Manchester United fought back from three goals down to draw 3-3 with Chelsea in a thrilling Premier League match at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Two penalties from Wayne Rooney and a header by Javier Hernandez kept the champions in touch with leaders Manchester City after Chelsea had built a 3-0 lead after 51 minutes through an own goal by Jonny Evans, a scorching left-foot volley from Juan Mata and a David Luiz header.
But United, who dominated most of the first half, struck back with two penalties from Wayne Rooney after 58 and 69 minutes and Hernandez powered in a header seven minutes from time after Cech had saved a Rooney shot.
The result left Manchester City two points clear of United at the top of the table with 57 points, both teams having played 24 games.
Chelsea, without injured skipper John Terry and midfielder Frank Lampard and the suspended Ashley Cole, stayed in fourth place on 43 points, six behind Tottenham Hotspur who play at Liverpool on Monday.
In the day's earlier game, Newcastle United beat Aston Villa 2-1 to move above Arsenal into fifth place on 42 points.
Substitute Papiss Cisse scored on his debut to secure Newcastle's victory.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Dravid likely to announce retirement shortly
Rahul Dravid's glorious international career may have come to an end on Friday, with the veteran batsman likely to announce his retirement shortly.
The 39-year-old Dravid, one of the game's greatest batsmen, is believed to have told some of his team-mates after another failure against Australia in the final Test that he had decided to hang his boots, reports Times of India.
He could not be reached for his comments. Dravid, like most other Indian batsmen, has had a poor run in the current four-Test series which will conclude on Saturday with India likely to suffer another defeat to give Australia a clean sweep.
He made 194 runs at an average of 24.25 in this series. Dravid has already announced his retirement from one-day cricket and Twenty20.
The elegant right hander, nicknamed 'The Wall' for his dour defence, is the second highest run getter in Test history with 13,288 runs, behind only Sachin Tendulkar who has 15,470 runs. He has 36 Test centuries with a highest score of 270 and an average of 52.31.
Dravid has also taken more catches (210) than anyone else in Test history during his 164 Test matches since he made his debut against England at Lord's in 1996.
He captained India from December 2005 to August 2007. There is a question mark over another Indian veteran VVS Laxman who too had a miserable run against Australia in the current series. There was no word yet about his future plans.
The 39-year-old Dravid, one of the game's greatest batsmen, is believed to have told some of his team-mates after another failure against Australia in the final Test that he had decided to hang his boots, reports Times of India.
He could not be reached for his comments. Dravid, like most other Indian batsmen, has had a poor run in the current four-Test series which will conclude on Saturday with India likely to suffer another defeat to give Australia a clean sweep.
He made 194 runs at an average of 24.25 in this series. Dravid has already announced his retirement from one-day cricket and Twenty20.
The elegant right hander, nicknamed 'The Wall' for his dour defence, is the second highest run getter in Test history with 13,288 runs, behind only Sachin Tendulkar who has 15,470 runs. He has 36 Test centuries with a highest score of 270 and an average of 52.31.
Dravid has also taken more catches (210) than anyone else in Test history during his 164 Test matches since he made his debut against England at Lord's in 1996.
He captained India from December 2005 to August 2007. There is a question mark over another Indian veteran VVS Laxman who too had a miserable run against Australia in the current series. There was no word yet about his future plans.
Lyon gets off the roller to mow down Tendulkar
A little over a year ago, Nathan Lyon was an Adelaide Oval groundsman watching from the sidelines as Australia crashed to an innings defeat on their way to a humiliating Ashes series defeat.
On Friday at the same ground, he took three wickets for 57, including what could be final dismissal of Sachin Tendulkar in a Test on Australian soil, to put his country on the brink of a 4-0 series sweep over India.
The 24-year-old, the latest in a long line of spinners tried out by Australia since the retirement of Shane Warne five years ago, agreed that it had been quite a surreal turnaround.
"It's been a different side of the fence enjoying the Test match rather than sitting on the roller watching it," he told reporters.
"It's been a fantastic experience playing in front of the home crowd and I've enjoyed every moment of it."
Lyon only made his first-class debut in February last year after impressing the previous month in Australia's domestic Big Bash Twenty20 tournament.
The off-spinner did not have to wait long for his Test debut on the tour of Sri Lanka last August and his return to the Adelaide Oval was his 10th appearance for his country in the longer form of the game.
Tendulkar was not the only famous name to fall to Lyon on Friday although he admitted that the ball that induced stand-in India captain Virender Sehwag to hole out at cover was not a special delivery.
"Sehwag? it was a full toss," he said.
"Probably wasn't my best ball but I'm not going to call him back, that's for sure.
"Ricky Ponting came up to me just before that ball and said 'do him in the air' so I was pretty happy with it."
There was another surreal moment after Lyon had dismissed VVS Laxman when Australia put nine fielders close in around nightwatchman Ishant Sharma.
"To have that many fielders around the bat was something I'd never had before except in backyard cricket," Lyon said.
"It didn't work but we'll give it another crack another time."
Lyon's three wickets on Friday doubled his tally in his three matches in the series despite Adelaide being the only one going to five days, when a spinner would be expected to play a big role.
"I felt I bowled pretty well the whole summer," he said. "It's just good to be able to contribute to what will hopefully be a team victory.
"I can't see it being too bad of a wicket (tomorrow), it's still a good wicket to bat on when the ball's in the middle. There's plenty of rough for the spinners so hopefully I can play a role."
On Friday at the same ground, he took three wickets for 57, including what could be final dismissal of Sachin Tendulkar in a Test on Australian soil, to put his country on the brink of a 4-0 series sweep over India.
The 24-year-old, the latest in a long line of spinners tried out by Australia since the retirement of Shane Warne five years ago, agreed that it had been quite a surreal turnaround.
"It's been a different side of the fence enjoying the Test match rather than sitting on the roller watching it," he told reporters.
"It's been a fantastic experience playing in front of the home crowd and I've enjoyed every moment of it."
Lyon only made his first-class debut in February last year after impressing the previous month in Australia's domestic Big Bash Twenty20 tournament.
The off-spinner did not have to wait long for his Test debut on the tour of Sri Lanka last August and his return to the Adelaide Oval was his 10th appearance for his country in the longer form of the game.
Tendulkar was not the only famous name to fall to Lyon on Friday although he admitted that the ball that induced stand-in India captain Virender Sehwag to hole out at cover was not a special delivery.
"Sehwag? it was a full toss," he said.
"Probably wasn't my best ball but I'm not going to call him back, that's for sure.
"Ricky Ponting came up to me just before that ball and said 'do him in the air' so I was pretty happy with it."
There was another surreal moment after Lyon had dismissed VVS Laxman when Australia put nine fielders close in around nightwatchman Ishant Sharma.
"To have that many fielders around the bat was something I'd never had before except in backyard cricket," Lyon said.
"It didn't work but we'll give it another crack another time."
Lyon's three wickets on Friday doubled his tally in his three matches in the series despite Adelaide being the only one going to five days, when a spinner would be expected to play a big role.
"I felt I bowled pretty well the whole summer," he said. "It's just good to be able to contribute to what will hopefully be a team victory.
"I can't see it being too bad of a wicket (tomorrow), it's still a good wicket to bat on when the ball's in the middle. There's plenty of rough for the spinners so hopefully I can play a role."
Indian squad`s WC memorabilia to be auctioned
Despite India staring at their second consecutive overseas series whitewash, the World Cup-winning players` autographed bat is all set to go under the auctioneer`s hammer next month.
A bat and a ball signed by the members of the triumphant 2011 World Cup-winning squad led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni are among various sports memorabilia listed for the auction to be held in Mumbai on Feb 11 to raise money for actor Rahul Bose`s charitable trust The Foundation, reports Zeenews.
Among other notable items that would be auctioned off, includes Dhoni`s bat that he used in the World Cup, the autographed bat by all captains who took part in the mega event, the shoes worn by pacer Zaheer Khan.
Retired Indian footballer and former captain Bhaichung Bhutia, who is associated with The Foundation since last year, was present at the memorabilia unveiling function on Friday.
Two T-shirts worn by the 'Sikkimese Sniper' during his farewell encounter against Bayern Munich at New Delhi earlier this month would also go under the hammer.
And Bhutia said that the proceeds would go to 'Sikkim Relief Fund'.
Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal's autographed tennis shoes and a football autographed by Argentina's mercurial player Lionel Messi will also be up for grabs.
Among the 29 sports items to be auctioned off are West Indian great Brian Lara`s bat, the running shoes worn by 'Flying Sikh' Milkha Singh when he finished fourth in the 200m at the 1960 Rome Olympics and the memorabilia of erstwhile all-rounders Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Ian Botham and Richard Hadlee.
Other sports items to go under the hammer belongs to cricketers VVS Laxman and Harbhajan Singh, five-time women's world boxing champion MC Mary Kom, tennis duo of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, 2010 world wrestling champion and Olympic bronze medal winner Sushil Kumar, Beijing bronze medal-winning boxer Vijender Singh and hockey ace Dhanraj Pillay.
Also in the list to be auctioned off are the Test blazers and pullovers of the erstwhile Indian spin quartet as well as an autographed ball by the foursome - Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chandrasekar, Srinivas Venkataraghavan and Bishen Singh Bedi.
The proceeds of the auction, other than those mentioned by Bhutia, would go towards Bose's charitable foundation.
A bat and a ball signed by the members of the triumphant 2011 World Cup-winning squad led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni are among various sports memorabilia listed for the auction to be held in Mumbai on Feb 11 to raise money for actor Rahul Bose`s charitable trust The Foundation, reports Zeenews.
Among other notable items that would be auctioned off, includes Dhoni`s bat that he used in the World Cup, the autographed bat by all captains who took part in the mega event, the shoes worn by pacer Zaheer Khan.
Retired Indian footballer and former captain Bhaichung Bhutia, who is associated with The Foundation since last year, was present at the memorabilia unveiling function on Friday.
Two T-shirts worn by the 'Sikkimese Sniper' during his farewell encounter against Bayern Munich at New Delhi earlier this month would also go under the hammer.
And Bhutia said that the proceeds would go to 'Sikkim Relief Fund'.
Spanish tennis great Rafael Nadal's autographed tennis shoes and a football autographed by Argentina's mercurial player Lionel Messi will also be up for grabs.
Among the 29 sports items to be auctioned off are West Indian great Brian Lara`s bat, the running shoes worn by 'Flying Sikh' Milkha Singh when he finished fourth in the 200m at the 1960 Rome Olympics and the memorabilia of erstwhile all-rounders Kapil Dev, Imran Khan, Ian Botham and Richard Hadlee.
Other sports items to go under the hammer belongs to cricketers VVS Laxman and Harbhajan Singh, five-time women's world boxing champion MC Mary Kom, tennis duo of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, 2010 world wrestling champion and Olympic bronze medal winner Sushil Kumar, Beijing bronze medal-winning boxer Vijender Singh and hockey ace Dhanraj Pillay.
Also in the list to be auctioned off are the Test blazers and pullovers of the erstwhile Indian spin quartet as well as an autographed ball by the foursome - Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chandrasekar, Srinivas Venkataraghavan and Bishen Singh Bedi.
The proceeds of the auction, other than those mentioned by Bhutia, would go towards Bose's charitable foundation.
Success brings confidence, not pressure: Nadal
Novak Djokovic comes into the Australian Open final shouldering the expectations of defending champion and with a huge target on his back after winning back-to-back Grand Slam titles.
But Rafa Nadal would swap places with him in a heartbeat.
The Spaniard, who will face Djokovic in Sunday's Melbourne final, believes the world number one's stellar run in 2011 would bring him confidence, not added pressure.
"It's a fantastic situation to be in," Nadal told reporters on Saturday.
"It's really not a tough one.
"When you are coming with that confidence everything is a little bit easier."
Djokovic kicked off a career-defining year by winning the Australian Open and went on to win Wimbledon and the US Open while compiling a remarkable 70-6 record over the season.
Nadal knows perhaps better than anyone what kind of impact such a streak of success can have on a player's psyche.
The Spaniard came into last year's Melbourne Park tournament seeking the 'Rafa Slam' after winning the final three majors of 2010.
While he went out in the quarter-finals to David Ferrer, pressure had nothing to do with it, he says.
"I was a little bit unlucky here last year when I played for the grand slam," he added.
"I didn't feel extra pressure. That's true. I had an injury in the quarter-finals so I was out.
"I think for (Djokovic) it's an advantage, not a pressure, to be in that situation."
'BIG, BIG TEST'
Nadal, who arrived at his news conference an hour late after getting the time wrong, came into the year's first Grand Slam under an injury cloud with shoulder and knee problems but has looked stronger as the tournament has gone on.
Djokovic, meanwhile, has complained of allergy issues and his breathing looked laboured in recent games, particularly in the early stages of his five-set semi-final win over Britain's Andy Murray on Friday.
Nadal was sceptical there was anything wrong with the Serb.
"It's funny, I saw the match yesterday on TV ... and they show images from two hours, 50 (minutes) before and it seems like he was destroyed," he said.
"Two hours, 50 later he was in perfect condition. So it's difficult to imagine he has these problems."
Nadal holds the upper hand against Djokovic at 16 wins to the Serb's 13, but recent finals have gone the way of the world number one.
The Mallorcan acknowledged there would be no quarter asked or given on Sunday.
"He is the favourite after being number one in the world and after playing fantastic and beating me the last six times," added Nadal, who beat Roger Federer and Tomas Berdych in the previous two rounds.
"Now it's another big, big test. I don't know if I am ready enough to win the match tomorrow but I believe that I can do it and I am going to fight for it."
But Rafa Nadal would swap places with him in a heartbeat.
The Spaniard, who will face Djokovic in Sunday's Melbourne final, believes the world number one's stellar run in 2011 would bring him confidence, not added pressure.
"It's a fantastic situation to be in," Nadal told reporters on Saturday.
"It's really not a tough one.
"When you are coming with that confidence everything is a little bit easier."
Djokovic kicked off a career-defining year by winning the Australian Open and went on to win Wimbledon and the US Open while compiling a remarkable 70-6 record over the season.
Nadal knows perhaps better than anyone what kind of impact such a streak of success can have on a player's psyche.
The Spaniard came into last year's Melbourne Park tournament seeking the 'Rafa Slam' after winning the final three majors of 2010.
While he went out in the quarter-finals to David Ferrer, pressure had nothing to do with it, he says.
"I was a little bit unlucky here last year when I played for the grand slam," he added.
"I didn't feel extra pressure. That's true. I had an injury in the quarter-finals so I was out.
"I think for (Djokovic) it's an advantage, not a pressure, to be in that situation."
'BIG, BIG TEST'
Nadal, who arrived at his news conference an hour late after getting the time wrong, came into the year's first Grand Slam under an injury cloud with shoulder and knee problems but has looked stronger as the tournament has gone on.
Djokovic, meanwhile, has complained of allergy issues and his breathing looked laboured in recent games, particularly in the early stages of his five-set semi-final win over Britain's Andy Murray on Friday.
Nadal was sceptical there was anything wrong with the Serb.
"It's funny, I saw the match yesterday on TV ... and they show images from two hours, 50 (minutes) before and it seems like he was destroyed," he said.
"Two hours, 50 later he was in perfect condition. So it's difficult to imagine he has these problems."
Nadal holds the upper hand against Djokovic at 16 wins to the Serb's 13, but recent finals have gone the way of the world number one.
The Mallorcan acknowledged there would be no quarter asked or given on Sunday.
"He is the favourite after being number one in the world and after playing fantastic and beating me the last six times," added Nadal, who beat Roger Federer and Tomas Berdych in the previous two rounds.
"Now it's another big, big test. I don't know if I am ready enough to win the match tomorrow but I believe that I can do it and I am going to fight for it."
Philander under injury cloud
Vernon Philander, South Africa's latest fast bowling sensation, had his participation in the second Test against Sri Lanka thrown into doubt after he pulled up with a knee injury in Durban on Saturday.
Philander has enjoyed a remarkable start to his Test career, taking 24 wickets in three Tests, but the 26-year-old injured his knee during a net session.
Despite the injury Proteas team management are confident that Philander will be fit for the second Test against Sri Lanka due to start in Durban on Monday.
"He suffered a mild strain to the medial side of his left knee while bowling today. The physio classified it as a mild strain," South Africa team manager Mohammed Moosajee told reporters shortly after the injury occurred.
"He will be treated overnight and he will bowl tomorrow. If anything untoward happens we will decide from there. But at the moment we are still confident he will be fit for the Test," added Moosajee.
If Philander fails to recover from the injury it could signal a debut for 21-year-old fast bowler Marchant de Lange, who has played in just 14 first-class matches.
Philander has enjoyed a remarkable start to his Test career, taking 24 wickets in three Tests, but the 26-year-old injured his knee during a net session.
Despite the injury Proteas team management are confident that Philander will be fit for the second Test against Sri Lanka due to start in Durban on Monday.
"He suffered a mild strain to the medial side of his left knee while bowling today. The physio classified it as a mild strain," South Africa team manager Mohammed Moosajee told reporters shortly after the injury occurred.
"He will be treated overnight and he will bowl tomorrow. If anything untoward happens we will decide from there. But at the moment we are still confident he will be fit for the Test," added Moosajee.
If Philander fails to recover from the injury it could signal a debut for 21-year-old fast bowler Marchant de Lange, who has played in just 14 first-class matches.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Strauss admits England failings
England captain Andrew Strauss admitted his team were not good enough after they were bowled out for 72 in Abu Dhabi on Saturday to give Pakistan an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
England's second innings total was their fifth-lowest of the past 50 years, and the world's top-ranked Test side were condemned to their first series defeat since 2009 having lost last week's first Test in Dubai by 10 wickets.
"Individually, we haven't been clear enough about our game plan against the spin, where are our scoring areas are and we've allowed pressure to build," Strauss told reporters.
"Each time a wicket falls it makes it harder for the next guy coming in. As a batting unit we have to hold our hands up and say we haven't done well enough. No excuses, we need to be better than that."
Strauss has scored 68 runs in four innings and Kevin Pietersen 17 as England's top batsmen have struggled against Pakistan's spinners. On Saturday Abdur Rehman celebrated a six-wicket haul, while Saeed Ajmal has 17 wickets for the series.
England got closer to Pakistan in Abu Dhabi but barely improved on their mauling in Dubai.
"The fact we got rolled over twice in Dubai meant there was baggage going into (Saturday's) final innings," Strauss said.
"This is the final frontier - the subcontinent. England sides haven't done very well out here in the past, but we came here and approached things pretty positively and we thought we had a great chance to win this series.
"Test cricket exposes any vulnerabilities and excuses you have."
England will try to make amends in the third Test, which starts in Dubai on Friday.
"The batsmen need and want to show that we're better than what we've shown so far in this tour -- that's a pretty good motivation," Strauss said.
"As a side we want to demonstrate we can play in these conditions, which I am absolutely certain we can do because we played a lot of good cricket in this game."
MOVING ON
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said the hosts' convincing series win would help shift the focus away from the spot-fixing scandal that led to the imprisonment of three former players.
"It should do," said Misbah.
"Both teams are playing good cricket in a good atmosphere, concentrating on what's important - on the field."
Misbah paid tribute to his spin-bowling trio of Rehman, Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez.
"Any team playing on this type of surface last and the kind of bowlers (Pakistan have) playing well, I think it's difficult," Misbah said.
"When you are not able to see which side the ball is going it's really difficult and that happened in this game."
England's second innings total was their fifth-lowest of the past 50 years, and the world's top-ranked Test side were condemned to their first series defeat since 2009 having lost last week's first Test in Dubai by 10 wickets.
"Individually, we haven't been clear enough about our game plan against the spin, where are our scoring areas are and we've allowed pressure to build," Strauss told reporters.
"Each time a wicket falls it makes it harder for the next guy coming in. As a batting unit we have to hold our hands up and say we haven't done well enough. No excuses, we need to be better than that."
Strauss has scored 68 runs in four innings and Kevin Pietersen 17 as England's top batsmen have struggled against Pakistan's spinners. On Saturday Abdur Rehman celebrated a six-wicket haul, while Saeed Ajmal has 17 wickets for the series.
England got closer to Pakistan in Abu Dhabi but barely improved on their mauling in Dubai.
"The fact we got rolled over twice in Dubai meant there was baggage going into (Saturday's) final innings," Strauss said.
"This is the final frontier - the subcontinent. England sides haven't done very well out here in the past, but we came here and approached things pretty positively and we thought we had a great chance to win this series.
"Test cricket exposes any vulnerabilities and excuses you have."
England will try to make amends in the third Test, which starts in Dubai on Friday.
"The batsmen need and want to show that we're better than what we've shown so far in this tour -- that's a pretty good motivation," Strauss said.
"As a side we want to demonstrate we can play in these conditions, which I am absolutely certain we can do because we played a lot of good cricket in this game."
MOVING ON
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq said the hosts' convincing series win would help shift the focus away from the spot-fixing scandal that led to the imprisonment of three former players.
"It should do," said Misbah.
"Both teams are playing good cricket in a good atmosphere, concentrating on what's important - on the field."
Misbah paid tribute to his spin-bowling trio of Rehman, Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez.
"Any team playing on this type of surface last and the kind of bowlers (Pakistan have) playing well, I think it's difficult," Misbah said.
"When you are not able to see which side the ball is going it's really difficult and that happened in this game."
New Zealand demolish Zimbabwe
New Zealand earned an innings and 301-run win by bowling out Zimbabwe twice in one day, although it was delayed by Regis Chakabva's 63 on Day 3 of the one-off Test in Napier.
Chris Martin finished with match figures of eight for 31 off 14.3 overs but Chakabva's innings was admirable - especially given he came to the crease with the score on 12 for five, reports ESPNstar.
It was New Zealand's biggest Test victory and conversely Zimbabwe's heaviest Test defeat as they continue their reintegration into the Test arena.
After being skittled for 51 in their first innings - their lowest Test total - as they responded to the hosts' declaration of 495 for seven, the visitors were then reduced to 12 for five as they followed on.
Tino Mawoyo was snaffled at slip off Martin, as was Hamilton Masakzada, with Brendan Taylor nicking the seamer behind.
Tatenda Taibu was also picked up at slip off Doug Bracewell, before Malcolm Waller played across the line to the same man.
However, Chakabva came to the crease and set about at least making himself hard to remove.
When Forster Mutizwa departed Zimbabwe were 37 for six, but Chakabva shared a stand of 63 with Graeme Cremer (26) and 34 with Shingi Masakadza (21) to move the score on to 143 when he was out.
Martin produced the delivery to which Chakabva got a bit of a top edge, with Dean Brownlie leaping high to take a one-handed catch.
The Zimbabwean's 63 had come from 119 balls and included six boundaries.
It was all over shortly after when Brian Vitori was caught by BJ Watling off Martin with no further score.
The Black Caps had declared after Watling completed his maiden Test century to finish on 102 not out.
Zimbabwe then suffered the ignominy of recording the lowest Test total by any country against New Zealand when they were dismissed for 51.
Only one of Zimbabwe's batsmen managed to get into double figures with Malcolm Waller the pick of the bunch with 23, Brendan Taylor the next best with nine.
Martin, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell and Tim Southee all claimed two wickets.
Brendon McCullum was also named as New Zealand captain for the three one-day internationals and the two Twenty20 games between the teams after Ross Taylor was ruled out through injury.
Taylor suffered a tear to his right calf on Friday and was forced to retire when unbeaten on 122.
It is hoped he will be ready to return to face South Africa at the end of February.
Chris Martin finished with match figures of eight for 31 off 14.3 overs but Chakabva's innings was admirable - especially given he came to the crease with the score on 12 for five, reports ESPNstar.
It was New Zealand's biggest Test victory and conversely Zimbabwe's heaviest Test defeat as they continue their reintegration into the Test arena.
After being skittled for 51 in their first innings - their lowest Test total - as they responded to the hosts' declaration of 495 for seven, the visitors were then reduced to 12 for five as they followed on.
Tino Mawoyo was snaffled at slip off Martin, as was Hamilton Masakzada, with Brendan Taylor nicking the seamer behind.
Tatenda Taibu was also picked up at slip off Doug Bracewell, before Malcolm Waller played across the line to the same man.
However, Chakabva came to the crease and set about at least making himself hard to remove.
When Forster Mutizwa departed Zimbabwe were 37 for six, but Chakabva shared a stand of 63 with Graeme Cremer (26) and 34 with Shingi Masakadza (21) to move the score on to 143 when he was out.
Martin produced the delivery to which Chakabva got a bit of a top edge, with Dean Brownlie leaping high to take a one-handed catch.
The Zimbabwean's 63 had come from 119 balls and included six boundaries.
It was all over shortly after when Brian Vitori was caught by BJ Watling off Martin with no further score.
The Black Caps had declared after Watling completed his maiden Test century to finish on 102 not out.
Zimbabwe then suffered the ignominy of recording the lowest Test total by any country against New Zealand when they were dismissed for 51.
Only one of Zimbabwe's batsmen managed to get into double figures with Malcolm Waller the pick of the bunch with 23, Brendan Taylor the next best with nine.
Martin, Trent Boult, Doug Bracewell and Tim Southee all claimed two wickets.
Brendon McCullum was also named as New Zealand captain for the three one-day internationals and the two Twenty20 games between the teams after Ross Taylor was ruled out through injury.
Taylor suffered a tear to his right calf on Friday and was forced to retire when unbeaten on 122.
It is hoped he will be ready to return to face South Africa at the end of February.
Rehman humbles England
Spinner Abdur Rehman took six wickets as Pakistan beat England by 72 runs in the second Test on Saturday to clinch the three-match series, bowling out the tourists for 72 in their second innings after another abject batting display.
England, the number one Test side in the world, had earlier dismissed Pakistan for 214 to give themselves a target of 145 to win in Abu Dhabi.
But Andrew Strauss's men again failed to deal with the host's triple spin threat of Rehman, Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez.
Rehman ended on 6-25, while Ajmal's figures were 3-22.
"The way the ball was turning it was really difficult to play left-arm spinners on that wicket," Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq told reporters.
"So we were thinking we can put pressure on England and make a match of it.
"It's a big win for us - even in these kinds of conditions to beat the number one side is a big effort from our team."
For England, only Strauss (32) and Matt Prior (18) managed double figures in the second innings, the tourists losing all 10 wickets in the space of 22 overs.
"Those (low) totals are the hardest to chase because you know you are almost there and it's easy to be caught between two stools, whether to be patient and wait for scoring opportunities to appear or to take the bull by the horns," Strauss told reporters.
"It's bitterly disappointing ... having done all that hard work you need to go on and complete the job and we just didn't play well enough, individually and collectively."
Alastair Cook (7) was the first to go, caught and bowled by Hafeez, who stooped to get his fingers to the ball inches from the turf.
Ian Bell (3) came in at number three in place of Jonathan Trott who had been off the field with a stomach complaint and the Warwickshire batsman lasted just three balls before deflecting an Ajmal delivery on to his stumps with an inside edge.
Kevin Pietersen (1) and Eoin Morgan (0) then continued their miserable form, falling to Rehman in the space of three balls.
Pietersen was trapped lbw after lunging forward to defend, while Morgan saw his leg stump felled.
Strauss had earlier escaped, deflecting a Rehman delivery off his bat and pad to Azhar Ali at short leg. Ali sunk to his knees to scoop the ball up before it hit the ground, but the third umpire thought otherwise, earning the England captain what was to prove to be a fleeting reprieve.
Strauss went lbw to Rehman, as did the returning Trott (1), while the slow left-armer clean bowled Broad through the gate as England offered little resistance.
Earlier, Monty Panesar bagged six wickets in his first Test since 2009 as England thrived in the field, but their subsequent collapse was reminiscent of their woes in the first Test in Dubai, when they slumped to 43-5 in their first innings and went on to lose by 10 wickets.
England, the number one Test side in the world, had earlier dismissed Pakistan for 214 to give themselves a target of 145 to win in Abu Dhabi.
But Andrew Strauss's men again failed to deal with the host's triple spin threat of Rehman, Saeed Ajmal and Mohammad Hafeez.
Rehman ended on 6-25, while Ajmal's figures were 3-22.
"The way the ball was turning it was really difficult to play left-arm spinners on that wicket," Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq told reporters.
"So we were thinking we can put pressure on England and make a match of it.
"It's a big win for us - even in these kinds of conditions to beat the number one side is a big effort from our team."
For England, only Strauss (32) and Matt Prior (18) managed double figures in the second innings, the tourists losing all 10 wickets in the space of 22 overs.
"Those (low) totals are the hardest to chase because you know you are almost there and it's easy to be caught between two stools, whether to be patient and wait for scoring opportunities to appear or to take the bull by the horns," Strauss told reporters.
"It's bitterly disappointing ... having done all that hard work you need to go on and complete the job and we just didn't play well enough, individually and collectively."
Alastair Cook (7) was the first to go, caught and bowled by Hafeez, who stooped to get his fingers to the ball inches from the turf.
Ian Bell (3) came in at number three in place of Jonathan Trott who had been off the field with a stomach complaint and the Warwickshire batsman lasted just three balls before deflecting an Ajmal delivery on to his stumps with an inside edge.
Kevin Pietersen (1) and Eoin Morgan (0) then continued their miserable form, falling to Rehman in the space of three balls.
Pietersen was trapped lbw after lunging forward to defend, while Morgan saw his leg stump felled.
Strauss had earlier escaped, deflecting a Rehman delivery off his bat and pad to Azhar Ali at short leg. Ali sunk to his knees to scoop the ball up before it hit the ground, but the third umpire thought otherwise, earning the England captain what was to prove to be a fleeting reprieve.
Strauss went lbw to Rehman, as did the returning Trott (1), while the slow left-armer clean bowled Broad through the gate as England offered little resistance.
Earlier, Monty Panesar bagged six wickets in his first Test since 2009 as England thrived in the field, but their subsequent collapse was reminiscent of their woes in the first Test in Dubai, when they slumped to 43-5 in their first innings and went on to lose by 10 wickets.
Australia on the way back to top: Clarke
Australia captain Michael Clarke, while delighting in the 4-0 whitewash of India, re-emphasised on Saturday that the triumph was just a staging post to the goal of being the best Test team in the world.
Clarke, who took over as captain in March, was named Man of the Series for his unbeaten 329 in the second Test in Sydney and double century in the 398-run victory at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
It completed a remarkable turnaround for Clarke and his team from the start of last year when, as stand-in skipper, he presided over the last rites of Australia's first Ashes series defeat on home soil in 26 years.
The Ashes debacle saw Australia drop to fifth in the world Test rankings and Clarke's stated mission is to return to the top.
"We're currently ranked fourth in the world," he told a news conference.
"We've got a hell of a lot of work to do to get back to where I see this team going and would love to see this team going.
"But we've played some fantastic cricket. We've shown a lot of people around the world that we're on the way up, which is a really positive sign.
"I think there's still a lot of improvement needed in all of our games, individually and as a team, but we're getting there. We're getting better every day and that's the most pleasing thing."
Clarke consistently deflected questions about how an Indian side containing so many fine batsmen had performed so badly, preferring to praise his bowling unit, which took 20 wickets in all four Tests.
"I don't want to take any credit away from our bowlers. I think they should be very proud of what they've achieved," he said.
"To be able to get so many great players out on a couple of wickets that were quite hard for batting and then a couple of wickets that were very good for batting, they deserve a lot of credit for that."
On a personal level, Clarke has had a superb year with the bat, scoring four centuries in nine Tests and averaging 125.20 in the India series.
"It was a big series for me, mainly because I didn't perform last summer," he said.
"I've said since taking over the captaincy that I wanted to lead from the front on the field by scoring runs and it's very pleasing to have been able to achieve that.
"I think I've learned a lot along the way in these four Test matches, and I'll continue to learn.
"It helps that I've got some very good players around me, it's made my job a lot easier, and I've just tried to manage them the best I possibly could and fortunately we've got some rewards for that."
Clarke said there was an element of relief to be fielding questions as the winning captain.
"We went through the same feeling India's going through 12 months ago," he said.
"We lost the Ashes and it's really nice be on the other side today."
Clarke, who took over as captain in March, was named Man of the Series for his unbeaten 329 in the second Test in Sydney and double century in the 398-run victory at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
It completed a remarkable turnaround for Clarke and his team from the start of last year when, as stand-in skipper, he presided over the last rites of Australia's first Ashes series defeat on home soil in 26 years.
The Ashes debacle saw Australia drop to fifth in the world Test rankings and Clarke's stated mission is to return to the top.
"We're currently ranked fourth in the world," he told a news conference.
"We've got a hell of a lot of work to do to get back to where I see this team going and would love to see this team going.
"But we've played some fantastic cricket. We've shown a lot of people around the world that we're on the way up, which is a really positive sign.
"I think there's still a lot of improvement needed in all of our games, individually and as a team, but we're getting there. We're getting better every day and that's the most pleasing thing."
Clarke consistently deflected questions about how an Indian side containing so many fine batsmen had performed so badly, preferring to praise his bowling unit, which took 20 wickets in all four Tests.
"I don't want to take any credit away from our bowlers. I think they should be very proud of what they've achieved," he said.
"To be able to get so many great players out on a couple of wickets that were quite hard for batting and then a couple of wickets that were very good for batting, they deserve a lot of credit for that."
On a personal level, Clarke has had a superb year with the bat, scoring four centuries in nine Tests and averaging 125.20 in the India series.
"It was a big series for me, mainly because I didn't perform last summer," he said.
"I've said since taking over the captaincy that I wanted to lead from the front on the field by scoring runs and it's very pleasing to have been able to achieve that.
"I think I've learned a lot along the way in these four Test matches, and I'll continue to learn.
"It helps that I've got some very good players around me, it's made my job a lot easier, and I've just tried to manage them the best I possibly could and fortunately we've got some rewards for that."
Clarke said there was an element of relief to be fielding questions as the winning captain.
"We went through the same feeling India's going through 12 months ago," he said.
"We lost the Ashes and it's really nice be on the other side today."
No retirements as India look to put drubbing behind them
Charges of complacency aimed at India are only likely to intensify after they fell to a crushing 4-0 series defeat in Australia and an eighth successive loss in overseas Tests on Saturday.
The news conference after a fourth emphatic defeat in the series, this time by 298 runs, opened with the team's media manager denying reports back home that a 'senior player' - namely Rahul Dravid - would be retiring.
It continued with stand-in captain Virender Sehwag suggesting that all teams suffer poor runs of form and India should just put the humiliating reverse by behind them.
"If you look at the Australian team, they were struggling as well in the Ashes last year and they got out for 47 in South Africa, so it happens with every team so we have to rebuild the team," he said.
"There are experienced players in our team, they are well aware of that and they are working on that, one bad series doesn't make any difference for them, so they are working hard on their batting skills and they'll find a way.
"The best way out is to forget what happened and concentrate on what we will do in coming matches and coming series and practised hard and plan well and execute your plans in the game," he added.
By saying the team needed to be rebuilt, Sehwag made it clear that would not mean the retirement of some of the golden generation of batsmen who arrived in Australia hopeful of winning a first Test series Down Under.
"I don't think (changes) are due because the same team played in the last couple of years when we became the number one team in the world with the same batting and bowling line-up," he said.
Sachin Tendulkar had a reasonable series despite failing to capture his 100th international century but Dravid, VVS Laxman, captain Mahendra Singh Doni and opener Sehwag himself were all huge disappointments.
The inexperienced Virat Kohli was the only Indian batsman to score a century in any of the four Tests.
Sehwag understood the frustration of fans but said it was at moments like these, not just successes like the 50-over World Cup triumph last year, that the support of the fans was necessary.
"When we won the World Cup everyone was happy and cheering for Team India, and now the time we need the support of the fans and everybody, they should back their own team," he said.
The 33-year-old, who averaged 24.75 runs over the series, said accusations the India team simply did not care enough about losing a test series were well wide of the mark.
"It's very unfair," he said.
"I think everybody cares about their performances, about India losing the game.
"We are very passionate about our game and passionate about our team and it's a shame that people are talking about that.
"If you lose the game you should work it out what went wrong and come back and perform well in our next games. We are trying that, but it's not happening and it doesn't mean that we are happy to lose here."
The news conference after a fourth emphatic defeat in the series, this time by 298 runs, opened with the team's media manager denying reports back home that a 'senior player' - namely Rahul Dravid - would be retiring.
It continued with stand-in captain Virender Sehwag suggesting that all teams suffer poor runs of form and India should just put the humiliating reverse by behind them.
"If you look at the Australian team, they were struggling as well in the Ashes last year and they got out for 47 in South Africa, so it happens with every team so we have to rebuild the team," he said.
"There are experienced players in our team, they are well aware of that and they are working on that, one bad series doesn't make any difference for them, so they are working hard on their batting skills and they'll find a way.
"The best way out is to forget what happened and concentrate on what we will do in coming matches and coming series and practised hard and plan well and execute your plans in the game," he added.
By saying the team needed to be rebuilt, Sehwag made it clear that would not mean the retirement of some of the golden generation of batsmen who arrived in Australia hopeful of winning a first Test series Down Under.
"I don't think (changes) are due because the same team played in the last couple of years when we became the number one team in the world with the same batting and bowling line-up," he said.
Sachin Tendulkar had a reasonable series despite failing to capture his 100th international century but Dravid, VVS Laxman, captain Mahendra Singh Doni and opener Sehwag himself were all huge disappointments.
The inexperienced Virat Kohli was the only Indian batsman to score a century in any of the four Tests.
Sehwag understood the frustration of fans but said it was at moments like these, not just successes like the 50-over World Cup triumph last year, that the support of the fans was necessary.
"When we won the World Cup everyone was happy and cheering for Team India, and now the time we need the support of the fans and everybody, they should back their own team," he said.
The 33-year-old, who averaged 24.75 runs over the series, said accusations the India team simply did not care enough about losing a test series were well wide of the mark.
"It's very unfair," he said.
"I think everybody cares about their performances, about India losing the game.
"We are very passionate about our game and passionate about our team and it's a shame that people are talking about that.
"If you lose the game you should work it out what went wrong and come back and perform well in our next games. We are trying that, but it's not happening and it doesn't mean that we are happy to lose here."
Australia wrap up whitewash
Australia took India's last four wickets on Saturday morning to crush the tourists by 298 runs in the fourth Test and record a 4-0 series sweep.
India had resumed on 166 for six in their second innings chasing an improbable 500 runs for victory but their tail-end batsman lasted just 58 minutes on a hot and sunny fifth morning of the match.
Australian paceman Peter Siddle, who took 5-49 in India's first innings, was named Man-of-the-Match, while the Man-of-the-Series was his captain Michael Clarke, who hit triple and double centuries in the series.
"I think the job we've done over the last month has been outstanding. It hasn't been easy despite the 4-0, we've had to work our backsides off," Clarke said.
"We certainly should be proud of what we've done."
The end came when spinner Nathan Lyon (4-63) dismissed Umesh Yadav caught behind for one, condemning India to a humiliating eighth successive overseas test defeat after last year's 4-0 whitewash in England.
The series defeat in England saw India relinquish the top spot in the Test world rankings but they had still arrived Down Under confident they could claim a first series triumph in Australia.
It was not even close as Australia won the first test in Melbourne by 122 runs and followed that with an innings and 68-run win in Sydney and an innings and 37-run triumph in Perth.
With world-class batsmen like Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman all having failed to fire yet again on Friday, there was little hope of India rescuing a draw by batting through the final day at the Adelaide Oval.
Nighwatchman Ishant Sharma (2) was the first to go in the third over of the morning when he got a nick to a delivery from quick Ryan Harris and was caught behind without any addition to the overnight score.
Wriddhiman Saha, standing in as wicketkeeper for banned India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, was dismissed in the next over in similar style for three.
Zaheer Khan hit a typically bullish 15 off 18 balls before swinging at a short Ben Hilfenhaus delivery and getting a thick edge to David Warner at short cover, leaving Yadav and Ravi Ashwin (15 not out) as the final partnership.
"I think Australia played brilliantly throughout the series and stepped up when it was needed," said Dhoni, who missed the match because of India's slow over rate in Perth.
India had resumed on 166 for six in their second innings chasing an improbable 500 runs for victory but their tail-end batsman lasted just 58 minutes on a hot and sunny fifth morning of the match.
Australian paceman Peter Siddle, who took 5-49 in India's first innings, was named Man-of-the-Match, while the Man-of-the-Series was his captain Michael Clarke, who hit triple and double centuries in the series.
"I think the job we've done over the last month has been outstanding. It hasn't been easy despite the 4-0, we've had to work our backsides off," Clarke said.
"We certainly should be proud of what we've done."
The end came when spinner Nathan Lyon (4-63) dismissed Umesh Yadav caught behind for one, condemning India to a humiliating eighth successive overseas test defeat after last year's 4-0 whitewash in England.
The series defeat in England saw India relinquish the top spot in the Test world rankings but they had still arrived Down Under confident they could claim a first series triumph in Australia.
It was not even close as Australia won the first test in Melbourne by 122 runs and followed that with an innings and 68-run win in Sydney and an innings and 37-run triumph in Perth.
With world-class batsmen like Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman all having failed to fire yet again on Friday, there was little hope of India rescuing a draw by batting through the final day at the Adelaide Oval.
Nighwatchman Ishant Sharma (2) was the first to go in the third over of the morning when he got a nick to a delivery from quick Ryan Harris and was caught behind without any addition to the overnight score.
Wriddhiman Saha, standing in as wicketkeeper for banned India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, was dismissed in the next over in similar style for three.
Zaheer Khan hit a typically bullish 15 off 18 balls before swinging at a short Ben Hilfenhaus delivery and getting a thick edge to David Warner at short cover, leaving Yadav and Ravi Ashwin (15 not out) as the final partnership.
"I think Australia played brilliantly throughout the series and stepped up when it was needed," said Dhoni, who missed the match because of India's slow over rate in Perth.
Police investigate fan gesture at Liverpool Cup tie
Liverpool are working closely with Merseyside police in an attempt to identify a man who appeared to have made racist gestures during their FA Cup fourth round victory over Manchester United at Anfield on Saturday.
Police have released a picture of a man, which was circulated on social networking sites during Liverpool's 2-1 victory, who seemed to be making 'monkey' gestures.
The match was the first between the teams since Liverpool's Uruguay striker Luis Suarez was banned for eight matches by the FA for racially abusing United's France fullback Patrice Evra in a Premier League match at Anfield in October.
Liverpool issued a statement which read: "Following today's game we were made aware of an image being circulated on social media relating to an incident at this afternoon's FA Cup tie.
"We are now working closely with Merseyside Police to establish the facts of what occurred and identify the individual involved. We would urge any of our supporters with any information to contact either the club or the police."
The police have assigned specialist detectives to the case.
"We can confirm that specialist officers are reviewing match footage, as a result of a picture posted on Twitter," Match Commander, Chief Superintendent Jon Ward, said in a statement.
"This matter is now under investigation by specialist hate crime detectives and we are working with Liverpool Football Club to identify the man in question."
Police said 17 people were ejected from the ground during the game and two were arrested for 'low level incidents' but they praised the majority of supporters for their behaviour.
Police have released a picture of a man, which was circulated on social networking sites during Liverpool's 2-1 victory, who seemed to be making 'monkey' gestures.
The match was the first between the teams since Liverpool's Uruguay striker Luis Suarez was banned for eight matches by the FA for racially abusing United's France fullback Patrice Evra in a Premier League match at Anfield in October.
Liverpool issued a statement which read: "Following today's game we were made aware of an image being circulated on social media relating to an incident at this afternoon's FA Cup tie.
"We are now working closely with Merseyside Police to establish the facts of what occurred and identify the individual involved. We would urge any of our supporters with any information to contact either the club or the police."
The police have assigned specialist detectives to the case.
"We can confirm that specialist officers are reviewing match footage, as a result of a picture posted on Twitter," Match Commander, Chief Superintendent Jon Ward, said in a statement.
"This matter is now under investigation by specialist hate crime detectives and we are working with Liverpool Football Club to identify the man in question."
Police said 17 people were ejected from the ground during the game and two were arrested for 'low level incidents' but they praised the majority of supporters for their behaviour.
Bayern and Dortmund win to keep title race tight
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich held on to top spot thanks to a nervous 2-0 win over VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday, with champions Borussia Dortmund second on goal difference after a 3-1 win over Hoffenheim.
Bundesliga top scorer Mario Gomez fired in from five metres for Bayern to break the deadlock on the hour with his 17th league goal of the season. Arjen Robben added another in stoppage time to lift Bayern to 40 points from 19 games.
Dortmund stayed hot on their heels with Japanese offensive midfielder Shinji Kagawa scoring twice and Kevin Grosskreutz adding another as they eased past Hoffenheim.
Kagawa grabbed a 16th-minute lead and Grosskreutz doubled it in the 31st minute as Dortmund quickly took complete control of the match.
The Japanese added another goal 10 minutes after the restart, firing in from close range after a fine one-two with Grosskreutz. Fabian Johnson cut the deficit for the visitors.
Schalke, third on 37, can join the two teams on 40 points later on Saturday with a win at Cologne (1730 GMT).
Champions League competitors Bayer Leverkusen came from a goal down to draw 1-1 at Werder Bremen and remain in sixth place on 30 points, one behind their opponents.
Hamburg SV recovered from last week's 5-1 mauling by Dortmund to beat Hertha Berlin 2-1 and move up to 11th on 22.
Fourth-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach, on 36 points, can move back to within a point off the top with victory at VfB Stuttgart on Sunday.
Bundesliga top scorer Mario Gomez fired in from five metres for Bayern to break the deadlock on the hour with his 17th league goal of the season. Arjen Robben added another in stoppage time to lift Bayern to 40 points from 19 games.
Dortmund stayed hot on their heels with Japanese offensive midfielder Shinji Kagawa scoring twice and Kevin Grosskreutz adding another as they eased past Hoffenheim.
Kagawa grabbed a 16th-minute lead and Grosskreutz doubled it in the 31st minute as Dortmund quickly took complete control of the match.
The Japanese added another goal 10 minutes after the restart, firing in from close range after a fine one-two with Grosskreutz. Fabian Johnson cut the deficit for the visitors.
Schalke, third on 37, can join the two teams on 40 points later on Saturday with a win at Cologne (1730 GMT).
Champions League competitors Bayer Leverkusen came from a goal down to draw 1-1 at Werder Bremen and remain in sixth place on 30 points, one behind their opponents.
Hamburg SV recovered from last week's 5-1 mauling by Dortmund to beat Hertha Berlin 2-1 and move up to 11th on 22.
Fourth-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach, on 36 points, can move back to within a point off the top with victory at VfB Stuttgart on Sunday.
No handshakes as Chelsea beat QPR
Chelsea progressed to the FA Cup fifth round after winning 1-0 at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday in a dull game which failed to match the pre-match build-up regarding John Terry's re-acquaintance with Anton Ferdinand.
Chelsea and England captain Terry, who denies wrongdoing, has been charged with racially abusing QPR defender Ferdinand in a league game in October and Terry is due in court next week.
The Football Association agreed after talks with both clubs that no handshakes would take place before the game 'in an attempt to further diffuse tensions' but it was still a hostile atmosphere for Terry, who was roundly booed by home fans.
After the initial hullabaloo, the actual match failed to spring to life with QPR struggling to create chances. Chelsea finally broke the deadlock on 62 minutes through Juan Mata's penalty after Clint Hill was harshly adjudged to have pushed Daniel Sturridge.
Chelsea, who lost in-form midfielder Ramires to a potentially serious-looking injury, deserved to win in the scrappy encounter and were fairly comfortable at the end against their fellow London top-flight side.
Defender Ferdinand, who media reports said had a bullet sent to him in the post this week, was consistently cheered amid extra security at Loftus Road but he seldom wandered forward so rarely came face to face with opposing centre back Terry.
Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas had said on Friday that the duo should shake hands but the FA will hope the decision to avoid a handshake at the start helped take some of the sting out of the situation.
There was an incident with a fan in the crowd when the referee stopped the game momentarily to talk to a steward amid continued chanting against Terry but no major problems were reported.
Chelsea and England captain Terry, who denies wrongdoing, has been charged with racially abusing QPR defender Ferdinand in a league game in October and Terry is due in court next week.
The Football Association agreed after talks with both clubs that no handshakes would take place before the game 'in an attempt to further diffuse tensions' but it was still a hostile atmosphere for Terry, who was roundly booed by home fans.
After the initial hullabaloo, the actual match failed to spring to life with QPR struggling to create chances. Chelsea finally broke the deadlock on 62 minutes through Juan Mata's penalty after Clint Hill was harshly adjudged to have pushed Daniel Sturridge.
Chelsea, who lost in-form midfielder Ramires to a potentially serious-looking injury, deserved to win in the scrappy encounter and were fairly comfortable at the end against their fellow London top-flight side.
Defender Ferdinand, who media reports said had a bullet sent to him in the post this week, was consistently cheered amid extra security at Loftus Road but he seldom wandered forward so rarely came face to face with opposing centre back Terry.
Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas had said on Friday that the duo should shake hands but the FA will hope the decision to avoid a handshake at the start helped take some of the sting out of the situation.
There was an incident with a fan in the crowd when the referee stopped the game momentarily to talk to a steward amid continued chanting against Terry but no major problems were reported.
Fifa asked to get tough on naturalised players
Fifa need to toughen the rules on naturalised players, Zambia coach Herve Renard said on Saturday as they prepared to face Equatorial Guinea whose entire team were born abroad.
"I think Fifa has to control everything," Renard told reporters at the African Nations Cup, where Burkina Faso have also been involved in naturalisation controversy.
"I would be very disappointed if, in 10 years' time, I saw a national team fielding five players who didn't have any connection with that country."
"I think it is a shame if it happens in the future and I ask Fifa to be very tough about this."
Equatorial Guinea's line-up against Libya and Senegal consisted of 11 players born outside the country, a mix of Spanish-based players, who qualify through their parents, and naturalised players from Brazil, Liberia, Cameroon and Cape Verde.
There has been controversy over whether the naturalised players have lived in the country for five years as required by Fifa rules. Co-hosts Equatorial Guinea have already qualified for the quarter-finals after winning their first two games.
Renard, whose team need a draw in Sunday's Group B match to qualify for the quarter-finals, added: "I don't know the case of the Equatorial Guinea players."
"I don't know if some are born here, if their parents were born here, and I don't want to know, it's not my problem," added the Frenchman.
"We will play against the Equatorial Guinea national team and we have to beat them, that's all."
He said Equatorial Guinea's world ranking of 151 did not reflect the current side.
"The ranking is not with the same players as they had before; now they brought in some new players, plus the support of the country, so now they are improving a lot."
Burkina Faso's place at the tournament was thrown into jeopardy two weeks before the start by a protest from qualifying opponents Namibia.
The Namibians said that Burkina had fielded Cameroon-born defender Herve Zengue against them when he was ineligible and took their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The protest was rejected but Burkina left Russian-based Zengue out of their squad.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said before the tournament that teams were obeying the rules and that extra checks were unnecessary and impractical.
"I think Fifa has to control everything," Renard told reporters at the African Nations Cup, where Burkina Faso have also been involved in naturalisation controversy.
"I would be very disappointed if, in 10 years' time, I saw a national team fielding five players who didn't have any connection with that country."
"I think it is a shame if it happens in the future and I ask Fifa to be very tough about this."
Equatorial Guinea's line-up against Libya and Senegal consisted of 11 players born outside the country, a mix of Spanish-based players, who qualify through their parents, and naturalised players from Brazil, Liberia, Cameroon and Cape Verde.
There has been controversy over whether the naturalised players have lived in the country for five years as required by Fifa rules. Co-hosts Equatorial Guinea have already qualified for the quarter-finals after winning their first two games.
Renard, whose team need a draw in Sunday's Group B match to qualify for the quarter-finals, added: "I don't know the case of the Equatorial Guinea players."
"I don't know if some are born here, if their parents were born here, and I don't want to know, it's not my problem," added the Frenchman.
"We will play against the Equatorial Guinea national team and we have to beat them, that's all."
He said Equatorial Guinea's world ranking of 151 did not reflect the current side.
"The ranking is not with the same players as they had before; now they brought in some new players, plus the support of the country, so now they are improving a lot."
Burkina Faso's place at the tournament was thrown into jeopardy two weeks before the start by a protest from qualifying opponents Namibia.
The Namibians said that Burkina had fielded Cameroon-born defender Herve Zengue against them when he was ineligible and took their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The protest was rejected but Burkina left Russian-based Zengue out of their squad.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said before the tournament that teams were obeying the rules and that extra checks were unnecessary and impractical.
Kuyt strikes dumps United
Substitute Dirk Kuyt struck two minutes from time to give hosts Liverpool a 2-1 FA Cup fourth-round win over Manchester United on Saturday with visiting captain Patrice Evra being booed throughout and making a mistake for the goal.
United left back Evra was given a hostile Anfield reception after the Frenchman's involvement in a spat with Liverpool's Luis Suarez in October, which led to the Uruguayan's current eight-match ban for racial abuse.
Liverpool, still missing the verve offered by forward Suarez, took the lead on 21 minutes when Daniel Agger headed in a corner which struggling United goalkeeper David De Gea failed to collect after being deliberately crowded out by the hosts.
United, without the injured Wayne Rooney, hit back through a crisp strike inside the near post from Park Ji-sung on 39 minutes and the visitors had other good chances.
However, Liverpool had the last laugh. Andy Carroll flicked on the ball to leave Evra out of position and Dutchman Kuyt slammed in when De Gea could again have done better.
Liverpool were joined in the fifth round by Chelsea who won 1-0 at Queens Park Rangers earlier in another game where racist abuse allegations clouded the affair.
United left back Evra was given a hostile Anfield reception after the Frenchman's involvement in a spat with Liverpool's Luis Suarez in October, which led to the Uruguayan's current eight-match ban for racial abuse.
Liverpool, still missing the verve offered by forward Suarez, took the lead on 21 minutes when Daniel Agger headed in a corner which struggling United goalkeeper David De Gea failed to collect after being deliberately crowded out by the hosts.
United, without the injured Wayne Rooney, hit back through a crisp strike inside the near post from Park Ji-sung on 39 minutes and the visitors had other good chances.
However, Liverpool had the last laugh. Andy Carroll flicked on the ball to leave Evra out of position and Dutchman Kuyt slammed in when De Gea could again have done better.
Liverpool were joined in the fifth round by Chelsea who won 1-0 at Queens Park Rangers earlier in another game where racist abuse allegations clouded the affair.
Factbox: Victoria Azarenka
Factbox on Victoria Azarenka after she beat Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-0 in the final of the 2012 Australian Open on Saturday. Azarenka will become world number one when the latest rankings are released on Monday.
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EARLY LIFE
* Born July 31, 1989 in Minsk, Belarus
* Turns professional in 2003
* At 14 moves to Scottsdale, Arizona to train, where she was helped by NHL goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin's family to assimilate to the U.S.
* Win's Australian Open and U.S. Open junior singles titles in 2005.
PROFESSIONAL BREAKTHROUGH
* Records her first top-20 victory at Memphis in 2006, over 13th-ranked Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic.
* Wins first career title in 2009 in Brisbane, beating France's Marion Bartoli in the final.
* Takes the first set off Serena Williams in Australian Open fourth round but then forced to retire while trailing 2-4 in the second as Melbourne is struck by a once in a century heatwave with temperatures well above 40 degrees Celsius.
* Defeats Caroline Wozniacki in final of Memphis tournament and beats world number one Williams in Miami final to cap tremendous beginning to year having won 24 of her 26 matches and claimed three titles.
* Advances to quarter-finals at French Open and Wimbledon, her best performances in a grand slam and finishes the year ranked seventh.
* Faces a rematch with Serena in 2010 Australian Open quarter-finals, again taking a set off the world number one, before losing 4-6 7-6 6-2.
* Crashes out of French Open first round and loses third round at Wimbledon to Petra Kvitova.
* Returns to U.S. hardcourts and wins Stanford title, beating Sharapova, before making the semi-finals in Montreal.
* Forced to retire from 2010 U.S. Open second round match against Gisela Dulko when she collapsed on court. Later said she had suffered a concussion when she fell and hit her head during her warmup for the match and had suffered dizziness and blurred vision.
TOP 5 RANKING
* Reaches top-five in April, and then becomes highest ranked Belarusian woman when she achieves number four ranking on May 9.
* Makes French Open quarter-finals, losing to eventual champion Li Na of China.
* Continues her good form when she advances to first grand slam semi-final at Wimbledon when she loses to eventual winner Petra Kvitova.
* Loses the WTA Championships final to Kvitova in Istanbul and finished the year ranked third behind the Czech and top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki.
* Wins the Sydney tournament before the Australian Open began, beating China's Li in the final.
* Barely been tested on her run to the semi-finals at Melbourne Park where she had to fight off champion Kim Clijsters, who had momentum in the third set.
*Becomes first player from Belarus to reach grand slam final since Natasha Zvereva lost 6-0 6-0 to Steffi Graf in 1988 French Open
* Beats Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-0 in the final of the 2012 Australian Open to win first grand slam title and ensure she will take over as world number one from Caroline Wozniacki.
- - - -
EARLY LIFE
* Born July 31, 1989 in Minsk, Belarus
* Turns professional in 2003
* At 14 moves to Scottsdale, Arizona to train, where she was helped by NHL goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin's family to assimilate to the U.S.
* Win's Australian Open and U.S. Open junior singles titles in 2005.
PROFESSIONAL BREAKTHROUGH
* Records her first top-20 victory at Memphis in 2006, over 13th-ranked Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic.
* Wins first career title in 2009 in Brisbane, beating France's Marion Bartoli in the final.
* Takes the first set off Serena Williams in Australian Open fourth round but then forced to retire while trailing 2-4 in the second as Melbourne is struck by a once in a century heatwave with temperatures well above 40 degrees Celsius.
* Defeats Caroline Wozniacki in final of Memphis tournament and beats world number one Williams in Miami final to cap tremendous beginning to year having won 24 of her 26 matches and claimed three titles.
* Advances to quarter-finals at French Open and Wimbledon, her best performances in a grand slam and finishes the year ranked seventh.
* Faces a rematch with Serena in 2010 Australian Open quarter-finals, again taking a set off the world number one, before losing 4-6 7-6 6-2.
* Crashes out of French Open first round and loses third round at Wimbledon to Petra Kvitova.
* Returns to U.S. hardcourts and wins Stanford title, beating Sharapova, before making the semi-finals in Montreal.
* Forced to retire from 2010 U.S. Open second round match against Gisela Dulko when she collapsed on court. Later said she had suffered a concussion when she fell and hit her head during her warmup for the match and had suffered dizziness and blurred vision.
TOP 5 RANKING
* Reaches top-five in April, and then becomes highest ranked Belarusian woman when she achieves number four ranking on May 9.
* Makes French Open quarter-finals, losing to eventual champion Li Na of China.
* Continues her good form when she advances to first grand slam semi-final at Wimbledon when she loses to eventual winner Petra Kvitova.
* Loses the WTA Championships final to Kvitova in Istanbul and finished the year ranked third behind the Czech and top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki.
* Wins the Sydney tournament before the Australian Open began, beating China's Li in the final.
* Barely been tested on her run to the semi-finals at Melbourne Park where she had to fight off champion Kim Clijsters, who had momentum in the third set.
*Becomes first player from Belarus to reach grand slam final since Natasha Zvereva lost 6-0 6-0 to Steffi Graf in 1988 French Open
* Beats Maria Sharapova 6-3 6-0 in the final of the 2012 Australian Open to win first grand slam title and ensure she will take over as world number one from Caroline Wozniacki.
Barca draw to leave Real seven clear
Real Madrid moved seven points clear at the top of La Liga with a comfortable 3-1 win over bottom side Real Zaragoza as Barcelona could only draw 0-0 at lowly Villarreal on Saturday.
The league leaders recovered quickly from their midweek King's Cup quarter-final exit to arch-rivals Barca and it was Pep Guardiola's victors who seemed to suffer a hangover.
Barca's pursuit of a fourth consecutive league title is now an even tougher task as they seek to catch Jose Mourinho's men after yet another poor showing on the road where five draws and one defeat has taken it's toll.
Real's 17th win from 20 league games left them top on 52 points, with Barca second on 45. Valencia, in third with 35, visit Racing Santander on Sunday.
The European and Spanish champions were down to the bare bones at the Madrigal with Pedro a late addition to their growing injury list that includes the striker David Villa and midfielder Andres Iniesta.
Lionel Messi lobbed just wide during a stale first half as Barca lacked their usual zip against a side who started the day in 17th place having won their first game in 11 attempts last weekend.
Barca threw men forward near the end, fielding Alexis Sanchez as a substitute despite him playing with a shoulder injury, but they could not beat home keeper Diego Lopez.
The Spanish international denied Messi in a one-on-one in the closing minutes and with the goal gaping, Fabregas booted the rebound high over the bar to complete a bad night for the visitors.
"The league isn't over yet, there is still a long way to go," World Player-of-the-Year Messi told reporters.
"We just lacked a bit of luck tonight. We didn't play as well as we can do, but we created chances and all we lacked was a goal."
SURPRISE LEAD
Angel Lafita gave Zaragoza a surprise early lead at the Bernabeu after a quickly taken freekick in the 11th minute but thoughts of a first win since mid-October quickly disappeared.
Brazilian Kaka squeezed a low shot under Roberto to level in the 32nd minute and Cristiano Ronaldo tapped in his 24th league goal of the campaign at the start of the second half.
The lively Mesut Ozil netted with a fierce drive after a slick passing move in the 56th and the whistles from home fans against Mourinho from last weekend, appeared long forgotten.
Manolo Jimenez's side remain six points adrift at the foot of the standings with 12 points, and are without a win in 13 outings.
Espanyol are fifth with 31 points and Athletic Bilbao sixth on 29 after both won earlier on Saturday.
Espanyol recovered from a shock midweek King's Cup quarter-final exit against tiny third-tier side Mirandes to beat 10-man Real Mallorca 1-0 at home.
Vladimir Weiss capitalised on an error from Mallorca's Israeli goalkeeper Dudu Aouate to put the Catalans in front after 18 minutes, but they failed to make the extra man count when Aouate was harshly sent off just after the break.
Spain striker Fernando Llorente scored a hat-trick as Cup semi-finalists Bilbao came from behind to win 3-2 in a pulsating encounter at Rayo Vallecano.
The powerful frontman nodded in the equaliser, controlled a long ball and turned his marker to put them 2-1 up, and headed the winner for his 11th league goal this season.
The league leaders recovered quickly from their midweek King's Cup quarter-final exit to arch-rivals Barca and it was Pep Guardiola's victors who seemed to suffer a hangover.
Barca's pursuit of a fourth consecutive league title is now an even tougher task as they seek to catch Jose Mourinho's men after yet another poor showing on the road where five draws and one defeat has taken it's toll.
Real's 17th win from 20 league games left them top on 52 points, with Barca second on 45. Valencia, in third with 35, visit Racing Santander on Sunday.
The European and Spanish champions were down to the bare bones at the Madrigal with Pedro a late addition to their growing injury list that includes the striker David Villa and midfielder Andres Iniesta.
Lionel Messi lobbed just wide during a stale first half as Barca lacked their usual zip against a side who started the day in 17th place having won their first game in 11 attempts last weekend.
Barca threw men forward near the end, fielding Alexis Sanchez as a substitute despite him playing with a shoulder injury, but they could not beat home keeper Diego Lopez.
The Spanish international denied Messi in a one-on-one in the closing minutes and with the goal gaping, Fabregas booted the rebound high over the bar to complete a bad night for the visitors.
"The league isn't over yet, there is still a long way to go," World Player-of-the-Year Messi told reporters.
"We just lacked a bit of luck tonight. We didn't play as well as we can do, but we created chances and all we lacked was a goal."
SURPRISE LEAD
Angel Lafita gave Zaragoza a surprise early lead at the Bernabeu after a quickly taken freekick in the 11th minute but thoughts of a first win since mid-October quickly disappeared.
Brazilian Kaka squeezed a low shot under Roberto to level in the 32nd minute and Cristiano Ronaldo tapped in his 24th league goal of the campaign at the start of the second half.
The lively Mesut Ozil netted with a fierce drive after a slick passing move in the 56th and the whistles from home fans against Mourinho from last weekend, appeared long forgotten.
Manolo Jimenez's side remain six points adrift at the foot of the standings with 12 points, and are without a win in 13 outings.
Espanyol are fifth with 31 points and Athletic Bilbao sixth on 29 after both won earlier on Saturday.
Espanyol recovered from a shock midweek King's Cup quarter-final exit against tiny third-tier side Mirandes to beat 10-man Real Mallorca 1-0 at home.
Vladimir Weiss capitalised on an error from Mallorca's Israeli goalkeeper Dudu Aouate to put the Catalans in front after 18 minutes, but they failed to make the extra man count when Aouate was harshly sent off just after the break.
Spain striker Fernando Llorente scored a hat-trick as Cup semi-finalists Bilbao came from behind to win 3-2 in a pulsating encounter at Rayo Vallecano.
The powerful frontman nodded in the equaliser, controlled a long ball and turned his marker to put them 2-1 up, and headed the winner for his 11th league goal this season.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Van Persie denies any fallout with Wenger
Arsenal captain Robin van Persie has played down any fallout with manager Arsene Wenger despite his apparent show of dissent during his side's 2-1 home defeat by Manchester United on Sunday.
Dutch striker Van Persie, who scored Arsenal's equaliser, appeared to voice his disapproval when Wenger substituted Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for Andrei Arshavin - a decision that also prompted a chorus of boos from the crowd.
"The manager and I are fine and my relationship with the club is good," van Persie, whose 19 league goals have been the silver lining in a poor season for Arsenal so far, told The Sun.
"There is no problem. There is no conflict, and no controversy. I was not having a go at the boss on Sunday - I was just sad to see Alex leave the pitch as he just gave the assist for our only goal.
"I was not questioning Wenger's judgement - I know it's not my place to challenge what Arsene Wenger does. He is the boss, he makes the decisions and that's it...end of story."
Van Persie said he did not realise teenager Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose pass set up the goal, had been carrying a calf injury prior to Wenger switching him.
"We did not know but the boss did and brought Andrei Arshavin on."
Despite losing their eighth game of the season and trailing fourth-placed Chelsea by five points, Van Persie said it was not all doom and gloom at Arsenal and that they can still secure a top-four finish.
"Losing to Manchester United was a setback, but it was not a knockout blow," he said.
"Anybody writing us off is making a mistake. This could still be a good season for us. We have the FA Cup to look forward to and the Champions League."
Arsenal face AC Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League.
Dutch striker Van Persie, who scored Arsenal's equaliser, appeared to voice his disapproval when Wenger substituted Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain for Andrei Arshavin - a decision that also prompted a chorus of boos from the crowd.
"The manager and I are fine and my relationship with the club is good," van Persie, whose 19 league goals have been the silver lining in a poor season for Arsenal so far, told The Sun.
"There is no problem. There is no conflict, and no controversy. I was not having a go at the boss on Sunday - I was just sad to see Alex leave the pitch as he just gave the assist for our only goal.
"I was not questioning Wenger's judgement - I know it's not my place to challenge what Arsene Wenger does. He is the boss, he makes the decisions and that's it...end of story."
Van Persie said he did not realise teenager Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose pass set up the goal, had been carrying a calf injury prior to Wenger switching him.
"We did not know but the boss did and brought Andrei Arshavin on."
Despite losing their eighth game of the season and trailing fourth-placed Chelsea by five points, Van Persie said it was not all doom and gloom at Arsenal and that they can still secure a top-four finish.
"Losing to Manchester United was a setback, but it was not a knockout blow," he said.
"Anybody writing us off is making a mistake. This could still be a good season for us. We have the FA Cup to look forward to and the Champions League."
Arsenal face AC Milan in the last 16 of the Champions League.
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