Sachin Tendulkar again

India paceman Umesh Yadav blitzed Australia's top order leaving veteran batsmen Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey left to mount a rescue in the second innings on the third day of the first Test Wednesday.

Yadav took three quick wickets and Ishant Sharma a fourth as Australia's top order collapsed to 27-4, before Ponting and Hussey dug in defiantly to build a 54-run stand to survive to the tea interval at the sun-bathed Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Ponting, on 33, and Hussey (29) drove Australia to 81-4, an overall lead of 132, after India were dismissed for a disappointing 282 in their first innings before lunch.

Australia started their second innings disastrously, losing both openers in the space of three balls to Yadav, who found encouraging bounce and variation from the pitch...........

David Warner, a Twenty20 specialist battling to cement his place in the Test side, was out for five playing onto his stumps after slashing at a wide delivery he should have left well alone.

Ed Cowan, who scored a judicious 68 in the first innings as a succession of partners came and went, threw away his wicket by padding up to Yadav and was given out for lbw.

The rangy 24-year-old Yadav had his third when number three Shaun Marsh played onto his stumps with an indiscriminate swipe in a carbon copy of Warner's downfall minutes earlier.

Paceman Ishant Sharma had bowled with venom but went wicketless in the first innings, but was finally rewarded when he bowled captain Michael Clarke through the gate for one.

Former captain Ponting made his way to the centre with a purposeful stride and a rousing ovation from the stands but had to survive a tempestuous few overs off India's pacemen before settling down with a square cut blasted to the fence.

The 36-year-old Hussey, under pressure to retain his place in the re-building team after a pair of golden ducks in his last two innings, also weathered a torrid opening but combined well with Ponting to raise Australia's hopes of building a defendable total.

WASTED WORK

Australia's stunning collapse, the laTest in a rash of batting disasters in recent Tests, wasted the good work of their bowlers who ran through India's last seven wickets for 73 runs before lunch.

India had resumed on 214-3 after their veteran batsmen Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid put Australia's bowlers to the sword on the second day.

Dravid resumed on 68 with nightwatchman Sharma but lasted only two balls before Ben Hilfenhaus bowled him with a searing leg-cutter, the start of a brilliant morning that netted the paceman four wickets.

Hilfenhaus, recalled to the Test side after a poor Ashes series earlier this year, had middle order batsman Virat Kohli caught behind by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for 11 soon after, then India captain MS Dhoni caught in the gully by Hussey for six.

He later notched his fifth wicket for the match when nightwatchman Sharma nicked to Haddin on 11, after a defiant 106-minute knock.

Paceman Peter Siddle, who bowled Sachin Tendulkar for 73 in the last over before stumps Tuesday, picked up the prized wicket of VVS Laxman for two after the 37-year-old edged to Haddin.

The fiery redhead from rural Victoria then ended a swashbuckling 31 from spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to complete the rout.

James Pattinson bowled paceman Zaheer Khan for four.

Hilfenhaus's spell left him with 5-75, his best Test figures, and belied his reputation as a workhorse only capable of troubling batsmen with the new ball.

Sachin Tendulkar again

India paceman Umesh Yadav blitzed Australia's top order leaving veteran batsmen Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey left to mount a rescue in the second innings on the third day of the first Test Wednesday.

Yadav took three quick wickets and Ishant Sharma a fourth as Australia's top order collapsed to 27-4, before Ponting and Hussey dug in defiantly to build a 54-run stand to survive to the tea interval at the sun-bathed Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Ponting, on 33, and Hussey (29) drove Australia to 81-4, an overall lead of 132, after India were dismissed for a disappointing 282 in their first innings before lunch.

Australia started their second innings disastrously, losing both openers in the space of three balls to Yadav, who found encouraging bounce and variation from the pitch...........

David Warner, a Twenty20 specialist battling to cement his place in the Test side, was out for five playing onto his stumps after slashing at a wide delivery he should have left well alone.

Ed Cowan, who scored a judicious 68 in the first innings as a succession of partners came and went, threw away his wicket by padding up to Yadav and was given out for lbw.

The rangy 24-year-old Yadav had his third when number three Shaun Marsh played onto his stumps with an indiscriminate swipe in a carbon copy of Warner's downfall minutes earlier.

Paceman Ishant Sharma had bowled with venom but went wicketless in the first innings, but was finally rewarded when he bowled captain Michael Clarke through the gate for one.

Former captain Ponting made his way to the centre with a purposeful stride and a rousing ovation from the stands but had to survive a tempestuous few overs off India's pacemen before settling down with a square cut blasted to the fence.

The 36-year-old Hussey, under pressure to retain his place in the re-building team after a pair of golden ducks in his last two innings, also weathered a torrid opening but combined well with Ponting to raise Australia's hopes of building a defendable total.

WASTED WORK

Australia's stunning collapse, the laTest in a rash of batting disasters in recent Tests, wasted the good work of their bowlers who ran through India's last seven wickets for 73 runs before lunch.

India had resumed on 214-3 after their veteran batsmen Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid put Australia's bowlers to the sword on the second day.

Dravid resumed on 68 with nightwatchman Sharma but lasted only two balls before Ben Hilfenhaus bowled him with a searing leg-cutter, the start of a brilliant morning that netted the paceman four wickets.

Hilfenhaus, recalled to the Test side after a poor Ashes series earlier this year, had middle order batsman Virat Kohli caught behind by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for 11 soon after, then India captain MS Dhoni caught in the gully by Hussey for six.

He later notched his fifth wicket for the match when nightwatchman Sharma nicked to Haddin on 11, after a defiant 106-minute knock.

Paceman Peter Siddle, who bowled Sachin Tendulkar for 73 in the last over before stumps Tuesday, picked up the prized wicket of VVS Laxman for two after the 37-year-old edged to Haddin.

The fiery redhead from rural Victoria then ended a swashbuckling 31 from spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to complete the rout.

James Pattinson bowled paceman Zaheer Khan for four.

Hilfenhaus's spell left him with 5-75, his best Test figures, and belied his reputation as a workhorse only capable of troubling batsmen with the new ball.

Sachin Tendulkar again

India paceman Umesh Yadav blitzed Australia's top order leaving veteran batsmen Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey left to mount a rescue in the second innings on the third day of the first Test Wednesday.

Yadav took three quick wickets and Ishant Sharma a fourth as Australia's top order collapsed to 27-4, before Ponting and Hussey dug in defiantly to build a 54-run stand to survive to the tea interval at the sun-bathed Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Ponting, on 33, and Hussey (29) drove Australia to 81-4, an overall lead of 132, after India were dismissed for a disappointing 282 in their first innings before lunch.

Australia started their second innings disastrously, losing both openers in the space of three balls to Yadav, who found encouraging bounce and variation from the pitch...........

David Warner, a Twenty20 specialist battling to cement his place in the Test side, was out for five playing onto his stumps after slashing at a wide delivery he should have left well alone.

Ed Cowan, who scored a judicious 68 in the first innings as a succession of partners came and went, threw away his wicket by padding up to Yadav and was given out for lbw.

The rangy 24-year-old Yadav had his third when number three Shaun Marsh played onto his stumps with an indiscriminate swipe in a carbon copy of Warner's downfall minutes earlier.

Paceman Ishant Sharma had bowled with venom but went wicketless in the first innings, but was finally rewarded when he bowled captain Michael Clarke through the gate for one.

Former captain Ponting made his way to the centre with a purposeful stride and a rousing ovation from the stands but had to survive a tempestuous few overs off India's pacemen before settling down with a square cut blasted to the fence.

The 36-year-old Hussey, under pressure to retain his place in the re-building team after a pair of golden ducks in his last two innings, also weathered a torrid opening but combined well with Ponting to raise Australia's hopes of building a defendable total.

WASTED WORK

Australia's stunning collapse, the laTest in a rash of batting disasters in recent Tests, wasted the good work of their bowlers who ran through India's last seven wickets for 73 runs before lunch.

India had resumed on 214-3 after their veteran batsmen Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid put Australia's bowlers to the sword on the second day.

Dravid resumed on 68 with nightwatchman Sharma but lasted only two balls before Ben Hilfenhaus bowled him with a searing leg-cutter, the start of a brilliant morning that netted the paceman four wickets.

Hilfenhaus, recalled to the Test side after a poor Ashes series earlier this year, had middle order batsman Virat Kohli caught behind by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for 11 soon after, then India captain MS Dhoni caught in the gully by Hussey for six.

He later notched his fifth wicket for the match when nightwatchman Sharma nicked to Haddin on 11, after a defiant 106-minute knock.

Paceman Peter Siddle, who bowled Sachin Tendulkar for 73 in the last over before stumps Tuesday, picked up the prized wicket of VVS Laxman for two after the 37-year-old edged to Haddin.

The fiery redhead from rural Victoria then ended a swashbuckling 31 from spinner Ravichandran Ashwin to complete the rout.

James Pattinson bowled paceman Zaheer Khan for four.

Hilfenhaus's spell left him with 5-75, his best Test figures, and belied his reputation as a workhorse only capable of troubling batsmen with the new ball.

Sneijder sale

Inter Milan are set to let star midfielder Wesley Sneijder go in the winter transfer window.

The Daily Mail claims Inter will sell Sneijder to raise funds for rebuilding following a dismal first half to their campaign, reports ESPNstar.

The 2010 European champions were at one point rock bottom of the Serie A table as they struggled to respond to Gian Piero Gasperini's coaching methods. Gasperini, who had replaced Leonardo in the summer, was then sacked in September after a run of successive defeats.

The Nerazzurri turned to Claudio Ranieri to restore some pride back to the club and as things stand, Inter can enjoy their winter break having risen to fifth in Serie A under the former Chelsea coach's leadership.

Sneijder was frequently played out of position during Gasperini's spell at the club but has been returned to his normal role under Ranieri.

However, finishing fifth at the end of the season is no good for a club of Inter's stature and Ranieri, who was known as the tinkerman in England for his squad rotation policy, is understood to be keen on bringing fresh faces into the squad to ensure his long term future at the San Siro.

The Daily Mail reports that selling Sneijder will give Ranieri the much needed funds to complete his vision of an Inter turnaround but any move, the newspaper stressed, is down to the Dutchman's willingness to accept less than his 200,000 pound-a-week wages at a prospective club.

Manchester United were very interested in signing the player in the summer but were turned off by the midfielder's enormous pay-packet which they did not want to match.

The 27-year-old had been linked with a 35 million pound move to Old Trafford - it is unclear whether Inter would now accept a lesser bid in the notoriously inflated January transfer market.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson outlined in his programme notes for the Boxing Day game with Wigan that he was not planning on spending in January but conceded that in football nothing was certain.

"You can never say never in football, of course, because fortunes can fluctuate wildly - that's the football world. If a really top-class player became available, then we would go for him, or if we picked up any further serious injuries, it might be important to add to our squad," Ferguson said.

Inter resume action in Serie A against Parma on Jan 7 while United began their Christmas campaign with a 5-0 demolition of Wigan.

Sneijder sale

Inter Milan are set to let star midfielder Wesley Sneijder go in the winter transfer window.

The Daily Mail claims Inter will sell Sneijder to raise funds for rebuilding following a dismal first half to their campaign, reports ESPNstar.

The 2010 European champions were at one point rock bottom of the Serie A table as they struggled to respond to Gian Piero Gasperini's coaching methods. Gasperini, who had replaced Leonardo in the summer, was then sacked in September after a run of successive defeats.

The Nerazzurri turned to Claudio Ranieri to restore some pride back to the club and as things stand, Inter can enjoy their winter break having risen to fifth in Serie A under the former Chelsea coach's leadership.

Sneijder was frequently played out of position during Gasperini's spell at the club but has been returned to his normal role under Ranieri.

However, finishing fifth at the end of the season is no good for a club of Inter's stature and Ranieri, who was known as the tinkerman in England for his squad rotation policy, is understood to be keen on bringing fresh faces into the squad to ensure his long term future at the San Siro.

The Daily Mail reports that selling Sneijder will give Ranieri the much needed funds to complete his vision of an Inter turnaround but any move, the newspaper stressed, is down to the Dutchman's willingness to accept less than his 200,000 pound-a-week wages at a prospective club.

Manchester United were very interested in signing the player in the summer but were turned off by the midfielder's enormous pay-packet which they did not want to match.

The 27-year-old had been linked with a 35 million pound move to Old Trafford - it is unclear whether Inter would now accept a lesser bid in the notoriously inflated January transfer market.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson outlined in his programme notes for the Boxing Day game with Wigan that he was not planning on spending in January but conceded that in football nothing was certain.

"You can never say never in football, of course, because fortunes can fluctuate wildly - that's the football world. If a really top-class player became available, then we would go for him, or if we picked up any further serious injuries, it might be important to add to our squad," Ferguson said.

Inter resume action in Serie A against Parma on Jan 7 while United began their Christmas campaign with a 5-0 demolition of Wigan.

Sneijder sale

Inter Milan are set to let star midfielder Wesley Sneijder go in the winter transfer window.

The Daily Mail claims Inter will sell Sneijder to raise funds for rebuilding following a dismal first half to their campaign, reports ESPNstar.

The 2010 European champions were at one point rock bottom of the Serie A table as they struggled to respond to Gian Piero Gasperini's coaching methods. Gasperini, who had replaced Leonardo in the summer, was then sacked in September after a run of successive defeats.

The Nerazzurri turned to Claudio Ranieri to restore some pride back to the club and as things stand, Inter can enjoy their winter break having risen to fifth in Serie A under the former Chelsea coach's leadership.

Sneijder was frequently played out of position during Gasperini's spell at the club but has been returned to his normal role under Ranieri.

However, finishing fifth at the end of the season is no good for a club of Inter's stature and Ranieri, who was known as the tinkerman in England for his squad rotation policy, is understood to be keen on bringing fresh faces into the squad to ensure his long term future at the San Siro.

The Daily Mail reports that selling Sneijder will give Ranieri the much needed funds to complete his vision of an Inter turnaround but any move, the newspaper stressed, is down to the Dutchman's willingness to accept less than his 200,000 pound-a-week wages at a prospective club.

Manchester United were very interested in signing the player in the summer but were turned off by the midfielder's enormous pay-packet which they did not want to match.

The 27-year-old had been linked with a 35 million pound move to Old Trafford - it is unclear whether Inter would now accept a lesser bid in the notoriously inflated January transfer market.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson outlined in his programme notes for the Boxing Day game with Wigan that he was not planning on spending in January but conceded that in football nothing was certain.

"You can never say never in football, of course, because fortunes can fluctuate wildly - that's the football world. If a really top-class player became available, then we would go for him, or if we picked up any further serious injuries, it might be important to add to our squad," Ferguson said.

Inter resume action in Serie A against Parma on Jan 7 while United began their Christmas campaign with a 5-0 demolition of Wigan.

ISL documents release by Fifa to order by Swiss court

Fifa has been ordered by the Supreme Court of the Canton of Zug to release documents relating to the collapse of its former marketing partner ISL.

World soccer's governing body said this month it had been forced to delay the publication of the potentially incriminating documents following objections from one of the parties involved.

But Fifa president Sepp Blatter also said he remained determined the documents would be published as part of his plan to clean up his organisation, which has been plagued by allegations of corruption.

Fifa said in a statement on Tuesday it would not appeal against the court decision "as it corresponds to the position of Fifa and its president, Joseph S Blatter, to open the ISL/ISMM case file".

The court decision was reported by the Swiss consumer magazine Beobachter on its website (www.beobachter.ch).

A court spokesman confirmed that a decision had been reached but declined to give any further details.

Blatter announced in October that he wanted to re-open the case into the collapse of ISL, which went bankrupt in 2001.

Swiss prosecutors investigated the collapse of ISL but the case was settled after they said two Fifa officials - whose names have not been divulged - paid back 5.5 million Swiss francs ($6.1 million).

ISL documents release by Fifa to order by Swiss court

Fifa has been ordered by the Supreme Court of the Canton of Zug to release documents relating to the collapse of its former marketing partner ISL.

World soccer's governing body said this month it had been forced to delay the publication of the potentially incriminating documents following objections from one of the parties involved.

But Fifa president Sepp Blatter also said he remained determined the documents would be published as part of his plan to clean up his organisation, which has been plagued by allegations of corruption.

Fifa said in a statement on Tuesday it would not appeal against the court decision "as it corresponds to the position of Fifa and its president, Joseph S Blatter, to open the ISL/ISMM case file".

The court decision was reported by the Swiss consumer magazine Beobachter on its website (www.beobachter.ch).

A court spokesman confirmed that a decision had been reached but declined to give any further details.

Blatter announced in October that he wanted to re-open the case into the collapse of ISL, which went bankrupt in 2001.

Swiss prosecutors investigated the collapse of ISL but the case was settled after they said two Fifa officials - whose names have not been divulged - paid back 5.5 million Swiss francs ($6.1 million).

ISL documents release by Fifa to order by Swiss court

Fifa has been ordered by the Supreme Court of the Canton of Zug to release documents relating to the collapse of its former marketing partner ISL.

World soccer's governing body said this month it had been forced to delay the publication of the potentially incriminating documents following objections from one of the parties involved.

But Fifa president Sepp Blatter also said he remained determined the documents would be published as part of his plan to clean up his organisation, which has been plagued by allegations of corruption.

Fifa said in a statement on Tuesday it would not appeal against the court decision "as it corresponds to the position of Fifa and its president, Joseph S Blatter, to open the ISL/ISMM case file".

The court decision was reported by the Swiss consumer magazine Beobachter on its website (www.beobachter.ch).

A court spokesman confirmed that a decision had been reached but declined to give any further details.

Blatter announced in October that he wanted to re-open the case into the collapse of ISL, which went bankrupt in 2001.

Swiss prosecutors investigated the collapse of ISL but the case was settled after they said two Fifa officials - whose names have not been divulged - paid back 5.5 million Swiss francs ($6.1 million).

Wolves stop Arsenal

Arsenal missed the chance to go fourth in the Premier League after a fine performance from Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey helped secure a 1-1 draw at the Emirates where the visitors finished with 10 men on Tuesday.

Arsenal remain fifth on 33 points, 12 points behind leaders Manchester City and Manchester United.

They had looked set for a comfortable afternoon when Ivorian striker Gervinho ran on to a Yossi Benayoun pass to round Hennessey and break the deadlock after eight minutes.

Wolves levelled against the run of play seven minutes before halftime, their leading scorer Steven Fletcher reacting quickly to head in Stephen Hunt's scuffed shot from the edge of the area. It was Fletcher's seventh league goal of the season.

Arsenal piled on the pressure after the break but found Hennessey in outstanding form.

The Wales keeper made a string of fine saves, tipping over a Robin van Persie free-kick midway through the second half before foiling defender Per Mertesacker from point-blank range.

The hosts failed to capitalise when Wolves went down to 10 men with 15 minutes left after Serbia midfielder Nenad Milijas's straight red card for a late challenge on Mikel Arteta.

Hennessey again came to the rescue for Mick McCarthy's side late on when Thomas Vermaelen got through on goal.

The match was put back 24 hours because of a strike on Monday by London Underground train drivers.

Third-placed Tottenham Hotspur, on 35 points, can narrow the gap on the top two with victory at Norwich City in a 1930 kick-off.

Wolves stop Arsenal

Arsenal missed the chance to go fourth in the Premier League after a fine performance from Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey helped secure a 1-1 draw at the Emirates where the visitors finished with 10 men on Tuesday.

Arsenal remain fifth on 33 points, 12 points behind leaders Manchester City and Manchester United.

They had looked set for a comfortable afternoon when Ivorian striker Gervinho ran on to a Yossi Benayoun pass to round Hennessey and break the deadlock after eight minutes.

Wolves levelled against the run of play seven minutes before halftime, their leading scorer Steven Fletcher reacting quickly to head in Stephen Hunt's scuffed shot from the edge of the area. It was Fletcher's seventh league goal of the season.

Arsenal piled on the pressure after the break but found Hennessey in outstanding form.

The Wales keeper made a string of fine saves, tipping over a Robin van Persie free-kick midway through the second half before foiling defender Per Mertesacker from point-blank range.

The hosts failed to capitalise when Wolves went down to 10 men with 15 minutes left after Serbia midfielder Nenad Milijas's straight red card for a late challenge on Mikel Arteta.

Hennessey again came to the rescue for Mick McCarthy's side late on when Thomas Vermaelen got through on goal.

The match was put back 24 hours because of a strike on Monday by London Underground train drivers.

Third-placed Tottenham Hotspur, on 35 points, can narrow the gap on the top two with victory at Norwich City in a 1930 kick-off.

Wolves stop Arsenal

Arsenal missed the chance to go fourth in the Premier League after a fine performance from Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey helped secure a 1-1 draw at the Emirates where the visitors finished with 10 men on Tuesday.

Arsenal remain fifth on 33 points, 12 points behind leaders Manchester City and Manchester United.

They had looked set for a comfortable afternoon when Ivorian striker Gervinho ran on to a Yossi Benayoun pass to round Hennessey and break the deadlock after eight minutes.

Wolves levelled against the run of play seven minutes before halftime, their leading scorer Steven Fletcher reacting quickly to head in Stephen Hunt's scuffed shot from the edge of the area. It was Fletcher's seventh league goal of the season.

Arsenal piled on the pressure after the break but found Hennessey in outstanding form.

The Wales keeper made a string of fine saves, tipping over a Robin van Persie free-kick midway through the second half before foiling defender Per Mertesacker from point-blank range.

The hosts failed to capitalise when Wolves went down to 10 men with 15 minutes left after Serbia midfielder Nenad Milijas's straight red card for a late challenge on Mikel Arteta.

Hennessey again came to the rescue for Mick McCarthy's side late on when Thomas Vermaelen got through on goal.

The match was put back 24 hours because of a strike on Monday by London Underground train drivers.

Third-placed Tottenham Hotspur, on 35 points, can narrow the gap on the top two with victory at Norwich City in a 1930 kick-off.

PK VS BD

Pakistan capped off a fruitful year in cricket by completing a clean sweep against Bangladesh in Mirpur on a day that showcased the unpredictability of Test cricket.

In the first session, Nasir Hossain and Mushfiqur Rahim batted sensibly, not especially worried about the runs which they were collecting, making the draw seem the likeliest result. In the second, a combination of kamikaze batting and smart spin bowling resulted in Bangladesh losing their final five wickets for 22 runs, leaving Pakistan the seemingly straightforward target of 103. It wasn't though, as Pakistan faced a race against the fading light in the final session, and needed some intrepid batting to secure the victory in the gloom.

There was a helping hand from the weather for Bangladesh early on, as the usual morning fog delayed the start by an hour and a half. Bangladesh's batting has posted 250 in both innings of a Test only four times in the past seven years, and as play began the worry was the home side would fold on a fifth day track, particularly against Pakistan's versatile spin attack.

Those fears were quelled in the morning as Nasir went on to his maiden half-century while Mushfiqur made his second important contribution with the bat as the pair put on a century stand. After lunch, though, Abdur Rehman and Saeed Ajmal bamboozled the lower order to revive fading Pakistan hopes of a victory.

It was Rehman who did the major damage after the interval. Nasir was hoodwinked by a straighter delivery that beat the bat and crashed into the stumps to end the partnership at 117. Bangladesh still had plenty of reasons to hope: the lead was already 80, Mushfiqur was set and nearing his half-century, the new batsman Elias Sunny had a first-class high score of 176, and the light usually fades well before the scheduled close of play.

Those hopes pretty much evaporated though after a wild stroke from Mushfiqur, who charged out and looked to send a Rehman delivery out of the ground, only managing to top edge it towards mid-off. How Mushfiqur can lecture his team-mates about batting responsibly after this shot remains to be seen.

Bangladesh's slide continued thanks to a moment of magic from Younis Khan at slip, which seemed even more spectacular given the number of simple chances that have been put down in the match. It extended Shahadat Hossain's forgettable Test as he attempted a reckless swipe across the line, getting a thick edge which was seemingly flying well wide of first slip but Younis threw himself to his right goalkeeper-style to snaffle it one-handed. Saeed Ajmal then captured the final two victims to take his tally for the year to 50.

In contrast to the helter-skelter batting after lunch, Nasir and Mushfiqur had been level-headed in seeing off the bowling in the morning. Chances fell short, flew wide and soared over slip but Pakistan were unable to make the breakthrough as both batsmen also played some powerful shots behind point. In the fourth over of the day, Nasir edged an attempted drive just past second slip, but that didn't stop him from a vigorous upper cut over gully for four off the next delivery.

Once the fast bowlers were seen off, Ajmal and Rehman dried up the runs with an accurate spell of bowling. A five-over stretch which yielded only one run was finally snapped by the inevitable big stroke, but Nasir managed to swat it wide of the diving midwicket fielder to pick up a boundary.

Both Nasir and Mushfiqur showed a defensive technique that was mostly watertight, and Pakistan had to turn to their secondary spinners, Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali. A whip to midwicket for four off Ali brought up the hundred stand five minutes before lunch, and Bangladesh were looking forward to escaping with a draw before a depressingly familiar collapse followed.

PK VS BD

Pakistan capped off a fruitful year in cricket by completing a clean sweep against Bangladesh in Mirpur on a day that showcased the unpredictability of Test cricket.

In the first session, Nasir Hossain and Mushfiqur Rahim batted sensibly, not especially worried about the runs which they were collecting, making the draw seem the likeliest result. In the second, a combination of kamikaze batting and smart spin bowling resulted in Bangladesh losing their final five wickets for 22 runs, leaving Pakistan the seemingly straightforward target of 103. It wasn't though, as Pakistan faced a race against the fading light in the final session, and needed some intrepid batting to secure the victory in the gloom.

There was a helping hand from the weather for Bangladesh early on, as the usual morning fog delayed the start by an hour and a half. Bangladesh's batting has posted 250 in both innings of a Test only four times in the past seven years, and as play began the worry was the home side would fold on a fifth day track, particularly against Pakistan's versatile spin attack.

Those fears were quelled in the morning as Nasir went on to his maiden half-century while Mushfiqur made his second important contribution with the bat as the pair put on a century stand. After lunch, though, Abdur Rehman and Saeed Ajmal bamboozled the lower order to revive fading Pakistan hopes of a victory.

It was Rehman who did the major damage after the interval. Nasir was hoodwinked by a straighter delivery that beat the bat and crashed into the stumps to end the partnership at 117. Bangladesh still had plenty of reasons to hope: the lead was already 80, Mushfiqur was set and nearing his half-century, the new batsman Elias Sunny had a first-class high score of 176, and the light usually fades well before the scheduled close of play.

Those hopes pretty much evaporated though after a wild stroke from Mushfiqur, who charged out and looked to send a Rehman delivery out of the ground, only managing to top edge it towards mid-off. How Mushfiqur can lecture his team-mates about batting responsibly after this shot remains to be seen.

Bangladesh's slide continued thanks to a moment of magic from Younis Khan at slip, which seemed even more spectacular given the number of simple chances that have been put down in the match. It extended Shahadat Hossain's forgettable Test as he attempted a reckless swipe across the line, getting a thick edge which was seemingly flying well wide of first slip but Younis threw himself to his right goalkeeper-style to snaffle it one-handed. Saeed Ajmal then captured the final two victims to take his tally for the year to 50.

In contrast to the helter-skelter batting after lunch, Nasir and Mushfiqur had been level-headed in seeing off the bowling in the morning. Chances fell short, flew wide and soared over slip but Pakistan were unable to make the breakthrough as both batsmen also played some powerful shots behind point. In the fourth over of the day, Nasir edged an attempted drive just past second slip, but that didn't stop him from a vigorous upper cut over gully for four off the next delivery.

Once the fast bowlers were seen off, Ajmal and Rehman dried up the runs with an accurate spell of bowling. A five-over stretch which yielded only one run was finally snapped by the inevitable big stroke, but Nasir managed to swat it wide of the diving midwicket fielder to pick up a boundary.

Both Nasir and Mushfiqur showed a defensive technique that was mostly watertight, and Pakistan had to turn to their secondary spinners, Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali. A whip to midwicket for four off Ali brought up the hundred stand five minutes before lunch, and Bangladesh were looking forward to escaping with a draw before a depressingly familiar collapse followed.

PK VS BD

Pakistan capped off a fruitful year in cricket by completing a clean sweep against Bangladesh in Mirpur on a day that showcased the unpredictability of Test cricket.

In the first session, Nasir Hossain and Mushfiqur Rahim batted sensibly, not especially worried about the runs which they were collecting, making the draw seem the likeliest result. In the second, a combination of kamikaze batting and smart spin bowling resulted in Bangladesh losing their final five wickets for 22 runs, leaving Pakistan the seemingly straightforward target of 103. It wasn't though, as Pakistan faced a race against the fading light in the final session, and needed some intrepid batting to secure the victory in the gloom.

There was a helping hand from the weather for Bangladesh early on, as the usual morning fog delayed the start by an hour and a half. Bangladesh's batting has posted 250 in both innings of a Test only four times in the past seven years, and as play began the worry was the home side would fold on a fifth day track, particularly against Pakistan's versatile spin attack.

Those fears were quelled in the morning as Nasir went on to his maiden half-century while Mushfiqur made his second important contribution with the bat as the pair put on a century stand. After lunch, though, Abdur Rehman and Saeed Ajmal bamboozled the lower order to revive fading Pakistan hopes of a victory.

It was Rehman who did the major damage after the interval. Nasir was hoodwinked by a straighter delivery that beat the bat and crashed into the stumps to end the partnership at 117. Bangladesh still had plenty of reasons to hope: the lead was already 80, Mushfiqur was set and nearing his half-century, the new batsman Elias Sunny had a first-class high score of 176, and the light usually fades well before the scheduled close of play.

Those hopes pretty much evaporated though after a wild stroke from Mushfiqur, who charged out and looked to send a Rehman delivery out of the ground, only managing to top edge it towards mid-off. How Mushfiqur can lecture his team-mates about batting responsibly after this shot remains to be seen.

Bangladesh's slide continued thanks to a moment of magic from Younis Khan at slip, which seemed even more spectacular given the number of simple chances that have been put down in the match. It extended Shahadat Hossain's forgettable Test as he attempted a reckless swipe across the line, getting a thick edge which was seemingly flying well wide of first slip but Younis threw himself to his right goalkeeper-style to snaffle it one-handed. Saeed Ajmal then captured the final two victims to take his tally for the year to 50.

In contrast to the helter-skelter batting after lunch, Nasir and Mushfiqur had been level-headed in seeing off the bowling in the morning. Chances fell short, flew wide and soared over slip but Pakistan were unable to make the breakthrough as both batsmen also played some powerful shots behind point. In the fourth over of the day, Nasir edged an attempted drive just past second slip, but that didn't stop him from a vigorous upper cut over gully for four off the next delivery.

Once the fast bowlers were seen off, Ajmal and Rehman dried up the runs with an accurate spell of bowling. A five-over stretch which yielded only one run was finally snapped by the inevitable big stroke, but Nasir managed to swat it wide of the diving midwicket fielder to pick up a boundary.

Both Nasir and Mushfiqur showed a defensive technique that was mostly watertight, and Pakistan had to turn to their secondary spinners, Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali. A whip to midwicket for four off Ali brought up the hundred stand five minutes before lunch, and Bangladesh were looking forward to escaping with a draw before a depressingly familiar collapse followed.

Bulls’ Rose agrees to extension

It seemed like something out of a movie script the moment the Chicago Bulls took Derrick Rose with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

The latest twist? A maximum contract extension.

That’s just another milestone in a rapid and steady rise for the point guard from the city’s South Side to stardom with his hometown team.

The reigning NBA MVP agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Chicago Bulls worth approximately $94 million, a person familiar with the situation said.

The Chicago Tribune, citing anonymous sources, first reported the deal.

The person spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the deal had not been finalized. The extension will start in the 2012-13 season, when Rose is eligible to make about $16 million. The Bulls scheduled a news conference for Wednesday, though they won’t say what it is for.

“It’s something big, but I think I want to talk more about it (Wednesday), with my family and everybody being there,” the star point guard said after the Bulls’ preseason victory over Indiana on Tuesday night. “But it’s definitely something big.”

And, teammates say, it was well-earned.

“We’re all very excited for him,” Carlos Boozer said. “He deserves it. He puts in a lot of effort. I wish the contract was for 10 years.”

The chance to join Rose in the backcourt was a big draw for Richard Hamilton. The veteran shooting guard signed with the Bulls last week after being bought out by the Detroit Pistons, and so far, he likes what he sees.

“He works hard,” Hamilton said. “He’s young. He’s 23 years old and the way he plays on the floor is the way he practices. In order to be great in this league, you just can’t turn it on (during) games. He really has a great work ethic.”

The deal is more of a formality than a surprise. Rose and general manager Gar Forman had indicated it would get done, and it was not hard to see why they wanted to stay together.

The Chicago product went from Rookie of the Year to All-Star to MVP in his first three seasons, becoming the youngest player to win that award. About the only thing he doesn’t have is a championship ring, and that’s what weighs on him as he enters his fourth season—not the money.

“I think I live a humble life,” Rose said. “Of course, I know I’ll be able to afford whatever I want, but other than that, there aren’t too many things that excite me. Me winning is one of the things. Me being around my family, that’s another. Money, that’s the last thing I think about.”

The Bulls came close to winning it all last season, winning a league-high 62 games and advancing all the way to the Eastern Conference finals before losing to the Miami Heat.

Now, they’re looking for more.

Rose has repeatedly pointed the finger at himself for the Bulls coming up short against the Heat in the playoffs. He worked on his inside game in the offseason after expanding his shooting range in previous years, but it’s hard to imagine him accomplishing much more than he did last season.

Rose delivered one of the best seasons by a point guard. He also joined Michael Jordan as the only Bulls players to win the MVP award.

The South Side product established himself as one of the league’s best players, averaging 25 points and 7.7 assists while leading Chicago to its best season since the championship era with Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

For Rose, the contract extension is just another milestone in a rapid rise from the city’s rough Englewood neighborhood to a starring role with the Bulls.

He helped Simeon Career Academy become the first Chicago Public League team to win back-to-back state championships, then led Memphis to the NCAA championship game before the Bulls drafted him with the No. 1 pick in 2008 after defying long odds to win the lottery.

“The Bulls are loyal,” Rose said. “They’ve stayed loyal with me, showed that they trusted me by picking me to come here. I just feel blessed, and I’m just happy that I’m here.”

Bulls’ Rose agrees to extension

It seemed like something out of a movie script the moment the Chicago Bulls took Derrick Rose with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

The latest twist? A maximum contract extension.

That’s just another milestone in a rapid and steady rise for the point guard from the city’s South Side to stardom with his hometown team.

The reigning NBA MVP agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Chicago Bulls worth approximately $94 million, a person familiar with the situation said.

The Chicago Tribune, citing anonymous sources, first reported the deal.

The person spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the deal had not been finalized. The extension will start in the 2012-13 season, when Rose is eligible to make about $16 million. The Bulls scheduled a news conference for Wednesday, though they won’t say what it is for.

“It’s something big, but I think I want to talk more about it (Wednesday), with my family and everybody being there,” the star point guard said after the Bulls’ preseason victory over Indiana on Tuesday night. “But it’s definitely something big.”

And, teammates say, it was well-earned.

“We’re all very excited for him,” Carlos Boozer said. “He deserves it. He puts in a lot of effort. I wish the contract was for 10 years.”

The chance to join Rose in the backcourt was a big draw for Richard Hamilton. The veteran shooting guard signed with the Bulls last week after being bought out by the Detroit Pistons, and so far, he likes what he sees.

“He works hard,” Hamilton said. “He’s young. He’s 23 years old and the way he plays on the floor is the way he practices. In order to be great in this league, you just can’t turn it on (during) games. He really has a great work ethic.”

The deal is more of a formality than a surprise. Rose and general manager Gar Forman had indicated it would get done, and it was not hard to see why they wanted to stay together.

The Chicago product went from Rookie of the Year to All-Star to MVP in his first three seasons, becoming the youngest player to win that award. About the only thing he doesn’t have is a championship ring, and that’s what weighs on him as he enters his fourth season—not the money.

“I think I live a humble life,” Rose said. “Of course, I know I’ll be able to afford whatever I want, but other than that, there aren’t too many things that excite me. Me winning is one of the things. Me being around my family, that’s another. Money, that’s the last thing I think about.”

The Bulls came close to winning it all last season, winning a league-high 62 games and advancing all the way to the Eastern Conference finals before losing to the Miami Heat.

Now, they’re looking for more.

Rose has repeatedly pointed the finger at himself for the Bulls coming up short against the Heat in the playoffs. He worked on his inside game in the offseason after expanding his shooting range in previous years, but it’s hard to imagine him accomplishing much more than he did last season.

Rose delivered one of the best seasons by a point guard. He also joined Michael Jordan as the only Bulls players to win the MVP award.

The South Side product established himself as one of the league’s best players, averaging 25 points and 7.7 assists while leading Chicago to its best season since the championship era with Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

For Rose, the contract extension is just another milestone in a rapid rise from the city’s rough Englewood neighborhood to a starring role with the Bulls.

He helped Simeon Career Academy become the first Chicago Public League team to win back-to-back state championships, then led Memphis to the NCAA championship game before the Bulls drafted him with the No. 1 pick in 2008 after defying long odds to win the lottery.

“The Bulls are loyal,” Rose said. “They’ve stayed loyal with me, showed that they trusted me by picking me to come here. I just feel blessed, and I’m just happy that I’m here.”

Bulls’ Rose agrees to extension

It seemed like something out of a movie script the moment the Chicago Bulls took Derrick Rose with the No. 1 pick in the draft.

The latest twist? A maximum contract extension.

That’s just another milestone in a rapid and steady rise for the point guard from the city’s South Side to stardom with his hometown team.

The reigning NBA MVP agreed to a five-year contract extension with the Chicago Bulls worth approximately $94 million, a person familiar with the situation said.

The Chicago Tribune, citing anonymous sources, first reported the deal.

The person spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity Tuesday night because the deal had not been finalized. The extension will start in the 2012-13 season, when Rose is eligible to make about $16 million. The Bulls scheduled a news conference for Wednesday, though they won’t say what it is for.

“It’s something big, but I think I want to talk more about it (Wednesday), with my family and everybody being there,” the star point guard said after the Bulls’ preseason victory over Indiana on Tuesday night. “But it’s definitely something big.”

And, teammates say, it was well-earned.

“We’re all very excited for him,” Carlos Boozer said. “He deserves it. He puts in a lot of effort. I wish the contract was for 10 years.”

The chance to join Rose in the backcourt was a big draw for Richard Hamilton. The veteran shooting guard signed with the Bulls last week after being bought out by the Detroit Pistons, and so far, he likes what he sees.

“He works hard,” Hamilton said. “He’s young. He’s 23 years old and the way he plays on the floor is the way he practices. In order to be great in this league, you just can’t turn it on (during) games. He really has a great work ethic.”

The deal is more of a formality than a surprise. Rose and general manager Gar Forman had indicated it would get done, and it was not hard to see why they wanted to stay together.

The Chicago product went from Rookie of the Year to All-Star to MVP in his first three seasons, becoming the youngest player to win that award. About the only thing he doesn’t have is a championship ring, and that’s what weighs on him as he enters his fourth season—not the money.

“I think I live a humble life,” Rose said. “Of course, I know I’ll be able to afford whatever I want, but other than that, there aren’t too many things that excite me. Me winning is one of the things. Me being around my family, that’s another. Money, that’s the last thing I think about.”

The Bulls came close to winning it all last season, winning a league-high 62 games and advancing all the way to the Eastern Conference finals before losing to the Miami Heat.

Now, they’re looking for more.

Rose has repeatedly pointed the finger at himself for the Bulls coming up short against the Heat in the playoffs. He worked on his inside game in the offseason after expanding his shooting range in previous years, but it’s hard to imagine him accomplishing much more than he did last season.

Rose delivered one of the best seasons by a point guard. He also joined Michael Jordan as the only Bulls players to win the MVP award.

The South Side product established himself as one of the league’s best players, averaging 25 points and 7.7 assists while leading Chicago to its best season since the championship era with Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

For Rose, the contract extension is just another milestone in a rapid rise from the city’s rough Englewood neighborhood to a starring role with the Bulls.

He helped Simeon Career Academy become the first Chicago Public League team to win back-to-back state championships, then led Memphis to the NCAA championship game before the Bulls drafted him with the No. 1 pick in 2008 after defying long odds to win the lottery.

“The Bulls are loyal,” Rose said. “They’ve stayed loyal with me, showed that they trusted me by picking me to come here. I just feel blessed, and I’m just happy that I’m here.”

BD Vs PK

Bangladesh play good but cant win the game......................

BD Vs PK

Bangladesh play good but cant win the game......................

BD Vs PK

Bangladesh play good but cant win the game......................

Honey Badger

Tyrann Mathieu turned in an MVP performance when the No. 1 Tigers needed him most. He ran back a punt 62 yards for a touchdown, set up another score with a fumble recovery and finally finished off No. 12 Georgia with his best play yet— a whirling dervish of a return that led to the decisive TD in a 42-10 victory in the Southeastern Conference title game Saturday.

LSU (13-0) advanced to a spot in the BCS championship game in New Orleans, just 75 miles from its Baton Rouge campus. The Tigers opponent will be announced Sunday night, but SEC West rival and No. 2 Alabama—already beaten by the Tigers 9-6 in overtime a month ago—had the inside track even though it didn’t win its division.

The Crimson Tide will have to deal with a fearless sophomore who has the country’s best nickname, and is an even better player.

“Last night, I envisioned me having three touchdowns,” Mathieu said. “I think I came close to that. It comes down to me trying to do what I can for my team.”

His moniker stems from a humorous YouTube video that supposedly depicts the world’s fiercest animal (“Honey Badger don’t care, he just takes what he wants,” the narrator says). Defensive coordinator John Chavis showed the 5-foot-9, 175-pound player the clip on the way back from a victory at West Virginia, believing it fit Mathieu perfectly.

No argument there.

“My teammates love the name, and I think it depicts me on the field,” Mathieu said. “I just go with it. My teammates do a great job having my back. Anything I can do to help those guys, lift their spirits, I’ll do it. I think the Honey Badger does that sometimes.”

The Bulldogs (10-3) raced to a 10-0 lead that could’ve been even bigger if they hadn’t dropped a pair of potential touchdown passes in the first quarter. LSU looked downright awful on offense, going three-and-out on all seven of its possessions before halftime.

The Tigers didn’t even have one first down, finishing the half with just 12 total yards.

But, thanks to Mathieu, the deficit was only 10-7 when the teams went to the locker room. He fielded a punt at his own 38, found an opening and was gone— all the way to the end zone for his second punt return for a touchdown in as many weeks. He had a 92-yarder that sparked a win over Arkansas.

Well, almost to the end zone. A replay showed Mathieu flipped the ball to an official just before he crossed the goal line, but no one on the field caught the blunder.

“I’ll have to remember not to do that next time,” he said with a smile.

That was long forgotten by the time he was done. On Georgia’s first possession of the second half, quarterback Aaron Murray tried to scramble for a first down but had the ball knocked loose just before he hit the turf.

Mathieu was there to fall on it at the Bulldogs 26 for his fifth fumble recovery of the season.

LSU quickly seized its first lead. The Tigers finally picked up a first down before freshman Kenny Hilliard broke off a 15-yard run for the first of his three touchdowns. Normally, that would’ve been more than enough to win the game’s MVP award. Not even close on this day.

Mathieu dropped back to receive another punt. About the only thing the Bulldogs managed to do was keep him out of the end zone. He cradled the ball, took off down the center of the field, cut back to his left, stutter-stepped and turned on a burst of speed, basically came to a stop around the Georgia 30, then took off again and was finally dragged down at the 17.

He avoided or broke away from at least eight of the 11 red-clad guys trying to bring him down, a Heisman-worthy play that should be enough to at least get him to New York for the banquet—if not earn serious consideration for the award as the nation’s top player. Certainly, no defensive player has come up with more game-changing plays.

“As the conference champion in the SEC and being one of the key players on that team, I think he needs real consideration,” coach Les Miles said. “He’s a special player. He has a special place.”

Georgia would certainly be willing to send a letter of recommendation. Mathieu essentially ruined any chance of the Bulldogs—a 13 1/2-point underdog — pulling off an upset that would’ve shaken up the race for No. 1.

“I enjoy watching him play football except when he plays against us.” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “You appreciate the way he plays. There’s just something about him. He finds a way to do something special just about every game. He did it again today.”

Mathieu has scored four touchdowns this season—two on returns, two more from his cornerback spot. He’s forced six fumbles. He’s picked off two passes. He the leading tackler on one of the nation’s top defenses.

“I respect him a lot, especially with me being a return guy,” Georgia’s Brandon Boykin said. “That turned the momentum of the game.”

LSU took control with a 21-point third quarter, coming back from a double-digit deficit for the second week in a row and leaving little doubt that it’s the best team in country heading into bowl season. The only other unbeaten team, Houston, was blown out in the Conference USA championship game Saturday. All the other top teams have at least one loss.

The Tigers have knocked off five teams in The Associated Press’ current Top 25—including three of the top eight. They’ll still have to win one more game to claim the BCS title, but they could still be voted No. 1 in the final AP poll, no matter what happens Jan. 9 in the Big Easy.

Miles, as least for public consumption, said he looks forward to a rematch with the Tide, a game that will ensure the SEC of its sixth straight national champion.

“I would certainly understand if college football decides it should be two SEC teams playing for the national championship,” he said. “It’s a very special conference with very special teams.”

SEC East champion Georgia came into the game on a 10-game winning streak, and the Bulldogs showed no fear of LSU in the early going. Murray connected with Tavarres King on a 44-yard pass and could’ve had a TD when a pass across the middle went through King’s hands. They settled for Blair Walsh’s 40-yard field goal.

Knowing he would have to throw caution to the wind, Richt called an onside kick that worked the perfection. Walsh bounced the ball off the turf and high into the air. Alec Ogletree soared in to grab it beyond the necessary 10 yards, giving the Bulldogs another possession.

They should’ve scored a touchdown. Instead, they wound up with nothing. Freshman Malcolm Mitchell dropped a pass right in his hands at the LSU 5 with no one around, and Walsh missed a 45-yard try.

But LSU couldn’t do anything with the ball. The Tigers’ longest play in the first half was 9 yards. Eleven of their 21 plays went for zero or negative yards. Outside of Mathieu, punter Brad Wing was LSU’s best weapon, averaging 54.1 yards on his first seven punts.

Both offenses stalled in the second quarter, managing a grand total of 2 yards—1 for each team. Georgia went to the locker room with a commanding 135-12 lead in total yards, but certainly a sense it had missed its chance to put away an LSU team that had outscored No. 6 Arkansas 41-3 after falling into an early 14-0 hole.

Hilliard scored on a 4-yard run after Mathieu’s second long return to make it 21-10, essentially enough to finish off the Bulldogs, but the freshman runner then hauled in an 8-yard touchdown pass for good measure.

The Tigers romped in the final period. Alfred Blue broke off a 48-yard touchdown run and Morris Claiborne returned an interception 45 yards for the final score. LSU won even though Jordan Jefferson completed only five passes and the offense totaled a mere 237 yards.

Murray had a miserable day, completing just 16 of 40 for 163 yards with two interceptions. Georgia’s running game was non-existent with Isaiah Crowell hobbling on a sore ankle. The freshman had only 15 yards on 10 carries.

The Bulldogs will likely settle for a trip to the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla.

Mathieu has a bigger goal in mind.

He doesn’t care what it takes to get there.

Honey Badger

Tyrann Mathieu turned in an MVP performance when the No. 1 Tigers needed him most. He ran back a punt 62 yards for a touchdown, set up another score with a fumble recovery and finally finished off No. 12 Georgia with his best play yet— a whirling dervish of a return that led to the decisive TD in a 42-10 victory in the Southeastern Conference title game Saturday.

LSU (13-0) advanced to a spot in the BCS championship game in New Orleans, just 75 miles from its Baton Rouge campus. The Tigers opponent will be announced Sunday night, but SEC West rival and No. 2 Alabama—already beaten by the Tigers 9-6 in overtime a month ago—had the inside track even though it didn’t win its division.

The Crimson Tide will have to deal with a fearless sophomore who has the country’s best nickname, and is an even better player.

“Last night, I envisioned me having three touchdowns,” Mathieu said. “I think I came close to that. It comes down to me trying to do what I can for my team.”

His moniker stems from a humorous YouTube video that supposedly depicts the world’s fiercest animal (“Honey Badger don’t care, he just takes what he wants,” the narrator says). Defensive coordinator John Chavis showed the 5-foot-9, 175-pound player the clip on the way back from a victory at West Virginia, believing it fit Mathieu perfectly.

No argument there.

“My teammates love the name, and I think it depicts me on the field,” Mathieu said. “I just go with it. My teammates do a great job having my back. Anything I can do to help those guys, lift their spirits, I’ll do it. I think the Honey Badger does that sometimes.”

The Bulldogs (10-3) raced to a 10-0 lead that could’ve been even bigger if they hadn’t dropped a pair of potential touchdown passes in the first quarter. LSU looked downright awful on offense, going three-and-out on all seven of its possessions before halftime.

The Tigers didn’t even have one first down, finishing the half with just 12 total yards.

But, thanks to Mathieu, the deficit was only 10-7 when the teams went to the locker room. He fielded a punt at his own 38, found an opening and was gone— all the way to the end zone for his second punt return for a touchdown in as many weeks. He had a 92-yarder that sparked a win over Arkansas.

Well, almost to the end zone. A replay showed Mathieu flipped the ball to an official just before he crossed the goal line, but no one on the field caught the blunder.

“I’ll have to remember not to do that next time,” he said with a smile.

That was long forgotten by the time he was done. On Georgia’s first possession of the second half, quarterback Aaron Murray tried to scramble for a first down but had the ball knocked loose just before he hit the turf.

Mathieu was there to fall on it at the Bulldogs 26 for his fifth fumble recovery of the season.

LSU quickly seized its first lead. The Tigers finally picked up a first down before freshman Kenny Hilliard broke off a 15-yard run for the first of his three touchdowns. Normally, that would’ve been more than enough to win the game’s MVP award. Not even close on this day.

Mathieu dropped back to receive another punt. About the only thing the Bulldogs managed to do was keep him out of the end zone. He cradled the ball, took off down the center of the field, cut back to his left, stutter-stepped and turned on a burst of speed, basically came to a stop around the Georgia 30, then took off again and was finally dragged down at the 17.

He avoided or broke away from at least eight of the 11 red-clad guys trying to bring him down, a Heisman-worthy play that should be enough to at least get him to New York for the banquet—if not earn serious consideration for the award as the nation’s top player. Certainly, no defensive player has come up with more game-changing plays.

“As the conference champion in the SEC and being one of the key players on that team, I think he needs real consideration,” coach Les Miles said. “He’s a special player. He has a special place.”

Georgia would certainly be willing to send a letter of recommendation. Mathieu essentially ruined any chance of the Bulldogs—a 13 1/2-point underdog — pulling off an upset that would’ve shaken up the race for No. 1.

“I enjoy watching him play football except when he plays against us.” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “You appreciate the way he plays. There’s just something about him. He finds a way to do something special just about every game. He did it again today.”

Mathieu has scored four touchdowns this season—two on returns, two more from his cornerback spot. He’s forced six fumbles. He’s picked off two passes. He the leading tackler on one of the nation’s top defenses.

“I respect him a lot, especially with me being a return guy,” Georgia’s Brandon Boykin said. “That turned the momentum of the game.”

LSU took control with a 21-point third quarter, coming back from a double-digit deficit for the second week in a row and leaving little doubt that it’s the best team in country heading into bowl season. The only other unbeaten team, Houston, was blown out in the Conference USA championship game Saturday. All the other top teams have at least one loss.

The Tigers have knocked off five teams in The Associated Press’ current Top 25—including three of the top eight. They’ll still have to win one more game to claim the BCS title, but they could still be voted No. 1 in the final AP poll, no matter what happens Jan. 9 in the Big Easy.

Miles, as least for public consumption, said he looks forward to a rematch with the Tide, a game that will ensure the SEC of its sixth straight national champion.

“I would certainly understand if college football decides it should be two SEC teams playing for the national championship,” he said. “It’s a very special conference with very special teams.”

SEC East champion Georgia came into the game on a 10-game winning streak, and the Bulldogs showed no fear of LSU in the early going. Murray connected with Tavarres King on a 44-yard pass and could’ve had a TD when a pass across the middle went through King’s hands. They settled for Blair Walsh’s 40-yard field goal.

Knowing he would have to throw caution to the wind, Richt called an onside kick that worked the perfection. Walsh bounced the ball off the turf and high into the air. Alec Ogletree soared in to grab it beyond the necessary 10 yards, giving the Bulldogs another possession.

They should’ve scored a touchdown. Instead, they wound up with nothing. Freshman Malcolm Mitchell dropped a pass right in his hands at the LSU 5 with no one around, and Walsh missed a 45-yard try.

But LSU couldn’t do anything with the ball. The Tigers’ longest play in the first half was 9 yards. Eleven of their 21 plays went for zero or negative yards. Outside of Mathieu, punter Brad Wing was LSU’s best weapon, averaging 54.1 yards on his first seven punts.

Both offenses stalled in the second quarter, managing a grand total of 2 yards—1 for each team. Georgia went to the locker room with a commanding 135-12 lead in total yards, but certainly a sense it had missed its chance to put away an LSU team that had outscored No. 6 Arkansas 41-3 after falling into an early 14-0 hole.

Hilliard scored on a 4-yard run after Mathieu’s second long return to make it 21-10, essentially enough to finish off the Bulldogs, but the freshman runner then hauled in an 8-yard touchdown pass for good measure.

The Tigers romped in the final period. Alfred Blue broke off a 48-yard touchdown run and Morris Claiborne returned an interception 45 yards for the final score. LSU won even though Jordan Jefferson completed only five passes and the offense totaled a mere 237 yards.

Murray had a miserable day, completing just 16 of 40 for 163 yards with two interceptions. Georgia’s running game was non-existent with Isaiah Crowell hobbling on a sore ankle. The freshman had only 15 yards on 10 carries.

The Bulldogs will likely settle for a trip to the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla.

Mathieu has a bigger goal in mind.

He doesn’t care what it takes to get there.

Honey Badger

Tyrann Mathieu turned in an MVP performance when the No. 1 Tigers needed him most. He ran back a punt 62 yards for a touchdown, set up another score with a fumble recovery and finally finished off No. 12 Georgia with his best play yet— a whirling dervish of a return that led to the decisive TD in a 42-10 victory in the Southeastern Conference title game Saturday.

LSU (13-0) advanced to a spot in the BCS championship game in New Orleans, just 75 miles from its Baton Rouge campus. The Tigers opponent will be announced Sunday night, but SEC West rival and No. 2 Alabama—already beaten by the Tigers 9-6 in overtime a month ago—had the inside track even though it didn’t win its division.

The Crimson Tide will have to deal with a fearless sophomore who has the country’s best nickname, and is an even better player.

“Last night, I envisioned me having three touchdowns,” Mathieu said. “I think I came close to that. It comes down to me trying to do what I can for my team.”

His moniker stems from a humorous YouTube video that supposedly depicts the world’s fiercest animal (“Honey Badger don’t care, he just takes what he wants,” the narrator says). Defensive coordinator John Chavis showed the 5-foot-9, 175-pound player the clip on the way back from a victory at West Virginia, believing it fit Mathieu perfectly.

No argument there.

“My teammates love the name, and I think it depicts me on the field,” Mathieu said. “I just go with it. My teammates do a great job having my back. Anything I can do to help those guys, lift their spirits, I’ll do it. I think the Honey Badger does that sometimes.”

The Bulldogs (10-3) raced to a 10-0 lead that could’ve been even bigger if they hadn’t dropped a pair of potential touchdown passes in the first quarter. LSU looked downright awful on offense, going three-and-out on all seven of its possessions before halftime.

The Tigers didn’t even have one first down, finishing the half with just 12 total yards.

But, thanks to Mathieu, the deficit was only 10-7 when the teams went to the locker room. He fielded a punt at his own 38, found an opening and was gone— all the way to the end zone for his second punt return for a touchdown in as many weeks. He had a 92-yarder that sparked a win over Arkansas.

Well, almost to the end zone. A replay showed Mathieu flipped the ball to an official just before he crossed the goal line, but no one on the field caught the blunder.

“I’ll have to remember not to do that next time,” he said with a smile.

That was long forgotten by the time he was done. On Georgia’s first possession of the second half, quarterback Aaron Murray tried to scramble for a first down but had the ball knocked loose just before he hit the turf.

Mathieu was there to fall on it at the Bulldogs 26 for his fifth fumble recovery of the season.

LSU quickly seized its first lead. The Tigers finally picked up a first down before freshman Kenny Hilliard broke off a 15-yard run for the first of his three touchdowns. Normally, that would’ve been more than enough to win the game’s MVP award. Not even close on this day.

Mathieu dropped back to receive another punt. About the only thing the Bulldogs managed to do was keep him out of the end zone. He cradled the ball, took off down the center of the field, cut back to his left, stutter-stepped and turned on a burst of speed, basically came to a stop around the Georgia 30, then took off again and was finally dragged down at the 17.

He avoided or broke away from at least eight of the 11 red-clad guys trying to bring him down, a Heisman-worthy play that should be enough to at least get him to New York for the banquet—if not earn serious consideration for the award as the nation’s top player. Certainly, no defensive player has come up with more game-changing plays.

“As the conference champion in the SEC and being one of the key players on that team, I think he needs real consideration,” coach Les Miles said. “He’s a special player. He has a special place.”

Georgia would certainly be willing to send a letter of recommendation. Mathieu essentially ruined any chance of the Bulldogs—a 13 1/2-point underdog — pulling off an upset that would’ve shaken up the race for No. 1.

“I enjoy watching him play football except when he plays against us.” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “You appreciate the way he plays. There’s just something about him. He finds a way to do something special just about every game. He did it again today.”

Mathieu has scored four touchdowns this season—two on returns, two more from his cornerback spot. He’s forced six fumbles. He’s picked off two passes. He the leading tackler on one of the nation’s top defenses.

“I respect him a lot, especially with me being a return guy,” Georgia’s Brandon Boykin said. “That turned the momentum of the game.”

LSU took control with a 21-point third quarter, coming back from a double-digit deficit for the second week in a row and leaving little doubt that it’s the best team in country heading into bowl season. The only other unbeaten team, Houston, was blown out in the Conference USA championship game Saturday. All the other top teams have at least one loss.

The Tigers have knocked off five teams in The Associated Press’ current Top 25—including three of the top eight. They’ll still have to win one more game to claim the BCS title, but they could still be voted No. 1 in the final AP poll, no matter what happens Jan. 9 in the Big Easy.

Miles, as least for public consumption, said he looks forward to a rematch with the Tide, a game that will ensure the SEC of its sixth straight national champion.

“I would certainly understand if college football decides it should be two SEC teams playing for the national championship,” he said. “It’s a very special conference with very special teams.”

SEC East champion Georgia came into the game on a 10-game winning streak, and the Bulldogs showed no fear of LSU in the early going. Murray connected with Tavarres King on a 44-yard pass and could’ve had a TD when a pass across the middle went through King’s hands. They settled for Blair Walsh’s 40-yard field goal.

Knowing he would have to throw caution to the wind, Richt called an onside kick that worked the perfection. Walsh bounced the ball off the turf and high into the air. Alec Ogletree soared in to grab it beyond the necessary 10 yards, giving the Bulldogs another possession.

They should’ve scored a touchdown. Instead, they wound up with nothing. Freshman Malcolm Mitchell dropped a pass right in his hands at the LSU 5 with no one around, and Walsh missed a 45-yard try.

But LSU couldn’t do anything with the ball. The Tigers’ longest play in the first half was 9 yards. Eleven of their 21 plays went for zero or negative yards. Outside of Mathieu, punter Brad Wing was LSU’s best weapon, averaging 54.1 yards on his first seven punts.

Both offenses stalled in the second quarter, managing a grand total of 2 yards—1 for each team. Georgia went to the locker room with a commanding 135-12 lead in total yards, but certainly a sense it had missed its chance to put away an LSU team that had outscored No. 6 Arkansas 41-3 after falling into an early 14-0 hole.

Hilliard scored on a 4-yard run after Mathieu’s second long return to make it 21-10, essentially enough to finish off the Bulldogs, but the freshman runner then hauled in an 8-yard touchdown pass for good measure.

The Tigers romped in the final period. Alfred Blue broke off a 48-yard touchdown run and Morris Claiborne returned an interception 45 yards for the final score. LSU won even though Jordan Jefferson completed only five passes and the offense totaled a mere 237 yards.

Murray had a miserable day, completing just 16 of 40 for 163 yards with two interceptions. Georgia’s running game was non-existent with Isaiah Crowell hobbling on a sore ankle. The freshman had only 15 yards on 10 carries.

The Bulldogs will likely settle for a trip to the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Fla.

Mathieu has a bigger goal in mind.

He doesn’t care what it takes to get there.

Talks resume toward ending NBA lockout

Talks aimed at ending the NBA lockout have resumed, two people with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday, with a quick settlement necessary to start the season by Christmas.

The discussions began quietly Tuesday and are expected to continue through the Thanksgiving holiday, the people told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the talks were supposed to remain confidential.

The talks between representatives of the owners and players are now centered on settling their lawsuits: The players filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league in Minnesota and the league filed a pre-emptive suit in New York, seeking to prove the lockout was legal.

Neither side commented on the talks, first reported by Yahoo Sports, though the league said in a statement it "remains in favor of a negotiated resolution" to the lockout.

The news revived the hopes of saving the Christmas slate, when the league schedules some marquee matchups to kick off its national TV package. The NBA finals rematch between Dallas and Miami was to headline three games this season.

The league had wanted to open a 72-game schedule on Dec. 15, pushing the start of the playoffs and finals back a week, if players had agreed to the last offer. But players rejected the owners' most recent proposal on Nov. 14, announcing instead they were disbanding the union to pave the way to sue the league.

The plan now would be for 66 games if a resolution comes soon. The league played a 50-game schedule in 1998-99 during its last lockout, when a deal didn't come until January, so there's still hope of some games this season even if it doesn't include Christmas.

Commissioner David Stern has said it would take about 30 days from an agreement to the start of the regular season.

David Boies, one of the attorneys representing the players, has repeatedly said he hoped the league would be compelled to settle rather than risk a potentially lengthy trial that could end with players being awarded about $6 billion in damages.

Because the union disbanded, it cannot negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, but the settlement talks could lead to that. The CBA can only be completed once the union has reformed.

When talks broke down, the sides were still divided over the division of revenues and certain changes sought by owners to curb spending by big-market teams that players felt would limit or restrict their options in free agency. Owners are insistent on a 50-50 split of basketball-related income. Union officials indicated they could be open to that, even though they were guaranteed 57 percent in the old CBA, but only if the league conceded on some of the "system" issues.

With the union no longer representing the players, it was unclear who was involved in the new round of talks. NBPA executive director Billy Hunter is officially part of the players' legal team so he's able to take part in the talks, though his participation in negotiations could strengthen the league's contention that the disclaimer strategy was a "sham" and the union hadn't really gone anywhere.

Talks resume toward ending NBA lockout

Talks aimed at ending the NBA lockout have resumed, two people with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday, with a quick settlement necessary to start the season by Christmas.

The discussions began quietly Tuesday and are expected to continue through the Thanksgiving holiday, the people told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the talks were supposed to remain confidential.

The talks between representatives of the owners and players are now centered on settling their lawsuits: The players filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league in Minnesota and the league filed a pre-emptive suit in New York, seeking to prove the lockout was legal.

Neither side commented on the talks, first reported by Yahoo Sports, though the league said in a statement it "remains in favor of a negotiated resolution" to the lockout.

The news revived the hopes of saving the Christmas slate, when the league schedules some marquee matchups to kick off its national TV package. The NBA finals rematch between Dallas and Miami was to headline three games this season.

The league had wanted to open a 72-game schedule on Dec. 15, pushing the start of the playoffs and finals back a week, if players had agreed to the last offer. But players rejected the owners' most recent proposal on Nov. 14, announcing instead they were disbanding the union to pave the way to sue the league.

The plan now would be for 66 games if a resolution comes soon. The league played a 50-game schedule in 1998-99 during its last lockout, when a deal didn't come until January, so there's still hope of some games this season even if it doesn't include Christmas.

Commissioner David Stern has said it would take about 30 days from an agreement to the start of the regular season.

David Boies, one of the attorneys representing the players, has repeatedly said he hoped the league would be compelled to settle rather than risk a potentially lengthy trial that could end with players being awarded about $6 billion in damages.

Because the union disbanded, it cannot negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, but the settlement talks could lead to that. The CBA can only be completed once the union has reformed.

When talks broke down, the sides were still divided over the division of revenues and certain changes sought by owners to curb spending by big-market teams that players felt would limit or restrict their options in free agency. Owners are insistent on a 50-50 split of basketball-related income. Union officials indicated they could be open to that, even though they were guaranteed 57 percent in the old CBA, but only if the league conceded on some of the "system" issues.

With the union no longer representing the players, it was unclear who was involved in the new round of talks. NBPA executive director Billy Hunter is officially part of the players' legal team so he's able to take part in the talks, though his participation in negotiations could strengthen the league's contention that the disclaimer strategy was a "sham" and the union hadn't really gone anywhere.

Talks resume toward ending NBA lockout

Talks aimed at ending the NBA lockout have resumed, two people with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday, with a quick settlement necessary to start the season by Christmas.

The discussions began quietly Tuesday and are expected to continue through the Thanksgiving holiday, the people told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the talks were supposed to remain confidential.

The talks between representatives of the owners and players are now centered on settling their lawsuits: The players filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league in Minnesota and the league filed a pre-emptive suit in New York, seeking to prove the lockout was legal.

Neither side commented on the talks, first reported by Yahoo Sports, though the league said in a statement it "remains in favor of a negotiated resolution" to the lockout.

The news revived the hopes of saving the Christmas slate, when the league schedules some marquee matchups to kick off its national TV package. The NBA finals rematch between Dallas and Miami was to headline three games this season.

The league had wanted to open a 72-game schedule on Dec. 15, pushing the start of the playoffs and finals back a week, if players had agreed to the last offer. But players rejected the owners' most recent proposal on Nov. 14, announcing instead they were disbanding the union to pave the way to sue the league.

The plan now would be for 66 games if a resolution comes soon. The league played a 50-game schedule in 1998-99 during its last lockout, when a deal didn't come until January, so there's still hope of some games this season even if it doesn't include Christmas.

Commissioner David Stern has said it would take about 30 days from an agreement to the start of the regular season.

David Boies, one of the attorneys representing the players, has repeatedly said he hoped the league would be compelled to settle rather than risk a potentially lengthy trial that could end with players being awarded about $6 billion in damages.

Because the union disbanded, it cannot negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, but the settlement talks could lead to that. The CBA can only be completed once the union has reformed.

When talks broke down, the sides were still divided over the division of revenues and certain changes sought by owners to curb spending by big-market teams that players felt would limit or restrict their options in free agency. Owners are insistent on a 50-50 split of basketball-related income. Union officials indicated they could be open to that, even though they were guaranteed 57 percent in the old CBA, but only if the league conceded on some of the "system" issues.

With the union no longer representing the players, it was unclear who was involved in the new round of talks. NBPA executive director Billy Hunter is officially part of the players' legal team so he's able to take part in the talks, though his participation in negotiations could strengthen the league's contention that the disclaimer strategy was a "sham" and the union hadn't really gone anywhere.