIs for South Africa.

"To win World Cups you need to have 15 players in form, or 15 players that you know you can pick one or the other.

"South Africa are just catching that momentum, they are just moving in with a lot more confidence."

"I think it's anybody's cup this year, I think it's going to be closer than anyone thinks and I don't think one side is going to run away with it"

Allan Donald

Donald said it was difficult to predict the winner of the World Cup, which starts in the Caribbean on 13 March, with pre-tournament favourites Australia suffering a wobble in form.

"Maybe Australia are feeling the heat a little bit because I think there could be a few players who are really tired," he said.

"The timing of it, although Australia will not admit it, going into the World Cup a little bit bruised and a few egos being hurt.

"I think it's anybody's cup this year, I think it's going to be closer than anyone thinks and I don't think one side is going to run away with it.

"England have got such a massive confidence boost beating Australia in Australia in the CB Series after being whipping boys in the Ashes."

One-day crown 'boosts S Africa'

South Africa will head to the World Cup in a confident mood after toppling Australia at the top of the world one-day rankings, says Allan Donald.

Australia lost the title after slumping to their fourth consecutive defeat in a five-wicket loss to New Zealand.

South Africa sealed a 3-1 victory over Pakistan to move into top spot with three weeks to go before the World Cup.

"It's a great honour for South Africa, it's come at the right time," the former fast bowler told BBC Five Live.

"They played all right against Pakistan but I still think a few things need to be ironed out before the World Cup starts but this will give South Africa a massive boost, " said Donald, who played in 72 Tests and 164 ODIs for South Africa.

"To win World Cups you need to have 15 players in form, or 15 players that you know you can pick one or the other.

"South Africa are just catching that momentum, they are just moving in with a lot more confidence."

"I think it's anybody's cup this year, I think it's going to be closer than anyone thinks and I don't think one side is going to run away with it"

Allan Donald

Donald said it was difficult to predict the winner of the World Cup, which starts in the Caribbean on 13 March, with pre-tournament favourites Australia suffering a wobble in form.

"Maybe Australia are feeling the heat a little bit because I think there could be a few players who are really tired," he said.

"The timing of it, although Australia will not admit it, going into the World Cup a little bit bruised and a few egos being hurt.

"I think it's anybody's cup this year, I think it's going to be closer than anyone thinks and I don't think one side is going to run away with it.

"England have got such a massive confidence boost beating Australia in Australia in the CB Series after being whipping boys in the Ashes."

Gibbs racist comment ban upheld

South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs has had his appeal against a ban for making racist comments rejected.

Gibbs was heard on a stump microphone making comments about Pakistan fans during the first Test at Centurion.

He will now miss the third Test, which starts on Friday, a one-day match and a Twenty20 international.

However, appeals commissioner Richie Benaud, the former Australia captain, said: "I certainly do not consider Herschelle to be a racist".

Benaud heard the appeal on Wednesday in a teleconference also involving Gibbs, ICC match referee Chris Broad and their legal representatives.

Gibbs' comments were made after team-mate Paul Harris was verbally abused by members of the crowd.

He was found guilty of "language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person's race, religion, colour, descent or national or ethic origin".

"Players, no matter where they may be, should always bear in mind that a microphone could be live"

Richie Benaud

He played in the second Test, which Pakistan won to level the series at 1-1, pending his appeal hearing.

International Cricket Council rules say a player must serve the suspension in the next matches in which he was scheduled to play.

Gibbs' representatives had claimed the stump microphones should have been switched off as outlined in an ICC memo, and that invalidated the evidence.

However Benaud, one of the ICC's most experienced appeals commissioners, did not feel that was valid grounds for an appeal.

"With the benefit of some experience I am able to add that players, no matter where they may be, should always bear in mind that a microphone could be live," he wrote in his verdict.

"That does not just apply to stump microphones used by television networks, but it could be in a radio studio or in a press conference with the print media.

"There is no malice about it, but it could happen just because someone has not pushed a button or pulled a switch."

South Africa captain Graeme Smith said he was disappointed at losing Gibbs and hoped to discuss the issues with ICC general manager David Richardson and chief executive Malcolm Speed.

"We have one or two gripes with the ICC, I guess, and maybe this is not the forum to discuss it," he said at a media conference before the third Test.

"Maybe we need to get on the phone with Dave Richardson and Malcolm Speed and discuss these things.

"We just want to see consistency in decision making around the world. We've experienced things that haven't been dealt with."

Smith was believed to be referring to incidents in Australia last season, when it was alleged racist remarks were made against the South African players by spectators.

Ntini savours 300-wicket landmark

South Africa paceman Makhaya Ntini was delighted to record his 300th Test wicket before his home supporters.

Ntini, in his 74th Test, said: "It's been a marvellous day, to take my 300th wicket at home was great.

"Not all of us get to do that. It means more than anything to do it in front of your own people, in that atmosphere."

South Africa are 26 behind at 115-3 but Ntini is hopeful, adding: "The wicket is an absolute belter, once you get in, there is nothing the bowler can do."

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Imran Farhat was cleared of breaching the International Cricket Council's code of conduct for claiming a catch off Ashwell Prince that television replays showed had bounced.

"The umpires got together and watched the replays of the incident, and decided that the fielder should have known the ball had bounced," match referee Chris Broad said.

"I felt that until they had seen the slow motion replay no-one had questioned whether the ball had bounced. There was no blame laid at the fielder's door."

India ready for SA series decider

Third Test, Cape Town: South Africa v India
Match starts 0830 GMT Tuesday
India are looking for a big improvement from their batsmen as they seek a first Test series victory in South Africa.

They failed to bat out the final day in Durban as South Africa evened things up at 1-1, so the pressure will be intense for the decider in Cape Town.

Keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni faces a check on a bruised finger but India are hopeful he will be fit to play.

South Africa, meanwhile, could give a debut to spinner Paul Harris, probably at the expense of paceman Morne Morkel.

But they will only finalise their side when all-rounder Jacques Kallis has undergone a test on the back problem which kept him out of the second Test.

Skipper Graeme Smith was delighted by their 174-run victory in Durban on Saturday but said: "Our feet are firmly on the ground. We know what we have to do. It starts all over again."

India may look to freshen up their bowling attack with either fast bowler Munaf Patel or off-spinner Harbhajan Singh replacing VRV Singh.
"We've got two fast bowlers and a spinner [Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Zaheer Khan and Anil Kumble] who have done a great job for us and a lot of work as well," captain Rahul Dravid admitted.

But of far greater concern is the performance of their batting line-up which has so far failed to register a single century in the series.

Dravid and Virender Sehwag in particular have been short of runs and Sehwag's confidence will not have been lifted by comments the Press Trust of India attributed to chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar, who described the opener's form as "miserable".

Vengsarkar added: "Unless and until you get a good start you cannot get a big score on the board and if you want to score 300, you must have a good start."

Dravid, meanwhile, has refused to dwell on the game in Durban and his side are unlikely to lack nerve having won the final Test in the West Indies last year to seal a series victory.

"It's exciting. We've been competitive with the South Africa team.

"We've stayed with them over the course of both these Test matches so we are quite excited about the next Test match and hope it's a good one."

Pathan leaves South Africa tour

India paceman Irfan Pathan has returned home from the tour of South Africa after struggling for form.

The 22-year-old left-arm seamer took only one wicket in three one-day games and was left out for the Test matches.

Indian cricket board officials said the management and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar had asked Pathan to play domestic matches to regain confidence.

Pathan made an impressive start to his international career and has taken 91 Test and 114 one-day scalps since 2003.
BBC sports production

Prince puts South Africa on track!

Bad light stops play. Right after the Kumble over,which was the 73rd over of the day, as it got all dark around the arena, the umpires had a chat with each other and decided to offer the light to the batsmen who had no hesitation in accepting it. The lights are on here but remember it's the red cherry we are playing with.
the score at the moment is:257/8.
The batsmen at the crease and their score is like:
*AG Prince (lhb) 98(181)
M Morkel (lhb) 0(1)

Name O M R W economy
kumble 22.0 1 48 2 2.18
VRV Singh 13.0 1 60 1 4.61

stay tuned for more updates:)