South Africa in Australia

Australia held the upper hand, as Glenn McGrath strikes twice after an unfortunately rain-reduced opening day of the second Test in Melbourne.

Boxing Day is traditionally the biggest day on the Australian cricket calendar with its usually massive post-Christmas crowd, but sadly one of the traditions of the fixture in recent times has also been rain, on a day when Test cricket has a chance to sell itself to a large number of people.

Only 40 overs were possible, in which South Africa laboured to a precarious 89/3, with Jacques Kallis 22 not out and Neil McKenzie 14 when play was abandoned.

Miscellaneous

Pakistan's prolific opening batsman Saeed Anwar has been ruled out of a tour of Bangladesh starting next week after suffering a wrist injury.

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Sri Lanka skipper Sanath Jayasuriya has warned his players against complacency ahead of a three-Test series against Zimbabwe starting on Thursday.

"We cannot be complacent against the Zimbabweans because you never know when they will come back and play well," said Jayasuriya.

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Leg-spinner Brian Murphy has become the latest Zimbabwe captain to relinquish the job when he opted to stand down for the first Test against Sri Lanka starting on Thursday.

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Skipper Samir Dighe's masterly knock of 68 (off 72 balls) helped Mumbai beat Gujarat by five wickets in the Ranji trophy one-day league tournament at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.

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