CRICKET

The South African national cricket team have done their homework properly and do not believe they will experience the same tasteless racist incidents that marred their tour to Australia four years ago. SA coach Mickey Arthur said on Saturday on the team’s departure to Australia that logistical manager Gulam Rajah left two weeks ago on a scouting visit and to meet with Cricket Australia (CA) authorities. From the word go on the previous tour, during matches the South African players were bombarded with racist remarks by spectators -- some of whom allegedly were former South Africans.

CRICKET

A full-strength England cricket team arrived on Monday amid tight security to resume their India tour, which was thrown into doubt following the terror attacks in Mumbai. Kevin Pietersen's squad flew in from their training base in Abu Dhabi after receiving final security clearance on Sunday night.The players were whisked away to their hotel by heavily armed security personnel immediately after their arrival ahead of the first test starting on Thursday.

CRICKET

The International Cricket Council is examining the possibility of replacing the future tours program with some form of test championship. The FTP was introduced to schedule series between all test playing nations and the agreement runs until 2012, but the ICC's chief executive committee said on Monday that it could be replaced. Morgan said any new arrangement would be made with a view to maintaining the primacy of test cricket over all other forms of the game, including the highly lucrative Twenty20 format.

 RUGBY

Former All Blacks flyhalf Tony Brown has undergone life-saving surgery in Japan after suffering a freak injury, local newspapers reported. The Yomiuri Shimbun said Brown ruptured his pancreas while playing a club match in October. He spent five weeks in a Tokyo hospital and developed acute pancreatitis.Brown, 33, played 18 tests for New Zealand between 1999 and 2001, mostly as a backup to Andrew Mehrtens, and was a member of the All Blacks squad at the 1999 World Cup. He has spent the last four years playing club rugby in Japan and two seasons with South African teams in the Super 14.

GOLF

Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal has replaced compatriot Seve Ballesteros, who recently underwent brain surgery, as captain of the European Royal Trophy team. The two-times major winner stepped in after Ballesteros decided he had insufficient time to recover for the Jan. 9-11 contest against Asia, organisers said on Monday.