New Delhi, December 27
The year 2008 will go down in the history of world cricket as India's year where it emerged as the new super power, destroying all citadels and bastions of the game, including the mighty Australians and a year that also saw the end of Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly's remarkable careers.

Just as financial meltdown spread its tentacles across the globe, India's name and fame as a cricketing nation spread far and wide with its famous son Sachin Tendulkar becoming the first player in the world to go past 12,000 runs in Test cricket.

The end of the year saw resounding victories by India against England as it first had a 5-0 clean sweep in the ODI series and then licked it with a dramatic six-wicket win in the opening Test at Chennai.

The year 2008 witnessed the change of guard with an instinctive Mahendra Singh Dhoni taking over the reins of the Indian team and sprinted to glory which forced the cricket pundits world wide to declare India as the best in the business.

India's victory at Perth, traditionally considered to be the fortress for Australia, and the 2-0 win at home under the leadership of Dhoni was another stamp on the success of this young and enthusiastic bunch of boys.

With records galore to his name, batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar went past Brian Lara's 11,953 runs in Test cricket to become the world's highest run-getter.

The year will also be remembered for the outpouring response to the inaugural edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) which saw the best players of the world competing against each other in an Indian domestic tournament.

England left its ODI series against India mid-way only to resume its aborted tour and play the two-Test series which the visitors lost 0-1.

India blamed Pakistan for the Mumbai terror attacks, which killed 183 people, and the government directed its cricket team not to go ahead with the tour to Pakistan which was due to be played early in 2009.

Financial and security concerns reached an unprecedented level when the first edition of the Twenty20 Champions League, scheduled to be held in India, featuring eight teams from five nations and $ 6 million in prize money was put off until October next year.

The 1-2 loss to Sri Lanka, where it fell on its head to mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis, was something that India would prefer to strike-off from its this year's record.

But India came back hard to win the ODI series against the same opposition in their own den.

At home, India was humiliated by South Africa with an innings and 90-run defeat at Ahmedabad but the hosts squared the series 1-1 with a win against the Proteas on a turning Kanpur pitch.

The Sydney Test in January this year created an uproar when off-spinner Harbhajan Singh was accused of racially abusing Australia's Andrew Symonds. The all-rounder alleged that Harbhajan had called him 'monkey', a claim which the off-spinner denied. But the ICC match referee announced his verdict and charged the spinner after he was found guilty.

However, the Indian board threatened to call off the tour until the charge was downgraded to on appeal to using abusive language and Harbhajan was let off with a fine. Australia won the match with some dubious appeals and decisions to register its 16th win in a row, equalling its own record for most consecutive victories.

Harbhajan was again in the news and was handed a domestic ban after he was found guilty of slapping speedster S Sreesanth during an IPL match between Kings XI Punjab and Mumbai Indians.

But India's win at Perth would remain as one of the high points this year. Startled by the way it was defeated at Sydney, India pulled the rug from Australia's feet with the 72-run win and staked a strong claim for the number one spot at the start of the year, a point which has already been accepted by many purists in the world.

The loss ended Australia's 16-match winning streak and it was the Indian team under Sourav Ganguly's captaincy which had ended Steve Waugh-led Australia's same record in 2001.

India then went on to win the ODI CB series defeating the world Champions in the best of three finals which the Dhoni's young brigade rounded off in the fist two finals itself.

In March, Virender Sehwag scored 319 against South Africa in Chennai, to put his name along side Lara and Don Bradman as the only players to have scored two Test triple hundreds in their career.

Former captain and India's most successful bowler Kumble also bade adieu to his illustrious career after the Delhi Test against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The leg-spinner ended his career as the third highest wicket-taker in Test cricket with a tally of 619 wickets to his name.

Kumble showed the commitment he was known for even in his last appearance as he came down to bowl with his left-hand heavily bandaged and the 38-year-old spinner later admitted that physical fitness and injury was the reason for the abrupt announcement of his retirement.

The same series also saw the last of Ganguly, who was under the immense pressure to retain his place ever since he was stripped off the captaincy.

The Bengal south paw was dropped from the Irani Trophy squad but was still included in the Test squad for the home series against Australia.

Known for reviving the Indian cricket under his leadership, Ganguly decided to call it a day and the former captain received a fitting good bye from his colleagues with a 2-0 win over Australia.

The Indian team ended the year on a high reclaiming the number two spot in the ICC Test rankings after registering a famous six-wicket win over visiting England team.

India thrashed England 5-0 in the ODI series and then chased down 387 runs in the fourth innings at Chennai to go one-up in the two-Test series.

Four batsmen - Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag and VVS Laxman - scored over 1,000 runs in Test cricket this calendar year.

Gambhir easily proved himself to be one the most promising talents that India saw in almost a decade. The Delhi lad ended the year with two exceptional knocks against England.

In the first innings at Mohali, the left-handed opener scored 197 and then followed it with 97 in the second innings even though the match ended in a draw.

He left all his compatriots in the Indian dressing room behind to become the top-ranked Indian batsman in the ICC Test rankings. — UNI

Melbourne, December 27
A spirited bowling performance from Peter Siddle, claiming three wickets, left South Africa in deep trouble and the visitors were 198 for seven on the second day of the second Test against Australia here today.

JP Duminy (34) and Paul Harris (8) were at the crease when the stumps were drawn with South Africa still trailing by 196 runs after Australia were bowled out for 394 this morning.

Australia added 114 runs to their overnight total of 280 for six which was largely due to an unbeaten innings of 88 from Michael Clarke.

Siddle gave Australia the best possible start as he sent opener Neil McKenzie back to the pavilion in just the second over of the innings and the batsman had not even opened his account by then.

Off-spinner Nathan Hauritz and left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson claimed a couple of wickets each to further tighten the screws on South Africa which registered a memorable six-wicket win in the opening Test at Perth.

Apart from Mckenzie's wicket, Siddle removed Perth centurions Graeme Smith (62) and AB de Villiers (7) in two high-class spells of pace bowling to return with figures of three for 24.

The speedster induced Smith, who was holding one end with his patient batting, into driving a wide ball and had the Proteas' captain caught behind.

Smith's 113-ball innings, which had six boundaries in it, came to an end. Siddle then bowled de Villiers with a ball that beat the batsman for pace.

Hauritz, who was picked in to the side in place of off-spinner Jason Krejza, had the prized scalps of Jacques Kallis (26) and Mark Boucher (3).

Johnson, too, came to the party as he ended Hashim Amla's (19) innings with his first over of the game and then rattled Morne Morkel's stumps to leave South Africa in a desperate position with the score reading seven for 184.

However, the only disappointment for home team was the continued poor form of paceman Brett Lee who went for 68 runs in his 13 overs without picking a single wicket.

Earlier in the day, Clarke played a patient knock, taking 208 balls for his 88, and with the tail he frustrated the visitors for a bit too long.

Dale Steyn claimed five wickets for South Africa to be the only positive on a dismal day for the tourists.

Scoreboard

Australia (First innings):

Hayden c Duminy b Ntini 8

Katich b Steyn 54

Ponting c Amla b Harris 101

Hussey c Boucher b Steyn 0

Clarke not out 88

Symonds c Kallis b Morkel 27

Haddin c Smith b Ntini 40

Lee c Kallis b Steyn 21

Johnson b Steyn 0

Hauritz c Smith b Steyn 12

Siddle c de Villiers b Kallis 19

Extras (b5, lb 12, nb 7): 24

Total (in 113.4 overs): 394

Fall of wickets: 1/21, 2/128, 3-143, 4/184, 5/223, 6/277, 7/322, 8/326, 9/352, 10/394.

Bowling: Dale Steyn 29-6-87-5, Makhaya Ntini 27-7-108-2, Jacques Kallis 18.4-4-55-1, Morne Morkel 22-3-89-1, Paul Harris 17-3-38-1.

South Africa (First innings):

Smith c Haddin b Siddle 62

McKenzie b Siddle 0

Amla c Symonds b Johnson 19

Kallis c Haddin b Hauritz 26

de Villiers b Siddle 7

Duminy batting 34

Boucher c Hussey b Hauritz 3

Morkel b Johnson 21

Harris batting 8

Extras (lb 4, nb 14): 18

Total (for 7 in 63 overs): 198

Fall of wickets: 1/1, 2/39, 3/102, 4/126, 5/132, 6/141, 7/184.

Bowling: B Lee 13-2-68-0, P Siddle 13-3-24-3, M Johnson 17-3-53-2, Nathan Hauritz 20-6-49-2. — UNI

Melbourne, December 27
The declining form has mounted pressure on Matthew Hayden with former captain Mark Taylor joining the bandwagon saying that the burly Queenslander's confidence and form has dipped like never before.

Hayden has been under the scanner for failing to deliver for his team's cause. The left-handed opener scored just eight runs in the first innings here against South Africa yesterday.

Ever since he recovered from the Achilles injury, Hayden has scored just 282 runs at an average of 23.5 in seven matches.

His tally from six innings this summer stood at just 56 Test runs at a miserable average of 9.33 runs per innings.

Taylor, who was Hayden's opening partner during the 1996-97 tour of South Africa, said the burly Queenslander had lost the touch at an alarming speed.

''Matthew Hayden in good form would hit that ball through the covers,'' Taylor said in a television commentary.

''It's a cruel game batting in the top order.

''Four or five Test matches ago that ball would have whistled through the covers.

''Now his confidence is down and there is discussion about whether he should be in the side or not,'' Taylor said.

Victorian left-hander Chris Rogers and New South Wales youngster Phillip Hughes have been pressing hard for a place in the team, with the experienced Rogers having his nose ahead because he has scored more than 10,000 first-class runs.

Captain Ricky Ponting admitted Hayden's results, which have been influential in Australia's success in the last decade, were a matter of concern.

''I've watched him closely this week and even the way he started (the innings), he's looking particularly sharp.

''He hasn't got the runs that he would have hoped for and that we would have hoped for, he'll get another opportunity in the second innings and hopefully he can grab on to that one with both hands,'' Ponting said.

The Queenslander's decline began in India in October and continued yesterday when he produced another stuttering, uncertain and all-too-brief innings. The 101-Test veteran again looked a man caught between wanting to attack and defend. — UNI

Dhaka, December 27
Muttiah Muralitharan claimed five wickets to put Sri Lanka firmly in command of the first Test against Bangladesh today, the off-spinner’s haul leaving the hosts on 177 for nine at the end of the second day.

After Bangladesh had made a confident start with an opening stand of 44 in response to Sri Lanka’s first innings total of 293, wickets fell at regular intervals as Muralitharan ripped through the home batting line-up.

Muralitharan made the vital breakthrough with his second delivery of the match when Tamim Iqbal was caught at forward short-leg by Malinda Warnapura for 17, the wicket giving the visitors enough encouragement to take control of the contest.

He added three more wickets around the tea interval before completing his 66th five-wicket haul in tests with the dismissal of Shahadat Hossain, who was stumped by wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene minutes before bad light stopped the play.

Muralitharan attributed the bowlers’ success to the wicket, telling reporters: “The wicket is not very good for batting. Always the bowlers had a chance. It’s not easy for the batsmen to play shots here.”

Chaminda Vaas chipped in with 2-33 and in the process claimed his 350th test victim, when he had Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful caught by a diving Tillakaratne Dilshan at cover.

Vaas also had opener Imrul Kayes caught behind after the 21-year-old had made a test-best 33, the highest score of the Bangladesh innings. Earlier, Shakib Al Hasan completed his fourth five-wicket haul in five matches to help Bangladesh dismiss Sri Lanka for less than 300.

Scoreboard

Sri Lanka (1st innings)

(overnight 172-6):

Vandort c Hasan b Hossain 44

Warnapura lbw b Mortaza 14

Sangakkara c Ashraful b Hasan 43

Jayawardene b Hasan 3

Samaraweera c Siddique b Hasan 90

Dilshan b Hasan 14

P Jayawardene c Iqbal b Hossain 6

Vaas c Rahim b Mortaza 37

Prasad lbw b Hasan 3

Herath run out 1

Murali not out 0

Extras: (b4, lb13, nb 9, w12) 38

Total: (for all out in 89.4 overs) 293

Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-119, 3-121, 4-135, 5-155, 6-171, 7-270, 8-285, 9-291.

Bowling: Mortaza 18-2-67-2, Alam 19-4-56-0, S Hossain 16-2-55-2, Hasan 28.4-4-70-5, M Hossain 6-1-22-0, Ashraful 2-0-6-0.

Bangladesh (1st innings):

T Iqbal c Warnapura b Murali 17

Kayes c P. Jayawardene b Vaas 33

J Siddique b Murali 29

M Ashraful c Dilshan b Vaas 12

R Hasan b Prasad 11

M Hossain c Jayawardene b Herath 29

Shakib c Jayawardene b Murali 26

M Rahim not out 11

M Mortaza lbw b Murali 0

S Hossain st P Jayawardene b Murali 5

M Alam not out 0

Extras: (b4) 4

Total: (9 wickets, 59 overs) 177

Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-68, 3-90, 4-95, 5-117, 6-158, 7-162, 8-162, 9-176.

Bowling: Vaas 11-4-33-2, Prasad 13-0-61-1, Dilshan 2-0-2-0, Muralitharan 21-8-48-5, Herath 12-1-29-1. — Reuters

Ahmedabad, December 27
Skipper Wasim Jaffer's brilliant 108-run knock and Rohit Sharma's 98 helped Mumbai take command of their quarter-final tie as they took a healthy 155-run lead against Himachal Pradesh here today.

Mumbai, resuming at 19 for none, were 405 for six in reply to Himachal Pradesh's 250 at Sardar Patel Stadium. At the close, Sairaj Bahutule (26) and Ajit Agarkar (36) were at the crease.

Vinayak Samant (20) Jaffer gave a good start to their team and added 53 for the first opening wicket.

Mumbai batsmen built on the good start and forged partnerships and easily got past the Himachal total and then took their team to a comfortable position. Jaffer also added 61-runs for the second wicket with Ajinkya Rahane who made a quick fire 35 before perishing to Sarandeep Singh.

Scoreboard

Himachal (1st innings): 250

Mumbai (1st innings):

Samant c Thakkar b Mehta 20

Jaffer c Sangram b Bhatia 108

Rahane c Indulkar b Sarandeep 35

Muzumdar c Mannu b Malik 6

Rohit b Bhatia 98

Nayar c Thakur b Bhatia 39

Bahutule not out 26

Agarkar not out 36

Extras (b 10, lb 1, w 7, nb 19): 37

Total (6 wickets; 96 overs): 405

Fall of wickets: 1-53, 2-114, 3-141, 4-254, 5-334, 6-349

Karachi, December 27
With the tension in India-Pakistan relations showing no signs of easing, pacer Sohail Tanvir said the cricketers here are mentally prepared to sit out of the Indian Premier League next year.

"Even if I don't get to play in the IPL next season, I don't think it would be a big setback for me or my career. There are a lot of other opportunities to play cricket in other countries," Tanvir told PTI before leaving for Australia to play in a domestic Twenty20 tournament for South Australia.

Tanvir was one of the stars of the first season of the IPL emerging as the highest wicket-taker in the tournament and helping his team, Rajasthan Royals, led by Shane Warne, win the title.

Pakistani players may not get the clearance from their board and government to go to India or even be entertained by the IPL organisers for the season starting April.

"There is some time left before the season starts things can improve. But if they don't I have other options to look at like playing in England or some other country," Tanvir said.

He said he put country before everything else and if the players were told not to play in the IPL he would have no problems.

"The interest of the country is paramount. Cricket comes later. As it is playing for Pakistan is far more important for me then any other cricket," he said.

"Nothing can replace the feeling of nationalism one feels when representing your country."

Tanvir said while he had thoroughly enjoyed playing for Rajasthan in the IPL debut season but the IPL was not the be all and end all for him.

"I am in a learning stage and I think playing outside the subcontinent is very important for me in my learning process. That is why I am looking forward to my stint with South Australia," he said.

The left-arm pacer said he was not worried about the financial repercussions of not being able to play in the IPL as he had full confidence in the Pakistan cricket Board.

"The board is already looking after our financial interests properly so for me missing the IPL is not a big deal," he said.

But Tanvir hoped relations between the two countries improve soon as bilateral cricket contests between the two nations were very significant for survival of Test cricket. — PTI

Patiala, December 27
Punjab Police in their endeavour to take a shot at the title for a record eleventh time, took too many risks, left far too many gaping holes in their defence and fell to the ground with a thud, losing to EME, Jalandhar 0-1 in a semifinal match of the 33rd All-India Liberals hockey tournament.

In the other last four match, holders BSF out stroked CISF 12-11, in an epic sudden death, which threatened to go on till eternity under a fast fading sun.

EME downed Punjab cops in what may be termed as the biggest upset of the tournament so far. However, this one goal victory margin does not exactly mirror the domination of the game EME had as they earned nine penalty corners as compared to the two their rivals managed and they also enjoyed more territorial supremacy than the cops.

Pre-match favourites Punjab Police played a totally disjointed game and repeatedly jeopardised their defence by virtually keeping it man-less for long periods of time.

EME forced as many four penalty corners in the first 20 minutes of the match and this in itself proves how much the rival defence lacked coherence. Midway into the first half the army men came close to scoring when M. Horo relayed the ball to an unmarked Amit Tirkey. However, once he was in sight of the goal, Tirkey fumbled and the ball was kicked out of harms way by an onrushing custodian Manpreet Singh.

The cop’s citadel fell when centre half Rajbir Singh took advantage of a defensive gaffe and sounded the board with a withering carpet drive. After this goal, the cops’ play turned a bit jagged and their rough tackling too came under the scrutiny of the umpires.

The contest between CISF and BSF was played on an even keel and with both teams locked 1-1 at the end of regulation time the tie breaker was brought into play to break the deadlock. However, things were settled only in the long drawn out sudden death with BSF charting out a 12-11 win.

Sangrur, December 27
Sangrur and Patiala today entered the hockey finals in the junior boys’ section of the 20th Punjab Roller Skating Championship (sub-junior, junior and senior) at the Skating Rink at Police Lines here today.

In the first semifinal, Sangrur outplayed Amritsar by 9-0 while in the second Patiala thumped Muktsar by 10-0.

In the sub-junior category, Amritsar beat Muktsar by 2-0 to obtain third place. Hockey match played between Amritsar and Patiala for senior men’s section ended in a 3-3 draw.

The results of road race -1:

Senior group (boys): Ridamdeep Singh (Patiala) 1, Tajeshwar Mahal (Patiala) 2.

Senior group (girls): Gurman Preet Kaur (Ludhiana) 1, Karanveer Kaur (Sangrur) 2.

14-16 years (boys): Tanveer Minhas (Amritsar) 1, Avneet Sandhu (Amritsar) 2.

14-16 years (girls): Sonali Devgan (Amritsar) 1, Simran Kaur (Ludhiana) 2.

12-14 years (boys): Harmandeep Singh (Sangrur) 1, Kanwardeep Singh (Ludhiana) 2.

The results of road race -II: Above 16 years (boys): Harkiran Singh (Ludhiana) 1, Jaspreet Singh (Ludhiana) 2.

12-14 years (boys): Suryadeep Singh (Ludhiana)1, Navanjot Singh Chhatwal (Sangrur) 2.

Gurdaspur, December 27
Punjab clinched gold in Football (Boys) by defeating Goa 1-0 in the third National Inter School Tournament Group 2 for boys and girls (under-16), which concluded here today. The lone goal was scored by Jatinder Singh for the hosts.

In the girls category Haryana outplayed Kerala in the finals 3-1 as its two players Pooja and Priyanka scored 2 and 1 goals, respectively whereas Sarika scored the solitary goal for the losing team. Tamil Nadu got third place by defeating Maharashtra 2-0.

Tamil Nadu Boys won the gold in the finals of volleyball where they won against Haryana by three games to one. Third place went to Punjab, who blanked Rajasthan 3-0 in a totally lop-sided affair.

Haryana girls won gold by defeating Kerala 3-1 games in volleyball in the final whereas Tamil Nadu got the third place by defeating Punjab by 3-0 games in another one-sided match. Punjab sports minister Gulzar Singh Ranike gave away the prizes to the winners.

London, December 27
Carlos Tevez scored with seven minutes left to give Manchester United a 1-0 win at 10-man Stoke on what looked like a tired return to the Premier League by the defending champions.

United was far from its best after a mid-season trip to Japan for the Club World Cup and had rarely troubled Stoke until Tevez scored from close range after a pass from Dimitar Berbatov.

Yesterday's victory was the first by one of the so-called "big four" for 20 days, with Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal all having gone winless since United departed for Japan.

Liverpool and Chelsea, though, soon emulated United by winning their first post-Christmas games. Liverpool stayed top with a 3-0 win over Bolton, while Chelsea beat bottom-placed West Bromwich Albion 2-0 to stay a point back in second.

Aston Villa strengthened its grip on third place by clinching a 2-2 draw in injury time against Arsenal, its nearest challenger for the final Champions League place.

United moved up to third place and remains ahead of Villa on goal difference.

The best chances United had managed to create before the Tevez strike were a long-range shot by Paul Scholes that forced a sharp save from goalkeeper Thomas Soerensen and Berbatov heading over the bar.

"At this stage of the season they are all big wins when you get them," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "Sometimes you have to be patient in games like this. It was worth it to get three points."

Even after losing defender Andy Wilkinson in the 72nd to a second yellow card, Stoke kept troubling the Red Devils but could not respond to Tevez's goal. United played out the last few minutes by passing the ball deep inside its own half.

Robbie Keane scored twice to lead Liverpool to victory over a stubborn Bolton side and secure a Premier League win at Anfield for the first time in four games.

Albert Riera had put Liverpool ahead in the 26th before Keane's second-half goals.

Didier Drogba, who finally started up front alongside Nicolas Anelka, and Frank Lampard scored in the first half for Chelsea to take the Blues to 41 points -- albeit from two more games than United.

"We are delighted to have Didier back," Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins said. "It is always nice to score early on and it was a classic center forward's goal: a powerful header.

"It is lovely to have Didier fully fit although we took him off in the second half because he got a kick on the thigh. He is an exceptional centre forward." At Villa Park, Denilson and Abou Diaby looked to have sealed Arsenal's victory as they led 2-0 by the 49th in a pulsating match.

But Gareth Barry converted a penalty in the 65th before the defender Zat Knight struck in injury time to leave the Gunners 10 points behind leader Liverpool.

"I feel in the second half they were never really dangerous and yet we conceded two goals in the half where we were never really troubled," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said. — AP

New Delhi, December 27
Ace drag flicker Diwakar Ram was today retained captain of the 16-member Indian U-21 hockey team which will take part in the 'Australian Youth Olympic Festival' four-nation tournament to be held at Sydney from January 14 to 18.

Diwakar had led the junior side to just concluded four-match test series against World champion Argentina.

India won that series 1-0 besides beating Holland 3-2 in a one off test.

Other teams taking part in the tournament are Australia, Britain and Malaysia.

All matches will be played at the Olympic Stadium, Sydney.

The Team: Goalkeepers: Mrinal Chaubey, C Santosh Kumar.

Full Backs: Diwakar Ram (Capt), Innocent Kullu, Manjeet Kullu Midfielders: Birender Lakra, Vivek, Vikas Sharma, Belsajar Horo, Amardeep Ekka.

Forwards: Pramod Kumar, Mandip Antil, Jay Karan, Danish Mujtaba, Mohd Amir Khan and Dharamvir Singh Standbyes: Hari Kripal Yadav, Jagwant Singh, Rupinder Pal Singh, Karamjit Singh, Mohd Asif Khan.

According to the Convenor Ad Hoc Committee Mohd Aslam Khan, the team's participation in this tournament is to provide it the maximum competition and exposure for the team before the Junior World Cup at Singapore and Malaysia in June next year. The team will depart for Sydney on January 9. — UNI