I have never seen this much money: Chris Morris

The bidding war that his name triggered at the IPL players auction left Chris Morris' head spinning and the South African all-rounder conceded that he has never seen the kind of money he would now be drawing. "I have never in my life seen this much money," said Morris, who was bought for a whopping $625,000 (Rs 3.3 crore) by the Chennai Super Kings, 31 times more than his base price of $20,000. Morris was sought by the Mumbai Indians and the Royal Challengers Bangalore as well but they were outbid by CSK at the auction in Chennai where only 37 of the 108 players in fray managed to find buyers. 

Morris followed the auction on his ipad and was amazed to see the interest in him. "Neil McKenzie had a little joke with me when it got to ($) 450,000 but nobody could really believe what was happening," Morris said. In rands, the 25-year-old's earnings are now 5.5 million and he has no clue how to spend the money except for splurging some of it on his parents. "I honestly don't know. I suppose one of the things I'd like to do is give my parents anything they should like and spoil them a little bit," he said. 

De Villiers suspended for two ODIs for slow over rate

South Africa captain AB de Villiers has been suspended for two ODIs while his teammates have been fined 100 per cent of their match fees for maintaining a slow over rate during their one-wicket defeat against New Zealand in the first ODI in Paarl.

David Boon of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Match Referees imposed the suspension after the Proteas were ruled to be six overs short of their target at the end of the match on Saturday when time allowances were taken into consideration.

De Villiers pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction so there was no need for a formal hearing.

In accordance with Article 2.5.2 and Appendix 2 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which deals with serious over rate offences, the captain receives two suspension points while the players are fined 10 per cent of their match fees for each of the first two overs short and 20 per cent for every additional over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

Pakistan must show mettle in SA: Misbah

Pakistan need to "stand up and be counted" against South Africa's pace attack in their series with the world's top-ranked test nation starting next month, captain Misbah-ul-Haq said on Friday.

"This series is one of the biggest challenges of my captaincy tenure but I am confident that we can pose a serious threat to South Africa," Misbah told Reuters.

The 16-member Pakistan squad leave on Sunday for a two-month tour that begins with a three-test series from Feb 1. Pakistan are touring South Africa for the first time since 2007.

"The coming series is very important for Pakistan cricket because we have mostly played our cricket in South Asia or the UAE since 2010," Misbah added.

"The last few years have been a big challenge for Pakistan cricket and the players have come through well most of the time. But this is a tour where we have to play our best cricket."

No test playing nation has visited Pakistan since March, 2009 when militants attacked the Sri Lankan team in Lahore.

Kirsten keen to change South Africa's one-day luck

Gary Kirsten has proved to be a coach with a golden touch, firstly with India and now with South Africa.

He took India to number one in Test cricket and they won the 2011 World Cup in his last assignment with the world's most populous cricket nation.

In less than two years with South Africa he has seen the country of his birth become entrenched as the best in the world in Tests. Now there is the challenge of forging a dominant one-day team.

"We would like to perform at a higher level than we have in one-day cricket," Kirsten said as he looked ahead to a three-match series against New Zealand, starting in Paarl on Saturday.

"We've been okay but we haven't been outstanding."

Being "okay" is not good enough for Kirsten.

"We believe that we are capable of being a unit that can really perform at one-day level," he said.

Kiwis capitulate on 'tour from Hell'

The Black Caps' latest humiliation on their "tour from Hell" to South Africa shows the team is rudderless and has been woefully outclassed, New Zealand media said Tuesday.

"A mismatch of epic proportions" was the Christchurch Press's take on New Zealand's capitulation in the second and final Test in Port Elizabeth, where the hosts enjoyed a thumping innings victory.

Former national coach David Trist said New Zealand's players "will need counselling in some cases" after a similarly lopsided score in the opening Test, where the Black Caps managed only 45 runs in their first innings.

"It's been the tour from Hell, in more ways than one," Trist told Radio New Zealand. "Nothing has gone right really. It's been a wake-up call for New Zealand cricket."

Gibbs and I lied at Cronje probe: Williams

Former South African fast bowler, Henry Williams has re-opened the Pandora's Box of Troubles and made startling revelations with regards the infamous match fixing probe involving the late and former Proteas skipper Hansie Cronje. Williams has stated that he and teammate Herschelle Gibbs had lied before the Kings Commission which was probing the issue at the time. He confessed that the two of them had given false testimonies to the Kings Commission back in 2000 in a planned effort to corner Cronje.

He admitted that they had lied before the commission about accepting an offer of $15,000 from Cronje to under-perform in an ODI against India in Nagpur and stated that he had done so at the behest of his lawyers. "When we testified to our lawyers what the story really was, they came up with a threat that we could be prosecuted for doing something like this," Williams told the Sunday Times.

Paul Harris to retire at the end of the season

South African left arm spinner Paul Harris has announced that he will hang up his boots at the end of the first class season, bringing to end a 14 year career.

The spinner has played in 37 Tests for the National team but has of late struggled to break in to the Proteas side, with Robin Petersen and Imran Tahir higher up in the pecking order.

Speaking about his decision, Harris said, "I will be retiring from cricket at the end of the 2012/13 season. I would like to thank the Titans franchise for all the opportunities that they have given me over the past 10 years. I have made many friends through cricket and I have had so many great experiences.

"I would like to thank all the people who have helped me over my career. A special mention must go to Richard Pybus, who had the biggest coaching influence on my career. I am sure that I would not have played for South Africa if it had not been for him," he added.

Jacques Kallis reaches 13,000 Test Runs

Jacques Kallis of the Proteas celebrates after becoming only the fourth batsman in history to score 13,000 runs in Test cricket during day 1 of the 1st Test between South Africa and New Zealand at Sahara Park Newlands on January 02, 2013 in Cape Town, South Africa.

Steyn captures 300th Test wicket

South African fast bowler Dale Steyn captured his 300th Test wicket when he bowled Doug Bracewell on the first morning of the first Test against New Zealand at Newlands on Wednesday.

Steyn, 29, was playing in his 61st Test. Only Australia's Dennis Lillee, who achieved the feat in his 56th Test, and Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka (58) have reached the milestone in fewer matches.

Steyn, currently the world's number one ranked Test bowler, joined West Indian Malcolm Marshall and New Zealand's Richard Hadlee in taking 300 wickets in 61 matches.