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Cricket is a game of statistics; records are made and broken every now and then. Some of these are situational achievements while others come after years of hard work and a solid temperament. Muttiah Muralitharan proved his class and temperament recently when he got his 800th Test wicket to surmount the highest peak in the history of the game. This was the greatest reward for the Sri Lankan spin wizard in an 18 year long career which has seen him don the whites for his country in 133 Test matches.

Spin Wizard Getting Off The Field for Final Time in Test Cricket

He got his 800th wicket of Pragyan Ojha came off the last ball in what was his last Test match caught by Mahela Jayawardene. This was a photo finish for the Murali who had walked into the final test match needing 8 wickets to complete his 800 tally. It was a steel hearted Murali who had announced his retirement before reaching the one last peak in his glorious career. Only a Murali could have been confident of taking those eight wickets against Indian who had played him well in the past. As they say “Self-trust is the essence of heroism”.

This is no mean achievement considering for a cricketer whose bowling was questioned more than one time. He was labeled as a ‘chucker’ many a times but Murali fought back with his bowling giving fitting reply to all his critics. His career could have almost been over on the Boxing Day test match of 1995 when umpire Darrell Hair called him for throwing. Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga stood like an iron pillar behind Murali and gave him the much needed support he needed.

Controversial Bowling Action

His action was later cleared by ICC after biomechanical analysis at the University of Western Australia which termed it as an optical illusion of throwing. All these never deterred Murali who kept on taking the 5 wicket innings and 10 wicket match haul. Muralitharan also emerged as the winner in the great spin rivalry with Shane Warne and Anil Kumble. One of the golden era in spin bowling has come to an end with the retirement of Murali with Kumble and Warne having already hung their boots.

After Claiming the 800th Wicket

Although he will continue to play one day internationals for his country till the 2011 World Cup, Murali won’t be seen in his favorite version of the game. Cricket fans around the world will miss the sharp turning off spinners and the killer look Murali gave. He will not just be remembered as an achiever in the game but as a true Gentleman in what is slowly ceasing to be a ‘Gentleman’s Game.’ A bowler who surmounts Murali’s record will have to have skills, durability, consistent form and above all a big heart.
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The controversy about the ‘Jabulani’ is over; the poor referee decisions are a thing of the past. Spain are the champions of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Paul the Octopus got it right again as the Spaniards defeated Netherlands 1-0. Andres Iniesta scored the most famous goal in the history of Spanish football and wrote his name into the history books. Carlos Puyol displayed his shirt with a star to represent the win, symbolizing what this win meant for the nation.

Prior to the World Cup, La Furia Roja (The Red Fury) wasn’t touted as the favorites despite their Euro win of 2008. The talks were all around Argentina, Brazil, Ital, Portugal and Germany. As the giants kept exiting the big stage the men in red and blue held their fort together. They made Madrid burst into joyous celebration when they completed the mission they had come to South Africa for. They also erased the title of last minute chokers after crashing out of big tournaments in the decisive stages.

The early defeat to Switzerland in the group stages of the tournament served as a huge wakeup call for the team. But the win over Honduras and Chile boosted confidence of the team. When they edited the Portugal sojourn in the tournament, it was time for the people to take a note of them in the tournament where giants kept falling like a pack of cards. Paraguay didn’t have enough in them to stop Spain although they gave a good fight.

The tournament was sealed almost sealed for La Furia Roja when they shocked the Germans 1-0 in the semi-finals. The Germans were touted as the favorites after having crushed the English and the Argentineans in the earlier stages. This didn’t make the team complacent and they prepared for one last kill to be crowned champions of the World Cup. Spanish fans wouldn’t have accepted anything lesser than the title crown.

Ask the opponents, they will testify how the Spanish team ran rings round teams, grinding them into submission, almost toying with their opposition at times. They had a settled first eleven and fixed formations to scare any opposition. One thing which surely made Spain win was their team composition and coordination. Unlike other teams where best players were drawn and made a national team most Spanish players came from Barcelona making them know each other’s game well.

The fact that they id not have stars like Messi, Ronaldo, Kaka contributed to their success as they played like a composite unit and not a component one. If team spirit and management are lessons to learn, Spanish team can be the best case study. They say “Victory belongs to those that believe in it the most and believe in it the longest” Spaniards believed in themselves and stand at the pinnacle of world football today.

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Match: Uruguay vs. France

When Both The Teams Canceled Out Each Other

Scores: Uruguay 0 – France 0

Group: Group A

Venue: Cape Town-Green Point Stadium

Review: After the exciting inaugural match between South Africa and Mexico, expectations soared high when France and Uruguay kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2010 campaign. But barring some flashes of skills by French winger Franck Ribery and Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan, the match ended up as a goalless dud. With the first match between the hosts and the Mexicans drawn, both teams lost on the opportunity to clinch three points and get an early lead in Group A. And incidentally these lost opportunities sometime become the decider for teams to either proceed to the next round or get eliminated from the World Cup.

Uruguay’s strategy was quite clear from the first minute itself. They adopted an ultra defensive tactics a la Italy with the duo of Forlan-Saurez up front seeking an opportunity to score on counter attacks. But the difference between Italy and Uruguay lies in the simple fact that the La Celeste doesn’t have the attacking capabilities of the Azzuri. On the other hand, though the 2006 runners up stuck to their attacking style of football, expectedly with Franck Ribery in the helm of affairs, there was no blood drawn. Just eight minutes into the game and Sidney Govou got hold of a sitter crossed from Ribery.

Both Teams Showed their Defensive Prowess

However, a weak right footed shot from Govou that went wide off the post, marred the chances of Les Blues getting an early lead. France maintained their supremacy throughout the match but couldn’t capitalize on any of the strikes. Nicholas Anelka missed out on scoring a cross from Yoann Gourcuff. There was a heart stopping moment for the Les Blues when a powerful right footer from Diego Forlan was saved by French custodian Hugo Lloris. Towards the half time both the teams recoiled a bit and the game became a bit dull.

Franck Ribery Showed Some Flashes Of His Class

However, post the half time, the match again picked up some pace. But frustration was quite reflected in the body languages of both the teams’ because of their inability to score. Though French coach Raymond Domenech introduced Thierry Henry and Florent Malouda about 20 minutes before the final whistle, it couldn’t really add the fillip to the attack that was required. Surprisingly the low point in the match came when substitute Nicolas Lodeiro who came in the 63rd minute was sent off after he was shown second yellow card for an ugly foul on Bacary Sagna in the 81st minute. But there was no advantage France and the match ended in a hopeless draw few minutes later.

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Match: South Africa Vs. Mexico

Unexpectedly Tough Tussle For Mexico

Scores: South Africa 1 (Siphiwe Tshabalala 55’) vs Mexico 1 (Rafael Marquez 79′)

Group: Group A

Venue: Johannesburg-Soccer City Stadium

Review: Had Mexican captain Rafael Marquez not scored the equalizer on 79th minute, South Africa would have created history by winning the opening match of 2010 FIFA World Cup. But that the Bafana Bafana forced a draw on Mexico and that their footballer Siphiwe Tshabalala became the first player to score a goal in the FIFA World Cup 2010 is no mean achievement by itself. Kudos to South Africa’s custodian Itumeleng Khune for his heroic efforts, for had he not hold the fortress tightly, a different story might have been scripted.

Siphiwe Tshabalala Enjoying After The Opening Goal

When Uzbek referee Ravshan Irmatov blew the whistle that kicked off the 2010 World Cup, even the die hard South African fan didn’t expect that their country which is 83rd ranked will display such a spirited football against the 17th ranked team in the World and the reining CONCACAF winner, Mexico. And expectedly in the first two minutes of the game Mexico came near to scoring. It was a low cross delivered by Paul Aguilar which Itumeleng Khune failed to smother. Alessandro Dos Santos was in a position to net the loose ball, only to be blocked by defender Aaron Mokoena.

The first 30 minutes of the match was completely dominated by the Mexicans and they created a flurry of chances. But none could be converted into goals. First, Guillermo Franco sent a header from a corner. Next, the livewire of the Mexican team, Dos Santos surged from the centre circle but his shot went wide from the edge of the box. After the 32nd minute, Carlos Vela sent a drop shot over the South African defense to Franco but Khune again came in the way. Few minutes later a Vela-Franco combined effort saw Vela converting Franco’s corner into goal, but was judiciously adjudged off-side. On the other hand Carlos Alberto Parreira’s South Africa did try to break the rearguard of Mexico, a couple of times in the first half, albeit fruitlessly. One of the chances were just before the recess when Tshabalala missed a scoring opportunity from a dangerous ball that his team mate Katlego Mphela had failed to head in. The first half ended in a goalless draw.

Rafael Marquez With Mexico's Reply

In the second half the Africans changed their gear and adopted a much balanced approach that looked to be more positive. In contrast, Mexico went for a higher defensive line that suddenly started looking vulnerable because of the South Africans’ counter attacks. And finally, 10 minutes into the second half came the glorious moment for Bafana Bafana. It was a four man move and South Africa found the net. Kagisho Dikgacoi lofted a long diagonal through and Siphiwe Tshabalala invaded the penalty box from the left before shooting a strong left footer in the opposite corner beating Mexico’s defense. Soccer City exploded and the frenzied fan raised the tempo by blowing vuvuzela to the maximum. However, Mexico continued to attack and 14 minutes later they found an off guard South African defense. A pass from Andres Guardado found an unmarked Rafael Marquez and the Mexican captain gave no chance to Khune with a near post finish. South Africa’s chance of clinching a victory came in the last few minutes of the match, when a left footer from Mphela struck the post and went out of danger zone. Alas, the hosts fell just short of creating history.
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Goalkeepers will have a major to role to play and guide their team to a winning position in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Somehow, goalkeepers do not have that craze and popularity like strikers or midfielders, despite their hard work. However, it needs to be remembered that they are the ones who finally save the ball from entering into the net. A team can have excellent strikers but without a good keeper, it can never prosper. There are quite a few goalkeepers who are expected to perform excellently in South Africa and lift their respective teams to the winner’s seat. Let us see who can be the probable ones to bet your money on:

Iker Casillas (Spain): He is perhaps the best keeper in global football at this moment. The captain of the Spanish football team, this 28 year old is expected to make some stunning saves once he wears the gloves for the national side. Casillas has that fitness and common sense which makes him so formidable against penalty shots. There has been lots of matches where he has single handedly lifted the side through his awesome saves.

Julio Cesar (Brazil): He has already entered the list of all time great Brazilian goalkeepers at such a young age. A proud winner of the Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year in 2009, this 6 feet 1 inch player of Portuguese descent has played 47 times for the national side since 2004. A lot is expected from him in 2010 World Cup.

Gianluigi Buffon (Italy): 32 year old Buffon, nicknamed Gigi is like a pillar for the Italian side. He played a pivotal role in the penalty shoot out versus France and made his team champions of the 2006 World Cup. This year too, this Serie A Goalkeeper of the Year for 9 times, will do his bit for the Azzuris. For over a decade now, he has been an important part of the national side with more than 100 appearances.

Tim Howard (USA):  This 31 year old goalkeeper is an important part of USA football team. He was the best keeper in the Confederations Cup 2009 and hopes to improve his form in this year’s world cup. A regular for Everton at the club level, he has made 50 appearances for the national squad.

David James (England): The strong goalkeeping skills of David James will surely give more confidence to the English football side. After the departure of David Seaman, James has successfully done duties for his home side and has performed excellently in humdingers. He already has 50 caps for the national team and is expected to prove his mettle on the South African soil.

It remains to be seen whether the gloves also prove their part this World Cup in South Africa along with the boots and lift teams to the winner’s podium.

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Fabio Cannavaro (Italy): 2006 Germany World Cup winning captain Fabio Cannavaro will be anticipating that he bids adieu to his supposedly last World Cup appearance in style. Cannavaro has already made history by being the most capped player for Italy and winning the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2006, the only defender to win the crown so far. His performance in the 2006 World Cup has already gone into the folklore of Italy. Certainly age has caught up with him and he lacks pace now. But Cannavaro’s tackles and aerial abilities are still undisputed.

Ashley Cole (England): Arguably the best left back in the world and fresh from winning English Premier League 2009/10, Ashley Cole has been the backbone of England’s defense along with club mate John Terry. Cole’s all round abilities including his sudden charge forward, goal scoring abilities and making excellent crosses, had earned him the “Mr. Reliable” tag. With six FA Cups and three Premier League titles, Cole has been one of the most successful English players in the last decade. And with Cole reaching the prime age in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, England can expect him to deliver the best.

Lucio (Brazil): Lucio was one of the three players from Brazil’s 2002 World Cup winning team who played the entire 630 minutes of the tournament. Lucio is in the league of those rarest central defenders who have the ability to bring the ball up through the opponents and within the striking zone. And Brazil’s strong defense line has been centered on Lucio for some time now. The Inter Milan defender played a big role in getting the historic treble by winning the Serie A, Coppa Italia and finally the UEFA Champions League. Captaining the Brazil team in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Lucio will be hoping to lift the Cup for the second time.

Philipp Lahm (Germany): With Michael Ballack out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, who better could have been to lead Germany but Philipp Lahm. In the last World Cup, Lahm’s performance was terrific and Germany will look up to him even in the current edition as well. Bayern Munich’s right back is famous for his pace, dribbling and crossing abilities. His ability to play in the left wing as well has been highly effective for both Bayern and Germany. Germany was third in 2006 World Cup, but with a versatile captain in Philipp Lahm they are one of the best contenders in South Africa.

Nemanja Vidic (Serbia): Though Serbia is not one of the so called biggies in the football world; they have a World Class center back in Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic. He was a part of the “famous four” of erstwhile Serbia and Montenegro who conceded only 1 goal in the 10 qualifying matches in 2006 World Cup qualifiers. Now in Serbia’s first independent World Cup appearance, Vidic is the team’s key man in the defense. He is famous for his aggressiveness, ability to fiercely tackle opponents, heading in both defense and set piece movements. Being in one of the toughest groups in 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Nemanja Vidic is expected to be the greatest barrier to the opponents.

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Like past tournaments, this year’s World Cup too will bring out some stars with forwards being a major part. Through their speed, strength and a wide range of shots, these players will make the tournament more exciting and dazzling. So, who are forwards to look out for in 2010 FIFA World Cupin South Africa? There are in fact lots of them in every team who have the capability and tenacity to make it big in this tournament. Here is a list of the top 5 who are expected to scale the level of success.

Lionel Messi (Argentina): Already being hailed as one of the best strikers of world football, Messi is a player to look for in this world cup. A blend of class and exuberance, this Argentinian will surely be a major contender for the Golden Boot. He is one of the top finishers of the game and coach Maradona will bank hugely on him to win matches. Messi has been in excellent form in his stint with Barcelona and hopes to continue it when he enters the field for Argentina in South Africa.

Fernando Torres (Spain): The Spanish team will be heavily relying on Torres to do the miracle in the 2010 version of the tournament. Fondly known as El Nino, for his high speed and strength, this current striker of Liverpool has earned the fame with his hunger for goals. Since 2003, he has played around 72 times for the national side with a huge success rate. The strong points of this stylish player is his agility, shot selection and quick sense of mind.

Dider Drogba (Ivory Coast): Watch out for the dangerous Drogba this world cup. The captain of Ivory Coast, this center forward can give sleepless nights to the opponent team’s defenders and keepers. In the club level for Chelsea, Drogba has been ranked as the 7th highest goalscorer of all times. In South Africa, he will have that great backing of African supporters which will boost his confidence.

Robinho (Brazil): Robinho has everything to dominate this year’s world cup. A combination of speed, strength and skill, he can be highly dangerous for any side. He has performed excellently for his home side in 72 appearances since 2003 and will have a major role to play if his team are to win the trophy.

Time will only say who has the last laugh and guides his team to the champion’s throne. Nevertheless, we can keep our hands crossed that these players will deliver in the tournament.

The whole of Rolland Garros stood up to applaud Rafael Nadal as he hit the winning shot and gave a flying kiss in the finals of the 2010 French Open. Nadal, who has already won this prestigious tennis tournament 4 times before, now becomes the second player after Bjorn Borg to win the French Open 5 times. The stylish and handsome Spanish who is now the World Number 1 displayed all round attack and won with absolute confidence against Robin Soderling.

Nadal With The Winners Trophy

From the start of the match itself, Swedish Soderling was no match against the prolific Nadal and could not put up much resistance. The latter showed supreme form right from the very first set and eventually won by 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. This win will really be a boost for Nadal who had been plagued by injuries in the last year. It will really instill more confidence and help him retain the current world title.

Nadal was determined to reverse the fortunes and take revenge against  Soderling who had defeated him in last year’s final of the French Open and this time he proved his worth. The opponent was never allowed to play freely and showed lackluster performance in the entire match. In the first set itself, Nadal broke him to take control of the set by 6-4.

In the second set, Soderling tried to come back but failed to capitalize on the opportunities due to Nadal’s excellent show of skills. He was never allowed to dominate. With a combination of high class drop shots and forehands, the latter was again able to win two vital break points in the set and ended up with 6-2.

Nadal's Power Packed Backhand

Things were already going out of control for Soderling in the third set and the strong serves of Nadal were too much for him. The former was losing energy and confidence steadily and at one time was looking like completely surrendering to the latter’s mode of play. On the other hand, Nadal was gaining on confidence shot after shot and was absolutely taking his rival into grip. Towards the end Soderling did showed some descent display of shots but was easily overcome. Nadal finished the set with 6-4 and went on to win without much trouble.

Rafael Nadal has been successful in clay courts as it suites his attacking style of play and strong serves. This win will really be another feather into his cap and also please thousands of tennis fans all round the globe.

World Cup champions of 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002! What more can be said about the Brazil football team. Whenever any World Cup approaches, the first probable contender for the trophy is Brazil. The same will also be true in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The Brazilian boys are full of confidence and ready to face any hurdle and get back the coveted trophy. Thousands of Brazilians are wishing that their favorite Canarinho reigns the football world again.

How They Got There?

Robinho - The Little Wizard

All through the World Cup 2010 qualifiers, Brazil displayed demanding and dominating performance. With 34 points from a total of 22 matches, they secured the first spot in the final league standings. After drawing with Columbia in the first match, the Brazilians bounced back in majestic style by beating Ecuador 5-0 and their good form continued. In total they won 9 matches and drawn 7. Their only 2 defeats came against Paraguay and Bolivia. The road to the African soil was more or less guaranteed and it was confirmed when they beat arch rivals Argentina by 3-1.

The Coach

Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri, nicknamed Dunga in the football circuit, is the present coach of Brazilian football side. This former skipper and midfielder has stepped into the coach’s shoes for doing service to his home country. His best achievement came in 1994 when he captained Brazil to lift the World Cup title. This year too, Dunga will hope to win that prized trophy, not as captain but as the coach. Under him, the side has performed excellently and hopefully the form will continue in South Africa. Usually, Dunga prefers the  4-2-3-1 formation where the lone striker is backed by a formidable central midfield wing. His vast on-field experience has helped the team to a great extent.

The Team

Golden Boys Always in Contention

Just like the past years, the Brazilians are again expected to play excellent football in almost all quarters of the game. To lead the attack will be the formidable Robinho along side Luis Fabiano. Robinho is the main striker of the side and is hungry for success this season while Fabiano too is a world class finisher. The central midfield  has some highly skilled players like Gilberto Silva and Kaka. The experience of quality defenders such as Lucio and Juan will surely add more depth to the side. The main goalkeeping task will be done by Julio Cesar, who has scores of experience with the team.

Watch Out for The Kaka Show In Africa

The past world cup was not so good for the Brazilians and they are eager to make amends this time. Surely thousands of fans will be treated with some great football when the team takes field.

Others in Group G

1. Korea DPR
2. Cote d’Ivoire
3. Portugal