Howard, who is facing a challenge to win over Asian nations, according to Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan, said India's growing power was positive for the sport.

"India is the second most populous country in the world, it's cricket-mad, they are pluses," Howard told state radio on Wednesday.

"I think it's entirely wrong to look at the Indian involvement in cricket in a negative light.

The tiny swatch of light-brown hairs had for years been stored in the archives of the imposing sandstone building along with a letter but nobody knows when, why or how they were received.

The 17-year-old was preferred ahead of the higher-ranked Carsten Ball to win a singles spot, alongside Peter Luczak for the zonal tie, starting at Melbourne Park on Friday.

At 17 years and 135 days, Tomic will be Australia's youngest player since Vivian McGrath played at the age of 17 years 84 days against Norway in 1933, Tennis Australia said.

The deaths come as the Pakistani military claims to be making fresh gains against Taliban and Al-Qaeda strongholds, under US pressure to do more to stop militants infiltrating into Afghanistan along the porous and lawless border.

"The Amman public prosecutor ordered the arrest of former finance minister and refinery management committee chairman Adel Kudah, former Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company executive director Ahmed Rifai, former prime ministerial economic advisor Mohammed Rawashdeh and businessman Khaled Shahin," it said.