Ronaldo, Messi net 2 as Madrid draws 2-2 at Barca

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo dueled each other to an entertaining stalemate on Sunday, with both superstars scoring twice as Barcelona drew 2-2 with Real Madrid to keep an eight-point lead over its archrival intact. The result ended Barcelona s perfect start to the league campaign as it dropped points for the first time in seven games, but provided yet another memorable chapter in the rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo, the two biggest names in the sport. Ronaldo put Madrid ahead at Camp Nou stadium in the 23rd from a pass by Karim Benzema to extend his scoring streak in "clasico" matches to six. Then it was Messi s turn, as he took advantage of a defensive slip to level for Barcelona in the 31st, before adding a second goal in the 61st with a perfect free kick from almost 25 yards out. But as Barcelona looked to seal the result, Mesut Oezil unlocked Barcelona s makeshift defensive line to set up Ronaldo to respond five minutes later and split the points. It was, perhaps, a fitting end to the latest head-to-head duel between arguably the two best players in the world, who for the last two seasons have engaged in a two-way scoring race unlike anything the Spanish league has seen before. Messi and Ronaldo are the leading candidates for the world player of the year award, and both showed they more than deserved it with standout performances on Sunday night. Ronaldo added to his pair of hat tricks from the previous week, while Messi recorded his 17th career goal against Madrid, leaving him one short of equaling Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefanos record. The two players lead the Spanish league with eight goals apiece through seven rounds. Atletico Madrid can move even on points with Barcelona if it beats third-place Malaga later. Camp Nou was bedecked with independence flags and the game started with the 90,000-plus fans holding up colored cards to form a mosaic of the red-and-yellow Catalan flag before shouting "Independence" in unison in the latest manifestations of the surge of separatist sentiment in the northwestern region of Spain. But politics aside, the home fans quickly returned their attention to Barcelona s thinned backline, which was without both center backs Carles Puyol (elbow) and Gerard Pique (foot). To compensate, coach Tito Vilanova, in a minor susprise, left new signing Alex Song on the bench, and aligned Adriano alongside Javier Mascherano in the center of his defense. With Xavi Hernandez and Cesc Fabregas in midfield, Barcelona quickly made their intentions known as the pair wove together combinations with Messi up front. But Ronaldo made sure Madrid opened the scoring when he took Benzema s pass and used one sharp touch to drive the ball between the near post and goalkeeper Victor Valdes. Ronaldo s goal seemed to stun Barcelona, and Madrid had two golden chances to double its advantage two minutes later when Benzema scuffed a close-range shot, sending it off the bar, and Angel Di Maria punched the rebound wide. Barcelona s injury troubles in defense mounted in the 27th when Dani Alves had to be replaced by Martin Montoya. Just when Barcelona was suffering the most, Messi stepped up to level the score. Madrid defender Pepe failed to clear a high ball from a deflected cross by Pedro Rodriguez, and Messi slipped in to poke the loose ball past goalkeeper Iker Casillas. Messi started the second half with a long gallop from deep in his own half, passing two defenders before sending a cross into the area the defense had to scramble to intercept. Messi then put the hosts in front, winning a free kick before looping it over the wall and beyond Casillas  diving grasp. Ronaldo hit right back when Oezil threaded a pass through the defense for the Portugal forward to slot past Valdes. The draw spoiled Vilanova s bid to become the first coach to lead Barcelona to seven wins in as many games to start the season.

Djokovic wins fourth title of the year

World number two Djokovic dug deep in the first set after an early trade of breaks to win a close tie-breaker and then broke the third-seeded Tsonga twice in the second set. After receiving his trophy, Djokovic delighted the crowd by joining the ball girls and boys in doing the "horse dance" made popular by Billboard chart-topping South Korean rapper Psy in his "Gangnam Style" hit. Sunday s victory gave Djokovic, who also won the China Open in 2009 and 2010, his fourth title of the year. "I think the first set was really even and maybe a couple of points decided the winner there," Djokovic told reporters. "We both had our chances aside from those breaks that we converted. I managed to hold my nerve in the end. "I made that early break in the second (and) I felt much more comfortable on the court." The Australian Open champion will remain in the hunt to take back the world number one ranking from Roger Federer at the end of the year. "That s the target," Djokovic said. "This will definitely help me in that race but it s still quite open. There are still tournaments to come, big ones." Tsonga said he needed to raise his game to beat top players such as Djokovic after his sixth straight loss to the Serbian. "I think it was a good match," Tsonga said. "I missed maybe something in the middle of the first set. I was a break up and I was playing well but then he played solid. It was really difficult to control him. "I just tried to play my game, to be aggressive, but against a player like this, for the moment, my level is not high enough and it s not enough to beat him." Earlier, Mike Bryan overtook Australian Todd Woodbridge s mark of 83 career doubles titles when he, along with brother Bob, beat Carlos Berlocq and Denis Istomin 6-3 6-2 for their third China Open title in four years. It was the seventh title of the year for the American pair. 

West Indies wins World Twenty20 final

Samuels hit six sixes and three fours in his 78 off 56 balls to lift West Indies to 137-6 after it stuttered at 87-5. Samuels then bowled a tidy four-over spell (1-15) as Sri Lanka was bowled out for 101 in 18.4 overs. Offspinner Sunil Narine grabbed 3-9 and captain Darren Sammy picked up 2-6 with Sri Lanka losing its way through the innings to the despair of 35,000 home fans at R Premadasa Stadium. Ajantha Mendis took 4-12 but finished on the wrong side as West Indies won its first major title since clinching the Champions Trophy in 2004. 

'Super Saturday' Premier League: Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City thrashed in Premier

Chelsea retained the top spot in the Premiership after winning Saturday at Norwich by 4 goals to 1 at Stamford Bridge, and Manchester City, who beat Sunderland 3-0, placed second in the Premier League. Chelsea had no trouble against a team yet to taste victory this season in the Premier League, despite being ahead on the scoreboard with a goal from captain Grant Holt (11). Immediately thereafter, the Spanish striker Fernando Torres equalized head (14) after a good move by the band between compatriot Juan Mata and Serbian Branislav Ivanovic. In another move on the right wing, the ball broke to Torres, who, back in Chile tried to finish, but the ball touched a defender and the rebound was tapped by Franck Lampard to make it 2-1 from the edge of the area , in a satin finish hit the post. In a masterful counterattack led by Mata, Spanish gave a pass to the slot that attaining the Belgian Eden Hazard 3-1 (31) with which it came to rest. In the second half, Chelsea controlled the situation at all times and did not go through troubles. Ivanovic closed the scoring in the 76th minute. Chelsea, who have won six of their seven league games and has scored 16 goals in his last four games (all competitions included) retains four points clear of Manchester City. Previously, the reigning Premiership Sunderland won 3-0, with goals from Aleksandr Kolarov Serbia (5), Sergio Aguero (60) and James Milner (90). The 'Kun' paid with a goal the confidence coach Roberto Mancini. "The influence of Agüero has been fantastic. Has scored one goal and created other chances," said the Italian coach after the match. Aguero scored just five minutes after taking the field to replace the always controversial Mario Balotelli. The City was able to react to the disturbing image given by the team on Wednesday in the Champions League, where he managed to equalize in the last minute against Borussia Dortmund, and placed second in the standings.The Everton runner the day before, was not the draw at home to two goals from Wigan, coached by Roberto Martinez Spanish. One of the goals of the local team was scored by Argentine striker Franco di Santo. The Swansea led by Dane Michael Laudrup, leader in the early days of the championship, drew at home to Reading, with a new goal Michu Spanish striker, who five great goals in the league. The Queens Park Rangers, bottom club championship despite having made spectacular signings last summer, lost again against West Bromwich 3-2, although the excentrocampista Real Madrid's Esteban Granero, scored his first goal in England. Santi Cazorla also shone with Arsenal, author of one of the three goals of victory against West Ham (1-3). The Frenchman Olivier Giroud, the stroke of halftime, and England's Theo Walcott, a few minutes remaining, Arsenal unbalanced in favor of the French shock Mohamed Diame had uphill for Arsène Wenger to twenty minutes. Cazorla, who had been somewhat hidden behind a first half in which they threw the team on his back, appeared again in the 83rd minute to kill off the match with his second goal with the Arsenal shirt, yellow today: a left from outside the area that put the leather away from the Finnish goalkeeper Jussi Jääskeläinen. The three points serve the "gunners" for a total of twelve in the table and temporarily overcome, in fifth place at Manchester United, which is measured Sunday at Newcastle.

How To Stop Gayle? Lanka's Big Question

A day before the final between hosts Sri Lanka and favourites West Indies, there should have ideally have been plenty of dressing room talking points. But, rather anti-climactically, it was a former South African wicketkeeper, Dave Richardson, who made all the news. Richardson, the new ICC CEO, was critical in his assessment of the R Premadasa pitch used for the semi-finals, specifically the dry one that played its role in kicking Pakistan out of the tournament.Pakistan struggled to chase a measly 139 against Lanka, while in the second match the same stadium produced a featherbed, with the Australians finding it extremely hard to match West Indies’ 206. So to bring about some sanity to the situation, the burly figure of Andy Atkinson, ICC’s go-to pitch doctor, was seen minutely scrutinising the playing area on Saturday — with his presence kicking off a further string of talking points — that regarding the soil, moisture and grass content on this remedied wicket.But all that seems almost irrelevant for a West Indies match, considering the only factor that really affects the state of play is Chris Gayle’s mighty wooden blade.At about the same time of Saturday afternoon when Gayle rested his body through a minor side strain, the Lankans went into a huddle at the practice arena to perhaps discuss just what it would take to stop this monster of a run scorer. Mahela Jayawardene’s bowlers must not just have a Plan A, but also a B and C to contain the great Jamaican. But the Lankans will be pleased to know, that as far as T20 cricket is concerned, Gayle disappoints in finals.

ICC T20 2012 SEMI FINAL: West Indies Crushed Australia

Chris Gayle smashed an unbeaten 75 off 41 balls as the West Indies stormed into the World Twenty20 final with a record 74-run demolition of Australia here on Friday.The left-hander pounded six sixes and five fours as the Windies piled up the tournament's highest total of 205-4 after electing to bat on what was regarded as a slow pitch unsuited to aggressive batting.The Australians found the huge target too hot to handle and folded up for 131 in 16.4 overs at the Premadasa stadium in front of 28,000 awe-struck spectators still reeling from the West Indies innings.Skipper George Bailey played a lone hand for the Aussies, making 63 off 29 balls with four sixes and six boundaries after adding 68 for the seventh wicket with Pat Cummins.Darren Sammy's men take on hosts Sri Lanka in Sunday's final with both sides looking for their first World Twenty20 title.The biggest Twenty20 win for the West Indies, surpassing their 70-run victory over Ireland in 2010, was celebrated by the entire team performing an energetic version of global hit "Gangnam Style" in the middle.Gayle, who lost his opening partner Johnson Charles in the third over, plodded for nine balls to make four before swinging Shane Watson for a six over long-off.That opened the floodgates for an onslaught as Marlon Samuels and Gayle smashed left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty for a six each in one over and Brad Hogg was greeted into the attack with another six from Samuels.Samuels contributed 26 in a second-wicket stand of 41 with Gayle when he was bowled by Cummins attempting another big hit.Gayle, who faced just 18 balls in the first 10 overs, still managed to bring up his half-century off 29 deliveries with the help of four sixes and three boundaries.All-rounder Dwayne Bravo (37) helped Gayle add 83 for the third wicket from just 51 deliveries to propel the innings at a brisk pace.Kieron Pollard hit 38 off 15 balls as the West Indies plundered 55 runs in the final three overs, including 25 off the last six deliveries by Doherty.Doherty was the most expensive Australian bowler with 1-48 from three overs, while Watson went for 35 runs in four unsuccessful overs.Australia never recovered after opener David Warner was bowled by spinner Samuel Badree with the sixth delivery and crashed to 43-6 by the eighth over.Badree took two of those wickets and seamer Ravi Rampaul chipped in by removing Cameron White and the recalled David Hussey in the space of three balls.Pollard dismissed Bailey and Cummins off successive deliveries in the 14th over to end Australia's resistance.

ICC T20 2012 Semi Final: Sri Lanka Beat Pakistan in Thrilling Game

In front of a delirious packed stadium Mahela Jayawardene, already a national hero, led his side to the final of the World T20. Sri Lanka won on a tired pitch at the R Premadasa Stadium, which is fast becoming batsman-hostile.Suddenly sixes have become a rarity again. There was only one in this game but the wining score, 139-4 – an odd one in a Twenty20 match – was enough to defeat Pakistan.Jayawardene does not miss many tricks. Here he selected his experienced left-arm spinner, Rangana Herath, for just the third time in the tournament. Herath repaid this faith by taking three wickets, including the Pakistan captain, Mohammad Hafeez, who proved the greatest threat. He turned the ball, not prodigiously, but enough.When defending such a modest target nothing can be taken for granted. Pakistan needed 32 from their final three overs but Jayawardene's other spinner, Ajantha Mendis, stayed cool and despite the presence at the crease of Umar Akmal and Umar Gul, the heroes in Pakistan's defeat of South Africa, the home side prevailed without too much bother.But there were signs of nerves even among the veterans of the Sri Lankan side. Lasith Malinga bowled well enough, delivering a succession of devious slower balls, but he has seldom been so butterfingered, dropping a simple catch and spurning the chance of a run-out. Semi-finals do that to the most gnarled of cricketers.So Sri Lanka will face either Australia or West Indies in Sunday's final. And they will not be at all disappointed that the pitch at the Premadasa is showing inevitable signs of wear and tear. Sri Lankan batsmen tend to know what to do when the ball is turning and stopping. So do their bowlers.It was obvious after the women's semi-final that batting might be a hazardous occupation but this was unlikely to intimidate the likes of Jayawardene. The Sri Lankan captain – yes, he did toss up this time – innovated cleverly from the start having decided to bat first. But there were far more reverse sweeps and reverse hits from Jayawardenethan normal, a hint that this surface would not encourage silky strokeplay. Sri Lanka were determined not to be too greedy. There were moments when they did not even seem hungry. While Jayawardene prospered Tillakaratne Dilshan, so fluent earlier in the tournament, struggled. No wicket was lost until the 11th over when Jayawardene was caught trying to paddle a delivery from Shahid Afridi, by which time there were 63 runs on the board.Kumar Sangakkara was skittish by his standards but unusually Dilshan never was. Sri Lanka kept waiting for the acceleration but they could not find it, despite Saeed Ajmal not being at his best. Eventually Dilshan might have been relieved to be given out lbw in the 18th over for 35 from 43 balls. The home side needed a fruitful final over, from which they scored sixteen runs courtesy of Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera to bring anything approaching a smile to their captain. A couple of hours later just about everyone in the stadium was beaming.

Sri Lanka 139-4; Pakistan 123-7

 Sri Lanka win by 16 runs

Barclays Premier League Current Standings:

Barclays Premier League Current League Table At The Moment:

POS		LP	CLUB	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
1		(1)	Chelsea	6	5	1	0	11	3	8	16
2		(2)	Everton	6	4	1	1	12	6	6	13
3		(3)	Manchester United	6	4	0	2	14	9	5	12
4		(4)	Manchester City	6	3	3	0	12	8	4	12
5		(5)	Tottenham Hotspur	6	3	2	1	11	8	3	11
6		(6)	West Bromwich Albion	6	3	2	1	8	5	3	11
7		(10)	West Ham United	6	3	2	1	7	5	2	11
8		(7)	Arsenal	6	2	3	1	10	4	6	9
9		(8)	Fulham	6	3	0	3	13	9	4	9
10		(9)	Newcastle United	6	2	3	1	8	8	0	9
11		(11)	Swansea City	6	2	1	3	10	9	1	7
12		(12)	Stoke City	6	1	4	1	6	5	1	7
13		(13)	Sunderland	5	1	4	0	5	4	1	7
14		(14)	Liverpool	6	1	2	3	9	12	-3	5
15		(15)	Aston Villa	6	1	2	3	6	10	-4	5
16		(16)	Wigan Athletic	6	1	1	4	5	11	-6	4
17		(17)	Southampton	6	1	0	5	10	18	-8	3
18		(18)	Norwich City	6	0	3	3	4	13	-9	3
19		(19)	Reading	5	0	2	3	6	11	-5	2
20		(20)	Queens Park Rangers	6	0	2	4	4	13	-9	2
POS		LP	CLUB	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS