Johannesburg, Dec.3 (ANI): Former South African opener Graeme Pollock believes that the Australian cricket team is on the decline, and will find it tough to retain its hold on its world champions status.

Pollock believes a resurgent South Africa will challenge the Australian team, which he considers highly vulnerable without former leg spinner Shane Warne.

Warne took 130 Test wickets at 24.16 in 24 Tests against South Africa.

"I think Aussie cricket is at the lowest ebb it has been for a very long time. The big difference now is that Warne has gone and Australia's spin bowling looks very average. In a series against South Africa, Australia will miss a guy like Shane Warne incredibly," the Herald Sun quoted Pollock, as saying.

The Proteas' top order has been in stunning form and three of their top six batsmen have scored more than 1000 Test runs this year - skipper Graeme Smith (1363 runs), Hashim Amla (1012) and Neil McKenzie (1002).

In contrast, Matthew Hayden and Andrew Symonds are struggling and Ponting hasn't had the best few months.

Pollock is sure Smith's team - which has not been beaten in its past nine Test series stretching back to December 2006 - will arrive in Perth on Sunday seriously believing it can dethrone Australia.

"They will believe they can win the series in Australia, their track record in Tests recently has been great and they will see no reason why they shouldn't win," Pollock said. (ANI)

London, Dec 30 (ANI): Get ready for a mobile video phone that can be worn on the wrist just like a watch, all thanks to a South Korean technology firm that has unveiled the world's first "3G watch phone."

The unique phone by LG Electronics boasts a touch-screen dialling system with a camera and an in-built speaker.

With all these features, the users could make video calls and gain high-speed Internet access.

The device also recognises voices, transforms text to speech, has a Bluetooth function and also works as an MP3 player.

The high-end handset is due to be launched in Europe later next year, reports The Telegraph.

With a 1.43-inch (3.63-centimetre) screen, the product is 0.56 inches (13.9 millimetres) in thickness.

The 3G watch phone will go on display at the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas from Jan 8 to 11.

The device makes part of a trend towards multi-tasking gadgets that can perform a host of functions. (ANI)

Lahore, Dec.30 (ANI): A majority of people in Pakistan consider the presence of US military force in Afghanistan as a threat to their country.

According to a poll conducted by a US-based economic and socioeconomic research organization, 54 percent of Pakistani people are of the view that the US forces present in Afghanistan pose a threat to their land.

Similarly, a majority of Pakistanis (54 percent) also say that the US military presence in Asia is a threat to their country.

Amidst a surge in US missile strikes in the Tribal Areas, Pakistani people have also rejected the claim that the strikes were an effective way of flushing out the Taliban from the region.

Gallup showed that 48 percent of Pak nationals do not consider the US missile strikes effective against the Taliban.

People in Pakistan also opined that the co-operation on the 'war on terror' has so far mostly benefited the US. 32 percent people believed that the war against terror in the region has not benefited Pakistan in any way. (ANI)

London, Dec 30 (ANI): Welsh singer songwriter Duffy has made it to the No 1 spot on the top ten music sales charts with her debut album 'Rockferry'.

Duffy's album sold 1.685 million copies to take the No 1 spot from Take That, who have been moved to the second spot, with their album 'The Circus'.

Kings of Leon's 'Only By The Night' took the third spot, and Leona Lewis' 'Spirit' took the fourth.

'Viva La Vida...' by Coldplay wrapped up the top five.

In the top ten singles category, British soul/pop singer Alexandra Burke took the top spot with her version of 'Hallelujah'.

Burke, an X Factor winner, sold 888,000 copies of her single in the last two weeks of the year and earned herself the No 1 spot for biggest selling single.

The second spot went to X Factor finalists for their song 'Hero', and the third spot went to Duffy for 'Mercy'.

Katy Perry's 'I Kissed A Girl' took the fourth spot, Nickelback's 'Rockstar' came in fifth.

"Duffy and Alexandra Burke have been the biggest new arrivals on the British music scene over the past year, bar none," the BBC quoted OCC managing director Martin Talbot as saying.

"But the biggest selling singles and albums of the year also show that talent, both new and old, can make an impact, if the music is right.

"Besides the obvious impact of the X Factor artists, including Burke, Leona Lewis and this year's finalists, Duffy, Katy Perry, Sam Sparro and Scouting For Girls all scored big to show that new talent can make an impact," he added. The top ten albums of 2008 are as follows:

1) Rockferry - Duffy

2) The Circus - Take That

3) Only By The Night - Kings of Leon

4) Spirit - Leona Lewis

5) Viva La Vida... - Coldplay

6) Good Girl Gone Bad - Rihanna

7) Day and Age - Killers

8) Out of Control - Girls Aloud

9) Funhouse - Pink

10) Scouting For Girls - Scouting For Girls

The top ten singles for 2008 are as follows:

1) Hallelujah - Alexandra Burke

2) Hero - X Factor finalists

3) Mercy - Duffy

4) I Kissed A Girl - Katy Perry

5) Rockstar - Nickelback

6) American Boy - Estelle/ Kanye West

7) Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon

8) Now You're Gone - Basshunter

9) 4 Minutes - Madonna/ Justin Timberlake

10) Black and Gold - Sam Sparro (ANI)