'Losing wickets in bunches is something have to plug'
Chris Martin struck back for New Zealand with two quick wickets to leave South Africa on 27 for 2 at the close of play on a rain-hit first day in the second Test in Hamilton on Thursday after the hosts' middle order had collapsed.
Kallis had earlier said that not entering the tournament as favourites could work in South Africa's favour.
Galle has built a reputation as a spinners' paradise but Australia captain Steve Smith hopes there will be substantial reverse swing at the venue as his top-ranked team bid for a series-levelling win against Sri Lanka in the second test. Sri Lanka inflicted a 106-run defeat on the touring side at Pallekele last week in the opening match of the three-test series with the spinners taking 18 out of 20 Australian wickets to fall.
Australia captain Michael Clarke said helping his team when they were under pressure was the best part of his century on the opening day of the first Test against South Africa on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka beat South Africa by 199 runs with more than a day to spare in the second and final Test to complete a 2-0 series sweep at Colombo's Sinhalese Sports Club Ground on Monday.
Faf du Plessis pointed out that they were missing out on their best players due to the Kolpak deal.
Having decimated South Africa inside three days on a turning track in Mohali, India will again look to unleash their troika of spinners to spoil A B de Villiers's landmark 100th match when the two sides meet in the second Test, in Bangalore, on Saturday.
Sri Lanka, looking to square the three-match series 1-1, were in complete command after 14 wickets tumbled on the second day of the second Test against South Africa at Kingsmead, on Tuesday.
South Africa paceman Morne Morkel thrived on a fast WACA pitch to capture five wickets but the tourists made hard work of a three-wicket victory over Australia in the second one-day international in Perth on Sunday.
Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming on Saturday exuded confidence that the defending champions have enough firepower in their batting to take on Deccan Chargers pace attack which played havoc against Kochi Tuskers Kerala in their last IPL match.
Rajasthan Royals, who have won their last two games, will look for another victory against RCB and keep their hopes alive of making it to the IPL play-offs.
The likes of Virender Sehwag, David Miller and Glenn Maxwell have not managed to live up to expectations for Kings XI Punjab in IPL 8.
The South Africans seem to be making the most of it on the Indian soil as both their batsmen and bowlers have proved their worth in the IPL so far and even look set to dominate the fifth edition of the tournament.
Moeen Ali, who is set to return to England to prepare for the upcoming World Cup, says leaving the Indian Premier League midway through the season is a shame, especially when there is a slim chance of Royal Challengers Bangalore making it into the semi-finals if they win all the remaining games.
Pacer Navdeep Saini, who is among India's standbys for the World Cup, says he is ready for his big break in the mega event should the need arises.
Vishwa Fernando bagged four wickets as Sri Lanka took the honours on day one of the first Test against South Africa by reducing their hosts to 235 all out at Kingsmead on Wednesday.
Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar praised New Zealand for playing "outstanding" cricket throughout the World Cup, saying the Kiwis thoroughly deserved to be in the final after edging past South Africa in a battle of nerves at Auckland. It was ironic that the Johannesburg-born Elliott, 36, played a stellar knock to push his country of birth out of the World Cup race.
Ryan Harris claimed the last two wickets at the fag end of the match as South Africa were bowled out for 265 and lost the third and final Test by 245 runs at Newlands on Wednesday. Australia won the series 2-1.
India's new batting sensation Shikhar Dhawan will captain Sunrisers Hyderabad in this year's Champions League Twenty20 cricket tournament to begin on Tuesday.
For Africa's Test-playing nations, administrative turmoil has defined the dying days of the 2010s.
It's worse than a nightmare but letting the youngsters in the team wallow in self-pity is the last thing skipper Faf du Plessis would want ahead of their crucial game against world No 2 India.
England's James Anderson is the first fast bowler to take 600 Test wickets.
# Suresh Raina has registered 11 fifties in the IPL -- a tally exceeded only by Jacques Kallis (13).
India have extended their lead at the top of ICC Test rankings courtesy to second-placed Pakistan's defeat in the third and final Test against West Indies on Thursday. Kraigg Brathwaite and Shane Dowrich struck unbeaten half-centuries to guide West Indies to a first Test victory in 14 matches as the Caribbean side beat Pakistan by five wickets in Sharjah.
Australia captain Steve Smith expects his touring batsmen to be given a thorough test of their credentials when they face South Africa's formidable attack on pace-friendly pitches in a four-Test series beginning in March.
How many Tests has India won in South Africa? Who first captained India in South Africa in 1992-1993? Rajneesh Gupta answers all your questions.
Graeme Swann became the world's number one ODI bowler for the first time in his career after the off-spinner's eight-wicket haul helped England to a 3-2 series win against Sri Lanka.
Former players were effusive in their praise for Sachin Tendulkar who on Sunday became the first man in the history of Test cricket to post 50 centuries.
Pacers Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn caused havoc, claiming seven wickets among them, to put South Africa in command against India on a rain-hit opening day of the first Test at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday. At stumps on day one, India were reeling at 136 for nine from 38.1 overs after play was called off early due to bad light.
Buttler departed after an angry exchange with Ashwin and his exit condemned the Royals to a 14-run defeat in their IPL opener in Jaipur.
South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis described Kagiso Rabada's performance as "phenomenal" after the young paceman helped turn a parlous situation on day two of the first Test against Australia into a thumping 177-run victory on Monday. The tourists had done well to get to 242 all out after being 5-81 on day one but were looking down the barrel of a heavy defeat when Australia raced to 158 without loss on day two. Matters got worse when, having finally broken the opening partnership, South Africa's pace spearhead Dale Steyn was forced off the field with a shoulder fracture that ruled him out of the series.
If South Africa was able to restrict India to under 300, it was mainly due to the bowling of Dale Steyn, says Jacques Kallis.
Pakistan skipper Misbah-ul-Haq is baffled by his team's batting failure, which has left the side struggling to stay alive in the Champions Trophy after two successive defeats.
Bangladesh teenage spin sensation Mehedi Hasan rocketed into the 33rd position in the rankings for Test bowlers after bowling Bangladesh to their first-ever victory over England on Sunday
More significant than the individual, match-winning efforts of Imran Tahir, AB de Villiers and Dale Steyn, was South Africa's selection of three frontline spinners in the match against the West Indies, says Jacques Kallis.
David Miller blasted an unbeaten century as South Africa chased down a massive target of 372 in the third One-Day International against Australia at Kingsmead in Durban on Wednesday to clinch the series.
It will not be the first time that the competition has had to be held outside India.
Rajneesh Gupta presents Sunrisers Hyderabad's IPL record over the years.
The Proteas are working overtime to devise a strategy to get the better of the right-hander and they believe the best way to dismiss Rohit is to get him early before he gets his eye in.
