Chennai, December 10
With the series under their belt, India would look to sign off on a winning note before heading off to the gruelling trip to Australia when they take on a spirited but inconsistent West Indies in the fifth and final one-dayer on Sunday. Stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag single-handedly plundered the West Indian bowling to not just become only the second batsman to notch up an ODI double hundred but also give India a decisive 3-1 lead in the five-match series in Indore.

This win is also Sehwag's first series triumph as captain. Sehwag is leading the side as regular captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been rested.

The young Indian side has done remarkably well in the series in the absence of senior players like Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh.

Statistics show that Indian dominance over the Caribbean team has been on the rise during the last decade and weather-permitting it is expected to continue even in Sunday's match.

Fortunately for cricket fans in Chennai, who have seen abandonment of domestic matches due to inclement weather in the recent past, sun has come out brightly and it has not rained during the last week or more.

Top-order Indian batsmen like Rohit Sharma and, Virat Kohli have been among the runs in the series. Sehwag, who was struggling till the last match, roared back into form with the epic double hundred in the previous game.

Suresh Raina, though has not yet found his rhythm, despite scoring 55 at Indore. He has made just 62 runs in the four matches so far.

On the bowling front, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has not performed to his potential in the series but would be egged on to strike as he would be bowling before his local fans.

Irfan Pathan is likely to find a place in the eleven since the series is already in India’s pocket and it would give a chance for the selectors to see the Baroda bowler in action after being recalled to the team for his haul of 21 wickets in Ranji trophy this season.

For the West Indians, it has been a tough tour of India having earlier lost the three-match Test series but the Darren Sammy-led side would be happy with the way they had cornered India in Ahmedabad.

Caribbean top-order batsmen have not found their rhythm in unison but have scored at an average of above 25 runs in each match.

Among Darren Bravo, Denesh Ramadin, Andre Russel, Lendl Simmons and Marlon Samuels, who have tallied over 100 runs for four matches, only Ramdin came close to scoring a century before getting out four runs short of it.

Sammy expects a much-improved show by his players on Sunday focusing on winning the last match though the series has already been decided.

"We think we can still win matches. We will approach the game in the morrow like the way we do every game to keep motivated in not losing focus since the one-day series has already been decided," he said.

Kemar Roach (7/228) and Rampaul (6/185) have been the most successful bowlers and it is possible that Sammy play might three spinners as the Chepauk turf is known for its slow turn.

The visitors would be desperate to avoid a loss before heading home but the Indians are not expected to concede even an inch. — PTI

New Delhi, December 9
India will bank on familiar actors to wield the sword of executors when they take on Afghanistan in the final of the 7th SAFF Championship at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium tomorrow at 6 p.m. But the cruise will be difficult this time around, as Afghanistan have shown that they can sustain their attacks with equal felicity till the final hooter and still retain something to spare! They 
also hold edge in height, power and stamina. Also, they have the 
skill to take on the hosts on an even keel.

Afghanistan would be making their maiden appearance in the final — in fact the final of any tournament in the region, barring the inaugural 1951 Asian Games, when they 
went down to India in the title clash.

They, thus, have not only an old debt to clear but would want to open a new account in football in the region, to show the world that despite the turmoil in their war-ravaged country, they have the talent to cobble together a winning combination in football.

Though India are in the process of rebuilding their team, after the exit of many established players including Baichung Bhutia, they will have no excuse to offer if they capitulate to Afghanistan. A lot of money and time have been invested in their training and match exposures and they cannot take cover behind lame excuses.

The Indian display in this edition has been patchy at best and their only salvation as defending champions is that they did not lose a match in the Group A league. After a tough 1-1 draw with Afghanistan, they defeated Bhutan and Sri Lanka to enter the semis and then downed Maldives, runners-up in the last edition, to storm into the final.

Afghanistan impressed in their league round, holding India, while beating Sri Lanka and Bhutan convincingly.

India can count on home conditions to bolster their morale and bank upon dependable players like Sunil Chhetri, Syed Rahim Nabi, Jeje Lalpekhula, Climax Lawrence, Clifford Miranda and custodian Karanjit Singh to deliver. They were the lead performers in their assigned roles and beyond, to serve the hosts’ cause in the previous four matches, with Chhetri winning four Man of the match medals.

Unless India put their best all-round foot forward, they would find it difficult to tackle Afghanistan, who have not only logged 13 goals in four matches but have also proved their mettle in stamina, staying power, speed and game skill. This they displayed in ample measure against a doughty and determined Nepal in the second semi-final yesterday and they are not going to let up their fighting qualities against India either.

If India depend hugely on Chhetri to get goals, Afghanistan have a sharp-shooter in captain Balal Arezo, who had knocked in the match-winner against Nepal, taking his goal tally to six, to equal I.M. Vijayan’s record achieved in 1997.

Arezo struck four against Bhutan and has emerged as the top-scorer of the championship. But history sides with the hosts as India have triumphed ten times out of their 13 meetings against the visitors, with the Afghans winning once.

Hobart, December 10
New Zealand led Australia by 153 runs after Day 2 of the fast-moving second Test on Saturday, aiming to build a decisive second innings lead after rattling the hosts out for just 136.

A total of 23 wickets fell in two days on a drying greentop wicket at Hobart's Bellerive Oval, with a result looking likely before Tuesday's scheduled last day.

The Black Caps, looking to redeem themselves after a nine-wicket defeat in last week's first Test in Brisbane, were 139/3 at the close after taking a 14-run first innings lead.

At stumps, runs were coming easier for the Kiwis on an improving pitch with skipper Ross Taylor on 42 and Kane Williamson not out 34 in an unbroken 66-run stand.

The highest fourth innings run chase at Bellerive is Australia's 369/6 against Pakistan in 1999.

Three Kiwi wickets fell after tea, with openers Brendon McCullum snapped up by Phil Hughes off James Pattinson for 12 and Martin Guptill caught behind off Peter Siddle for 16.

Jesse Ryder carelessly fell to a leg-side stumping by Brad Haddin off part-timer Mike Hussey for 16 after he momentarily lifted his back foot out of the crease.

Pacemen Siddle and Pattinson helped the Australians avoid their lowest Test score against the Kiwis with a 56-run eighth-wicket stand after the home side lurched to lunch at 81/7. Australia laboured in their pursuit of the Kiwis' first innings of 150 and at one stage were on track for their lowest Test total against New Zealand of 103 set in Auckland in 1986.

But Siddle (36) and Pattinson (17) saved their blushes with their partnership as the Bellerive pitch began to play more easily after its first-day demons. — AFP

Gurgaon, December 10
Thanks to three consecutive birdies on her closing holes, rookie Caroline Hedwall of Sweden garnered sole lead on the second day of the Hero Women’s Indian Open-2011 at the DLF Golf and Country Club here today. Hedwall, who has three wins this year and is already assured of the Rookie of the Year award, was two behind two-time champion Phatlum Pornanong (67-69) of Thailand and fellow-Swede Linda Wessberg (70-66), both at 136. Hedwall birdied the last three for a card of 68 and moved one clear to 135.

The cut fell at five-over 149 with 60 professionals and two amateurs making it to the money round. Amateur Gauri Monga (74-72) was the best among Indians at tied 37th, while four others -- Smriti Mehra (72-77), Sharmila Nicollet (75-74), Neha Tripathi (72-77) and amateur Vani Kapoor (74-75) were clubbed at 149, right on the cut. Smriti nearly missed the bus with a triple bogey finish to her round.

National amateur champion Gauri Monga played steady golf with 11 straight pars after starting from the tenth. She had birdies on 3rd and 6th and bogeys on 5th and 7th. “I played quite steady with a series of pars. My two bogeys were disappointing. I went to the right on fifth and missed and up and down and on seventh I went into the trees,” said Monga. Vani sank a birdie on her final hole, the ninth, to make the cut.

After a first round 67, Hedwall had one birdie on the front nine. After the turn she birdied the 11th and at seven-under for the tournament at that stage, gave herself every chance to assume the lead. Then came the bogey on the 14th, when she found the cart-path of her tee shot and the ball bounced out of bounds.

Then after a par on 15th, she had three birdies. “I putted really well and that kind of saved my game today,” said Hedwall. “I had a strong finish. I hit it to just a foot on number 16 for birdie and holed a 12 feet putt on 17 and two-putted for birdie on 18 so I made a couple coming in, which was really nice.”

Pornanong started with a bogey on the par-4 tenth. The 21-year-old made up with birdies on the 12th and 17th. Making the turn at six under, she managed two more birdies on the 3rd and 7th to pull alongside Wessberg.

Wessberg, a tenth tee starter, made a birdie start to her round followed by two more birdies on the 15th and 18th. She also found birdies on the 2nd and 3rd to go seven-under. A bogey on the 5th set her back, but the 31-year-old went on to birdie the 6th and the closing hole of her round to finish the day at 66, two strokes shy of her career best round of 64.

Chandigarh, December 10
After the resounding success of the IPL and Formula One Grand Prix, India is gearing up for the next biggest sporting extravaganza, the i1 Supercar Series. The i1 Supercar Series is the newly-launched city-based motor racing league featuring top international and Indian drivers. The drivers will be competing for a $2 million prize.

The i1 Supercar Series, promoted by Indian-based Machdar Motorsports, has announced that Sachin Tendulkar will be the brand ambassador for the series. The series will also include celebrity team owners with actors Shah Rukh Khan and Nagarjuna already being confirmed as the Mumbai and Hyderabad owners, respectively.

With motorsport at an all-time high in the country after the inaugural F1 Grand Prix, the i1 Supercar Series comes at the perfect time to further promote the sport in the country. Half the drivers for the series will be young Indians who can use this opportunity to make a name for themselves. The teams will represent various cities in India and will take place in five countries with the calendar to be confirmed soon. Fans worldwide will now have live access to the series through Ten Sports, who bagged the rights to show the races live.

The series will kick off with 10 races held across India, the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia. The circuits will include FIA approved tracks such as Noida’s Buddh International Circuit, Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina, Sepang in Malaysia and the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain. The series will have nine local city-based teams represented by 18 drivers.

Auckland, December 10
Spain defeated the Netherlands 3-1 today to set up a hockey Champions Trophy final showdown with defending champions Australia, who downed hosts New Zealand 2-1. In the bottom half of the eight-nation tournament, Germany crushed Pakistan 5-0 to leave the Green Shirts facing a wooden spoon play-off with South Korea, who were defeated 4-3 in a thriller against Great Britain.

Australia, chasing a record fourth straight title at men's hockey's last major tournament before the London Olympics, have won 11 times overall, while Spain's sole success came in 2004. Spain, out to make amends after placing sixth at the European Championships, maintained the attacking game they have adopted at the Auckland tournament and never relinquished the lead after Tubau scored in the second minute. — AFP

BRIEFLY

Dwyer FIH Player of the Year
Auckland: The men's FIH Player of the Year Award eluded India for the 14th consecutive year even as Australian hockey superstar Jamie Dwyer ran away with the 2011 honours to complete a hat-trick of trophies. India might be the erstwhile champions of field hockey having won eight Olympic gold medals, but strangely not a single Indian has won men's FIH Player of the Year Award since it was introduced in 1998. It was double jubilation for the Kookaburras as apart from Dwyer another Australian Matthew Swann won the Young Player award. — PTI

India biggest challenge: Pattinson
Melbourne: Australian pace sensation James Pattinson can't wait for the four-Test series against India later this month as he feels there is no better challenge for him than their famed batting line-up. "That's the pinnacle, the Boxing Day Test. When I was young I would go every year. So to be out there playing is going to be a dream come true - if I get the chance," Pattinson said referring to the first Test on December 26. "And against India - there is no better challenge than their batsmen," he told 'Fox Sports'. The 21-year-old Pattinson has had a sensational debut grabbing a five-wicket haul in each of his first two Tests. — PTI

Vettori out for month
Hobart: Allrounder Daniel Vettori will be out for up to a month with a hamstring injury, New Zealand Cricket said today. Scans confirmed Vettori's injury, which he aggravated before the start of yesterday's play in the second Hobart Test against Australia giving left-arm seamer Trent Boult the opportunity to make his Test debut. "Dan sustained a recurrence of his left hamstring injury that's been problematic for him over the last few years," Black Caps team physiotherapist Paul Close said in a statement. "We expect him to be rehabbing the injury and back to full fitness within three to four weeks. "We are confident he will be back to play some cricket at some stage in the New Year." Vettori, 32, has scored 4,351 runs at 30.64 and taken 355 wickets at 33.67 in 107 Tests. — AFP

Anand draws with Kramnik
London: World champion Viswanathan Anand played out a draw with former challenger Vladimir Kramnik of Russia in the seventh round of London Chess Classics here. After a hard earned victory over Nigel Short of England in the previous round, the Indian ace could not do much with his white pieces and decided to split the point on the first all-drawn day in the Classic this year. World number one Magnus Carlsen of Norway had an off day and that paved the way for Hikaru Nakamura of United States to strengthen his position at the top of the table with another easy draw as black against Luke McShane of England. — PTI

Army win Ranjit Singh hockey
NEW DELHI: Army XI rallied to defeat Punjab and Sind Bank (PSB) 4-2, after leading by 2-1 at half-time, in the title clash of the 6th Maharaja Ranjit Singh Hockey Tournament at the Dhyan Chand Stadium here on Saturday. Parminder Singh put the bank in the lead in the second minute, but Arumugam equalised and Sunil Ekka got Army the lead before half-time. On resumption, Bikramjit Singh reduced the margin for PSB, while Army added two more goals through Arumugam and Lakra to settle the matter. — TNS

Modern School lift title
NEW DELHI: Modern School, Barakhamba Road, defeated Sanskriti School 3-2 in the Sanskriti Under-17 Football Tournament held on Saturday. Modern School rallied after trailing 1-2 to take the lead and lift the title. Coached by Rajesh Arya, Modern School had lifted the IPSC gold medal, zonal title and third place in the inter-zonal championship this year. The school had also played in the Subroto Cup football tournament in Delhi. — TNS

‘F1 as good as any sport’
Chennai: Amidst debate over the 'elitist' nature of Formula One and whether it qualifies to be a sport at all, Indian racing star Narain Karthikeyan today said that F1 is a sport as good as any other and the drivers involved in it work really hard. "F1 is a sport as good as others...as much as cricket. In fact, it is a dangerous sport too," Karthikeyan said during an interactive session at the India Today Youth Summit here. Karthikeyan, the face of motorsport in India, said professionals involved in motorsport put in as much amount of hardwork as any other sportsperson in other discipline. "There is lot of hardwork and commitment put in (by those who opt for it)," he said. — PTI