Waugh blames fine on 'misunderstanding'

South Africa 277 and 219 Australia 487 and 10-1 Australia win by nine wickets

The Australia captain Steve Waugh maintains a "misunderstanding" was behind the incident which saw him fined for dissent in the second Test against South Africa, which they won by nine wickets here on Saturday.

"I thought it was a little bit unfair but you guys in the media can only write what you see. It wasn't as straightforward as it appeared. From my point of view it was disappointing because there was a different side of the story that I'd love to put across but I can't."

The Australian umpire Darrell Hair gave Waugh out run out without calling for the assistance of the third umpire Bob Parry. Waugh's reluctance to leave the scene led to the fine from the match referee Ranjan Madugalle. The sanction is Waugh's second in international cricket. He was fined 30 per cent of his match fee against India in Colombo in 1996, also for dissent.

Australia, who take an unassailable 2-0 lead into the third Test in Sydney on Wednesday, have added the leg-spinner Stuart MacGill to their squad. The fast bowler Jason Gillespie is still out through injury so Andy Bichel, who was an impressive replacement at the MCG, retains his place in the 13-man squad.

AUSTRALIA SQUAD (v South Africa, third Test, Sydney, Wednesday): S R Waugh (capt), A C Gilchrist, A J Bichel, M L Hayden, J L Langer, B Lee, S C G MacGill, D R Martyn, G D McGrath, R T Ponting, S K Warne, M E Waugh, B A Williams.

SOUTH AFRICA: S M Pollock (capt), M V Boucher, H H Dippenaar, A A Donald, S Elworthy, H H Gibbs, M Hayward, C W Henderson, J H Kallis, G Kirsten, L Klusener, N D McKenzie, M Ntini, J L Ontong, J A Rudolph, N Boje.