Ponting announces retirement from international cricket

Ponting with the urn after the Ashes whitewash

Ricky Ponting has announced his retirement from international cricket before the third test against South Africa at the WACA in Perth. Its the same ground that Ponting made his test debut on in 1995. Ponting announced that he would retire after the third test.

The decision came as a surprise to most of the Aussie squad including long time teammate and current captain Michael Clarke, who could scarcely hide the tears. Ponting led Australia admirably winning two World Cups as captain as well as a 5-0 whitewash of England during the 2006-07 Ashes series. Ponting himself could not hide his emotion and for a man who normally shows no feeling, was teary eyed. He said that the reasons for his retirement were personal rather than for the team as he was not performing up to the standards that he had set for himself.

Ponting led a long and distinguished career scoring over 10,000 runs in both test and ODI's. He was also captain of Australia during their most successful period as the no.1 ranked team in world cricket. The retirement of several key players has diminished the domination that Australia had and Ponting now becomes the last player from the winning team of '99 to retire.

Start of test season brings changes to ICC rankings

Michael Clarke's recording breaking form has seen him become no.1 ranked batsman in test cricket.Clarke's double centuries in Brisbane and Adelaide against South Africa have been rewarded with a return to the top of the ICC rankings.

It is the third time Clarke has made it to the top of the rankings.

Clarke could also be holding the Test Championship mace if Australia beat South Africa in Perth to win the series. South Africa need only a draw to maintain their No. 1 status.

But Clarke's stint as No. 1 batsman could be shortlived if Kumar Sangakarra can turn around his lean form against New Zealand. Sangakarra is second in the rankings, having previously usurped Shivnarine Chanderpaul - now third after a double century and 150 against Bangladesh. Fellow West Indian Marlon Samuels has broken into the top 20 for the first time, reward for his best year in Test cricket and his career-best 260 in West Indies' win over Bangladesh in the second Test.

Kevin Pietersen is back in the top 10 after arguably his best innings, 186 against India in Mumbai. In seventh position he is one place below England captain Alastair Cook, whose centuries in the first two Tests in India have pushed him up a place.

Watson and Johnson in squad for final test

Australia vs South Africa, Third Test, WACA, Perth

Australia have included all-rounder Shane Watson and have recalled fast bowler Mitchell Johnson to the squad for the final test at the WACA ground. Rob Quiney has been dropped after bagging a pair while the injury to James Pattinson means Australia have included Johnson, Josh Hazelwood and John Hastings. 

The fast men have all been called up with the likelihood of Australia playing four quicks at the WACA. The ground boasts of one of the fastest and bounciest pitches in the world. Both Hastings and Hazelwood have never played test match cricket while Johnson played his last test for the Aussies against South Africa in Johannesburg last year. With Peter Siddle exhausted after his exertions in the second inning, all three could get a chance to play. Shane Watson returns to the squad after recovering from injury which kept him out of the first two test matches.

Watson will take the place of Rob Quiney in the batting lineup while he will also be expected to fill in with the ball. Watson had been pulled out of the Champions League T20 to prepare himself for the test matches but suffered a calf strain before the first test. His return will further strengthen the batting lineup and give them an extra option with the ball.

Squad David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shane Watson, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke (capt), Michael Hussey, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Johnson, John Hastings, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

Du Plessis century helps South Africa draw second test

Australia vs South Africa, Adelaide Oval, Second Test- Day 5
South Africa 388(Smith 122) and 248-8 (du Plessis 110*) drew with Australia 550-8 dec (Clarke 230, Morkel 5-146) and 267-8 dec

Faf du Plessis's debut century helped South Africa narrowly avoid defeat in Adelaide. The South Africans were made to bat four and a half sessions to save the game but clung on thanks to du Plessis and AB de Villiers who batted for 220 balls but only made 30. Australia were hamstrung by the loss of James Pattinson to a rib injury but soldiered on. Peter Siddle bowled 63.5 overs in the second innings but he could not force a win.

Earlier in the match, the South African bowlers had been battered by Micheal Clarke's first day double hundred. Australia had reached 482 on the first day but stumbled the next day as South Africa wrapped up their innings rather quickly. The South African reply was led by Graeme Smith's 122 and after being  270-7 at one stage, the South Africans rallied to reach 388.

After South Africa had been set a mammoth target, they batted four exceptionally attritional sessions to save the game. The next test is in Perth in 3 days time and both sides will have casualties. James Pattinson for Australia and Jaque Kallis for the South Africans both suffering injuries.

         South Africa squad set to disperse after drawn test 

Jacques Kallis and Graeme Smith along with couple of the other guys will be heading to the beaches 

After the 1st test ending in a draw,with Australia ending on a higher note,the South African squad is not set to take part in any other practice matches ahead of the 2nd test match which starts November 22nd,in Adelaide.The squad will split up tomorrow and reconvene on November 18th .Coach Gary Kirsten is said to make a quick trip back home to visit his family.

"We've got eight days before the next Test and we try to keep people refreshed," Mohammed Moosajee, South Africa's team manager, told ESPNcricinfo. "Usually, we work on needing four days of preparation for any Test."

Kirsten is the only person heading home will the likes of Assistant coach Russell Domingo, middle-order batsman Jacques Rudolph, physiotherapist Brandon Jackson and performance director Paddy Upton will be diving at the world's largest coral reef. The bulk of the squad, though, will be on the beach. Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel are driving up the coast.

Alviro Petersen is headed directly to Adelaide to spend time with a friend, while Hashim Amla, Imran Tahir, Vernon Philander, Rory Kleinveldt, Robin Peterson and Thami Tsolekile will stay in Brisbane and make the occasional day trip. Dean Elgar, who was added to the squad after JP Duminy's Achilles' injury, will meet up with them on Thursday. Duminy has a follow-up visit with the surgeon who performed his operation on the same day and is due to return home to South Africa at the weekend.

 This is not the first time a coach has left the squad during a series. Allan Donald missed the drawn match in Wellington, while Kirsten was absent for some parts of last year's Cape Town Test when his daughter was born.