Proteas spinner calls IPL an unfair advantage

May 26th, 2009 CAPE TOWN - South Africa, batsmen are surely going to thrive at the ICC World Twenty20 event in England, which going to start in June, if the Indian Premier League is a reasonable yardstick for judging their form. This will be particularly true in the batting department, where several Proteas stars boasted imperious statistics from the just-finished IPL: There were four of them among the top 11 run-scorers at the IPL.

May 12th, 2009 JOHANNESBURG - South African off-spinner Johan Botha has been cleared to bowl by the International Cricket Council (ICC). South Africa's limited-overs vice-captain Botha had been cited for a suspected illegal action by umpires after the ODI against Australia in Port Elizabeth in April.

May 5th, 2009 CAPE TOWN - Proteas coach Mickey Arthur believes that the squad selected for the Twenty20 World Cup to played in England from next month, is capable of lifting the trophy irrespective of the playing conditions. Expressing his delight with the squad of 15, Sports24 quoted Arthur as saying: "I have confidence in the squad.

May 5th, 2009 CAPE TOWN - The assistant coach of the South African cricket team, Vincent Barnes, has said that controversial off spinner Johan Botha has been technically cleared to join the national squad for next month's Twenty20 World Cup in England. Botha returned to South Africa from Perth on Saturday after his bowling action was tested for a second time at the University of Western Australia.

May 1st, 2009 Ferrari president attacks 'unfair' F1 budget capLONDON — Ferrari has accused Formula One's governing body of damaging the sport with the planned introduction of a voluntary budget cap, in letters sent to the FIA by president Luca di Montezemolo. In cost-cutting measures announced Thursday, the World Motor Sport Council said teams who accept a $59 million cap will be given more technical freedom next year.

April 17th, 2009 CAPE TOWN - A meeting between the ICC and leading bio-mechanists last month could ensure a more difficult path for South African spinner Johan Botha to clear his name from chucking allegations. Bruce Elliott, the University of Western Australia professor who last examined Botha's action in 2006, said a bowler's elbow flexion would no longer be assessed by taking an average reading over several overs, but rather on a one-strike-and-you're-out basis.

April 16th, 2009 CAPE TOWN - South African vice-captain Jacques Kallis, who was omitted from the first Twenty20 World Cup on home soil nearly two years ago, may be a shock inclusion in the South African squad for the second Twenty20 World Cup to be held in England in June. There are now strong rumours that he may make the Proteas' squad of 15 for the tournament in England, reports the Die Burger newspaper.

April 8th, 2009 BLOEMFONTEIN - Former Australian cricket team coach John Buchanan believes that the openers are the weak link in the ongoing one-day series against the South Africans. The Kolkata Knight Riders coach is in Bloemfontein preparing for the second edition of the Indian Premier League that gets underway from April 18.

March 30th, 2009 CAPE TOWN - A battery of South African spinners-acting captain Johan Botha, seasoned Robin Peterson and debutant Roelof van der Merwe played a crucial, luminary role in South Africa bagging the Standard Bank Pro20 highveld mini-series 2-0 against Australia. The series sweep was a complete reversal of what happened Down Under several weeks back, and the weekend's successive wins before ecstatic, capacity crowds at the Wanderers and Centurion respectively stand the Proteas in pretty good stead for the second World Twenty20 jamboree in England not too long up the drag.

March 23rd, 2009 CAPE TOWN - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has appealed to the national selectors to provide him with a specialist spinner for the Ashes series. The appeal has gone out following the disastrous debut of Bryce McGain in Cape Town, reports The Age.

March 19th, 2009 CAPE TOWN - Australia have made clear their intentions to push hard for a 3-0 sweep of their Test series against South Africa by suggesting that stand-in Proteas skipper Jacques Kallis has "enough on his plate". Kallis quit as vice-captain in 2007 after being left out of Proteas' squad for the ICC Twenty20 World Cup.

March 18th, 2009 CAPE TOWN - Australia batsman Mike Hussey says spinners Nathan Hauritz and Bryce McGain are under consideration for Thursday's third Test against South Africa in Cape Town. Leg-spinner McGain, 36, was set to make his Test debut in India last October but was sent home for shoulder surgery and has been overlooked for the Johannesburg and Durban Tests on the South African tour because of pitches that favoured the fast bowlers.

March 16th, 2009 CAPE TOWN - After having his path blocked to Test cricket by part-time spinners, many believe the time has arrived for Bryce McGain to try out his leggies on the big stage. Australia has searched unsuccessfully for a spinner since Shane Warne's retirement, and many believe McGain's wrist spin is the best option.

March 2nd, 2009 SYDNEY - Spin wizard Shane Warne said Australia should have taken a specialist spinner in Bryce McGain for the Test series in South Africa. Australia has no specialist spinner for the ongoing opening encounter at the Wanderers Stadium and is relying on the part-time off-spin of Marcus North and vice-captain Michael Clarke to help the pace attack.

December 22nd, 2008 MELBOURNE - Australian spinner Nathan Hauritz who was included in the squad for the Boxing Day Test against South Africa might not get a place in the playing eleven. Coach Tim Nielsen said he favoured the idea of playing a spinner, but would not guarantee Hauritz a start until the Australians had assessed the conditions closer to the game.