New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson and his team mate Henry Nicholls were sent back to the team hotel with "flu symptoms" on Wednesday, but the team are confident they will be fit to face Australia in the third test on Friday.

Tim Paine will be Australia's captain for the foreseeable future and there is no reason why he would not lead the team in next year's inaugural World Test Championship final if they qualify, coach Justin Langer said on Wednesday.

Australia coach Justin Langer found himself in the unusual position of hoping for rain ahead of the third test against New Zealand this week as the bushfires continued to rage around the country.

England are thinking of bringing a specialist spinner back into the line-up after going with an all-pace attack in their last two outings, coach Chris Silverwood said as they arrived in Cape Town for their second test against South Africa starting on Friday.

* Australia's Head voices players' concern (Adds details, quotes, changes slug from previous CRICKET-ENGLAND/)

Dec 31 (OPTA) - Scoreboard at close of play of match 17 between Adelaide Strikers and Sydney Thunder on Tuesday at Adelaide, Australia Sydney Thunder win by 3 runs Sydney Thunder 1st innings Usman Khawaja Run Out Wes Agar 63 Alex Hales b Billy Stanlake 4 Callum Ferguson c Jonathan Wells b Rashid Khan 73 Alex Ross b Peter Siddle 19 Chris Morris Not Out 2 Daniel Sams lbw Pet

The England and Wales Cricket Board are "cautiously" backing a proposal that would mandate four-day World Test Championship matches from 2023.

Australia's Travis Head says he is confident match officials would not put the health of players at risk if hazardous bushfire smoke impacted the third test against New Zealand in Sydney this week.

Dec 30 (OPTA) - Standings of the Big Bash League on Monday P W L T Ded RR PTS Perth Scorchers 10 8 2 0 0 .154 16 Adelaide Strikers 10 7 3 0 0 .801 14 Melbourne Renegades 10 6 4 0 0 .297 12 Hobart Hurricanes 10 5 5 0 0 -.291 10 Sydney Sixers 10 4 6 0 0 .331 8 Sydney Thunder 10 4 6 0 0 -.039 8 Brisbane Heat 10 4 6 0 0 -.437 8 Melbourne Stars 10 2 8

Dec 30 (OPTA) - Scoreboard at close of play of match 16 between Hobart Hurricanes and Melbourne Stars on Monday at Launceston, Australia Melbourne Stars win by 4 runs (DLS Method) Hobart Hurricanes 1st innings D'Arcy Short c Peter Handscomb b Daniel Worrall 0 Simon Milenko c Peter Handscomb b Nathan Coulter-Nile 12 Caleb Jewell c Peter Handscomb b Nathan Coulter-Nile 26 Ben McDermott c Glenn Maxwell b Dale Steyn 17 David Miller c Peter Handscomb

Opener Dominic Sibley has joined the growing list of England players and staff stuck down by illness in South Africa, the England and Wales Cricket Board said in a media release on Monday.

Australia have added D'Arcy Short to their one-day squad for next month's tour of India after seam bowler Sean Abbott was ruled out of the trip with a side strain, Cricket Australia (CA) said on Monday.

South Africa coach Mark Boucher said winning his first test match in charge was as good as the many victories he enjoyed as a player after his maiden triumph against England on Sunday.