CRICKET TWENTY/20: WEST INDIES won the opening Twenty/20 international against New Zealand by 10 runs in Auckland - after cricket history was made with the sport's first "super-over" eliminator.
New Zealand were restricted to 155 for seven off their 20 overs, and after a late collapse by the West Indies, Sulieman Benn struck a boundary and a single from the last two balls to leave the visitors on 155 for eight, scores tied.
The teams then each nominated three batsmen and a bowler for their super overs. The West Indies' Chris Gayle hammered Daniel Vettori for 25 runs, and then New Zealand could manage only 15 and had Jacob Oram and Ross Taylor dismissed.
TEST MATCH: Australia captain Ricky Ponting hit a century, but his team remain in a battle to square the series against South Africa after the opening day of the second Test at the MCG.
Ponting smashed an entertaining 101 off only 126 balls before being dismissed with the last ball of the second session, but regular wickets at the other end left the hosts on 280 for six at stumps.
Vice-captain Michael Clarke will be entrusted with the task of trying to steer Australia to a total in the vicinity of 400 when they resume on the second morning.
Guilty of rash dismissals in the opening Test in Perth, Clarke batted with more caution this time, taking more than three-and-a-half hours to reach an unbeaten 36 at the close, with Brett Lee yet to score.
Still reeling from their six-wicket loss in the opening Test, Australia did not start well and lost opener Matthew Hayden cheaply.
The 37-year-old had nobody to blame but himself when he attempted to drive Makhaya Ntini but succeeded only in picking out JP Duminy at point.
While not the best of his career, Ponting's 37th Test century (and fourth at the MCG) was particularly sweet following a week of intense criticism.
In the afternoon session, he plundered Ntini for three consecutive boundaries, the first taking him past 50.
He raced through the 90s, taking just five balls to go from 87 to three figures, but his innings came to an end when he was caught at short leg by Hashim Amla off Paul Harris.
TOUR: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) have hailed Sri Lanka's confirmation of their Test tour next month as a lifeline for the Pakistani game.
Javed Miandad, the PCB's director-general of cricket, said Sri Lanka had formally conveyed to the board that they would be sending their team from January 20th to play three Test matches and five one-day internationals.
"We are really grateful to the Sri Lankan government for giving clearance to the tour and it will help revive the visit of foreign teams to our country," Miandad said.
"Pakistan badly needs to play international cricket at home and we will ensure the Sri Lankans are provided with state-level security," said the former Pakistan batsman.
