Sizzling Sachin scripts sensational Indian win

A fabulous 163-run partnership between Sachin Tendulkar (103 runs, 196 balls, 4x9) and Yuvraj Singh (85 runs, 131 balls, 4x8, 6x1) helps India register one of its most famoust Test victories ever - the fourth most successful run-chase in Test cricket history – a fabulous six-wicket victory over England in the first Test match of the RBS Cup Series against England at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday.

Chasing an improbable target of 387 runs, the Punters had their money firmly locked on the English side; however Tendulkar’s stubborn and resilient effort defied the visitors and helped India to a memorable victory. Life has certainly come full circle for Tendulkar who failed steering India home to victory against Pakistan exactly ten years ago at the same venue in Chennai.

Sachin Tendulkar continued India's fight to record a history-defying win against England at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Monday. The highest fourth innings total to win a match in India is 276-5 by the West Indies at New Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla ground in the 1987-88 season.

India, at 304-4, were just 83 runs away from the historical accomplishment when the teams broke for tea on the fifth and final day of the first Test of the RBS Cup. Sachin Tendulkar (65 runs, 142 balls, 6x4) and Yuvraj Singh (45 runs, 68 balls, 4x4, 6x1) were unbeaten at the crease during the juncture.The first Test match in India since last month's terror attacks in Mumbai could not have provided a better finish with all four results --- victory for either side, a draw or a tie -- possible going into the final session.
Tendulkar, showing the form that has made him the all-time leading scorer in both Tests and one-day cricket, shored up India's second innings with a determined effort.

Yuvraj returns to form as India thrash England

Rajkot: Yuvraj Singh marked his return to form with a swashbuckling unbeaten 138 as India recorded its biggest victory by runs against England by spanking the hapless visitors by 158 runs in the series-opening cricket one-dayer here on Friday.
After rattling up a record total of 387 for five at home, he hosts then bundled out England for 229 in 37.4 overs in a lop-sided contest to take a 1-0 lead in the seven-match series.
India's previous best victory margin by runs against England was 86 at Sydney in 1985 and their biggest margin is 257 runs against Bermuda at Port of Spain in 2007.
Yuvraj's ninth ODI hundred spurred India to post its second-highest ODI total ever -- well behind their 413-5 against Bermuda in the 2007 World Cup but ahead of its previous home record of 376-2 against New Zealand in 1999.
Clobbered by the in-form Indian bastmen, the English attack conceded more runs than ever in one-dayers, surpassing the 353-6 against Pakistan at Karachi in 2005. India's highest previous total against England was 329-7 at Bristol in August 2007.
Yuvraj defied a troublesome back to roar back into form in great style as he plundered runs at will, belting as many as 16 boundaries and six sixes during his 78-ball massacre.
The dashing Virender Sehwag (85), Gautam Gambhir (51), Suresh Raina (43) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (39) were the other notable performers after England captain Kevin Pietersen put India in to bat on a belter of a track at the Madhavrao Scindia stadium.
England could never really recover from a disastrous start as they kept losing wickets at regular intervals with only Pietersen standing bravely amidst the ruins with a
belligerent 63 and Ravi Bopara (54 not out) hitting some lusty shots.
But with the asking rate climbing steeply, the game gradually slipped out of England's reach even before the halfway stage of the game.
The two teams will now travel to Indore for the second match to be played on Monday.
Yuvraj, batting with a belt around his waist and with Gautam Gambhir as his runner for the major part of his dazzling knock, reached his hundred off just 64 balls with 11
fours and four sixes, narrowly missing out on overhauling Mohammed Azharuddin's 62-ball century record.
The 26-year-old batsman, struggling in Ranji Trophy after a poor run in the Challenger Series prior to this tie, got to his second fifty off only 22 balls with six fours and two sixes. His effort powered India to its best-ever score at this ground, overtaking New Zealand's 349 for nine made against hosts in November 1999.

Good Day For Ind At Nagpur On Opening Day

Nagpur:There couldn't have been more perfect a beginning to international cricket at the VCA Jamtha Stadium here. Sourav Ganguly's farewell and VVS Laxman's 100th Test had already built up the stakes, before Sachin Tendulkar made it consummate with a magnificent 40th Test hundred.
India closed the opening day of the fourth and final Test against Australia on 311-5 with the retiring Sourav Ganguly batting on 27 and captain MS Dhoni four not out, after Dhoni's decision to bat first on a batting paradise nearly backfired. But Laxman's calm 64 and Tendulkar's classy 109 steadied India with their 146-run fifth wicket stand before both fell in the final session of play.
A freak two-wicket burst from debutant Jason Krejza before lunch after being hammered around the park was not enough to slow down Tendulkar, whose latest milestone became his 10th century against the Australians.
The Australians have a reputation of giving it back to their opponents on the field. Michael Clarke was helped on to his century in the previous Test in Delhi by three dropped chances. Australia returned the favour to Tendulkar through Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee, who grassed sitters when the batsman was on 85 and 96 respectively.
Australia seemed to have lost the initiative as getting rid of Tendulkar on the back of Laxman's wicket would have put on added pressure. However, Johnson's strike towards the end of day's play still keeps the game intriguingly poised.
It could have been worse for the Australians had a belligerent Virender Sehwag not thrown away his wicket for 66. The opener tore into Lee and Johnson, who went for five runs an over in their respective opening spells, which also gave a significant boost to debutant Murali Vijay at the other end.

The Tamil Nadu batsman didn't quite make the impact Gautam Gambhir has throughout the course of the series, but his contribution was no less significant. Vijay made a composed 33 and added 98 runs for the first wicket with Sehwag, who sped to a half-century in 45 balls, before a sharply rising delivery from Shane Watson forced Vijay to fend it off to the wicketkeeper.
Rahul Dravid's increasing hesitance at the beginning of his innings is a worrying sign for the Indians. His dip in form has been significant over the last two years, and his uncomfortable lunge to drop the ball down off Krejza only managed to creep up to his glove, and an easy catch to Simon Katich gave the off-spinner his maiden wicket in Test cricket.
But Sehwag was in no mood to step off the gas. He continued to treat the spinner as a practice bowler, but the easy runs made him complacent as he went for a cut too close to his body to drag the ball back onto his stumps.
As has been a trend all through this Border-Gavaskar series, Tendulkar and Laxman were again up to the task to not let the situation spiral out of hand. They forged a dogged 61-run stand on a wearing fifth day wicket in Bangalore, and joined hands to add 52 to put the third Test in Delhi beyond Australia's reach. They were at it again, with Tendulkar shedding caution for daredevilry, while Laxman remained at ease with the bowlers, particularly Johnson, keeping it wide of the stumps.
Figures of 3-138 with an economy rate of a shade under five doesn't quite reflect on the impact Jason Krejza had on the opening day. Not only with wickets, Krejza seemed to have benefited from Bishan Bedi's briefing in Delhi, as he gave the ball significant loop which got him appreciable purchase in terms of turn and bounce.
However, Krejza's exploits also give inkling on the pitch, which assisted spin on day one and is bound to keep Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra interested.

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"It's a long road to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and it runs right through the heart of Pennsylvania," she told supporters in Philadelphia.
"I'm in this race to fight for you ... You know you can count on me to stand up strong for you every single day in the White House."
Clinton commended Obama and his campaign, saying they are in many ways "on this journey together

Tuesday's projected victory follows Clinton's wins in other big states such as Ohio, New York and California.

A pioneer walks into the sunset

October 1996 - Makes his ODI debut at the age of 24. Scores 18 batting at No. 7 and grabs two catches in the loss to South Africa in Faridabad.
April 1997 - Replaces the struggling captain Mark Taylor as a specialist batsman during the ODI tour of South Africa. Shows the first glimpse at international level of his batting potential, striking 77 from 88 balls in Durban.
January 1998 - Is promoted by Steve Waugh to open the batting in the one-day team, and in just his second match in the new role strikes 100 from 104 deliveries to guide Australia to a comfortable win over South Africa at the SCG.
February 1999 - Cracks 154 from 129 deliveries in an ODI against Sri Lanka in Melbourne. It was at the time the highest score by an Australian in a one-day international.
November 1999 - Makes his Test debut at the Gabba, the home ground of his predecessor Ian Healy. Wins over the crowd with 81 from 88 balls, as well as five catches and a stumping. His first dismissal is Mohammad Wasim, caught off Damien Fleming.
November 1999 - In only his second Test he is part of one of the most remarkable come-from-behind Test victories. At Bellerive Oval, Australia fall to 5 for 126 chasing 369 to beat Pakistan, when Gilchrist and Justin Langer combine for a 238-run stand to win the match. Gilchrist's contribution is 149 not out from 163 balls.
April 2000 - Collects five dismissals in a Test innings for the first time, then follows with another five in the second innings. His ten catches against New Zealand in Hamilton make him one of only three men - and the only Australian - to pouch at least ten chances in a Test.
December 2000 - Is handed the captaincy in just his 12th Test after Steve Waugh is ruled out through injury. Leads Australia to a five-wicket win against West Indies in Adelaide.
February 2001 - Turns another match on its head with Australia at 5 for 99 against India in Mumbai. Gilchrist's 122 from 112 balls - the second fifty took 29 deliveries - helps set up a ten-wicket win.
August 2001 - Stumps Darren Gough off Shane Warne at the Oval to register his 100th Test dismissal, in his 22nd match.
February 2002 - Posts his highest Test score as Australia maul South Africa by an innings and 360 runs in Johannesburg. Gilchrist's unbeaten 204 comes at almost a run a ball and features eight sixes, and Wisden says: "Gilchrist was playing with them like a cat keeping a half-dead mouse alive for entertainment". Belts another century in Cape Town and finishes the series with 473 runs at 157.66.
October 2003 - Becomes the third Australian wicketkeeper to reach 200 Test dismissals. Achieves the milestone by catching Tatenda Taibu off Brad Hogg at the SCG.
January 2004 - Hammers 172 from 126 balls against Zimbabwe in a one-dayer at Bellerive Oval. It remains his highest ODI score.
March 2004 - Helps Australia recover from what appears a losing position to beat Sri Lanka in Kandy. Bats at No. 3 in the second innings - Australia made 120 in their first - and puts on a 200 partnership with Damien Martyn. Gilchrist makes 144 and Australia win by 27 runs.
October 2004 - Captains Australia to their first series win in India for 35 years, guiding them through their first three Tests as they take an unassailable 2-0 lead.
January 2005 - Belts Pakistan into oblivion once again, hammering a century from 109 balls in Sydney. Gilchrist brings up the milestone with a straight six off Shahid Afridi and finishes with 113.
February 2005 - Creates the only wicket that Glenn McGrath ever wanted to disown, by stumping Craig McMillan while standing up to the stumps to McGrath in an ODI in Wellington. It was the first stumping off McGrath in any senior match, and it came from a delivery timed at 136kph.
March 2005 - Hammers 162 from 146 balls against New Zealand in Wellington. It is his third century in consecutive innings, making him the first Australian batsman since Don Bradman in 1947-48 to achieve the feat.
July-September 2005 - Australia lose the Ashes in England and Gilchrist has a poor tour, with only 19 victims from the five Tests. He later singles out the Old Trafford Test as the lowest point. He drops Michael Vaughan on 41 - he went on to make 166 - and misses two simple stumping chances off Shane Warne.
August 2005 - Collects his 300th Test dismissal when he catches Ian Bell off Shaun Tait at Trent Bridge.
October 2005 - Makes a mockery of the ICC World XI with 103 from 79 balls at Melbourne's Docklands Stadium. Achieves the feat against an attack boasting Muttiah Muralitharan, Daniel Vettori, Shaun Pollock, Andrew Flintoff and Shoaib Akhtar. Gilchrist is eventually dismissed by Virender Sehwag.
April 2006 - Saves Australia from potential embarrassment against Bangladesh in Fatullah. After Bangladesh make 427, Australia stumble to 6 for 93. Gilchrist combines with the bowlers beautifully, and manages 144 to get his team back in the match. The bowlers and Ricky Ponting secure the win.
November 2006 - Passes Rod Marsh's mark of 355 Test victims when he catches Paul Collingwood off Stuart Clark in the opening Ashes Test at the Gabba.
December 2006 - Destroys England with the second-fastest Test century in history, taking 57 balls and falling one delivery short of Viv Richards' record. Achieves the feat at his home ground at the WACA and thrills the crowd as he bashes his second fifty in 17 balls. Deals with Monty Panesar especially harshly, taking 24 from one memorable over.
January 2007 - Equals his personal best of five dismissals in an innings. Finishes the Test against England at the SCG with nine victims as he helps secure Australia's Ashes whitewash.
April 2007 - In a breathtaking innings of clean hitting and bravado, strikes 149 from 104 deliveries in the World Cup final as Australia beat Sri Lanka in Bridgetown. Is named Man of the Match and later reveals part of his success was due to using a squash ball inside his glove.
November 2007 - Becomes the first man to strike 100 sixes in Test cricket, when he slog-sweeps Muttiah Muralitharan out of Bellerive Oval. The ball disappears and after numerous pleas for its return it is tracked down to Melbourne and given back to Gilchrist.
December 2007 - Takes a regulation outside edge from Wasim Jaffer off Brett Lee to register his 396th Test victim. The catch at the MCG moves him past Ian Healy to become Australia's leading wicketkeeper in terms of dismissals.
January 2008 - Becomes the second wicketkeeper to reach 400 Test dismissals when he catches MS Dhoni off Brett Lee in Sydney.
January 25, 2008 - Takes a regulation outside edge to remove Anil Kumble off Mitchell Johnson's bowling in Adelaide. The catch takes Gilchrist to 414 Test victims and he passes Mark Boucher to become the world-record holder for most wicketkeeping dismissals. He achieves the milestone in his 96th Test.
January 26, 2008 - Announces his retirement from all forms of cricket, effective from the end of the CB Series.
February 15, 2008 - Gilchrist scores 118 against Sri Lanka, his 16th and last ODI hundred as he bids farewell to the WACA.
February 29, 2008 - Blitzes 83 off 50 balls in his last appearance at the MCG, but his knock proves to be in vain as Australia succumb to a 13-run loss.
March 4, 2008 - Gilchrist bows out quietly when he scores just two runs in Australia's nine-run loss to India in the second final of the CB Series at the Gabba.

Quiet end to Gilchrist's long-lasting career

March 4, 2008

Adam Gilchrist's final international batting performance was so short, the supporters who were a minute late returning from dinner missed it. Instead of going out with a bang, Gilchrist disappeared in three balls and the closest he got to an explosion was when he was crowded by photographers as he tried to exit the field.
Australia's nine-run loss in the second CB Series final marked Gilchrist's retirement at the age of 36. He contributed 2 before playing back and edging Praveen Kumar, finishing with 9619 runs in 287 one-day internationals. During a quiet game by his ultra-high standards, he did not add to his 472 dismissals.
As the Indians celebrated their 2-0 success, Gilchrist hosted a party in the dressing room for family and friends to mark the end. "To the team and all the support staff, it's been a magic ride," he said. "It's not a fairytale ending tonight, but it's been a fairytale career. To be involved with you guys is something I'll hold dear in my heart for the rest of my life."
Ricky Ponting was disappointed the side was unable to send Gilchrist off with a victory. "It's a really sad day as the day has come that I've played my last game with Gilly," he said. "That's a pretty sad moment, especially when it's a losing game as well. We've had so many good memories over the years and shared some amazing times."
With 322 runs in the series, Gilchrist was Australia's best-performed batsman and he left the spectators in Sydney and Melbourne, where he scored half-centuries, with lasting memories. In Perth his home fans were rewarded with an unforgettable 118 against Sri Lanka and it was the highlight of his final one-day campaign.
Gilchrist averaged 32.20 and operated at a strike-rate of 98.17, numbers which hovered near his career returns. Australia will miss his output even more following a summer of inconsistent batting performances and their life without him will begin either in Pakistan at the end of this month or the West Indies in May.
The loss of Brad Hogg, who took 156 wickets in 123 games, will also be significant even though he wasn't used in Brisbane. His final day with the squad was spent running drinks and supplying a pair of shoes for Brett Lee after four fast bowlers were preferred.

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Obama sweeps 3 states, gains against Clinton

Washington: Barack Obama swept Democratic presidential contests in three US states on Saturday, striking the latest blows in a bruising back-and-forth battle with Hillary Clinton for the party's nomination.
Obama cruised to decisive wins in Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington to gain momentum in a deadlocked, state-by-state fight with Clinton where every delegate to the party's summer convention has become crucial.
"Today, the voters from the West Coast to the Gulf Coast to the heart of America stood up to say yes, we can," Obama said at a party dinner in Richmond, Virginia, a state that votes on Tuesday.
"We won in Louisiana, we won in Nebraska, we won in Washington state, we won North, we won South, we won in between, and I believe that we can win Virginia on Tuesday if you're ready to stand for change," the Illinois senator said.
Among Republicans, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee easily won the presidential contest in Kansas, showing signs of life in a nominating race front-runner John McCain has nearly sewed up.
Huckabee and McCain were running close in partial returns in Louisiana and Washington, which also voted on Saturday in the Republican race to choose a candidate in November's presidential election.
Huckabee, whose campaign has been fueled by support from social and religious conservatives, captured about 60 percent of the vote in Kansas, more than double McCain's total.
"This race is far from being over," Huckabee told reporters after crushing McCain in Kansas, just two days after the Arizona senator became the all-but-certain nominee with the withdrawal of his chief rival, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.
Republican contest
Huckabee is now the only major opponent for McCain, who has rolled up more than 700 of the 1,191 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination at this summer's convention.
Texas Republican Ron Paul also remains in the race. Obama cruised to easy wins in Nebraska and Washington, doubling Clinton's tally with more than 60 percent of the vote in partial returns, and he was comfortably ahead of Clinton in Louisiana. Obama also won in the US territory of the Virgin Islands, which has three delegates to the nominating convention.
Clinton, a New York senator, and Obama, an Illinois senator, are about even in pledged delegates but well short of the 2,025 needed to win the nomination.
Democratic rules allocate delegates on a proportional basis statewide and in congressional districts, meaning even the loser in each state can win big blocks of delegates. It was not immediately clear how the delegate count would break down in the three states, where a combined 158 convention delegates were at stake.
Obama, who would be the first black US president, had been the favorite in all three contests. In Louisiana, he had been expected to benefit from a high percentage of black voters, his strongest supporters.
Exit polls showed blacks made up about half of the turnout in the state on Saturday, and Obama won four of every five of their votes. Clinton captured about 70 percent of whites, with Obama taking about one-quarter of their vote.
The contests in Nebraska and Washington were caucuses, which require voters to turn out at specific times. Obama had focused on caucus states, which play to his strength by favoring strong organizations and grass-roots enthusiasm.
In the Republican race, McCain still faces widespread opposition from conservatives unhappy with his views on immigration, tax cuts and other issues.
Huckabee's win in Kansas, one of the most reliably Republican states in the country, appeared to underscore McCain's problem. Huckabee promised at a conference of conservative activists in Washington to continue his shoestring campaign at least until McCain clinched the nomination.
"I know that I won't drop out until at least that happens and then we'll see," he told reporters, denying he was hoping to become McCain's vice-presidential running mate. Huckabee also shrugged off a call from Texas Gov.
Rick Perry, a McCain supporter, urging him to drop out. "I did not major in math, but I majored in miracles, and I still believe in them," Huckabee said at a rally at the University of Maryland in College Park.

India overcome nerves after Ishant gives the jitters

Melbourne: Exactly 10 days ago, India's humiliation in the one-off Twenty20 here signalled ominous signs for an inexperienced side, in for another month of pain. Four matches into the Commonwealth Bank Series though, India returned to the MCG, and returned the humiliation to Australia.
India's fast bowlers did a number of their own on the Aussies, but victory didn't come easy for the visitors as they stumbled and scrambled their way to 160, collecting their first win of the series by five wickets with 4.1 overs to spare.
Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (17 not out) and Rohit Sharma (39 not out) shouldered India over the line at a time when India had looked in quite a bit of a soup at 102-5, securing their first one-day win at the MCG after 21 years.
Once again, Virender Sehwag's bat fired blanks. The Delhi dasher had one boundary off an outer edge to show when Nathan Bracken wrapped him on the pads to send him back. But his opening partner Sachin Tendulkar was in no mood of an early walk back.
After Hayden's 21-ball 25, Tendulkar was the only one who batted with intent. He didn't have many boundaries to show — only three — but they came in one Brett Lee over, and they never came any better than that.
Lee, who is enjoying perhaps his season of utmost content, was steaming in at over 90mph when he ran into Tendulkar's fit of frenzy. The first was carved out through point. The second, probably the best of the lot, was met with fierce power right down the ground that went at the double the speed it was delivered, while the third was even straighter, again at frightening speed.
With runs drying up from the other end, Australia silently worked themselves back in the game. Irfan Pathan, promoted at No. 3, lasted 30 balls for his 18 when he was trapped by Mitchell Johnson, before Gambhir, centurion from the last game, played out a circumspect 43-ball 21 before losing his wicket.
Tendulkar, who had a healthy strike-rate throughout his 44 from 54 balls, too felt the pressure when he was snapped up brilliantly by Brett Lee at mid-off, before Yuvraj Singh's woes were compounded with his dismissal for three.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma chose to remain quiet, prodding and collecting whatever came their way, until cashing in on Australia's part-timers to register a win that got India back on top of the points table.
Electing to bat, Australia folded up inside 44 overs, putting up 159, after having trumped World Cup finalists Sri Lanka in the previous game. The chief architect: 19-year-old Ishant Sharma, with figures of 4-38, completed a spell that perhaps went unfinished in the rain-hit tie against the world champions in Brisbane.

U.S. candidates race against Super Tuesday clock

Democratic presidential rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama took their neck-and-neck battle to the U.S. West on Saturday while John McCain projected an air of inevitability about winning the Republican nomination ahead of crucial Super Tuesday voting.
Candidates crisscrossed the country to woo voters in the countdown toward the multi-state primaries and caucuses on Feb. 5 that will go a long way toward establishing clear front-runners in both political parties.
Campaigning in Nashville, Tennessee, McCain told supporters he did not want to appear overconfident but was "guardedly optimistic" about Tuesday's voting.
"I assume I will be the nominee of the party," he said.
McCain's chief rival for the Republican nomination, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, said he was banking on a groundswell of conservative fear at the prospect of the more moderate McCain winning the nomination that he predicted would keep him in the race beyond Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters on a flight to Minneapolis, Romney admitted he was not the front-runner three days before Tuesday's showdown but that the past two days had seen the race crystallize.
"I don't think it's going to be over on Tuesday night," Romney said. I wish it were over in my favor, I hope it's not over against me," he said.
In incomplete results on Saturday from Maine's Republican caucus, Romney led McCain by 53 percent to 22 percent.
Speaking in Birmingham, Alabama, McCain said, "We sense some good momentum and we're going to be working hard between now and Tuesday." Asked if he was concerned some conservatives oppose him, McCain said he had won Florida's primary when only registered Republicans could vote.
"Most of all I can unite the party," he said. "I'm the most electable -- any poll will show you that -- against Senator Obama and Senator Clinton."
Leading in the polls in major states to vote on Tuesday, including California, New York and New Jersey, the Arizona senator was stopping in the capitals of Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia to argue his case.
McCain was sufficiently assured of his advantage over Romney to announce he will campaign on Monday in Massachusetts.
ROMNEY AT FUNERAL
Romney detoured earlier on Saturday from the campaign trail to attend the funeral of Mormon church leader Gordon Hinckley in Salt Lake City. If elected, Romney would be the first Mormon president.
Clinton, a New York senator who would be the first female president, appeared at a rally at the California State University campus in East Los Angeles, where she was joined on stage by actors Sally Field and Ted Danson and former basketball star Magic Johnson.
"We have three days left to reach as many voters as possible," she said.
Clinton talked about how America needed a leader who was inspirational and could bring about change, a theme she often strikes to imply Obama may be inspirational but lacks experience and substance.
Obama, who would be the first black president, campaigned in Boise, Idaho, a state that traditionally votes Republican and rarely sees a Democratic candidate.
On a flight from Idaho to Minnesota, Obama told reporters Clinton had an advantage going into Tuesday's vote because she was better known. Still, "I don't think that there is any doubt that we've made some progress," he said.
"When folks know me and my record, we do well. If they don't, she's got the advantages."
NECK AND NECK
Clinton and Obama, an Illinois senator, are locked in a neck-and-neck battle to represent the Democratic Party in the November 2008 election to succeed President George W. Bush. The pair split the first four significant nominating contests, with Obama winning Iowa and South Carolina and Clinton winning New Hampshire and Nevada.
Democrats distribute delegates among candidates in proportion to their vote statewide and in individual congressional districts. Those who lose a state can still come away with a big chunk of delegates to the party's nominating convention.
As a result, neither Clinton nor Obama is likely to land a knockout punch but one could emerge with a substantial lead in delegates after Super Tuesday when 24 states hold primaries or caucuses.
In the Republican contest, 13 Super Tuesday states award all their delegates to the winner. That gives McCain an opportunity to extend his lead over Romney and win over conservatives who remain skeptical of his stance on taxes and the environment.

Up comming match schedules

1/20/2008 South Africa vs West Indies 13:30 (IST) 1st ODI SuperSport Park, Centurion (Verwoerdburg) 1/24/2008 Australia vs India 05:30 (IST) 4th Test Adelaide Oval, Adelaide - South Australia 1/25/2008 South Africa vs West Indies 18:00 (IST) 2nd ODI Newlands, Cape Town 1/27/2008 South Africa vs West Indies 13:30 (IST) 3rd ODI St George's Park, Port Elizabeth 2/1/2008 Australia vs India 14:00 (IST) One-off Twenty20 International Melbourne Cricket Grou

Resurgent India script a famous win at Perth

Perth: This is one that the Aussies won't forget in a hurry. Out to seal off the series, and also record their 17th consecutive Test win, they were undone by a charged up India to go down by 72 runs on day four of the third Test at Perth.
The home side, chasing 413 were bowled out for 340. This incidentally, is the first-ever win for any team from the sub-continent at Perth.
Twice now, India have denied Australia the record of 17 straight wins, following up on that sensational victory in Kolkata in 2001.
India scripted this fairytale comeback 'Down Under' with a some sensational bowling by their pace trio of Irfan Pathan, R.P. Singh and Ishant Sharma, which was supported well by the batsmen, all the way down the order.
Michael Clarke top scored with an elegant 81 before Anil Kumble foxed him to take India on the brink of a super win. But the Indians had to wait to attain the victory as the Aussie tail launched a counter-attack.
Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark came out with all guns blazing to share a belligerent 73-run stand. The duo gave the fielding side a scare with some lusty hits. The partnership was finally broken by Man of the Match Irfan Pathan when the left-arm seamer dismissed Clark for 32.
RP Singh dealt the final blow, cleaning up number eleven Shaun Tait for four to take India to their first ever Test win at Perth and the fifth in Australia.
Earlier, the visitors had done most of the damage in the post-lunch session as Australia lost four key wickets.
Michael Hussey, who came up with a gritty knock, was the first Aussie to fall in the post-lunch session for 46. RP Singh grabbed his first wicket in the Australian second essay when he trapped Hussey leg before.

Verse of the day

"My days have slipped by;
my plans have been ruined,
even the things dear to my heart."

-----Job 17:11 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)



Abba Father, though I know this full well that I am Your priced possession, sometimes I fall into utter despair. I feel so lost and desperate. I am sorry for having so many times offended Your infinite goodness. My spirit truly yearns to do everything that is pleasing to you. But often times my flesh fails me pushing me into nothingness stopping me from becoming all that You desire me to be. I keep falling into the same trap. I have exhausted all my possibilities for changing my situation and circumstances and have found that I am powerless to change them. But I believe that all things are possible with You. Yahweh, I believe that You have heard my groaning, my cries. I believe that I will to see Your promises of deliverance fulfilled in my life. I promise with Your grace never more to offend You in the future. Now, miserable and unworthy though I be, I approach Your throne of grace with confidence, so that I may receive mercy and find grace to help me in my time of need. I have nothing of worth to recommend of me. But I have a great High priest in Yahshua who is able to sympathize with me and who intercedes for me before You. I am calling up on You, Elohim, to rescue me. Please redeem my life from the battle of hopelessness that is against me. Please, by Your healing grace dispel all the pain and heartache I am experiencing. In the name of Yahshua, I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of my testimony. Flood my soul with Your Spirit and Love. Penetrate and possess my whole being so completely that my life may only be a reflection of Yours. Shine through me and let the rivers of living waters flow through me and help me represent Yahshua the messiah well. Amen!

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Lillee confident Tait can clock 170kmph

Australian speed machine Shaun Tait aims at claiming the world record for highest bowling speed, held by Pakistani paceman Shoaib Akhtar, on the bouncy WACA wicket in the third Test against India beginning on Wednesday.
Tait came close to Akhtar's mark of 161.3 km per hour by bowling 160kmh last year and feels he bowled even quicker when there was no speed gun in Australia's Twenty20 demolition of New Zealand here last December.
"I'd like to have a crack at Shoaib's record and it would be nice to knock it off," Tait was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.
"I've bowled at 160kmh before and there is no reason why I can't go quicker. There is a good possibility that I can bowl at that (world record) speed, especially if I go out there not thinking about it."
Former Australian paceman Dennis Lillee also believes that Tait was capable of being quicker than Akhtar and in fact could bowl at an incredible speed of 170kmh at the WACA.
"Tait, on a good day putting it all together, it would not surprise me if he bowled that 170kmh ball," Lillee said.
But Tait is not sure if he could rise up to Lillee's expectation

Dravid shines, Tendulkar flows but Aussies on top

After a 139-run partnership between Sachin Tendulkar (71) and Rahul Dravid (93) put India on a strong mantle, the Aussies struck back in the last session to reduce the visitors to 297-6 on the opening day of the Perth Test.
Irfan Pathan and MS Dhoni, both on eight, were in the middle at the end of the day's play.
India lost four wickets in the post tea session to hand the initiative to the home side. The Aussie pace bowlers wiped out the cream of the formidable Indian batting in the last session as Tendulkar, Ganguly (nine), Laxman (27) and Dravid fell in quick time.
After Anil Kumble decided to bat, Sehwag after warming the bench for the first two Tests, was in the vicinity of his best as the Delhi batsman along with Wasim Jaffer took India off to a steady start. But tight bowling after the first hour strangled the openers and soon a perfect delivery by Johnson induced an edge from Sehwag and the opener was dismissed for 29.
Jaffer, who has been Brett Lee’s bunny through the series, fell to the speedster once again in what was a dismissal identical to that of the second innings of the Sydney Test. The Mumbai batsman got 16, his highest in the series so far.
Tendulkar and Dravid steadied the Indian ship as the visitors played through the second session without any hiccups. The duo successfully combated an all-pace attack on a bouncy WACA pitch to guide India to a solid position in the penultimate match of the four-Test series.
Tendulkar’s surge was halted abruptly on 71 a little after tea when Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf adjudged him leg before to Brett Lee, a decision that raised many eyebrows as the ball struck the batsman above his knee roll on a bouncy pitch

Verse Of The Day

"Your life would be brighter than noonday;
Darkness would be like the morning."

-----Job 11:17 (New American Standard Bible)
Dearest Father God, we cry out to You today and ask You to give us relief from the diificult things we are facing. Bring them to a good conclusion as only You can do.We know You understand all that we are going through and You see what we are up against.You even know our thoughts about our circumstances right now.Help us to tough out these rough waters so that we can not only survive, but come through victoriously. Through Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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Everything about MacBook Air has been streamlined. And then streamlined again. Except for the things that shouldn't be, starting with the full-size, backlit keyboard and 13.3-inch widescreen display. On the inside (yes, there's an inside), it boasts an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of memory, and amazing wireless capabilities. Mobile computing suddenly has a new standard. MacBook Air. Watch the guided tour

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