COLOMBO — Captain AB de Villiers wants South Africa to use the tour of Sri Lanka to team-build toward the cricket World Cup in two years, and says his young players are learning to perform without the stars. He said Tuesday, ahead of five One-Day Internationals and three Twenty 20s, that his team was still trying to find its feet but was getting used to being without players such as Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn. “It's important for us to get combinations ready when we do lose our experienced players, specially looking at the 2015 World Cup. It's a great opportunity for us to perform without them,” de Villiers said. Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews will miss the first two one-day matches because of a suspension for maintaining a slow-over rate in last week's final of a tri-series in West Indies also involving India. With regular vice captain Dinesh Chandimal out of form, it is still unclear who will lead the side. Johnston to retire Former Ireland captain Trent Johnston announced Monday that he plans to retire from international cricket in December. Australia-born Johnston has played 186 times for Ireland, appearing in both the 2007 and 2011 World Cups, but the pace bowler admits the strain of competing at the highest level is starting to take its toll.The 39-year-old will call time on his international and representative cricket career after the ICC Intercontinental Cup final in Dubai in December, which takes place following the World Twenty20 qualifiers. Australia ‘fine' despite Arthur claims Brad Haddin Tuesday maintained that the Australia squad in England was united after former coach Mickey Arthur reportedly claimed there was a huge rift between Test captain Michael Clarke and all-rounder Shane Watson. Arthur was sensationally sacked just 16 days before the first Test against Ashes-holders England at Trent Bridge, a match the tourists lost by just 14 runs Sunday to go 1-0 down in the five-match series, and was replaced by former Australia batsman Darren Lehmann. — Agencies
