India will thrash Australia 4-0: Bhajji

NEW DELHI: Senior off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has had some memorable performances against Australia in the past, on Thursday started the game of one-upmanship by declaring that India will thrash Michael Clarke's men 4-0 in the upcoming Test series, starting February 22.

"This is a young Australian team. They are even getting beaten on their home grounds consistently. We should defeat them easily and 4-0 whitewash is a real possibility," Harbhajan said one the sidelines of a promotional event today.

Bhajji, who has been selected to play for the Rest of India squad in the Irani trophy is optimistic about his chances of selection in the upcoming Australian series.

"I have bowled a number of overs in the Ranji series and am feeling good about my rhythm. I am trying to utilise whatever opportunities of match practice that I am able to get. I am hopeful that I will make the cut for the Australia Test series."

Comparing with the past Australian teams with the present batch, Harbhajan opined that Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting's units had players who were matchwinners in their own rights.

"They had 11 champion players. Right from Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden to Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, McGrath, they were unbeatable as a unit."

Harbhajan feels that the recently-retired Ricky Ponting, with whom he had been involved in numerous on-field battles in the past, will be missed by the current inexperienced Aussies.

"Ponting was a class act. It will be difficult for Australians to replace him," he said.

Talking about the recently concluded India-England series where England thumped India with a 2-1 margin in the Tests, the offie feels that blaming the pitches for team's poor performance is not the correct way to move forward.

"We should not always blame the pitch for our bad performance. The England team played better cricket overall, they played our spinners better, their spinners bowled better than us," he said.

Harbhajan, who was the captain of the Punjab team which made it to the Ranji Trophy semi-finals this year feels that although the pitches were better for seamers this season, yet they wasn't much help for the spinners.

"Seamers on first day tracks got wickets but as the matches progressed, even on day three and four, due to green-tops, the ball wasn't gripping onto the surface. Such pitches do not give the spinners any advantage and even on the last day, they struggled to get wickets. In the end, it became easier for batsmen only," he said.

Harbhajan, who recently relinquished the captainship of the Mumbai Indians franchisee in the Indian Premier League, felt that being a captain was taking a lot out of him and he was not able to give his very best for the team.

"Being a captain is an added responsibility and it took a lot out of me. At present, I just wanted to focus on my game, and hence I decided to give someone else a chance. I wish all the luck to the next skipper," he said.

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Pak players snubbed again in auction

NEW DELHI: Considered pariahs by the Indian Premier League since 2008, Pakistani cricketers were once again left out of the list of players to be auctioned for the event's sixth edition in April-May.

The 101-strong list of players, to be auctioned on Sunday, does not feature a single Pakistani player despite the resumption of bilateral cricket ties between the two neighbours in December last year.

Pakistani players have been ignored by IPL since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Even though the Pakistan Cricket Board has been pushing for their inclusion, the efforts have not paid off even this year.

And it has got nothing to do with the recent tension that gripped the Line of Control earlier this month after an Indian soldier was beheaded during a violation of the ceasefire.

The move to keep Pakistani players out was initiated in December last year even though BCCI had hinted about having them for the auction at least.

The BCCI's apprehension stemmed from the fear of controversies given that having sportspersons from across the border remains a sensitive matter in India.

"It is for the franchises to decide their teams. The franchises invest a lot of money and they do not want to take risk by including Pakistani players. The idea is to play it safe", a top IPL official said.

Recently, Pakistani hockey players were sent back from the Hockey India League while the women cricketers from the country, who are here for the World Cup, were shifted from Mumbai to Cuttack following protests by the Shiv Sena

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Pak players snubbed again for auction

NEW DELHI: Considered pariahs by the Indian Premier League since 2008, Pakistani cricketers were once again left out of the list of players to be auctioned for the event's sixth edition in April-May.

The 101-strong list of players, to be auctioned on Sunday, does not feature a single Pakistani player despite the resumption of bilateral cricket ties between the two neighbours in December last year.

Pakistani players have been ignored by IPL since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. Even though the Pakistan Cricket Board has been pushing for their inclusion, the efforts have not paid off even this year.

And it has got nothing to do with the recent tension that gripped the Line of Control earlier this month after an Indian soldier was beheaded during a violation of the ceasefire.

The move to keep Pakistani players out was initiated in December last year even though BCCI had hinted about having them for the auction at least.

The BCCI's apprehension stemmed from the fear of controversies given that having sportspersons from across the border remains a sensitive matter in India.

"It is for the franchises to decide their teams. The franchises invest a lot of money and they do not want to take risk by including Pakistani players. The idea is to play it safe", a top IPL official said.

Recently, Pakistani hockey players were sent back from the Hockey India League while the women cricketers from the country, who are here for the World Cup, were shifted from Mumbai to Cuttack following protests by the Shiv Sena

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Beckham poised to join PSG: Sources

LONDON: Former England captain David Beckham was set to join French club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on Thursday, both the BBC and Sky Sports News reported.

The 37-year-old midfielder has been without a club since ending a five-and-half-year spell in the United States last month after winning a second MLS Cup with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Beckham was reportedly in line to be unveiled by PSG later Thursday and the club announced a 5:00 pm local (1600 GMT) news conference at their Parc des Princes ground with their Qatari president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and sports director Leonardo but no further details were given.

Beckham, who made 115 appearances for England -- a national record for an outfield player -- first came to prominence at Manchester United and helped the club win the Treble in 1999 when they took the English Premier League, FA Cup and European Champions League titles.

This time last year, in the corresponding January transfer window, he was also linked with a move to PSG.

But Beckham, who played for Spanish giants Real Madrid after leaving United and later had two loan spells at AC Milan, opted to remain in the United States.

Recently, Beckham -- one of football's most high-profile players and married to the former pop star turned fashion designer Victoria Beckham -- has been training with Arsenal.

But Arsene Wenger, the Premier League club's French manager, insisted he had no intention of signing Beckham in this transfer window, which closes later Thursday.

Beckham previously trained with Arsenal in January 2010 during a break from the MLS season and two years ago had a similar training spell with the Gunners' north London rivals Tottenham.

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Kamini scores ton as India score 284/6

MUMBAI: Opener Thirushkamini Murugesan became the first Indian eve to notch up a century in 50-over World Cup as hosts piled up a commendable 284 for six against West Indies in their opening group league match on Thursday.

The previous best by an Indian eve in a World Cup was by skipper Mithali Raj against Netherlands in the 2005 edition, while this was the highest team total posted by the side.

India surpassed their previous highest score of 275 against Netherlands in the 2000 World Cup in New Zealand.

Left-hander Kamini, who made a comeback into the side, scored 100 in 146 balls was finally run-out.

She struck 11 fours and a six and batted till the 43rd over and spent 156 minutes at the crease.

Put into bat, Kamini and Poonam Raut (72) made best use of the flat track at Brabourne Stadium here and added 175 runs for the opening stand.

Raut's 72 runs came off 94 balls and she struck seven fours during her 144-minute stay at the crease.

Raut was finally out leg before trying a sweep shot off spinner Shanel Daley. India tried to accelerate and made best use of the Powerplay as 45 runs came off those five overs.

She was joined by former Indian skipper Jhulan Goswami, who was promoted as a pinch hitter and Goswami made a quickfire 36 in 21 balls.

India started losing wickets towards the end in their bid to step up the ante.

For the visitors, seamer Deandra Dottin picked up three wickets in her four overs while giving away 32 runs, and Daley picked up one.

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Game is bigger than all: Leander Paes

NEW DELHI: Veteran India tennis star Leander Paes does not see anything wrong in players discussing their grievances with the association but says the sport should not suffer in the process.

Eleven top players made themselves unavailable for the tie against South Korea and AITA was forced to field a depleted team for the Asia/Oceania Group I tie, starting Friday.

"I personally don't believe that rebellion is important. But communication should always be open. Game is bigger than all of us, it will always will be.

End of the day, sport is most important. Whether it's the Association, or players or you guys (media), essence should not be lost," Paes, a veteran of 48 Davis Cup ties, said.

"In any walk of life, battles are there to be fought but the core of, the essence of, for what we are here for, should not be lost. And that is what's being lost. Tennis should not suffer, country should not suffer," he said.

As the 39-year-old star spoke assertively about the supremacy of the game, he was asked why he chose to skip the New Zealand tie in September last year.

Asked why he did not mentor the young side in Chandigarh, he defended his decision.

"At that time, I had a prior agreement, which I had signed. In 24 years, I have missed only three ties. It's long time playing. When you have a contract, you have a commitment. The other two ties, I was injured," he said.

Paes said he had discussed the issue with Somdev, who led the rebellion, demanding better playing conditions but did not divulge much about that, saying that would be unfair to Somdev.

"In the last 12 months, the partners I had, have switched around. I had no choice. As far as myself is concerned, I have never delved into selection, I have never done that even when I was captain. For me, I play for the flag, I am very respectful of the guys sitting alongside

"Results come and go, We are here to nurture a team that can win," he said.

Talking about the Korea tie, Paes said they would not be under pressure since India would start as underdogs.

"It's been many years that coming into a Davis Cup tie at home as underdogs. That's the beauty of it. It takes off all the pressure. In my 24 years in Davis Cup, there are not many ties we came as underdogs, it was America here (Delhi) and when we played Holland in Jaipur, and Croatia in Delhi. Barring these few ties, there have not been many ties," he said.

"If you look at India's heritage in Davis Cup, it's phenomenal what we have done."

Non-playing captain SP Misra was hopeful that India will have a result to rejoice at the end of the tie.

"They (players) do lack experience. Playing a live Davis Cup rubber in a five-setter is not something that happens everyday. At the end of the day something good will come out," he said.

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Unfit Zaheer Khan to miss Irani Cup tie

MUMBAI: Zaheer Khan was on Wednesday not picked by newly crowned Ranji Trophy champions Mumbai for their five-day Irani Cup match against the Rest of India beginning at the Wankhede Stadium on February 6, as he has not yet recovered from the calf injury he sustained at the start of this month.

"Zaheer is not yet fit and it seems he would need at least three weeks to regain fitness," informed Mumbai Cricket Association's secretary Nitin Dalal after the selection committee meeting.

The senior left-arm pacer, who was injured during Mumbai's last league game against Gujarat at the D Y Patil Stadium thus appears in doubt for at least the initial part of the four-Test series against Australia, commencing with the first game at Chennai on February 22.

Zaheer has not played since he picked up the injury and missed Mumbai's matches in the Ranji knockout phase that culminated in their 40th title triumph two days ago.

Mumbai made two changes to the 15-men squad that won the Ranji final by an innings and 125 runs in under three days against Saurashtra here, bringing in Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma for Nikhil Patil Jr. and Sushant Marathe, according to Dalal who convened the selection committee meeting.

"The rest of the squad remains the same," he added. RoI would be led by Virender Sehwag.

Mumbai squad: Ajit Agarkar (Capt.), Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Jaffer, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Dhaval Kulkarni, Kaustubh Pawar, Abhishek Nayar, Hiken Shah, Aditya Tare, Ankit Chavan, Javed Khan, Shardul Thakur and Vishal Dabholkar.

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Warne calls for new Australian coach

SYDNEY: Test great Shane Warne on Wednesday called on Australia coach Mickey Arthur to be replaced by former New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming days after branding the nation's cricket chiefs "muppets".

The outspoken leg-spinner, who said he was "frustrated on many levels at present", praised Fleming as "the best opposition captain we played against" on his website.

"I believe he brings a lot to the table, a calmness, an intelligent understanding of the game and a very good cricket brain. He's a good communicator too as well as a good leader of men."

Warne, 43, who also wants former Test wicketkeeper Rod Marsh as chairman of selectors, said the current Australian set-up was not working as the players gear up for two Ashes series against England over the next year.

In a post entitled "Where is Australian cricket at? Part 1" on his website, Warne said: "The next 12 months is the biggest 12 months of cricket for the Australian cricket team in a long, long time.

"If we do nothing now, we will be where we were 30 years ago. There needs to be urgent action and a new strategy/plan put in place."

In Twitter comments on Monday, Warne blasted Cricket Australia's policy of rotating players, which has attracted stinging criticism from other greats of the game.

"I think CA really need to look at the people who are making decisions on all facets of cricket in Australia, we r seriously becoming a joke!" Warne said.

"We have the best batsmen / captain in the world in @MClarke23 (Test captain Michael Clarke) - He needs current cricket people to help him out not muppets," he added.

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland has told Warne he is happy to discuss Warne's ideas but has expressed disappointment with the manner in which he expressed his concerns, CA said on its website.

Australia, third in the Test and one-day rankings, lost the recent Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka after drawing the one-day series and beating the visitors in the Test series.

Warne was last week fined Aus$5,000 ($5,250) for a code of behaviour breach in the domestic Big Bash League.

And he apologised earlier this month after a foul-mouthed rant against West Indian all-rounder Marlon Samuels that earned him a ban and a Aus$4,500 fine.

Warne claimed 708 Test wickets in a celebrated career that also courted controversy, including a fine for taking money from a bookmaker. He was sent home from the 2003 World Cup for taking a banned diuretic.

Also on Wednesday, CA said that Australian pace great Dennis Lillee had been appointed to CA's high-performance team as a fast bowling advisor.

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'I will never ever compromise on pace'

NEW DELHI: India's rising pace sensation Shami Ahmed feels cutting down on pace is one option he will never consider even though line and length, for him, are important aspects of fast bowling.

"For me, pace and swing are the two most important aspects of my bowling. I know that line and length is very important but I will never compromise on pace as it has been my biggest strength and has been a primary reason for reaching this level," Shami said during an interview on Wednesday.

Ask him about the four consecutive maidens that he bowled on his ODI debut to create an Indian record, Shami answered, "I just tried to bowl according to the field that my captain had set for me. You don't plan such things but it happened for me and I am happy. I always had confidence in my ability and was willing to work hard."

Having made his debut in a low-scoring game against Pakistan, Shami said that he followed skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni's instructions to the tee.

"Dhoni bhai only told me not to get nervous and not deviate from the gameplan."

After the final one-dayer against England in Dharamsala, Dhoni felt that Shami has the pace but still needs to improve a lot before being considered for the longer version. Representing India in white flannels though, is the Bengal pacer's ultimate ambition.

"While playing Ranji Trophy, I have learnt that in days' cricket, you need patience. In one-dayers, you might try various things like slower, bouncer but in longer version, patience is the key. At this level, the batsmen who face you have a lot of quality and you need to be very persistent. You have to wait for batsmen to make mistakes."

A month-long stint with the Indian team having played five ODIs has definitely made him realize that he has the potential to don the national jersey for a long time.

"Just watching the likes of Dhoni, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, you learn a lot. It's not that they will coach you but they tell you little things that you need to pick up.

"I had my state team new ball partner Ashoke Dinda and that also helped adjust easily in the dressing room. Me and Dinda open the bowling for Bengal and share a very good rapport. Bengal coach WV Raman taught me a lot of little things during Ranji Trophy while I had some good sessions with KKR bowling coach Wasim Akram. I am now planning to work on bowling yorkers," Shami said.

The bowler, who will be turning 23 in March, missed out on the Champions League T20 in South Africa and four Ranji Trophy games after sustaining a side strain injury during India A's tour of New Zealand.

"Missing out on Champions League was disappointing. I was also scared after the side strain injury as to what will be duration that I will be out of action. But my rehabilitation went well and I came back strongly."

He came to the 'City of Joy' Kolkata from a remote hamlet called Alinagar in Moradabad, eight years back and now considers Bengal as his "home".

"Even though my parents have been the guiding force, I can't thank Bengal cricket enough for giving me this opportunity. Today, I have got a house in Kolkata and my parents have come here to stay with me. Ab mera saab kuch yehan pe hi hain (Now, I have settled down here in Kolkata)."

His childhood coach Badruddin Siddiqui termed him as a "shy boy" but Shami begged to differ.

"Keeping quiet doesn't mean that I am shy. It's just that my motto in life is 'work more and talk less'."

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Mithali enters WC as top ranked player

MUMBAI: India skipper Mithali Raj will enter the ICC Women's World Cup 2013 as the number-one ranked batswoman on the Reliance ICC Women's Player Rankings for ODI batters.

ICC rankings: Batting | Bowling | All rounders

Raj, who is appearing in her fourth successive women's World Cup, will lead her side in the opening match of the tournament on January 31 at the Brabourne Stadium in a Group A match against the West Indies.

Other teams in Group A include champion England and Sri Lanka. Group B contains Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan.

The tournament is scheduled to be held from January 31 to February 17 in Mumbai and Cuttack.

Raj currently tops the batting table with 767 ratings points. West Indies' Stafanie Taylor is ranked second, 22 ratings points behind.

The England duo of Sarah Taylor and Lydia Greenway are third and fourth respectively, while New Zealand's Amy Satterthwaite in fifth spot completes the top five.

The fight for the top slot in the Player Rankings for ODI bowlers is even more interesting. England's Katherine Brunt currently heads the table with 777 ratings points. But Brunt will face a tough challenge from Australia's Lisa Sthalekar, who is currently second with 764 ratings points.

India's Jhulan Goswami at third, Ellyse Perry of Australia in fourth and England's Laura Marsh in fifth are the other bowlers in the top 10 who are likely to make improvements.

Taylor is currently the clear leader in the Player Rankings for ODI all-rounders' with 453 ratings points, followed by Lisa Sthalekar in second place and New Zealand's Nicola Browne in third.

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Never thought I will play for India: Dhoni

CHENNAI: Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Tuesday said he never expected to don the national colours and pointed out that the 'small-town' tag has made him a tougher player.

"I never thought I will play for India. I am never worried if I am not selected for a particular game or series but my focus will be on contributing for the next match," Dhoni said at a panel discussion moderated by commentator Harsha Bhogle.

To a question about his early years in Ranchi, Dhoni said while many did not attach much importance to such small towns, they had a fair bit of senior players to look upto and a decent league cricket.

"Comparatively, Ranchi has (more) senior players. Of course it's a bit tough to come from a small city but that makes you tougher with the challenges it poses," he said at the discussion, held as part of a promotional event by health drink brand Boost.

Dhoni however, expressed, joy over the increased media coverage to sports in such small cities.

Asked how he managed to find time between the game and other engagements, including his endorsement commitments, he said the game was the central part to all the activity.

"It is very easy. You follow cricket. If it is not there, nothing else is there. Shoots (for advertisements) help take off the time from cricket as you roam about freely, interacting with important people," he said.

Stating that he is not one to hit the gym hard, Dhoni said he relaxes once off the field and eats "whatever he wants".

"I dont compromise on food," he added. Opener Virendar Sehwag, one of the panelists along with former captain Anil Kumble and former coach John Wright, recalled his long journeys in his early days to practice and said Najafgarh, from where he hails, then used to be known for its gangsters.

Struggling to come back to the Indian one-day team, the world-record holder for the fastest ODI double-century said it is important to "switch on and off" during failures and said he coped by relaxing with family and listening to music.

"My batting is not technically correct, but I am mentally strong," he added.

Kumble talked about the importance of both talent and hard work for an aspiring cricketer to make it big at the highest level.

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Mumbai Magicians take on UP Wizards

MUMBAI: Winless Mumbai Magicians will take on fourth-placed Uttar Pradesh Wizards in their third home game in the Hockey India League ( HIL) at the MHA Mahindra Stadium on Wednesday.

The first leg clash between these two bottom-placed teams, perhaps, offers the best chance for the struggling hosts to break their seven-game losing streak and increase their points tally to 12.

Their return leg is also scheduled at the same venue on February 5.

It has been a tough going for the Ric Charlesworth-coached Mumbai in the five-team league so far, first with four Pakistani recruits having to return home without playing a game and the new-look outfit wobbling its way.

The latest loss, by 1-2 margin to Ranchi Rhinos in their away game on Monday, has dented their hopes of entering the semifinals further.

However, Mumbai have picked up a point in each of their seven losses so far which has kept their chances alive, although by a narrow margin.

"Although we have been trying really hard, we lose our games by a 1 or 2 goal margin. Our defence against Rhinos was much better and the team held the opposition at bay for a long period before they could break into our D," Charlesworth had said after the team's seventh straight defeat on Monday.

"The team is improving but have not made it to the winning mark yet," the Aussie added optimistically.

But another defeat on Wednesday would almost certainly put them out of reckoning for the last four berth as their nearest rivals UP would then boost their points tally to 22.

The sole plus point for Mumbai has been the goal-scoring touch shown by star drag-flick Sandeep Singh who has scored the maximum number of goals (9) in the league so far.

But the Mumbai defence has been a bit weak and their forwards often lose their way nearing the rival 'D' or have been generally off the mark.

UP would also be eager to clinch five points with a victory as that would push them closer to the last four.

They have also depended a lot on their penalty corner expert V Raghunath for goals and the full back has notched up five so far - four short of his rival and India discard Sandeep.

For UP, South African Norris Jones Lloyd has been impressive up front with four field goals to his credit.

The 25-year-old Cape Towner would be fancying his chances of increasing the tally against the none-too-strong Mumbai defence.

The next two days would also test the fitness of the Mumbai team who would have travelled today from Ranchi to play over the next two days - first against UP and then against Jaypee Punjab Warriors on January 31.

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India maintain no. 3 spot as Kohli slips

DUBAI: India managed to retain their number three position among T20 teams, while Virat Kohli has slipped a position to sixth in the ICC rankings for Twenty20 batsmen issued on Tuesday.

ICC T20 Rankings: Team | Batting | Bowling | All-rounder

India are placed at third with 119 points in the team rankings, which was being led by reigning T20 champions Sri Lanka followed by the West Indies.

Sri Lanka, with 131 points, have further consolidated their number one position following their 2-0 series win over hosts Australia, who are placed seventh in the chart.

Meanwhile, star India batsman Kohli has dropped a rung to the sixth spot in the T20 batsmen list with 731 points. Suresh Raina also slipped a position to the ninth place.

Other Indians in the top-20 list includes Yuvraj Singh (13) and opener Gautam Gambhir at the 17 position.

New Zealand wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum leads the T20 batting chart with 794 points, followed by destructive West Indian opener Chris Gayle (792), Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene (768) and Australia's Shane Watson (767).

In the T20 bowlers category, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashiwin, ranked 16, is the only Indian to have found a place in the top-20 list.

Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal leads the bowlers' table with 756 points followed by Ajantha Mendis of Sri Lanka (731) and England's Graeme Swann (720).

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Messi and Ronaldo go head-to-head

MADRID: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo come into Wednesday's 'el clasico' clash in Madrid in the Spanish Cup semifinal in fine form and full of goals.

Messi has hit 16 and Ronaldo 12 in their last 10 games, and the four the Argentine got against Osasuna on Sunday makes it 33 in the league while Ronaldo has 21 after his hat-trick against Getafe.

It will be the fourth time Real Madrid and Barcelona have met this season.

Madrid took the Spanish Super Cup on away goals over two legs and managed a 2-2 draw in Barcelona in the league, the only points Barca have dropped at home, so there is little to choose between the two up to now.

In the league Barca enjoy a 15-point advantage over their rivals but that will all be forgotten when Madrid seek to avenge last season's quarter-final defeat in the same competition that Barca eventually won.

Messi's goals at the weekend meant he became the first player in history to score in eleven consecutive La Liga matches and he can equal or break another record on Wednesday.

One goal would level Alfredo Di Stefano's long-standing 18 goal tally in games between the two sides.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo will be walking a yellow card tightrope.

He has already picked up two in the Cup, another on Wednesday will mean he misses the second-leg scheduled to take place in Barcelona in almost a month's time on the 27th of February.

The Portuguese star also has goalscoring form in recent games with the Catalans, hitting seven in the last six meetings, and he has told his club's TV station that the game can't come quick enough.

"It's an important but complicated game for us against one of the most difficult teams in the world, but it should be a big night. We're at home and have a good chance but we'll have to play well, we know Barca have a great team but I'm looking forward to it," he said.

Real Madrid go into the game with important players missing. Most of all club captain Iker Casillas, who fractured a bone in his hand in the previous round against Valencia.

The club reacted quickly to sign Diego Lopez from Sevilla last Friday as cover, for ?3.5 million, and he will come into contention for his debut.

However, Antonio Adan kept a clean sheet at the weekend with Lopez sat on the bench, and he may continue to deputise.

Also out for Madrid are the suspended trio of Sergio Ramos, Angel Di Maria and Fabio Coentrao, plus the injured Pepe.

Jose Mourinho will have to choose between Raphael Varane, Raul Albiol and former Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho for his centre-half partnership.

Mourinho was able to rest Xabi Alonso, Sami Khedira, Karim Benzema and Alvaro Arbeloa on Sunday against Getafe and all should start.

Barca midfielder Sergio Busquets sees the tie being tight despite Madrid missing players.

"It will be an even game, it doesn't matter who is out for them, we must focus on our own game. The tie won't be decided in the Bernabeu so a good result for us would be a win, not a draw" he said.

His side don't share Madrid's selection headaches and key midfielder Xavi Hernandez will be celebrating the signing of a new contract that ties him to the club until 2016, when he will be 36.

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'Want to learn about calmness from MS'

CHENNAI: Star batsman Virat Kohli feels that one quality that he wishes to imbibe from his skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the art of "staying calm" in pressure situations.

"One thing I like about him (Dhoni) is his calmness. I wish I could have some of it. He is someone who doesn't disclose too much which would let opposition know about what's going on in his mind. Wish I could get some of it," Kohli said.

Growing up in the era of Sachin Tendulkar, Kohli found it difficult to imagine an Indian team without the senior batsman.

"For 23 years, he has taught us how to perform with so many people expecting you to score a century everyday. It is unbelievable. Growing up, I could never imagine a team without Tendulkar but someday, one needs to take that (retirement) decision," the 23-year-old batsman told NDTV.

In a lighter vein though, he said that Tendulkar insisted that a self proclaimed 'hip hop' and R&B lover like him had to listen to old English songs.

"He loved a selected few songs. He is a great fan of Kishore Kumar but he made me listen to old English songs with meaningful melody. As far as I am concerned, I am listening to Swedish House Mafia a lot these days apart from popular Punjabi numbers."

He termed Yuvraj Singh as "an elder brother" whose courageous comeback to international cricket after fighting a rare germ cell cancer was an "inspiration."

"Courage and mental strength are two things one can learn from Yuvraj. The challenges that he has faced in life and career is something that one can learn from."

Sunil Gavaskar has compared him with Nawab Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi stating that the youngster has the same "flair and panache".

"You feel humbled when you are compared with a legend like Nawab of Pataudi by another legend Sunil Gavaskar."

Although there weren't too many questions on the team's performance in recent tournaments, Kohli felt that the new ODI rules will be "helpful for batsmen in the sub-continent" while "bowlers will find it beneficial outside the sub-continent."

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We are a champion side, says Tendulkar

MUMBAI: Calling Mumbai a "champion" side, Sachin Tendulkar on Monday attributed their 40th Ranji Trophy triumph to "team work", and lavished praise on skipper Ajit Agarkar for leading them from the front.

"We won for the 40th time. Mumbai has again showed that it is a champion side. We have a good team, nice blend of youngsters and senior players," Tendulkar said after their innings and 125-run win.

"It is a wonderful moment for Mumbai cricket, not just for the players but also for the administrative side. It's been a team work and I take this opportunity to congratulate every one and hope it continues," said Tendulkar, who has been part of five Ranji triumphs out of six appearances.

The 39-year-old veteran, who has retired from one-day internationals, praised his Mumbai team mates for sticking together when the going was tough.

"There were moments when the going was tough, but that is when the team stuck together and performed brilliantly. I feel very happy, especially for Ajit Agarkar, who had a rough season last year. It was really difficult for him," he said, referring to the wiry pacer's omission from the playing eleven before a match the previous season, which made him return home in a huff.

"But this season he led from the front and led beautifully. He performed when it mattered. The team supported him right through along with the support staff," he added.

The only final when Tendulkar was a member of the team and Mumbai lost was in his maiden season way back in 1990-91, when they lost to Haryana by two runs in a memorable contest.

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Confrontation is a mark of respect: Gilly

NEW DELHI: Sparks fly whenever India and Australia clash on the cricket field but Adam Gilchrist does not see the need to curb the aggression as he feels "heated confrontations" are actually a mark of respect to the rival.

"(It's) a great rivalry and I think when it gets so aggressive in the sporting arena, it's a sign of respect. You feel threatened by an opponent so you play harder and it might lead to heated confrontation," Gilchrist said while talking about the four-match Test series starting February 22.

"...that's a sign of ultimate respect...but I have learnt that what might be acceptable in one culture might be frowned upon in another," he added.

Gilchrist said India's recent poor Test run, including the recent home debacle against England, can be seen as an opening for the Australians, who are also enduring a transition phase.

"All top two-three teams in the world are evenly matched. They can beat anyone on any given day. England have challenged India here so there is an opening here for Australia. I am sure it would be a terrific series," Gilchrist said.

"India has always been a difficult place to tour for any cricket nation," added the 41-year-old, who was here for the launch of an app-based magazine that celebrates trade and cultural relations between the two countries.

Gilchrist said over the years, the visiting Australian sides have focussed primarily on fast-bowling even though spinners hold the key in Indian conditions.

"Spin component is always important in India. Back in 2004, Shane Warne played a huge part but we had an attack more focussed on pace bowling and utilising the condition. It will be interesting to see what Australian team is selected and how they cope in these very trying conditions," he said.

On old Australian nemesis Sachin Tendulkar, who is in the twilight of international career, Gilchrist said the Indian great's retirement would be a significant moment not only for his fans here but also Down Under.

"The respect and admiration for him is unchallenged in world cricket. The order of merit for him late last year signifies the manner in which he is held in Australia. If indeed it turns out to be his last series or whenever the time come he finishes, there will be a great deal of respect paid to him from Australia," he said.

Speaking about the app Australia unlimited, Gilchrist said, "It's a wonderful magazine promoting strong relationship being forged and collaborative research and development efforts between companies and institutes moving into the future."

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Confrontation is a mark of respect: Gilly

NEW DELHI: Sparks fly whenever India and Australia clash on the cricket field but Adam Gilchrist does not see the need to curb the aggression as he feels "heated confrontations" are actually a mark of respect to the rival.

"(It's) a great rivalry and I think when it gets so aggressive in the sporting arena, it's a sign of respect. You feel threatened by an opponent so you play harder and it might lead to heated confrontation," Gilchrist said while talking about the four-match Test series starting February 22.

"...that's a sign of ultimate respect...but I have learnt that what might be acceptable in one culture might be frowned upon in another," he added.

Gilchrist said India's recent poor Test run, including the recent home debacle against England, can be seen as an opening for the Australians, who are also enduring a transition phase.

"All top two-three teams in the world are evenly matched. They can beat anyone on any given day. England have challenged India here so there is an opening here for Australia. I am sure it would be a terrific series," Gilchrist said.

"India has always been a difficult place to tour for any cricket nation," added the 41-year-old, who was here for the launch of an app-based magazine that celebrates trade and cultural relations between the two countries.

Gilchrist said over the years, the visiting Australian sides have focussed primarily on fast-bowling even though spinners hold the key in Indian conditions.

"Spin component is always important in India. Back in 2004, Shane Warne played a huge part but we had an attack more focussed on pace bowling and utilising the condition. It will be interesting to see what Australian team is selected and how they cope in these very trying conditions," he said.

On old Australian nemesis Sachin Tendulkar, who is in the twilight of international career, Gilchrist said the Indian great's retirement would be a significant moment not only for his fans here but also Down Under.

"The respect and admiration for him is unchallenged in world cricket. The order of merit for him late last year signifies the manner in which he is held in Australia. If indeed it turns out to be his last series or whenever the time come he finishes, there will be a great deal of respect paid to him from Australia," he said.

Speaking about the app Australia unlimited, Gilchrist said, "It's a wonderful magazine promoting strong relationship being forged and collaborative research and development efforts between companies and institutes moving into the future."

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Mumbai clinch 40th Ranji Trophy crown

MUMBAI: A dominant Mumbai lifted their 40th Ranji Trophy title after skipper Ajit Agarkar and Dhawal Kulkarni combined to wreck Saurshtra for an innings and 125-run victory in the five-day final that ended inside three days at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday.

Saurashtra, trailing the home team by 207 runs in the first innings, were shot out for a pathetic 82 in less than three hours and 36.3 overs, 41 minutes after tea.

Mumbai, thus, clinched their 40th national title in 44 appearances in the summit contest and their first after two blank seasons.

Agarkar snapped up four wickets for 15 runs while his younger teammate Kulkarni grabbed 5/32 to complete splendid match figures of nine for 56.

The home team pace duo finished off the lop-sided contest with their fiery first spells to help Mumbai regain the crown after a gap of two seasons by sharing six wickets equally.

The other wicket-taker for Mumbai was Abhishek Nayar (1 for 3).

Mumbai also earned the right to take on the Rest of India in the Irani Cup tie which is to be held at the same venue here from February 6-10. The home team also won Rs 2 crore as the prize money while Saurashtra got Rs 1 crore.

The visiting team's batsmen showed a distinct lack of application and surrendered on a wicket that provided good pace, bounce and prodigious movement to the swing bowlers even on day three.

They capitulated for the second time in the match after having been bowled out for 148 in 75.3 overs in the first innings on day one to which Mumbai replied with 355.

The highest score in a dismal batting display for Saurashtra was 22 off 35 balls by Dharmendra Jadeja.

Saurya Sanandiya (16) was the only other player to reach double figures after staying for more than an hour at the crease like another lower-order batsman Jaydev Unadkat (9 in 69 minutes).

Among the top seven batsmen dismissed, none reached double figures and three of them -- openers Sitanshu Kotak, Sagar Jogiyani and first innings top scorer Arpit Vasavada -- failed to score.

Rahul Dave (5), skipper Jaydev Shah (6), Sheldon Jackson (9) and Kamlesh Makwana (7) were the other top-order batsmen to depart with single digit scores.

Agarkar took three for 15 in a fiery first spell of eight overs and Kulkarni claimed as many for same number of runs in his opening spell of nine overs. Makwana was sent back by Nayar at 34.

Kulkarni came back to grab the wicket of Sanandiya to leave Saurashtra on the brink of defeat at 53 for 8. The innings was prolonged by Unadkat and Jadeja, who put on 29 runs, before Agarkar returned for his second spell to snap the ninth wicket partnership.

Fittingly, Kulkarni came back for his third spell and ended the match by having Jadeja caught behind by Tare who grabbed his fourth victim of the innings to equal the championship season record of 41 by Uday Kaul of Punjab.

The tourists were tottering at 20 for 6 after the initial burst by Agarkar and Kulkarni and then managed to get past Saurashtra's lowest-ever score of 25 all out, also against Mumbai at the nearby Brabourne Stadium 60 years ago.

Mumbai, who made 355 in their first innings building on the solid knock of 132 by opener Wasim Jaffer, thus regained the title after their previous successful title run in the 2009-10 season when they defeated Karnataka at Mysore in the final.

This was the seventh time that Agarkar had figured in a successful title match, this time as captain, after having been part of a triumphant squad as a player on the six occasions he had turned out in a final for Mumbai.

This morning, Saurashtra did well to grab the remaining four Mumbai first innings wickets while conceding 68 runs with Kamlesh Makwana claiming the last two wickets to fall in successive overs.

Overnight batsman Kulkarni was the first Mumbai player to be dismissed without adding a run when he edged Sidharth Trivedi to first slip fielder Sitanshu Kotak after the team score advanced by one run to 288.

Kulkarni had added 51 runs for the seventh wicket with Hiken Shah, who made 55 that came off 141 balls including seven fours.

Shah and Chavan, who hit six fours in his 51-ball knock, took the score beyond 300 with a stand of 41 runs for the eighth wicket.

Makwana took two wickets in his first two overs by dismissing Chavan and no. 10 Shardul Thakur to end the innings 23 minutes before lunch.

But Saurashtra made a poor beginning losing veteran Kotak to the third ball he faced from Agarkar, by feathering a leg-side catch to wicket keeper Aditya Tare who then pouched Jogiyani to leave the visitors at a sorry 5 for 2.

Dave poked at a short, rising ball from Kulkarni to the slip cordon while Vasavada was trapped leg before by Agarkar to make Saurashtra 11 for 4 which became 11 for 5 and 20 for 6 in quick succession when Kulkarni bowled rival captain Shah and Jackson.

The writing was on the wall for Saurashtra who prolonged the losing battle through Sanandiya before Mumbai broke through and then stormed home triumphant.

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Raina breaks into top 10 in ODI rankings

DUBAI: Indian batsman Suresh Raina on Monday leapfrogged 15 places to break into the top 10 of Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI batsmen for the first time in his career on the back of his brilliant performance in the just-concluded home series against England.

ICC ODI Rankings: Batting | Bowling | All-rounders

Raina, who was named man-of-the-series in the five-match ODI series against England, now occupies 10th spot with a career-best 669 ratings points in the latest rankings released on Monday. Raina scored 277 runs in the series at an average of 92.33.

His team-mate Rohit Sharma, who scored 87 runs, including a half century, in the two matches he played against England, also gained two places to be at 54th.

Another batsman inside the top 10 to improve his ranking is England captain Alastair Cook, who has moved up one place to seventh.

The batting table continues to be headed by South Africa's Hashim Amla, followed by teammate AB de Villiers in second and India's Virat Kohli in third place.

In the Reliance ICC Player Rankings for ODI bowlers, Ishant Sharma jumped 17 places to 50th while his pace colleague Bhuvaneshwar Kumar gained a huge 31 places to 73rd.

Pakistan's Saeed Ajmal topped the bowlers' list followed by teammate Mohammad Hafeez in second place.

Another Indian, Ravindra Jadeja has made all-round gains in the latest rankings. He has moved up nine places to 56th in the batting table and has jumped 15 places to a career-best eighth in the bowlers' list with best-ever 663 ratings points.

The combined batting and bowling performances has helped Jadeja move up two places to fifth in the all-rounders' table.

Pakistan's Mohammad Hafeez continues to head the all-rounders' list followed by Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan in second place.

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Indian Davis Cup team starts preparation

NEW DELHI: Without an iota of doubt, India has fielded an inexperienced team for the upcoming Davis Cup tie against Korea, but the best thing about the side is that the players and the support staff are realistic, enthusiastic and far from making tall promises.

The players, captain S P Misra, coach Zishan Ali have started the preparations for the big challenge ahead as the team slugged it out at the R K Khanna Tennis stadium.

Former national champion V M Ranjeet, Vijayant Malik, who will be in action on the first day of tie on Friday, and reserves -- Arjun Kadhe and Ashwin Vijayraghavan -- trained under the watchful eyes of Misra and Zishan.

Leander Paes, the top player of the side, and Purav Raja are yet to join the team although they too have started practicing together in Mumbai.

For Misra it was business as usual while Zishan, for whom it is his first assignment with the national team, it was more of knowing and establishing a rapport with the young players.

Asked if Misra was emotional since it will be his last assignment as captain, pat comes the reply, "No, not at all."

"Everything has to end one day. Nobody can go forever. Players and captains come and go. The games goes on," said the outgoing non-playing captain.

"It is like any other tie for me. I am focused on the job. It's going to be a good challenge for us."

The rebel players had demanded that the captain be changed to which AITA agreed but the national body chose to give Misra a farewell tie and also did not accede to the players choice of captain.

Asked Misra how he rates the players at his disposal for the Korea tie, he said: "They are of the same standard who played in the New Zealand tie. The only thing is that they are inexperienced, have not played five set matches. So it is a huge challenge to deliver."

But it's not that Misra was not hopeful. "I am expecting that at least we will win one singles on day one. We have a fair chance"

Ranjeet had just finished his first session with sparring partner Kadhe but he was ready to give his best shot in the tie.

"What else one can ask for. Playing for India is huge. Every single player who picks up tennis racquet dreams of representing the country," Ranjeet said.

Ask him about the controversy and he politely refuses to be dragged into.

"What can I say about them. Mahesh (Bhupathi), (Rohan) Bopanna, Somdev (Devvarman), they are heck of players. They are too good. But I had no clue what's happening."

Ask Ranjeet about the tie and he says smilingly, "We are going to give them a good fight. We have home advantage. There's gonna be 5000 people supporting us and they will be just 12. At the end of the day there is an opportunity and I will give my 100 per cent."

Malik was today busy adjusting his game to the slow nature of the centre court and later said," Good for me that I got a chance. I can give my 100 per cent. They (Yuki, Sanam, Vishnu) are much better players than me. But I want to do well for the team."

India have surely lost advantage of playing at home against an opponent, who would have been easier to beat with a full strength side, but one hopes that the chosen players will put up a good fight against the Koreans.

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Wasim Jaffer's ton puts Mumbai on top

MUMBAI: Riding on opener Wasim Jaffer's record-setting 32nd hundred in the championship, Mumbai took firm control of their Ranji Trophy final against Saurashtra on day two at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.

Jaffer scored a patient knock of 132 when other top order batsmen failed but Mumbai had enough useful partnerships to pile up 287 for 6 to take a 139-run lead.

Jaffer now has became the highest run-scorer in the history of Ranji trophy as he left behind Amol Muzumdar, whose tally stood at 9105.

Jaffer needed 83 to cross Muzumdar's mark and after today's innings his total is 9155. He also eclipsed Ajay Sharma's record of 31 centuries in the championship.

Jaffer's knock contained 16 fours and a six in 246 balls. There was a brief period after tea when Saurashtra looked to be fighting their way back by taking three quick wickets - including that of Jaffer to leave the hosts at 237 for 6 from 209 for 3.

But the unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 50 runs in 108 balls between Hiken Shah (41) and Dhawal Kulkarni (18) till the stumps ensured that Mumbai end the day without any more trouble.

Saurashtra needed early wickets this morning to make up for the the poor batting yesterday but Mumbai did not give them any gap to squeeze in.

Jaffer and Kaustubh Pawar (21) kept the visitors' bowling attack at bay with cautious and slow batting after resuming at 19 for no loss.

Jaffer played a superb off driven four off Sauraya Sanandiya but then was lucky to survive a vociferous caught at the wicket appeal off Unadkat. The team's 50 came in the 24th over and after almost two hour batting.

Jaffer, who will be 35 next month, broke shackles by hitting left-arm slow bowler Dharmendra Jadeja for three fours in an over, half-an-hour before the lunch.

He then lost his opening partner Pawar when the batsman offered a tame return catch to Sidharth Trivedi. The openers put on 75 for the first wicket in 33.3 overs.

Jaffer completed his half-century by lofting Jadeja for a six and after this sudden spurt in scoring helped Mumbai adjourn for lunch at 88 for 1 in 30 overs.

Wicket-keeper Aditya Tare was promoted in the order to no. 3 but he fell for just 3 by edging Saurya Sanandiya to the hands of Arpit Vasavada in the slip cordon.

The arrival of Sachin Tendulkar was greeted by the small crowd but the senior batsman played slowly, getting his first run off the 15th ball with a single to mid wicket.

Jaffer brought up the 100 of the innings in the 45th over with a fine off-driven four off Sanandiya in 17 minutes under four hours.

Tendulkar's first boundary was a straight drive off left- left-arm pacer Unadkat and the next ball was dispatched to the mid-wicket nonchalantly with a flick for another four.

Mumbai got past Saurashtra's score in the 52nd over as Jaffer struck Sanandiya for two successive fours.

His third-wicket stand of 68 run with Tendulkar ended when the latter was run out following a confusion.

Jaffer reached his 32nd hundred in the championship and 8th at Wankhede off the 192nd ball he faced with the help of 12 fours and a six. It was the batsman's 47th first class hundred, including 5 in 31 Tests.

At tea, Mumbai were 181 for 3 off 61 overs - ahead by 33 runs. Post-tea Jaffer became the highest run scorer in the championship but Mumbai lost three wickets quickly, including that of the centurion.

Abhishek Nayar, Mumbai's top scorer with 940 runs this season, was the first to depart at 209 when his attempted shot to the off side against off spinner Kamlesh Makwana landed up as a dolly catch to mid wicket fielder Unadkat. The left hander made 26 off 81 minutes.

Jaffer and captain Ajit Agarkar (2) were packed off in successive overs by left arm spinner Dharmendra Jade.

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MSD defends out-of-form Gauti, Ashwin

DHARAMSALA: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday defended out-of-form Gautam Gambhir and Ravichandran Ashwin, but did admit that the former was going through a "lean patch" and the latter was trying to use "too many variations".

"Yeah, he (Gambhir) has been going through a lean patch but he is an experienced player. I believe he has batted a bit better in the last few games. Unlike some of the earlier matches, he didn't look tentative and was a lot more decisive about stroke-making," Dhoni said at the post-match media conference here.

"I believe he is improving and don't forget he is an amazing player of spin bowling. Ideally, we want him to bat till the 35th-40th over," said Dhoni defending the Delhi left-hander, who has now scored only 156 runs in his last eight ODIs.

Similarly when asked about a sudden slump in off-spinner Ashwin's form, Dhoni reasoned, "May be he was using variations a bit too much but he has now realised his mistake. In the last couple of matches, he has been more consistent about length. He has not used too many variations and was trying to bowl to one line.

"But then you also need a perfect mix as variation has been Ashwin's strength. The new ODI rules, with five fielders inside the circle, has also made it slightly difficult." He was all praise for pacer Ishant Sharma, who has been pretty impressive in this series.

"Ishant bowled really well and in right areas. One needs to understand that he is playing ODI after a long time." The skipper is also impressed with the effort of young new ball bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Shami Ahmed, but is certainly in no mood not to throw the youngsters into Test cricket right now. "Shorter format will give them (Bhuvneshwar and Shami) more exposure.

"Test cricket is entirely different and if you look at someone like Bhuvneshwar, he can be effective in specific conditions. To play him in Tests, you need to have a look at the conditions. Like if we are playing in England, New Zealand or South Africa where the ball swings and seams, he can be considered but on sub-continental tracks he would need to alter the length which he bowls," Dhoni explained.

"As far as Shami is concerned, he is someone who can bowl quick and can reverse the ball but he also needs to improve."

Ravindra Jadeja finally came good, putting up consistent performance in the series and the skipper feels that it augurs well for Indian cricket.

"Jadeja doing well gives us more options. His performance is important for the team as we have been struggling for bowling all-rounders as we only have Irfan (Pathan )," Dhoni said.

"Jadeja has shown a lot of improvement in batting. But one must understand that coming in at No 7, he won't get us too many runs. But if Jadeja and Irfan are both available, then we have option of trying out different combinations," he added.

Asked about any plans earmarked for 2015 World Cup, Dhoni was non-committal.

"It's a long long way to go and you never know what comes up. If today you are saying that experiment of opening with Rohit has worked, had we lost the series, it would have been termed as one of the reasons for our defeat," he said.

On Sunday's fifth and final ODI which India lost by seven wickets, Dhoni did admit that toss became a crucial factor.

"It was a bad toss to lose. Initially, in places like Dharamsala or Guwahati where you have an early start, the ball does a bit initially. But this is a good exposure for the younger batsman about how to play when the ball is seaming and swinging. The wicket eased out during the second half and it became easier for batting," he said.

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Cristiano Ronaldo passes 300 club goals

MADRID: Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick and passed the landmark of 300 club goals as Real Madrid put a turbulent week behind them with a 4-0 win at home to Getafe in La Liga on Sunday to close to within four points of second-placed Atletico Madrid.

The buildup to the game at the Bernabeu had been dominated by a report in Marca sports daily that said captains Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos had threatened to leave unless coach Jose Mourinho was dismissed.

Real president Florentino Perez called a news conference to deny the story and accused the newspaper of lying and the Spanish champions let their football do the talking with a comfortable victory against their city rivals.

Mourinho, who turned 50 on Saturday, left several key players out of his starting lineup, including Xabi Alonso and Sami Khedira, and Real struggled to break through a determined Getafe defence in the first half.

Once Ramos had scrambled the ball into the net at a corner eight minutes after the break the home side turned the screw and Ronaldo struck three times in 10 minutes, the first his 300th club goal.

The Portuguese, who was substituted with around 15 minutes left after a knock to his right ankle, scored five for Sporting, 118 for Manchester United and now has 179 for Real thanks to his 20th career treble.

Real have 43 points from 21 of 38 matches, with Atletico on 47 ahead of their match at Athletic Bilbao later on Sunday (2000 GMT) when they will be without injured top scorer Radamel Falcao.

Leaders Barcelona, who play at Real in their King's Cup semifinal first leg on Wednesday, are looking to get back to winning ways when they host struggling Osasuna (1800).

Tito Vilanova's side lost their unbeaten record and dropped points for only the second time this season when they suffered a 3-2 reverse at Real Sociedad last weekend but still have an eight-point lead over Atletico.

Getafe, who beat Real 2-1 at their Coliseum stadium earlier in the season but whose form has dipped in recent weeks, are 11th on 26 points.

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India reclaim number one rank in ODIs

DHARAMSHALA: India on Sunday snatched the number one rank from England in
one-dayers, courtesy their impressive 3-2 series-win over the visitors.

ODI Team Rankings

India lost the fifth ODI on Sunday by seven wickets but it was a dead rubber.

India, which started the series in third place at 117 ratings points, ended at 119 to re-claim the top spot in the ICC ODI Championship table after a gap of three years.

England, which had started on 121 ratings points, slipped to 119 ratings points after the series loss, only to see India finish ahead of it by 0.2 when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point.

India had become the number-one ranked side after winning the third match of the series on January 19 and then held onto the spot thereafter.

England had gained the number-one spot in September 2012, while it is the second time since September 2009 that India has topped the current ranking system since it was introduced in 2002.

India's cause was also helped by South Africa, which lost to New Zealand 1-2. As a result, South Africa lost nine ratings points and dropped from second to fourth position, one ratings point behind third-ranked Australia.

New Zealand gained seven ratings points and moved ahead of Bangladesh into eighth position with 79 ratings points.

Meanwhile, Australia and Sri Lanka have retained their pre-series ODI ratings after their series ended in a two-all draw. Australia is now third at 113 ratings points while Sri Lanka is three ratings points behind in fifth spot.

With 12 ratings points separating number-one ranked India from sixth-ranked Pakistan, the battle for the Reliance ICC ODI Shield and a cash award of $175,000 is truly warming up.

There are a number of additional series to be played before the 1 April cut-off date. Australia will take on the West Indies between 1 and 10 February, England will travel to New Zealand for a three-match series from 17 February, and South Africa will host Pakistan in a five-match series from 10 March.

Every match counts as the six leading sides battle to finish inside the top two.

The side that tops the Championship table on the 1 April cut-off date collects a cheque of $175,000 along with a Shield, while the team that finishes second receives a cheque of $75,000.

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Djokovic, Murray renew age-old rivalry

MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic will chase a hat-trick of Australian Open titles in Sunday's final against his US Open conqueror Andy Murray, renewing a growing rivalry which dates back to their junior days.

World number one Djokovic thrives on the Melbourne hardcourt surface where he has won three of his five Grand Slams, and is the hot favourite after his brutal semi-final demolition of fourth seed David Ferrer.

The Serb's confidence is sky-high after his spectacular recovery from his draining five-setter over five hours with Stanislas Wawrinka in the fourth round, bouncing back with emphatic wins over Tomas Berdych and Ferrer.

Djokovic described his tennis as "incredible" as he flattened Ferrer in less than 90 minutes on Thursday, giving him two full days to rest and prepare -- in stark contrast to his build-up 12 months ago.

Then, Djokovic had to dig deep to win the title after fighting off Murray in a five-set semi-final over 4hr 50min, ahead of his 5hr 53min final triumph over Rafael Nadal, the longest ever match at Melbourne Park.

There's little wonder the 25-year-old top seed feels he's in the right frame of mind for the Murray challenge.

"It's just the conditions in general that I like, especially on Rod Laver Arena. It's my most successful Grand Slam," Djokovic said.

"Being in a third consecutive final is an incredible feeling and achievement, I'm so very proud of it.

"I was pushed to the limit in the fourth round and I've had some really physically tough matches in this tournament, and I'm glad that I got through it. Right now I feel great on the court."

Djokovic leads Murray 10-7, with two of the wins at the Australian Open, including a straight-sets win in the 2011 final. Born a week apart, they first met on the junior circuit before they were even teenagers.

"What was he like? Well, I know he had a lot of hair, a lot of curly hair. He was quite pale also," Djokovic remembered.

But the Ivan Lendl-coached Murray looks a different player now that he has broken through for his maiden Grand Slam title at last September's US Open, where he beat the Serb in five sets in the final.

Significantly, Murray vanquished his Grand Slam nemesis Roger Federer for the first time at a major in a classic four-hour, five-set semi to book his place in the decider.

"I think I started to play better tennis and played my optimum level more in the big matches over the last year or so, which hadn't always been the case," the Scot said.

"I think that's what's changed for me. I mean, two years ago he (Djokovic) didn't lose a match for the first six months."

Murray, who lost four Slam finals before finally cracking it at Flushing Meadows last year, said the US Open win has steeled his confidence.

"Those matches last year have obviously helped mentally. I think going through a lot of the losses that I've had will have helped me, as well," he said.

"I've been questioned for large parts of my career about physically would I be strong enough, mentally would it be strong enough, do I listen to my coaches, can I handle pressure?

"I think those years of having all of those questions and then finally to be able to answer them I think, yeah, it was all part of the process. Having won against Novak before in a Slam final will help mentally."

Tennis greats Roger Federer and Andre Agassi both believe Djokovic will come through in Sunday's final.

"Obviously Novak goes in as the favorite, I would think, even though Andy beat him at the US Open," Federer said. "I give a slight edge to Novak just because of the last couple of days."

Agassi, who won four of his eight Slam titles in Australia, also fancies the Serbian top seed.

"I certainly would favour at this stage, given the quality of play and the second life that Djokovic has after that Wawrinka match, I would give him the edge," Agassi said.

In Murray's favour in is that in four of the last five years, the man who played his semi-final second has gone on to win the final.

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Azarenka retains Australian Open title

MELBOURNE: Victoria Azarenka retained her Australian Open title on Saturday with a tense 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over China's Li Na, who suffered a sickening ankle injury in the second set and hit her head in the third when she twisted the joint for a second time.

In Pics: Azarenka retains Australian Open

Li dominated the first set but Azarenka raced out to a 3-1 lead in the second before Li slipped and twisted her left ankle. She had it strapped but had problems pivoting and Azarenka won the set 6-4.

The Chinese sixth seed, who won the French Open title in 2011, took a 2-1 lead in the decider before an Australia Day fireworks display delayed play for some 10 minutes. She immediately went over on her ankle again when they returned and hit her head.

A smiling Li returned to court but Azarenka managed to break in the fifth game, then hold serve to jump to a 4-2 lead and she sealed the title, which ensured she retained the world number one ranking, when she broke Li in the ninth game.

Azarenka dropped her racket to the ground and, after shaking hands with Li and the umpire Alison Lang, went tearfully to her players' box where she was embraced by her support staff and friends who included American musician Redfoo.

Perhaps weighed down by expectation from the most populous nation in the world and with an estimated 100 million people watching on television in China, Li had a shaky start, serving a double fault on the first point and having her serve broken.

The world number six, however, bounced straight back to the delight of the overwhelmingly pro-Li crowd in Rod Laver Arena and used her powerful forehand to break Azarenka twice to hold a 3-1 lead.

Azarenka battled back to break to reduce the deficit to 3-2, but was broken again by Li, who was relentlessly attacking the Belarussian's serve.

Azarenka was able to hold for the first time in the eighth game and break in the ninth, but Li broke again on her fourth set point when the Belarussian double faulted to take the first set 6-4.

Azarenka finally found her range with her groundstrokes in the second set and moved a lot better to race out to a 3-0 lead.

Li broke back, but then badly hurt her ankle after she was forced to change direction to try to reach an Azarenka backhand volley.

The Chinese took a medical timeout to have the ankle heavily strapped but held serve on her return and got three break points in the next game as both players tightened up and were seemingly unable to hold serve.

Li was broken again in the ninth game to give Azarenka a 5-4 lead and she served out to love in the next game to send it into a decider when a Li forehand sailed wide.

Both had problems settling again after the interruptions to the third set but Azarenka achieved the crucial break and was able to hold things together long enough to earn her second Grand Slam title when a Li forehand sailed long over the baseline.

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Will Pujara get a chance in final ODI?

DHARAMSALA: Cheteshwar Pujara turned 25 on Friday and if skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni decides to include him in the playing XI for the final ODI against England on Sunday, it would be the best birthday gift for the talented Saurashtra lad.

While 3-1 scoreline is the perfect opportunity to blood Pujara, what remains to be seen is whether Dhoni is ready to tinker with the winning combination.

"We will have a new batting attack tomorrow," middle order batsman Suresh Raina, who came at the pre-match press conference stated but didn't wish to clarify whether it mean the change in approach or a change in the line-up.

Although one can't be 100 per cent sure but if the batting order during the net session is followed, then Pujara might still have to wait for his turn to make his ODI debut.

It was Gautam Gambhir, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who started the proceedings by entering the three nets adjacent to each other. They were followed by skipper Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh and Raina.

With in-form all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja almost certain to come at No. 7 followed by Ravichandran Ashwin and three pacers, the only possibility of fitting Pujara in arises if one among either Ashwin or Yuvraj is rested.

While Ashwin's form has been patchy, it will be a risky option to play with one specialist bowler short. In case Ashwin is dropped, his likely replacement can be leggie Amit Mishra, who has not played a single game in the series so far.

That brings Yuvraj to the equation but he hasn't done too badly either with scores of 61, 32, 30 in the first three matches before getting out cheaply in the last game at Mohali.

But the Indian skipper might not be in a mood to drop the most experienced ODI player (281) from the playing XI.

Among the pacers, Shami Ahmed was seen getting a rub-down from the team masseur Ramesh Mane while Ashok Dinda had an extended run at the net session along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ishant Sharma.

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Mumbai dismiss Saurashtra for 148

MUMBAI: Medium pacer Dhawal Kulkarni spearheaded the Mumbai attack superbly to snap up four wickets and help the hosts bundle out Saurashtra for a meagre first innings total of 148 on the first day of the five-day Ranji Trophy final at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.

The 24-year-old right-arm pace bowler used the conditions well to pick up 4 for 24 in 21.3 overs bowled in four spells after Saurashtra were asked to bat first on a seam-friendly track by Mumbai captain Ajit Agarkar.

Kulkarni, who grabbed five wickets in the semifinal against Services at Delhi, and rookie left-arm spinner Vishal Dabholkar had Saurashtra on the ropes at 51 for five before lunch with the medium pacer picking up three of those wickets.

The visitors recovered a bit through a 64-run stand between top-scorer Arpit Vasavada, who made 55 with nine fours, and Kamlesh Makwana (26).

But once these two batsmen fell to Abhishek Nayar in successive overs close to tea break, the Saurashtra innings went into a slump once again before they were dismissed for 142 with Kulkarni dismissing the last man Sidharth Trivedi for his fourth wicket.

Nayar and Dabholkar gave good support to Kulkarni by bagging two wickets apiece, Agarkar secured one while Jaydev Unadkat was run out foolishly.

Apart from Vasavada, who batted for 210 minutes and faced 146 balls, Sitanshu Kotak (14), Makwana and Unadkat (22) reached double figures as the Saurashtra batsmen showed lack of application and skill on a bowler-friendly track.

In reply, 39-time title winners Mumbai scored 19 for no loss in 8 overs. Openers Wasim Jaffer (11 in 30 balls) and Kaustubh Pawar (4 in 20 balls) batted for 39-minutes and were at the crease with the hosts still 129 runs behind.

Earlier in the morning session, Saurashtra batsmen struggled on a pitch that afforded seam movement and soon lost half their side cheaply.

They recovered partially only to lose two wickets in quick succession, close to tea, that left them struggling at 115 for 7 with a tail that failed to wag.

Poor application cost Saurashtra most of the wickets though the Mumbai new ball bowlers were not steady in their line of attack and often bowled wide in the first hour.

The first to go was opener and 'keeper Sagar Jogiyani, who backed away to leg and then poked his bat out to snick to second slip Wasim Jaffer and give medium pacer Kulkarni the first of his four wickets in the bowler's opening over.

One-down Rahul Dave played awkwardly to a ball dug in by Kulkarni and ballooned a catch to Ankit Chavan in the slip cordon as Saurashtra slipped to 12 for 2.

At the other end, veteran Kotak was at his usual watchful self in making a slow 14. But he could not resist a ball bowled wide of his off stump by rookie left arm spinner Dabholkar, and while trying to glide it past lone slip fielder Jaffer, only to put up a tame catch to the fielder.

The visiting team lost two more wickets - Sheldon Jackson (5) and captain Jaydev Shah (0) - just before lunch as Saurashtra slumped to 51 for 5.

Post lunch, the first hour of play was the most fruitful for the visitors as left-handed Vasavada and Makwana took the total to 90 without being separated.

The duo raised the 100 of the innings in the 51st over and the 50 of their sixth wicket stand when Makwana drove Ankit Chavan handsomely to the cover fence.

Vasavada, who played well square off the wicket on the off side, completed his 50 off the 139th ball he faced in 203 minutes before getting out to a poor shot.

Nayar, considered as Mumbai's partnership breaker, lived up to his reputation by breaking the sixth wicket stand when he tempted Vasavada to chase a ball that was angled away and edge it to first slip fielder Hiken Shah.

Vasavada's partnership with Makwana came in 151 balls. He fell 15 minutes to tea and his sixth wicket partner Makwana too departed in the last over before the end of the second session by slashing at a wide ball from Nayar and was caught at gully.

These two wickets in successive overs of Nayar pegged back Saurashtra just when they seemed to be recovering from their morning collapse.

The two batsmen were dismissed by Nayar, Mumbai's leading scorer with the bat in the season, with his slow medium bowling in the space of 9 balls and he had fine figures of 5-1-9-2 in his second spell.

The second-best partnership of the innings i,e the 8th wicket stand between Saurav Sanandiya and Unadkat yielded 26 runs before the former's defence was breached by Agarkar.

A run later Test discard Unadkat (22) was run out going for a sharp single with the bat held high in hand. The throw from Dabholkar, who was at point, directly hit the stumps with Unadkat's raised leg and bat well past the crease to leave Saurashtra at a dismal 142 for 9.

Kulkarni came back for his fourth spell and ended the innings when he snapped up the wicket of last man Trivedi who edged behind the stumps.

In the morning, Mumbai retained the eleven that got past Services in the semi final at Delhi while Saurashtra brought in medium pacer Saurya Sanandiya for off spinner Vishal Joshi in the only change effected in their semi final team that got past Punjab at Rajkot.

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Raina wishes to bat higher up the order

DHARAMSALA: Having scored 6 half-centuries in his last 10 one-day innings, Suresh Raina has become Team India's 'go to' man in the shorter format of the game. Raina's batting exploits has been a key factor in India's ascent to the number 1 spot in one-dayers. Even in the Mohali ODI, Raina's cool and calculated knock of 89, helped India chase down a tricky target of 258 set by the Englishmen.

The chase was not easy as the game was in balance, with India losing the wicket of Yuvraj Singh at a crucial juncture, when the southpaw came into bat. Raina showed exemplary calm and helped his team reach home, stitching together two fifty-run partnerships, first with Rohit Sharma and then with skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Raina always had the target in mind and has now become one of the best finishers of the game. Alongwith, Dhoni he forms the backbone of India's lower middle-order. Even the risks he took were calculated and the controlled aggression was what the doctor ordered for at that time.

Skipper Dhoni is also impressed by the southpaw's performance and wants him to be more responsible and bat higher up the order. Raina, who has so far scored just three centuries in his ODI career, also espouses his captain's view and a promotion is something which he is waiting for.

"I would like to bat higher up the order, if given a chance. Though I enjoy finishing a game but batting higher up the order will mean more chances for me. In the last one-dayer I got plenty of overs to bat and that's why could score big. Similarly, if I get a chance to bat at 3 or 4 then I can bat for a longer period of time and score more runs for the team," opined Raina.

After Dhoni promoted Rohit Sharma in the previous one-dayer, it's clear that the team management has earmarked players for the 2015 World Cup and Raina is an important cog in Team India's wheel.

"My focus is to take it game by game and it depends on the team management what it thinks and what are their plans regarding the 2015 World Cup. We are definitely on course and rising up to the number one spot in the ICC rankings is something which is a positive in that direction," felt Raina, when asked about the team management's plans for the 2015 World Cup.

Talking about the Dharamsala ODI, Raina said that the toss would play a crucial factor.

"We had a very good practice session but I feel that the toss would be very crucial in this match. The new ball would be important and how the two team's play the new ball would determine the outcome of the match. The pitch here is bouncy infact the bounciest pitch that I have played in India so the role of openers becomes crucial," added Raina.

Finally, the southpaw was all praise for the picturesque Dharamsala stadium, infact going onto say that it's the most beautiful stadium that he has ever played cricket.

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Rohit is mentally very tough, says Nayar

MUMBAI: He himself has been enjoying a purple patch off late, and could soon be the highest run-scorer in Ranji Trophy this season (presently he has 940 runs@104.44 in 10 games and is placed third on the top Ranji run-getters charts), but it is best pal Rohit Sharma's success that seems to bring more cheer to Abhishek Nayar's face.

The talented Mumbai bat bounced back after being recalled to the XI, slamming 83 and shape India's victory in the fourth ODI at Mohali, that too on being asked to open the innings all of a sudden.

"I am extremely happy for Rohit. He's been working really hard in the nets while he was not playing. He got his chance and did well. It's really unfortunate he got out the way he did and hopefully in the coming game he will get a big hundred," Nayar, while preparing for Mumbai's Ranji Trophy final that begins from Saturday, said. According to him, a dry spell of runs doesn't faze Rohit much. "He is one of the mentally toughest people you will meet," says Nayar. Do the too share notes on batting.

"Never...our conversations revolve being fit and other things in life," Nayar says. Will he be comfortable in his new role as an opener from here? "He has opened before and the kind of batsman that he is, he can bat anywhere in the batting order, which he has done for India. When you talk about a flexible batting order, he is someone who can bat at any number. He's extremely talented and hard working," Nayar says.

At the same time, the left-hander feels sad for the off-colour Rahane, who was dropped in favour of Rohit on Wednesday. "He too will bounce back. He is a terrific batsman...such phases of bad form do come," says Nayar.

This all-rounder too has seen bad phases, which have been more about injuries than form. While a bad wrist hurt him for a long time, a leg injury, and then a fractured thumb all combined to ensure that just as his career picked up pace, an injury derailed it.

"I am happy with the way things have gone this season. Last year I had a good season as well but I got injured in the middle, had a fractured thumb. This year, touchwood, everything has been alright. I can't remember the last time I played the whole season," Nayar says.

Nayar has scored eight fifties, besides three tons, this season. Perhaps, more hundreds would strengthen his case. "Of course I wish I had eight hundreds. Everyone wants to get a hundred but sometimes it does not work out. But I am happy that I have been consistent, that's the key."

Having scored that many wickets apart from taking 16 wickets, does Nayar still harbour ambitions of a recall? "It's totally up to the selectors. I will try and replicate what I am doing here there. Hopefully, I can convert these performances if I get a chance and do well there as well," said the 29-year-old.

Despite enjoying productive Ranji seasons, Nayar's name doesn't even figure in the scheme of things for the Indian team. It must be frustrating. "Of course, playing for India is the ultimate goal but what is there in front of me is the Ranji Trophy (final) and that's what is important. I am sure if things work out well I will get what I deserve. I am a firm believer in destiny. If things are meant to be they will be. It's up to the selectors and up to what they think. I will try to do my best," he says.

Over the years, Nayar has had to mould his game from an attacking to a patient one. "Obviously I had to do it. If I had not done that, I would not have had a place in the team. That happens gradually with experience as you get to know what your game is. I still have to urge to go after the bowlers at times but I try and control it. I think it's about playing according to the situation," he says.

Summing up a season where Mumbai have made it to the yet another final despite recording just one outright win, Nayar said: "It has been an interesting season. It has kept us on our toes. It would be fairy-tale if we ended up winning. It's a season in which we have worked very hard as a unit. The team has been together through tough times and we have enjoyed it. We have had only one outright win but have been very consistent as a team."

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Problems mounting for Real & Mourinho

MADRID: Instead of celebrating their passage into the semifinals of the King's Cup this week, Real Madrid are counting the cost of a few turbulent days which could end up completely derailing their season.

Real's 3-1 aggregate win over Valencia in the quarterfinals has set up a mouth-watering clash with their great rivals and the holders Barcelona, who ousted Malaga in an absorbing 6-4 aggregate victory.

Leaders Barca already hold a seemingly unassailable 15-point advantage over Real in La Liga, and Jose Mourinho has written off his side's chances of retaining the title.

Mourinho has targeted the Cup and the Champions League instead and he has to negotiate what could be a pivotal week in the side's season and his Bernabeu future, at the beginning of March.

Real host Barca in the Cup first leg on Wednesday, and the return at the Nou Camp is scheduled for Feb 26-27, just before the league 'Clasico' at the Bernabeu on the weekend March 2-3.

Real play the Champions League last 16 second leg at Manchester United on March 5.

"A new storm of Clasicos: Three in a month," sports daily AS said on Friday, recalling the four clashes between the sides in 18 days in April and May 2011.

After two-and-half years at the helm, Mourinho's future at Real is under the spotlight more than ever before, and he enters a critical five weeks with problems mounting at the club.

First-choice goalkeeper Iker Casillas fractured a bone in his left hand against Valencia during the week, and media have reported he will be out of action for six to eight weeks.

"Casillas is the captain, he is Madrid's emblem," Barca defender Gerard Pique said after their win in Malaga.

"Although (reserve keeper Antonio) Adan is a great keeper, the fact they are without their captain could affect the team."

PLAYERS SUSPENDED

Real still have time to dip into the transfer market before the end of January to find extra cover for Casillas should they deem it necessary.

The 2011 Cup winners also head into the first leg without winger Angel Di Maria, and defenders Sergio Ramos and Fabio Coentrao who are all suspended, while Ramos's centre-back partner Pepe has yet to return after ankle surgery.

To add to their problems, Real have failed to put a lid on the constant media speculation over reported rifts within the dressing room.

Club president Florentino Perez took the unusual step of calling a news conference on Thursday to deny a newspaper story claiming a rift between Mourinho and club captains Casillas and Ramos.

The construction magnate branded sports daily Marca 'liars', and Ramos and Casillas, who are both reported to have had run ins with Mourinho this season, issued a statement backing both the president and their coach.

However, the daily has defended the piece saying it has text-message evidence supporting the story.

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MS Dhoni likely to play in final ODI

DHARAMSALA: The Indian team management has not yet sought a cover for skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who sustained a thumb injury before the fourth ODI against England at Mohali, increasing the possibility of his playing in the final match on Sunday.

In fact, the Indian skipper was seen actively participating in a soccer session at the picturesque stadium here dispelling doubts about his participation in the final one-dayer.

While the English team took a break from their training session, a relaxed Indian side enjoyed their soccer session in the afternoon.

Dhoni has sustained injuries in the past during the training sessions but has shown enough grit to come out and lead the side admirably.

There were doubts about the Indian captain's participation in the third one-dayer against Pakistan in New Delhi earlier this month and Dinesh Karthik was flown in as a cover. However, the skipper not only led the side but was also awarded man-of-the-match for his captaincy.

It was after a long time that the Indian players looked a happy bunch while playing their customary football match unlike some of the other times when it looked as if they are going through a routine drill.

Someone like Rohit Sharma, who tends to get lost easily when he goes through those prolonged bad patches, was seen enjoying the most and rightly so after his fine performance at the top of the order in Mohali.

Virat Kohli was hit by the football and he was out of action for a brief period before the match resumed again.

On the cricketing front, the pitch is expected to help the batsmen and with the sun beating down, it can become conducive for strokeplay.

However, the open nature of the ground and the cool morning breeze will also keep the seamers like Bhuvneshwar Kumar interested on a strip that curator Sunil Chauhan termed as "sporting wicket."

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Murray beats Federer to reach final

MELBOURNE: Andy Murray set up an enthralling Australian Open final against world number one Novak Djokovic after a high-quality victory against Roger Federer on Friday.

In Pics: Murray vs Federer

The 25-year-old Briton, who had never beaten Federer in a Grand Slam previously despite being one of the few players to hold a superior career record against the Swiss, advanced to the final with a 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2 win in four hours.

Murray had looked the more likely to win the match from the outset with a superior service game and aggressive shotmaking, but the 17-time Grand Slam winner proved he was still a force to be reckoned with by forcing a fifth set.

The US Open champion, however, got off to a storming start in the fifth, racing out to a 3-0 lead and after being two points from the match in the fourth set was not prepared to let the opportunity slip again.

"It's always tough against him. Slams are when he plays his best tennis," Murray said in a courtside interview. "When I was serving for the match at 6-5 in the fourth, he came up with some unbelievable shots.

"I didn't play the best tiebreak, it's hard when you're serving for a place in the final and a few minutes later you are into a fifth set."

SUPERB SERVICE

Murray produced a superb service game in the first set, broke in the third game and gave Federer only one break opportunity to take the first set 6-4 in 45 minutes.

Neither player was prepared to give any quarter in the second set as they thrusted and parried, punched balls down the tramlines, produced delicate drop shots and running cross-court passing shots from amazing angles to force a tiebreak.

Murray was the first to blink when he allowed Federer to a 4-1 lead and while he battled back to 5-5, Federer seized the opportunity from a mistimed overhead from Murray to level.

Murray quickly dismissed the disappointment of dropping the set, picking up his serve again and increasing the accuracy and power on his forehand.

He set up three break points in the sixth game, sealing it on his second, to take a 4-2 lead and then blasted through the next game to love to ensure he closed out the set two games later when he served his 16th ace of the match.

Federer jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the fourth set when he finally broke Murray's serve for the first time in the fifth game, but the Scot stormed back, levelled at 5-5 and was two points away from the match while serving.

The Swiss, through sheer force of will, forced a tiebreak and deciding set, though Murray powered through it in just 30 minutes as he broke in the opening game and held his own serve to love twice to set up the final against the Serb.

"He (Djokovic) plays his best tennis here, it's his third final in a row and I'll have to play pretty well," Murray said.

"I hope it's a painful match because that will mean it's a good one."

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Murray beats Federer to reach final

MELBOURNE: Andy Murray set up an enthralling Australian Open final against world number one Novak Djokovic after a high-quality victory against Roger Federer on Friday.

In Pics: Murray vs Federer

The 25-year-old Briton, who had never beaten Federer in a Grand Slam previously despite being one of the few players to hold a superior career record against the Swiss, advanced to the final with a 6-4, 6-7, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2 win in four hours.

Murray had looked the more likely to win the match from the outset with a superior service game and aggressive shotmaking, but the 17-time Grand Slam winner proved he was still a force to be reckoned with by forcing a fifth set.

The US Open champion, however, got off to a storming start in the fifth, racing out to a 3-0 lead and after being two points from the match in the fourth set was not prepared to let the opportunity slip again.

"It's always tough against him. Slams are when he plays his best tennis," Murray said in a courtside interview. "When I was serving for the match at 6-5 in the fourth, he came up with some unbelievable shots.

"I didn't play the best tiebreak, it's hard when you're serving for a place in the final and a few minutes later you are into a fifth set."

SUPERB SERVICE

Murray produced a superb service game in the first set, broke in the third game and gave Federer only one break opportunity to take the first set 6-4 in 45 minutes.

Neither player was prepared to give any quarter in the second set as they thrusted and parried, punched balls down the tramlines, produced delicate drop shots and running cross-court passing shots from amazing angles to force a tiebreak.

Murray was the first to blink when he allowed Federer to a 4-1 lead and while he battled back to 5-5, Federer seized the opportunity from a mistimed overhead from Murray to level.

Murray quickly dismissed the disappointment of dropping the set, picking up his serve again and increasing the accuracy and power on his forehand.

He set up three break points in the sixth game, sealing it on his second, to take a 4-2 lead and then blasted through the next game to love to ensure he closed out the set two games later when he served his 16th ace of the match.

Federer jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the fourth set when he finally broke Murray's serve for the first time in the fifth game, but the Scot stormed back, levelled at 5-5 and was two points away from the match while serving.

The Swiss, through sheer force of will, forced a tiebreak and deciding set, though Murray powered through it in just 30 minutes as he broke in the opening game and held his own serve to love twice to set up the final against the Serb.

"He (Djokovic) plays his best tennis here, it's his third final in a row and I'll have to play pretty well," Murray said.

"I hope it's a painful match because that will mean it's a good one."

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Djokovic crushes Ferrer to enter final

MELBOURNE: Novak Djokovic produced some of the best tennis of his career and wasted little time in advancing to his third successive Australian Open final with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 destruction of fourth seed David Ferrer in 89 minutes on Thursday.

The world number one was in no mood to allow Ferrer the opportunity to come back from a two-set deficit as the Spaniard did against compatriot Nicolas Almagro in the quarter-finals, and blasted him off court.

"I was aware of David's qualities; I wanted to be aggressive on the court and this was definitely one of the best matches of my career," said the 25-year-old Serbian, who is seeking to become the first man in the professional era to win three successive Australian Open titles.

"He is one of the most respected guys on the tour. He is such a great competitor and has been around for years

"He is experiencing some of the best form of his career but tonight I just played incredible." Ferrer will rise to fourth in the world after the tournament but the 30-year-old said before the semi-final that he was rising that high only due to a long-term injury to compatriot Rafa Nadal and that there was still a gap between himself and the 'Big Four' of Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Nadal.

Djokovic underlined that statement in emphatic fashion with his performance on Thursday, making it appear that he was playing the 400th-ranked player in the world rather than a man who won seven titles in 2012 and had been to four previous grand slam semi-finals.

He dominated when on serve, often rattling through games to love, and put immense pressure on the Spaniard by stepping in, taking the ball early and keeping him on the back foot.

In the fourth game of the third set, he battered Ferrer's serve and broke to love, with the game point coming when he blasted a backhand cross court and pumped his fist in the air.

"You need to focus on every point and even though I was two sets up I didn't want to give him any points," Djokovic added.

Djokovic will meet the winner of Friday's semi-final between second seed Roger Federer and third seed Andy Murray in Sunday's final.

"I wouldn't give the role of favourite to either of them," said Djokovic of the Federer-Murray semifinal. "Whoever I play I will be ready."

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Azarenka books Aus Open final berth

MELBOURNE: World number one Victoria Azarenka ended the dream run of American teenager Sloane Stephens in controversial fashion Thursday to set up an Australian Open final against China's Li Na.

Azarenka, who will retain top spot on the rankings if she defends her title at Melbourne Park, needed six match points to defeat Stephens 6-1, 6-4 in 1hr 41min and move into Saturday's championship decider against Li.

"I almost did the choke of the year," Azarenka said, after losing five match points while serving at 5-3 in the second set. "So many chances. I felt a little bit overwhelmed. Nerves got to me, for sure."

In a dramatic ending, in scorching heat on Rod Laver Arena, Azarenka let slip five match points when she was serving for the match, before being broken for 5-4.

The Belarusian then called a medical timeout and left the court for 10 minutes to receive treatment for rib and knee complaints. When play resumed, Stephens was unable to hold serve and Azarenka made it into the final.

"It was important to overcome this little bit of struggle," Azarenka said.

"I couldn't lose. I just couldn't. That was why I was so upset. I couldn't breathe out there. It's a tremendous achievement and I'm so happy I pulled it through."

Stephens was coming off her upset of world number three Serena Williams on Wednesday, and much depended on how she handled her new-found superstar status.

Losing her opening service game was a portent of the hardships to come in a match that Azarenka completely dominated until her attack of nerves.

Azarenka slipped to a 2-0 lead. A strong service game from Stephens put her on the scoreboard but the American's groundstrokes were failing to hit the mark and the world number 25 made 16 unforced errors in the opening five games as Azarenka went two breaks ahead.

When Azarenka landed a perfect half-volley, backhand lob to take the first set in 33 minutes, Stephens had already racked up 19 unforced errors.

Azarenka jumped to another 2-0 lead to begin the second set. At 0-30 in the following game, she pulled up quickly, and appeared to be favouring her left knee.

She showed no discomfort in subsequent rallies. Stephens temporarily stemmed the flow of errors and broke Azarenka for the first time in the match, keeping herself in the hunt at 1-2.

Azarenka was limping, but she went on a run of nine straight points while taking a 4-2 lead. She appeared certain to romp through the final games but errors and double faults gave Stephens an unexpected reprieve.

Serving at 3-4, with the crowd behind her, Stephens missed a routine smash on the way to being broken for the sixth time in the match.

Azarenka then passed up five match points in her anxiety-riddled attempt to serve out the clash, and called for the trainer at the changeover.

She took a 10-minute medical timeout and left the court. When she returned, Stephens was serving to stay in the match but Azarenka snuck through on match point number six.

The 23-year-old Azarenka must defeat Li in the final to retain her number one ranking. Otherwise, America's Williams will take top spot.

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