The deadline is extended:Champions League T20

friday 21st

The deadline for media accreditation for the inaugural edition of the Champions League Twenty20 has been extended until 6pm on Monday 24 November.

All members of the media who intend to cover the event must apply online for accreditation and can complete the forms by clicking here.

Applicants will need to provide a scanned passport size photograph of themselves and a letter from his/her editor, without which the application process would be termed incomplete and the form cancelled.

As the accreditation process is venue based, all applicants are asked to take time to identify accurately the games they would like to attend, and bear in mind that they will only be able to pick up their accreditation at the venue of the first game they are covering.

For example, on 3 December matches are being played at Mumbai and then Bangalore and anyone intending to cover both would need to pick up their accreditation from Mumbai.

All applications are subject to the Terms & Conditions for Media Accreditation available with the accreditation form.

The form will not be available online after the deadline and media cannot apply once the form has been removed.

AUSTRALIA STRUGGLE: 214 all out ,clark 98 out

Played at Brisbane Cricket Ground

	Australia 1st innings			R	M	B	4s	6s	SR
		ML Hayden	c Taylor b Southee	8	18	16	2	0	50.00
		SM Katich	c McCullum b Southee	10	27	17	1	0	58.82
		RT Ponting	c How b Southee	4	14	8	1	0	50.00
		MEK Hussey	lbw b Martin	35		78	4	0	44.87
		MJ Clarke	not out	63		168	8	0	37.50
		A Symonds	c McCullum b O'Brien	26		33	3	0	78.78
		SR Watson	c McCullum b O'Brien	1		8	0	0	12.50
		BJ Haddin	c How b Ryder	6	22	19	1	0	31.57
		B Lee	c McCullum b Southee	4	18	12	1	0	33.33
		Extras	(lb 1, w 1, nb 1)	3
		Total	(8 wickets; 59.4 overs)	160	(2.68 runs per over)

To bat SR Clark, MG Johnson

New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee has rocked Australia's top order to see the home side reduced to 3-60 at lunch on day one of the opening 3 Mobile Test of the summer at the Gabba.

Black Caps skipper Daniel Vettori quickly had his decision to send the Australians in on a lively green pitch vindicated when Southee extracted good bounce and movement to see Australia crash to a dire 3-23 early in the first session.

BREET LEE (1not out) and Michael Clarke (60 not out) are the unbeaten men at the crease for the home side at the meal break and have been able to do a sufficient job of rebuilding the damage caused by Southee.

The 20-year-old, playing his first Test match against Australia and his third overall, took little time to stamp his impact on the game, putting the new ball to good use to see Australia's top three batsmen back in the stands after just over half an hour of play.

Opener Matthew Hayden (eight) was the first to go in the fourth over when he tentatively drove at a delivery that held its line and squared Hayden up, with a thick edge flying to Ross Taylor at first slip.

Southee grabbed the wicket of Simon Katich (10) in his next over when he produced good seam movement that Katich failed to deal with, finely edging the ball to keeper Brendon McCullum.

Southee showed bounce was another weapon in his arsenal when he caught Ricky Ponting (four) off guard with a rising shorter delivery that the Australian captain hesitantly popped up to Jamie How at second slip.

Southee was an unexpected starter in the Black Caps XI when he regulated the more experienced Kyle Mills, one of only five players in the New Zealand squad to have played a Test match against Australia, to drinks duty.

He quickly proved selectors right though as he finished the first session of the Test with figures of 3-34, causing headaches for Clarke and Hussey as they attempted to negotiate the new ball.

Clarke's fortunes would have been particularly frustrating for Southee, who found the edge of the Australian vice-captain's bat twice, but saw the knicks fly short, and then wide of the slips cordon for boundaries.After a delay of half and hour, Vettori won the toss and had no hesitations in electing to bowl to take advantage of humid conditions and a Gabba green-top that is greener than usual due to turbulent storms that have hampered the preparation of the pitch.

Australia elected to go into the match without a frontline spinner after omitting off-spinner Jason Krejza at the expense of Andrew Symonds, who returned to the national side after a three month absence.

National selectors will be hoping that all-rounders Shane Watson, who edged out Krejza for the last spot in the XI, and Symonds will be able to chalk up the runs that the top order missed out on.

Srikkanth tips: Yuvraj for Ganguly slot

November 18, 2008

Kris Srikkanth, the chairman of India's national selectors, has backed Yuvraj Singh to take the Test middle-order spot vacated by Sourav Ganguly, the former captain who has retired.

Yuvraj made two consecutive match-winning hundreds (138* and 118) against England in the first two ODIs of the seven-match series over the last five days, and also picked up a four-wicket haul in Indore yesterday. Srikkanth told the Kolkata-based Telegraph that he now sees Yuvraj as the front-runner to take Ganguly's slot.

"I see Yuvi as a potential match-winner in Tests too. Over the years, he has already shown he's a match-winner in ODIs," Srikkanth said. "There are others in the running as well (for Ganguly's slot), but Yuvi is definitely a front-runner."

Yuvraj has had an inconsistent run in Test cricket, having played just 23 matches for 1050 runs since his debut five years ago. However, the 26-year-old has been a mainstay for India in one-day cricket having piled up 6397 runs in 219 matches.

While Dilip Vengsarkar, the former India captain and previous chief selector, had recently blamed Yuvraj's inconsistency at the highest level on a lack of focus, Srikkanth said it had more to do with confidence.

"I've never felt Yuvi has a problem focusing on what he's required to do. I've always seen him as a confidence-player and such players need a couple of good knocks under their belt," Srikkanth said.

Asked about Yuvraj's latest run of form, Srikkanth said, "He has been brilliant. Rajkot had a batting track, but the Indore wicket was on the slower side and Yuvi had to first hold the innings together. He proved that he can be a match-winner from any situation."

The Indian selectors will meet on Thursday in Kanpur, after the third ODI between India and England, to select the team for the rest of the series.

Cristiano backs up his 100th goal for Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo says he is delighted with scoring over 100 goals for Manchester United, having bypassed the milestone in their 5-0 demolition of Stoke on Saturday.

The Portugal international scored twice from free kicks just outside the area, taking his career tally to 101 goals.

The 23-year-old was the top scorer last season with a phenomenal 43 goals and is on nine in the current campaign, despite making a late start to the season, due to an ankle injury.

"I feel very proud," he said on the Sporting Life website.

"One hundred goals is a great achievement. I have 101 for this club now. This is my sixth season here so I think that is fantastic," he said.