Centurion, December 15
The pre-series verbal war has set the stage for an electrifying battle as India gear up to face a hostile South Africa in the first of a three-Test cricket series starting here tomorrow to not just prove themselves as worthy world number ones but also improve their poor record here.

Described as the "final frontier" by coach Gary Kirsten, world number two South Africa will challenge India's number one status like no other side has in more than a year when the series kicks off at the Super Sport Park here. Graeme Smith's men will look to exploit the Indian batsmen's well-known susceptibility to the rising deliveries on bouncy tracks here and the hosts have the necessary arsenal to do that -- the most potent of their weapons being world number one pacer Dale Steyn.

The Indians go into the series well aware that they have won just one out of the 12 Tests they have played in the rainbow nation. Even if they didn't, the Proteas have not missed an opportunity to remind the visitors of the unflattering record ever since their arrival.

In fact, the pre-series verbal sparring has added the ting of drama to the series which would make the contest even more interesting. When South African coach Corrie van Zyl stated that "record books don't lie" in an apparent reference to India's over the years poor showing here, India coach Gary Kirsten was quick to retort that things have changed in the past couple of years. Indeed, things do seem to have changed as the Indians have been on a dream run in the Test arena, winning seven of their last nine series, but most of them have come on the turning tracks of the sub-continent.

The pace and bounce of South Africa would not be as easy to adapt considering the visitors go into the series without playing a single warm-up match. Add to this, the Indians also have to deal with a couple of injury worries in pace spearhead Zaheer Khan and S Sreesanth. Zaheer suffered a hamstring injury during the fourth ODI against New Zealand while Sreesanth hurt himself during training. Zaheer and Sreesanth are crucial to the team's chances given the conditions and it would be a massive jolt if they are ruled out.

The conditions, in fact, would prove to be India's biggest challenge against a quality opposition but captain Dhoni said the his side is ready with a blend of youth and experience to record their first Test series win in South Africa.

"It will be important for us to adapt to the conditions. Yet I believe we will be better prepared than before, because the guys have played here in the IPL and in the Champions League and it is not that foreign to them," Dhoni said.

"We do not pay attention to what history says about what happened here in the past. We do not think too much about the statistics," he added. Dhoni's confidence does not seem misplaced considering the Indian batting line-up boasts of the iconic Sachin Tendulkar, who would be gunning for his historic 50th Test ton, the aggressive opening duo of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir and the ever-reliable middle-order mainstays Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman. Suresh Raina provides the touch of youth and it would be interesting to see how the likes of Steyn, the lanky Morne Morkel and the exciting Wayne Parnell unsettle such a formidable combination.

In comparison, the South African batting may not be as experienced but it is no less dangerous with Smith being the rock. The inspirational captain has veteran all-rounder Jacques Kallis, the prolific Hashim Amla and the in-form A B de Villiers for company in an impressive order which would be difficult to contain in home conditions. — PTI

Centurion, December 15
Despite standing on the threshhold of history, champion batsman Sachin Tendulkar seemed unfazed by the media attention and the anticipation around his 50th Test century.

"I believe it is destiny. When it is destined to happen it will happen. I am not thinking too much about it. My focus is on preparation," Tendulkar said. Should he score a ton in the three-match Test series against South Africa beginning tomorrow, the iconic batsman from India would become the first man in the history of Test cricket to get to the coveted landmark. Tendulkar, however, preferred to focus on the match and not personal landmarks.

"For me one thing is very important and that is to get acclimatized to local weather conditions," Tendulkar said as world number one India prepare to face second best South Africa.

"Preparations have been spot on and the lengthy practice session has given us that opportunity (to get acclimatized). "We have had good net sessions under the guidance of coach Gary (Kirsten)," he said. Tendulkar pointed out that like India, South Africa will also have their task cut out as the series heralds the beginning of the season for the Proteas.

"In South Africa, players and critics always talk about getting used to pace and bounce of wickets here. For them this is going to be the start of the season, so wickets are going to be a lot fresher," Tendulkar said. Talking about conditions in the Rainbow nation, Tendulkar said that one has to be extra careful in a high-altitude belt like Johannesburg.

"While playing in Johannesburg you have to be extra careful. That is in high altitude area, so supply of oxygen is a bit of a problem," he said.

Asked how difficult it is to get used to foreign conditions, Tendulkar explained: "When tour starts and we step on the cricket field for the first time we normally start running. While completing first lap one can easily feel that the body is not getting enough oxygen.

"Once you get used to that kind of conditions then there is no problem." South African captain Graeme Smith, who had earlier described Tendulkar as a "great ambassador of the game", also hoped that the master batsman completed the landmark, though not against his team.

"Sachin is a great player and a great ambassador for the game of cricket. I too wish that he gets his 50th Test hundred; not in this series but in the next series," Smith said.

India couldn't pactice outdoors on the eve of the first Test due to unseasonal rain, but skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was unperturbed. "Our last two practice sessions were quite intense so today's lack of practice will not affect much," Dhoni said. — PTI

New Delhi, December 15
The year-end series away from home are quite interesting, given that it is a major holiday season in places like South Africa and Australia. Also, since the weather is quite bleak in the Northern Hemisphere, rivalries are always on the southern end of the globe, pretty far away from home.

Given the distance, such series can also be quite trying, especially if you have come out worse off in the initial duels. The holiday season then bounces off you as you wallow in misery and uncertainty, the music and festivities seemingly as far away as home. Right now, no one wants to venture on which side will be partying harder, come Christmas.

Former South African skipper Ali Bacher puts it perfectly when he says that this one is way too close to call. “There is really very little to choose between the two sides when it comes to batting. India have definitely the best batting line-up in the world right now. When you have batsmen like Mahendra Singh Dhoni coming in at seven, you know you have a tremendous side. South Africa too have some of the best batsmen in the top four, so this one is tight.”

The three-Test series between South Africa and India could well be either, depending on how the visitors cope with the first match at Centurion. Even as South African coach Corrie van Zyl issues warnings to the Indian batsmen, it is not that department that will decide things, in favour or against.

Bacher was a little diplomatic when asked about the bowling. “South Africa have one of the best fast bowlers in Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel can also be quite useful, with his height and the bounce he gets. But remember one thing, when England were here last time, the most successful bowler was off-spinner Graeme Swann. So how things pan out for India would depend on how Harbhajan Singh performs, now that Anil Kumble is not in the picture.”

That is where the problem is. India’s bowling is already ringing alarm bells. Zaheer Khan will be very doubtful to walk into SuperSport Park tomorrow, and Sreesanth too is showing weaknesses Dhoni won’t need. Add to that Harbhajan’s pretty poor haul against a very limited New Zealand side, and the problem really comes out in the open.

What wins Tests are 2 wickets, and somehow this Indian side will be challenged to get 20, three times over. Not that the South Africans are really rocking beyond Steyn and Morkel, or even just the former, but if he can send down 10 good overs in the morning, the rest of the work can’t be too hard.

Bacher thinks this would be a drawn series, with neither side having enough firepower to dismiss the other. But somehow that won’t go down well with anyone. Also, one hopes this is about winning the series. Statistics like Sachin Tendulkar’s 50th Test century, which will b widely welcomed, shouldn’t be priority over a series win. Neither should the battle for the No. 1 spot on the ICC rankings.

This should be a battle of the best, and a fascinating contest of superbly skilled cricketers. India would do well to come off with a series win. So would South Africa, for that matter.

Perth, December 15
Australia are considering an all-pace bowling attack for the crucial third Ashes Test, but skipper Ricky Ponting admitted today he was still unsure of his best starting lineup. With less than 24 hours to go, Ponting said he wanted more time before naming his side for the Test at the WACA ground in Perth, which Australia must win to have a chance of regaining the Ashes.

England arrived in Perth on Monday 1-0 up in the five-match series saying they knew their best 11, but Australia are still wavering over who to play on what is expected to be a lively pitch. Little-known left-arm spinner Michael Beer was picked for the Australian squad and looked likely to make his debut, but Ponting seemed to be having doubts at his pre-match press conference.

"We haven't got a team yet, we've had a good look at the wicket this afternoon, it's changed a little bit since we've been here today so we want to just want to have a closer look at it again tomorrow before we finalise what our 11 will be," Ponting said. Ben Hilfenhaus and Ryan Harris had been expected to lead the Australian attack with either struggling Mitchell Johnson or or first Test hat-trick hero Peter Siddle as third seamer and Beer lining up as specialist spinner.

But after talking to the WACA head groundsman, Ponting said he wanted to delay his final call. "It's different grass than there's been on the wicket before, so we've got a lot of things that we've got to think about yet before we finalise it," he said.

"It's important to actually get a good feel of it tomorrow morning and just see how hard it is on the surface and if there's any moisture left in the surface before we make a decision."

Leg-spinning all-rounder Steve Smith will bat at six, Ponting said, and the home side also have all-rounder and opening batsman Shane Watson as a seam bowling option. The last time Australia went into a Test without a specialist spinner was at the WACA in 2008, when they lost to India by 72 runs, but Ponting said his four seamers all had something to offer.

However, his predecessor as Australian captain, Steve Waugh, said he wanted to see Beer play. "There is no point picking the guy if he's not going to play," Waugh said.

"As a captain you need the balance in the side and you've got enough quick bowlers in the side, Shane Watson is the fourth quick bowler. "I can't see why he wouldn't play having been picked in the squad." — AFP

New Delhi, December 15
Former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi, who never misses an opportunity to take a dig at Muttiah Muralitharan and Harbhajan Singh, has once again lashed out at the two premier off-spinners.

"I called him (Murali) a javelin thrower. I can call him a shot-putter. People say that he has got 800 wickets. I would rather say that it's 800 run-outs!" said a sarcastic Bedi yesterday during a panel discussion at the RSD Summit on World Cricket, organised in the memory of late Raj Singh Dungarpur.

"On one hand you have Shane Warne who is a magician and then you have Muralitharan on the other hand. It's total shambles. And Harbhajan Singh is no different," Bedi was scathing in his criticism. But when former UCBSA supremo Ali Bacher said that he didn't find Murali to be a chucker, Bedi found a supporter in former Australian captain and legendary coach Bob Simpson. "You can't bowl a doosra if you don't straighten your arms and that's chucking," both Bedi and Simpson said in unison. — PTI

London, December 15
World Champion Viswanathan Anand was held to a draw by Michael Adams of England in the sixth and penultimate round but the Indian ace continued to hold joint lead at the London Chess Classic here.

Anand remained in the lead after Russian Vladimir Kramnik failed to bring home full points from a winning position against Magnus Carlsen of Norway in the 1,45,000 Euros prize money tournament being played on a round-robin basis.

On a day of drawn games for the first time in the tournament, the status quo remained and Anand continued to share the lead with Carlsen and Luke McShane of England on 10 points in the Soccer like scoring system in use here that gives three points for a win and one for a draw. Kramnik and Hikaru Nakamura share the fourth spot now on nine points each while Adams is sole sixth on seven points, well ahead of compatriots David Howell, who has three points, and Nigel Short, who has just two points with his two draws so far. With just one round remaining, Anand faces arch-rival Kramnik, Carlsen is up against Short while McShane will take on Howell.

The fact that Anand is playing white in the crucial last game gives the Indian ample chances to stay clear of the rest of the field in case he is able to register a victory. Playing black against Adams, Anand did not face any difficulties. It was a Sicilian Najdorf by the Indian ace who showed right intentions for a full-bloodied battle but Adams shied away from complicated lines and stuck to his basics out of a positional system.

Anand equalised comfortably out of the opening and it looked as if he was pressing for an advantage in the endgame that ensued. However, an alert Adams kept black's forces at bay and once he had established an outpost for his knight in the middle of the board the outcome of a the game was a foregone conclusion.

The peace was signed on move 54. Kramnik may not get a sound sleep in reflection of what he missed. The Russian could have been the sole leader and that many believed was just a notion once he got the winning position out a Nimzowitch defense that Carlsen employed with his black pieces.

With an army-like pawn structure in the centre, Kramnik almost forcibly won a piece and had a huge material advantage when he missed out on a brilliant exploit that was seen only by Carlsen. Up a Bishop against just one pawn, Kramnik had to split the point in 86 moves. — PTI

Turkey, December 15
Koneru Humpy secured a much-needed draw against China's Ju Wenjun in the second game of the quarterfinals to enter the semifinals of the World Women's Chess Championship here. Humpy, who had made the semifinals in the last edition of the championship too, will face Yifan Hao of China in the next match. Yifan had ousted the Indian in 2008.

The other Indian in the fray, D Harika was forced into another tie-breaker after she played out a second successive draw with Ruan Lufei of China. Harika will first play two rapid games and if the tied result continues, it will be a blitz tie-breaker to follow. Should the deadlock continue the players will play an Armageddon blitz game with five minutes to white and four to black and black will stay on even in case of a draw. In the other quarterfinal matches, Yifan Hao also obtained the draw she was looking for against Kateryna Lahno of Ukraine and won the mini-match by a 1.5-0.5 margin like Humpy while Zhao Xue of China won a tense game to show Almira Skripchenko the exit door. — PTI

BRIEFLY

No Facebook, says PCB
Karachi: After being left embarrassed by Zulqarnain Haider's escapades on Facebook, a wary Pakistan Cricket Board has directed all members of the national team to avoid using social networking sites. Not only members of the national team but all other centrally contracted players with the board have been told to avoid using Facebook or Twitter. Pakistan team manager Intikhab Alam confirmed the players were told not to use social network sites as part of clauses in their contracts. "There is a clause in their contracts which states clearly they can't use these social network sites or discuss cricket issues while under contract. It is for their own good so that they don't get entangled into controversies," the former test captain added. — PTI

‘Gibbs one of the most talented’
New Delhi: Herschelle Gibbs and Makhaya Nitini may have been two of the most fascinating cricketers to have played for South Africa but were contrasting characters, feels former South African cricket board boss Dr Ali Bacher. "Herschelle is one of the most talented cricketers to have ever played for South Africa. If he had the dedication, determination and discipline of Steve Waugh, he would have been one of the game's greats," Bacher told PTI on the sidelines of the RSD World Cricket Summit organised in memory of the late Raj Singh Dungarpur. "He was a phenomenal talent but then people in South Africa are not surprised with his shocking revelations because they know that's how Herschelle is," he added. — PTI

Thomas Mueller, Adidas Golden Boot Winner poses with his award during the FIFA Soccer World Cup award ceremony at the Adidas headquarters in Germany, on Tuesday. — AP/PTI

Hughes wants to bat like Sehwag
Perth: Opening batsman Phil Hughes has said he is ready to be Australia's version of India's explosive batsman Virender Sehwag as his team looks to revive their Ashes campaign in the third Test, starting in Perth on Thursday. Hughes has been summoned to replace injured Simon Katich for the third Test. "I love watching Sehwag play, without a doubt he comes to my mind straightaway as an opening batsman," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Hughes, as saying. "He's very aggressive, but what Sehwag can do is he can take a game away from any opposition, either in Indian conditions or all around the world, and he's just fantastic to watch." — ANI

UK PM's brother to fight Asif's case
Karachi: Pakistan's suspended pacer Mohammad Asif has hired the services of a new British lawyer Alan Alexander Cameron to represent him in the spot-fixing allegations case. Alexander is the elder brother of British Prime Minister David Cameron. Sources close to Asif said that Elizabeth Robertson, who was representing the pacer, had taken maternity leave and that forced the cricketer to look for another lawyer. "Asif during his recent visit to London had several meetings with Robertson and then Alexander Cameron to discuss his case," one source said. — PTI

EPL trophy on India tour
Chandigarh: Barclays, the official sponsor of the world's most popular domestic football league - The Barclays Premier League - today announced the Barclays Premier League Trophy India tour. One of the most recognizable trophies in English & European sport will be part of a promotional plan to tour India where the Barclays Premier League enjoys a wide following. The Trophy's tour will see it visit some popular Indian metros this month, which have immense fan following for the Barclays Premier League. The trophy was in Mumbai on 10th, 11th & 12th, in Chennai on the 13th, in Pune on 14th, 15th & 16th, and in New Delhi on 17th & 18th. — TNS