Steve Waugh sacked
Shane Warne, the controversial Australian leg-spinning great, looks set to be named captain of his country's one-day team, after the dumping of long-serving captain Steve Waugh.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that betting has firmed on Warne being announced as the new one-day skipper in the next few days. Although the chairman of the selection committee, Trevor Hohns refused to speculate on a possible successor to Waugh, the Herald says that sources point to Warne.
The captaincy would be a remarkable turnaround for Warne. Despite a proud record of 10 wins from 11 games as Australia's one-day skipper (during the 1998/1999 season), his leadership aspirations appeared dashed when he was dumped as vice-captain after a phone sex scandal midway through 2000.
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Mark Taylor, who himself was sacked five years ago as Australian one-day captain, reckons 36-year-old Steve Waugh faces a nigh-impossible task to get back into the squad.
Taylor was ousted two years before Australia's 1999 World Cup, which was brilliantly won by Steve Waugh's men after an uncertain start.
Waugh's captaincy was key to their revival in that tournament, but now the Australian selectors feel another man must lead the side 12 months time in South Africa.
Australian television networks fought to obtain reaction to the demise of Waugh on Wednesday.
And Taylor, who is now a TV commentator, said: "I think the writing has been on the wall. Things certainly haven't gone his way. I think it will be very hard for him to force his way back into the side, mainly because he is 36."
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Steve Waugh's sacking from the one-day squad has shocked some of his biggest rivals including South African captain Shaun Pollock, who described the decision as "surprising".
"I do think it is a little surprising," South African captain Shaun Pollock told Reuters today.
"Obviously they (the Australian Cricket Board) feel strongly about it and with the World Cup here in South Africa next year they probably want to allow the person who is taking over to get an opportunity here."
Pollock said his side had not considered Waugh to be a weak point in the Australian team during the recent one-day series in Australia, and that he expected the decision to make him all the more dangerous in the forthcoming Tests here.
"I don't think he was a weak link. He probably didn't perform as well as he would have wanted to in the one-day side but I didn't think he would be left out.
England in New Zealand
Coach Duncan Fletcher has called on England's middle order to shape up after another batting collapse saw the tourists lost the first one-day international in New Zealand.
And captain Nasser Hussain said his batsmen, "Threw the game away; it's as simple as that."
England fell from 156 for two to 196 all out in Christchurch, a total their hosts surpassed with three overs and four wickets in hand.
Full scorecard
Zimbabwe in India
Sourav Ganguly has been retained as captain for India's home series against Zimbabwe starting next week.
"Sourav Ganguly has been selected as captain only for the Zimbabwe series, both for the Tests and one-dayers," said Indian cricket board secretary Niranjan Shah.
Chairman of selectors Chandu Borde said Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble had also been considered for the post but the selectors unanimously decided in Ganguly's favour.
Ganguly scored just 68 runs at an average of 22.66 in his team's 1-0 win over England in the three-Test series last December.
Pakistan and West Indies in Sharjah
The West Indies enter a three-match one-day series against Pakistan on Valentine's Day in Sharjah with captain Carl Hooper anxious to see a vast improvement in the team's fielding.
The Caribbean men were comfortably beaten in the two Tests in the Emirates and their skipper needs things to improve.
"We can't afford to let the match drift by poor fielding as we did during the Tests," Hooper told reporters.
"We badly need to improve our fielding and take all catches that come our way.
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