Taliban militants holding 22 South Korean hostages extended the deadline for the captives’ lives an additional two days after setting and letting pass two deadlines today for militant prisoners to be released from Afghan jails, a provincial governor said.

An Afghan governor today pleaded with the Taliban to extend a deadline for the lives of 22 South Koreans after militants warned the Afghan government to release some of its captured fighters or else hostages would die.

KEVIN PIETERSEN was caught short once again as England struggled to exert their authority on a stop-start opening day of the second Test.

Damien Martyn, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz paid the price for Australia’s Ashes failure Tuesday when they were axed from the Test squad to face a World XI next month.

STEVE WAUGH’S dismissal has robbed an expectant cricket nation of a fairy-tale finish to the Australian great’s playing career.