Chandigarh, February 7
By now the Indian team should have realised that in the present set of circumstances the current bunch of Aussies are far superior to them in all areas of the game. And the Indian players can be forgiven for heaving a collective sigh of relief at the thought of having to face upto Sri Lankans for a change. This might just turn out to be a clash among equals.

The only win the Indian team has had so far on this tour has been in a T20 game (that is perhaps an indicator in which direction Indian cricket is headed). Also this solitary win has come in the absence of the BIG THREE (this again shows that perhaps the time has come for them to move on).

This match could be India’s chance of registering a rare win because the Sri Lankans — in recent times — have had a lot on their plates. The team has seen captaincy flow back and forth between Jayawardene, Sangakkara, Dilshan and now back again to Jayawardene.

The players have not received their salaries for quite some time now (their motivational levels could be low). Some like the new skipper himself have hit the jackpot with the inscrutable workings of the IPL. But most Lankan players remain disgruntled.

This could be a clash among equals because Indian players have also had a lot on their plates. Something is surely wrong between Dhoni and Sehwag and this became all too obvious when the Delhi-basher was rested for the match against Australia.

Now generally speaking, you rest someone who has had a lot to do in recent times. But that has not been the case with Sehwag. Also you don’t rest your perceived match-winner in the first game of the tri-series.

This seems to be a case where Sehwag would have rested Dhoni in the Test matches had he been the skipper.

Sachin can get to his landmark against the Lankans because the Aussies have simply proved too hot to handle for him.

In the nine innings on this tour so far, Sachin has not even come close to the three figure mark (unless you can call 80 as being tantalisingly close to a hundred). So he can now break free from the self-imposed shackles and bat with some freedom (and relief) against the Lankans.

This one seems more like a clash between two equally-troubled teams. Otherwise, the encounters between India and Australia so far on this tour have been (to use a cliché) hopelessly one-sided.

New Delhi, February 7
Their association with cricket might have gone sour but Sahara Group is set to renew its long-term sponsorship deal with Indian hockey by signing a five-year agreement with Hockey India, the modalities of which have been worked out.

Under the agreement, expected to be signed in the next few days, the country's men's and women's hockey teams at both the senior and junior level will get the financial backing of the corporate giant till 2017.

"More or less everything has been finalised. Most probably tomorrow, the agreement would be signed. We are hoping for a deal worth between Rs 15 to 17 crore because we need more money to promote the sport," a Hockey India official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

When contacted, a top official of Sahara said the company is keen to continue its association with hockey and the picture will become clear within the next two to three days.

"Nothing has been finalised as yet. Talks are on with Hockey India and within next 2-3 days we are expecting to take a decision," Sahara India's corporate communications head, Abhijit Sarkar said.

"Our sponsorship deal with Indian hockey ended last month after and Hockey India has approached us to renew the contract," he added. — PTI

Mumbai, February 7
Officials of BCCI and Sahara Group are in talks to save the fifth edition of the IPL after the latter threatened to pull out its Pune Warriors team from the tournament.

The fixtures for the IPL series which starts from April 4 are finalized and Pune Warriors pulling out would throw the entire programme out of gear, say BCCI officials. "Without Pune Warriors the number of matches would have to be curtailed and this would affect the sponsorships of all the teams," says a BCCI source. The present format comprises of 76 matches including the final and the exit of Pune Warriors will result in fewer matches, says the official.

Sources say representatives of Sahara and IPL have held talks in the past two days and they expect a result in the next few days.

In an interview to a television channel Roy also confirmed that talks to resolve the issue were on. "(My) first concern is that our players this year should not be deprived of playing IPL. I have already requested BCCI to get them in any organisation fast so that they can play in this IPL. I don't want that BCCI and our team should be in problem in any manner," Roy told a television channel.

Meanwhile there is speculation in the market that the Sahara group may have pulled out of sponsoring the Indian cricket team because of the crackdown on its finance business by various agencies.

The Supreme Court had given the group a February 10 deadline to either give a bank guarantee or attachment in the form of unencumbered, sequestered immovable property to cover for funds mobilized by it.

Liverpool, February 7
Luis Suarez's return from an eight-match suspension failed to inspire Liverpool as they were held to a goalless draw by Tottenham at Anfield on Monday.

Suarez received a rapturous reception from Liverpool fans when he came on in the 66th minute - his first action for six weeks - after serving a ban for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra.

But the Uruguay striker was left frustrated as third-placed Tottenham secured a point in the absence of their manager Harry Redknapp in a scrappy contest.

All the hype surrounding the game had been about the return of Suarez following his lengthy ban after an FA board found him guilty of making a racist comment towards Evra.

In the end, Suarez's return was third billing on a night that saw Redknapp forced to abandon his flight to Anfield due to technical problems having earlier appeared at Southwark Crown Court in the closing stage of his trial on tax evasion charges.

Redknapp might have failed to make it but England manager Fabio Capello, fresh from publicly criticising the Football Association's decision to oust John Terry as captain, did make it to Anfield.

With Terry having been stripped of the armband pending his trial in July over alleged racial abuse of Queens Park Rangers's Anton Ferndinand, Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard has been tipped to lead England at Euro 2012.

Tottenham's Scott Parker has also been mentioned as a potential candidate. But in a game briefly stopped when a cat ran across the pitch, the fur was really flying after Parker's wild 39th minute challenge floored Gerrard just outside the visitors' penalty area.

Liverpool made the stronger start but it spoke volumes about the scrappy nature of the game that home fans were chanting Suarez's name after just half an hour.

The hosts came flying out of the blocks with Gerrard slipping a delightful through ball to Andy Carroll only for Michael Dawson to make a goal-saving fifth minute challenge. — AFP

London, February 7
Despite freezing weather, many fans waited and shouted alongside the red carpet as winners of the 2012 Laureus World Sports Awards were unveiled here Monday.

Serbian tennis giant Novak Djokovic and Kenyan distance runner Vivian Cheruiyot were named as the best Sportsman and Sportswoman of the year, while the glory of best Team went to reigning Champions League football holders FC Barcelona.

Djokovic, the first player representing Serbia to win a Grand Slam singles title, is also the youngest player to reach the semifinals of all four Grand Slams in the open era at the age of 24.

In his remarkable 2011, the humorous "Djoker" not only won Australian, Wimbledon and US Open crowns, but also took away the World No.1 ranking from Spanish rival Rafael Nadal, Xinhua reported.

Although his level of performance dropped a bit at the end of last year, Djokovic still proved his dominance with a 70-6 record. American tennis legend Pete Sampras described his season as "the best I have seen in my lifetime".

Cheruiyot was considered one of the greatest distance runners of this generation. She picked up gold medals of both 5,000 and 10,000 metres at the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.

In the 5,000m competition, Cheruiyot finished the final kilometre in two minutes and 41.76 seconds, the fastest ever in World Championship history. In the 10,000m race, she clocked a personal best of 30 minutes 48.98 seconds.

Barcelona, under coach Pep Guardiola, was winner of the Champions League and the Spanish League in the 2010/11 season. It was the fourth time the team was nominated for the Laureus but won it for the first time.

I dare to dream: Novak Djokovic

"I dare to dream about becoming the best player. Now I have this special award and I think everything is possible," said Serbian tennis giant Novak Djokovic, after being named as the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year.

"Serbia is a small and beautiful country, but also very poor," he said emotionally after receiving the award here Monday. "It has a lot of troubles and wars in the last 20 years." However, the man said he never lost his dream. "I hope each and every one in the world could dream."

The Serbian, who for a long time was overshadowed by the glory of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, rose up in 2011 to win Australian, Wimbledon and U.S. Open Grand Slam titles.

He also grabbed the No.1 ranking from the tenacious Nadal. The first player representing Serbia to win a Grand Slam singles title, Djokovic, 24, is also the youngest player to edge into the semifinals of all four Grand Slams in the open era.

Although his dominant performance dropped a little bit at the end of this season, Djokovic still proved his reign with a season 70-6 record.

Legendary tennis player Pete Sampras described his season as "the best I have seen in my lifetime". — IANS

Ludhiana, February 7
The stage is set for the 76th edition of the sports extravaganza, a heady mix of regular and traditional games to be held from February 9-12 at village Kila Raipur, situated about 17 kms south of Ludhiana.

Giving this information at press meet here today, Paramjit Singh Grewal, general secretary of the organising committee said that rarely seen display of bizarre physical strength besides sports disciplines recognised by the International Olympics Association would be conducted during this four-day sports festival, popularly known as 'Rural Olympics'. Cash prizes worth Rs 25 lakh will distributed to the winners in different games.

"Competition in hockey and athletics besides traditional games such as grey hound races, mule cart races, tug of war, loading and unloading of tractor-trailer, gymnastics, race for veterans, bazigar shows and dance performances by artists from the neighbouring states will be the added attraction of this annual festival, " added Grewal.

Top outfits of the nation will be seen in action for the Bhagwant Memorial Hockey Cup in which a running trophy weighing 100 tolas of gold in addition to a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh will be at stake.

Similarly, a total cash prize money of Rs 4.5 lakh will be given to the first three position holders in kabaddi in different age groups. Famous Punjabi singers will regale the spectators at the end of events on all the four days. The main attraction of the closing ceremony will be a fireworks display.

Karnal, February 7
In a shocking incident, a national wrestler was thrown out of a running train near Wajida, 8 kms from here, late last night. The 19-year-old wrestler was identified as Praveen alias Lokesh, a resident of village Kamal Pur in Utter Pradesh. He was on his way to Rai Sports Stadium when tragedy struck.

Praveen, who was rushed to the trauma centre Karnal by people, was still in coma. His relatives, who reached here today, were suspicious about his fellow wrestlers and did not rule out that he could have been thrown out because of personal enmity.

Praveen’s uncle Vinod informed that Praveen was a wrestler and had participated in national championships. Police said that the case is being investigated but till now there are no clues as Praveen is still in coma.

Spain, February 7
World champion Sebastian Vettel said his back-to-back title triumphs in the last two years would count for little when the 2012 Grand Prix season gets underway in Australia on March 18.

The 24-year-old German took the time out to dwell on his hopes of making it a hat-trick of world titles.

"It's difficult to say (what will happen). Every season we start from zero again," Vettel said. "Unlike other sports, in tennis for instance, you're the number one in the world and there is a certain gap between you and the number two.

“You have this cushion and it doesn't matter if it's one year or another year, you still have it. Whereas for us, it all starts from zero again, zero points, where everyone has the same chance and we are all building our new cars.” — AFP

BRIEFLY

‘Eng win makes Pak cricket power’
Dubai: Winning captain Misbah-ul Haq said his team's 3-0 routing of world number one England sends a strong message to the cricketing world — Pakistan is a power and should be ignored no more. “We showed the world again that we are a power in the cricketing world,” said Misbah, 37. “Now, it's time to give importance to the Pakistan team again,” Misbah said. — AFP