Pakistan (319/7) beat India (315/6) by 3 wickets
   Captain Inzamam-ul-Haq smashed the final delivery of the match from Sachin Tendulkar for a boundary to lead Pakistan to a thrilling series-levelling win over India in the fourth one-day international here on Tuesday.
   The cover drive to the fence before some 48,000 partisan Indian fans at the Motera stadium handed Pakistan a three-wicket win which tied the six-match series 2-2.
   The remaining two matches will be played in Kanpur on Friday and New Delhi on Sunday, the last one to be watched by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on a personal invitation from Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
   Tendulkar ended up on the losing side despite top-scoring for the hosts with 123 which increased his world record tally of one-day centuries to 38.
   Pakistan’s brilliant effort to pass India’s 315 for six wickets in stifling hot weather was the fourth-highest successful chase in limited-overs history and secured them back-to-back wins.
   Pakistan, who drew a preceding Test series 1-1, had won the third match in Jamshedpur on Saturday by 106 runs.
   Inzamam provided the fitting climax after Shahid Afridi smashed 40 off 23 balls and Salman Butt (48) and Shoaib Malik (65) flayed the Indian attack despite the challenging target.
   Malik’s second consecutive half-century—he made 75 in Jamshedpur—followed his three for 67 in India’s innings.
   Malik added 81 for the third wicket with Abdul Razzaq (44) and 70 for the fourth with Inzamam to lift Pakistan to 253-3 in the 39th over.
   India hit back with four quick wickets to reduce Pakistan to 295-7 and set up a heart-stopping climax.
   Pakistan, who needed three off the final six deliveries, were restricted to just two runs in five balls by Tendulkar before Inzamam beat the in-field to signal his team’s victory.
   Earlier, Tendulkar smashed 12 boundaries and a six in his 127-ball stay at the crease before suffering an attack of cramps towards the end of the innings.
   Yuvraj Singh remained unbeaten with 35 off 26 balls which contained five boundaries.
   Tendulkar added 129 off 135 balls for the second wicket with Mahendra Dhoni (47) after putting on 65 for the first with Virender Sehwag (29).
   Dhoni made a confident 47 off 65 balls in which he hit four fours and a six off Danish Kaneria over long-off.
   Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, who won the toss and elected to bat, continued his poor form when he was run out after scoring an unconvincing 18.
   He has now scored just 31 runs in the limited-overs series after making 48 in the preceding three Tests.
   Seamer Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, who bagged a career-best 6-27 in the previous match in Jamshedpur, went for 51 runs in his first six overs which included seven boundaries, three by Sehwag in one over.
   Pakistan retained the same team which won at Jamshedpur while India made two changes.
   Left-arm spinner Murali Kartik replaced an injured Harbhajan Singh (side strain) while Lakshmipathy Balaji came in for paceman Irfan Pathan.
   Meanwhile, India captain Sourav Ganguly has been banned for six one-day internationals for his team’s slow over-rate during the fourth match against Pakistan here on Tuesday, an official said.
   ‘We have been told by International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee Chris Broad that Sourav has been suspended for six matches,’ Indian cricket board joint-secretary Gautam Dasgupta told reporters here.
   Vice-captain Rahul Dravid will lead India in the two remaining matches against Pakistan in Kanpur on Friday and New Delhi on Sunday, Dasgupta added.
   The six-match series is tied 2-2 following Pakistan’s three-wicket win here on Tuesday.
   The match ended at least 40 minutes after the scheduled time as India, fielding second, took extra time to bowl their overs.
   The ICC had fined Ganguly 70 percent of his match fee for a similar offence during the third match in Jamshedpur on Saturday.
   Ganguly’s suspension comes amid growing calls for his sacking after his poor form with the bat. He has scored just 31 runs in four one-day matches against Pakistan after making 48 in the preceding three Tests.
   It was not immediately known if Ganguly planned to appeal against the six-match ban.
   India, meanwhile, replaced Ganguly with another left-hand batsman Sridharan Sriram for the last two matches of the current series.
   Leg-spinner Anil Kumble also returned to the side in place of seamer Irfan Pathan.
   Squad for last two matches: Rahul Dravid (capt), Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Sridharan Sriram, Mohammad Kaif, Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Mongia, Mahendra Dhoni, Anil Kumble, Ashish Nehra, Zaheer Khan, Lakshmipathy Balaji, Ajit Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik.

Latest: West Indies (347 & 194) lead South Africa (398) by 143 runs
   West Indies were staring at defeat as they were bowled out for 194 on the fifth and final day of the second Test match against South Africa on Tuesday. Ramnaresh Sarwan hit a fighting 107 but seemed to have failed to save match. South Africa now chase a target of 144 with 78 overs remaining.
   Earlier on Monday, Ramnaresh Sarwan stood firm as West Indies struggled to 170 for five at the close on the fourth day of the second Test against South Africa.
   The hosts, who lost Brian Lara cheaply, were just 119 runs ahead with Sarwan unbeaten on 93 and Dwayne Bravo on 30 following an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 78.
   South Africa were earlier dismissed for 398 in reply to West Indies’ 347, part-time off-spinner Chris Gayle wrapping up the tourists’ innings with four quick wickets.
   Gayle was first out when West Indies batted again, pushing at a slanting delivery from fast bowler Makhaya Ntini and finding the hands of AB de Villiers in the gully.
   South Africa wasted an opportunity to dismiss Sarwan when Jacques Rudolph at short leg failed to reach a looping chance off Ntini.
   Wavell Hinds was dropped by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher off Jacques Kallis before left-arm spinner Nicky Boje broke through, trapping the opener lbw for 22 to end a second-wicket stand of 65 with Sarwan.
   Boje then bowled Lara, who made 196 in the first innings, for four with a delivery that turned sharply and kept low before Ntini struck again with the last ball before tea by trapping Shivnarine Chanderpaul lbw for one.
   West Indies sank to 92 for five in the fourth over after the
   interval when Ntini yorked Donovan Pagon off his inside edge and they would have been 118 for six if Rudolph had not dropped a straightforward chance at square leg offered by Bravo off fast bowler Monde Zondeki.
   Sarwan batted defiantly, however, facing 190 balls and hitting nine fours, and he found a useful ally in promising all-rounder Bravo as the pair took the hosts through to the close without further loss.
   Earlier, after South Africa had resumed on 370 for six, Gayle struck with his first ball when Boucher, on 28, offered a tame return catch to end a seventh-wicket stand of 71 with Ashwell Prince.
   Three balls later Gayle had Prince caught by Chanderpaul at short extra cover for 45 and Gayle took his third wicket when he bowled Ntini for four.
   The spinner ended the innings six overs later by bowling Andre Nel for six to finish with figures of four for 50.

Shane Warne has insisted it will be England who will be under pressure when the Ashes series against Ricky Ponting’s Australian tourists gets underway in July.
   Australia have won the last eight Ashes series dating back to 1989 and, although England are now ranked second in the world, Michael Vaughan’s men will be outsiders to break the sequence.
   Legendary Australia leg-spinner Warne is already in England where he will captain Hampshire in the first division of the county championship after helping them to promotion last season before joining the Ashes squad in July.
   ‘The pressure is on England. Everyone expects them to compete or to have a good Ashes and there are those who say they can win. I am sure England are up for the battle and we are looking forward to the competition.
   ‘I’ve heard people say before that it’s the best chance for England to win the Ashes, but there’s so much that can happen between now and then,’ he also told reporters at Hampshire’s Rose Bowl base here Monday.
   Warne, who struck with his very first ball in an Ashes contest, a viciously-spinning leg-break that bowled dumbfounded England batsman Mike Gatting at Old Trafford in 1993, believes he is entering one of the most productive phases of his illustrious career.
   He has taken more than 150 first-class wickets since his year’s exile for taking a banned drug ended and, with his 36th birthday in September, is eager to make the most of his second chance.
   ‘The best I ever bowled was in 1993 and 1998 before my operations but in the last three or four years I have been bowling with a far greater variety of deliveries,’ he said.
   ‘Sometimes I even outsmart myself but if you look at my statistics the last 30 Tests have been the most successful of my career.
   ‘I got 26 wickets in Sri Lanka and another 13 or 14 in India where I normally get smashed around and I am on a bit of a roll at the moment.
   ‘Either the opposition is getting worse or I am getting better. I leave you to decide.’
   Warne’s arrival in England and a new home on Southampton’s seafront coincided with the conclusion of the US Masters golf which he watched with Kevin Pietersen, England’s new South African-born discovery.
   Pietersen, signed in the close season from Nottinghamshire, will be a Hampshire teammate and possible Ashes opponent after starring for England during the recent one-day series in South Africa where the amount of verbal abuse he received even outstripped any amount of ‘sledging’ he is likely to get from the notoriously voluble Australians.
   Warne is looking forward to the challenge of getting the best out of Pietersen at Hampshire and dismissing him as cheaply as possible in the Tests.
   ‘He is a wonderful player with a good head on his shoulders and is an exciting cricketer. I think he is a great signing for the club.
   ‘I played against him last season when he was at Nottinghamshire and after he got 40 or 50 in the first innings, I got him out second ball in the second. So it’s one-one.’
   Pietersen, however, was cautious about his Test prospects. ‘I feel I can make the next step up and I am ready to play in Tests if required or selected but there is plenty of competition and there are some good players in the England team.
   ‘My main aim is to get some runs for Hampshire, learn what I can from Shane Warne and keep my place in the England one-day squad.
   ‘With Warney around it promises to be a tremendous season ahead. He is a great leader and a great bloke.’'

Defending Monte Carlo Masters champion and 2004 French Open runner-up Guillermo Coria believes Roger Federer could endure another shattering Roland Garros heartbreaker this season.
   The world number one Swiss won three of the four Grand Slams last year but came up dreadfully short at Roland Garros when he was knocked out in the third round by triple champion Gustavo Kuerten.
   Argentinian Coria, one of the tour’s most accomplished clay court exponents, believes Spanish teenage sensation Rafael Nadal and reigning French Open champion Gaston Gaudio will sweep all before them at the top European clay tournaments this year.
   ‘I believe Nadal and Gaudio are favourites to win all of the clay court tournaments,’ said Coria.
   ‘They have the better game on clay. Federer can be dangerous on clay but he has to be more patient and if he plays either of them it will very difficult for him.’
   To prove his point, Nadal won the battle of the 18-year-olds, easing past French world junior champion Gael Monfils 6-3, 6-2, while fourth-seeded Gaudio beat Christophe Rochus of Belgium 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 to stay on course for a third clay court title of 2005.
   ‘It is kind of Coria to say what he did,’ said Nadal. ‘It’s important to win each match but there are other players like Moya, Ferrero, Gaudio, Coria and even Federer who are all favourites.’
   Coria, the sixth seed, saw off French wildcard Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-2, 7-5 on a rain-hit opening day at the Monte Carlo Masters and he admitted that he is still feeling his way back after undergoing shoulder surgery last year.
   The 23-year-old took his overall record in the principality to 16 wins against three defeats but it was a far from convincing display.
   He lost serve three times in the second set but fortunately for him, Mathieu was even more brittle being broken four times and the Argentinian eventually wrapped up the tie on his fourth match point.
   ‘I have put on three kilos and improved physically but I need more wins to reach the level I was at last year,’ said Coria who now meets French qualifier Thierry Ascione in the next round.
   Also going through was 2002 and 2003 winner, and former French Open champion, Juan Carlos Ferrero who edged Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 6-1.
   The 25-year-old Spaniard, who next meets Jiri Novak, the 16th-seeded Czech, needed a wildcard to gain entry into this year’s event after his ranking sank to 68 following a 2004 dogged by chicken pox and a rib injury.
   He managed to finish his first round encounter before the rain caused three stoppages which added to the gloom in the principality caused by last week’s death of Prince Rainier.
   ‘It’s difficult to play against Karlovic, he doesn’t give you any rhythm but I am happy to have got through,’ said Ferrero.
   Sweden’s Joachim Johansson became the first seeded player to be beaten as the number seven seed lost 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 to Spanish veteran Felix Mantilla.
   The rain eventually returned leaving Britain’s Tim Henman, the third seed, trailing Argentina’s Mariano Zabaleta 6-4, 2-1.
   Top seed and world number one Federer, who hasn’t played here for three years, begins his tournament on Tuesday against Britain’s Greg Rusedski.

Tiger Woods is back. Or is he?
   The 29-year-old American is back at the top of the official world rankings and has returned to the major winner’s circle, but he is certainly not the dominant figure of five years ago.
   Although he clinched the ninth major victory of his career in a playoff for the US Masters on Sunday, he did so in spite of a decidedly scrappy finish.
   Two strokes clear with two holes to play after producing a miracle birdie at the par-three 16th, the Woods of 1999 and 2000 would have closed the deal with minimal fuss and clinical precision.
   However, he found pine trees off the tee on 17 and a bunker with his approach at the last, running up bogeys on both holes to let his playing partner and compatriot Chris DiMarco back into the tournament.
   The gutsy DiMarco, for his part, refused to buckle in bright spring sunshine at Augusta National.
   He safely parred the final two holes of regulation play — and very nearly snatched the green jacket from Woods when he struck the flag on 18 with a chip from in front of the green for a birdie-three.
   The Woods of 2000, who won the last three majors of that year in record-breaking style, would never have opened the door to a chasing opponent when in control of a major down the stretch on the final day.
   Woods, who drew level with fellow American Ben Hogan and South Africa’s Gary Player on nine career grand slams with his fourth Masters triumph, has recently completed the second revamp of his swing since he turned professional in 1996.
   Britain’s six-times major winner Nick Faldo famously reconstructed his swing with coach David Leadbetter before making his impact at the highest level but it is unprecedented for a player to do so twice.
   Woods still needs time for his new swing to bed down in the heat of battle at the majors, even if it is unlikely he will ever regain the aura of dominance he enjoyed when winning seven majors out of 11 between August 1999 and June 2002.
   ‘I’ve won seven majors with the other swing, or six majors and one previous with a different swing here the first time around,’ Woods, said referring to his maiden Masters victory in 1997 when aged 21 before he began his first swing change the following year. ‘So it did all right.’
   Woods has made no secret of his burning desire to chase down the record major tally of 18 owned by Nicklaus, but he believes he needs to become a better player with a better swing if he is to succeed.
   ‘I’ve kind of battled the last couple of years to work hard on my game and make some changes,’ said the American, who ended a run of 10 majors with out success on Sunday.
   ‘I wasn’t winning major championships. I contended a couple times and didn’t win but, for the most part, I wasn’t in contention on the back nine on every major like I like to be.
   ‘That’s where you want to be. It was nice to get back there again and be in contention with a chance to win coming up the back nine on Sunday. It’s a thrill.’
   The signs are certainly there that Woods is a better player today than he has been over the last two years. Although he wobbled over the two closing holes on Sunday, his miracle chip-in from back down the slope on the 16th hole was the shot of the tournament — and probably also of the year.
   Tiger is very nearly back, and has not finished yet.

Former world number one Justine Henin-Hardenne, continuing her comeback from illness and injury, rallied to beat Jelena Jankovich in three sets Monday at the 1.3 million-dollar WTA Tour event here.
   Henin-Hardenne, unseeded as she makes just her second start since the 2004 US Open, defeated the 10th-seeded Serbian 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, in a first-round match at the claycourt tournament.
   Henin-Hardenne advanced to the quarter-finals of the Tier One tournament in Key Biscayne two weeks ago in her first tournament since 2004.
   Henin-Hardenne, the 2003 champion at Charleston, was forced to withdraw prior to last year’s tournament with hypoglycemia.
   She spent most of the year battling a viral ailment, then saw her comeback delayed when she hurt her knee in January.
   Ninth seed Elena Likhovtseva of Russia was also bounced Monday, falling to Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-4.
   Seeded winners included No. 11 Ai Sugiyama of Japan and No. 16 Fabiola Zuluaga of Colombia. Sugiyama outlasted Yuliana Fedak of the Ukraine 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, while Zuluaga bested Severine Beltrame of France 6-3, 6-4.
   World number one Lindsay Davenport is the top seed. The American won her second title of the year on Sunday, beating Silvia Farina Elia, 7-5, 7-5, in the final of the claycourt tournament at Amelia Island, Florida.
   Davenport was playing her fifth straight final but had won just one of the previous four, claiming the title at Dubai last month.
   Russians Elena Dementieva and Anastasia Myskina are seeded second and third, respectively, followed by Venus Williams of the United States and Alicia Molik of Australia. Williams lost to Davenport in the quarter-finals at Amelia Island last week.

Sri Lanka’s Court of Appeal has prevented sports minister Jeevan Kumaratunga from dismissing office bearers of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), officials said Tuesday.
   The court issued an order Monday restraining the minister from taking any action against the cricket governing body which he suspended last month, effectively taking away its recognition as a national sports body.
   ‘The minister cannot dissolve Sri Lanka Cricket or cancel the registration of Sri Lanka Cricket as a National Association of Sports until the final determination of the matter,’ a court official said.
   Sri Lanka Cricket, the island’s richest sports body, petitioned the Court last month seeking the lifting of its suspension slapped by Kumaratunga. SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala said the minister’s action meant they could not function as an officially recognised national body, but it had no implication for their membership of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
   The cricket body is incorporated here as a private company, but it is also registered with the sports ministry so that it can represent the country at international events.
   Kumaratunga sacked SLC’s governing body amid allegations of unspecified financial irregularities and appointed an interim committee to oversee the game.
   However, the interim committee has not been able to take physical control over the assets of Sri Lanka Cricket which has remained shut since the crisis.
   Kumaratunga’s action came just three days after Sumathipala, a leading Colombo businessman, was unanimously elected the SLC’s president.
   No formal charges had been brought against the cricket body’s management.

Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist says he may retire from international cricket after the 2007 World Cup.
   The wicketkeeper-batsman told the Inside Cricket Magazine that he wanted to spend more time with his children, three-year-old Harrison and baby Annie.
   The 33-year-old said he wanted to keep playing until the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies, but would consider quitting after then.
   ‘My battle to survive in cricket these next few years is going to be a mental battle more than a physical one. It seems I’m always questioning myself now as to whether I should be away and how good it would be to be at home,’ he told the magazine.
   ‘It’s been that way since I had children. At this stage (his children) Harrison and Annie are at an age where it’s all lost on them.
   ‘But by the time they reach a stage where they can identify with what I’ve done or where I fit in society, I plan on being around a lot more and in a better position to keep a rein on things.’
   Gilchrist already ranks as one of the world’s greatest cricketers and shows no sign of losing form.

Andy Flower, the former Zimbabwe batsman, and Essex team-mate Alistair Cook took MCC to a seven-wicket win over county champions Warwickshire on the fourth and final day of the English season curtain-raising clash at Lord’s here Monday.
   Left-hander Flower, who reached his hundred off just 105 balls, finished unbeaten on 110 while Cook, who scored 120 in the first innings, fell three short of his second century of the match.
   Warwickshire captain Nick Knight, who had Flower’s old Zimbabwe team-mate Heath Streak leading the Bears’ attack, set MCC a target of 296 runs from 62 overs following a sporting lunchtime declaration.
   But the champions were without injured South Africa quick Dewald Pretorius and the tone of MCC’s reply was set by batsman-keeper Matt Prior who raced to 29 before being caught behind off Streak.
   It was a disappointing end for Prior, who made 70 at more than a run a ball in the first innings, in a match watched by England’s chairman of selectors David Graveney.

Czech striker Milan Baros believes his Liverpool side can cope with the loss of their talismanic captain Steven Gerrard and reach the last four of the Champions League.
   The England midfielder has been the driving force behind Liverpool’s march to the quarter-finals, but the Reds will be without their talented skipper for today’s crunch second leg here against Juventus.
   Inspirational in Liverpool’s 2-1 first leg win last week and a menace whenever he plays, Gerrard has failed to recover from the groin strain he suffered in last Saturday’s league defeat at Manchester City.
   Last week’s clash at Anfield was the first time the two sides had met since the 1985 European Cup final at the Heysel stadium, where 39 Juve fans died on the terraces after being trapped against a wall following a charge by Liverpool supporters.
   The return leg at the Delle Alpi stadium will be another emotionally-charged affair and fears of reprisals by Juve fans have forced Turin police to beef up security for the match with more than 1,000 officers on duty.
   The loss of Gerrard is a major blow to Liverpool’s chances of reaching the semi-finals, but Baros is confident the English Premiership side can surprise La Vecchia Signora (The Old Lady).
   ‘When you beat a team like Juventus your confidence grows,’ said the Czech Republic international.
   ‘Everyone spoke about Juventus and how they would go through easily, but we just got on with what we had to do and played our football.
   ‘We are in the last eight and we are determined to make it to the semi-finals.
   ‘I think we can score a goal at Juventus. We thought 2-0 was a good result, but they scored a goal and now we have to go there and do the same.
   ‘It’s going to be difficult, but while 2-1 is not the best result, it’s not the worst.’
   Gerrard’s absence gives Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez another selection headache with his squad already down to the bare bones.
   Fernando Morientes and Mauricio Pellegrino are cup-tied, while midfielders Dietmar Hamann and Harry Kewell are injured.
   Rafael Benitez has included French international striker Djibril Cisse and Spanish midfielder Xabi Alonso in the squad. Benitez told the Liverpool website that while Cisse may not be even 70 percent fit he will travel with the squad and could even feature in the match at a late stage if Liverpool need to score a goal.
   Fabio Cannavaro, scorer of Juve’s priceless away goal, said his team would have to improve their defending at set-pieces, which was cruelly exposed in last Saturday’s 3-3 draw away to Fiorentina.
   ‘Against Liverpool we will have to play at the same level as them and without any fear,’ said the Italy captain.
   ‘We have to pay particular attention when defending free-kicks, because that cost us dear against Fiorentina.’
   French striker David Trezeguet and Brazilian midfielder Emerson, who both missed that match in Florence, have recovered from minor injuries and will start for the Italian side.
   Experienced defender Antonio Birindelli is expected to replace Frenchman Jonathan Zebina, who pulled his right hamstring in the first leg.
   A point for Juve at the weekend kept them level with AC Milan at the top of Serie A, while Liverpool’s 1-0 loss at Manchester City left them in
   fifth place in the Premiership, four points behind city rivals Everton.

Three-time French champions Lyon rate today’s date away to PSV Eindhoven as one of the biggest games in the club’s history with a first ever appearance in the Champions League semi-finals at stake.
   PSV hold the edge after Phillip Cocu’s late equaliser gave the Dutch giants a crucial away goal in last week’s 1-1 quarter-final, first leg at the Gerland stadium.
   Lyon, who boast the best scoring record of any of the sides left in the competition, will turn up at the Philips Stadium not short on motivation.
   ‘It gives us a chance to make history for the club,’ said Brazilian Juninho.
   ‘We have to be strong to get Lyon through to the semi-finals for the first time. It’s been some time now that we’ve been trying to accomplish that.
   ‘We have to seize this magnificent opportunity,’ added the attacking midfielder who with left-back Eric Abidal sat out Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Nantes, a result which all but wrapped up Lyon’s fourth straight title.
   According to Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas, the stakes could barely be higher in Holland.
   ‘This is quite simply the most important game we’ve had for years. The huge prize is a place in the Champions League semi-finals.
   ‘If we’re going to win, and I know we can, we have to align to our talent a stronger mental strength than PSV.’
   Lyon, knocked out at this stage in the competition last season by eventual winners FC Porto, have no injury concerns to worry about.
   ‘It’s rare to get players coming to see me just before a Champions League game,’ said team doctor Jean-Jacques Amprino.
   Lyon’s France international Sidney Govou feels he has something to prove in Eindhoven after squandering a potential sitter in the first leg.
   ‘I messed up,’ he winced recalling the miss from six metres which would have made it 2-0 with only Brazilian Gomes to beat in the PSV goal.
   ‘There’s still 90 minutes to play,’ added the 26-year-old who took on captaincy duties in Brazilian Claudio Cacapa’s five-month absence.
   ‘We played well last Tuesday, even if the result wasn’t ideal. We’ve shown we can beat them. We have to score, we’re confident.’
   PSV, who were buoyed by their 3-0 victory over FC Den Bosch on Saturday, can also boast a fully-fit squad with Korean striker Park Ji-Sung, midfielder Johan Vogel and Dutch defender Dennis Ooijer all rested at the weekend by coach Guus Hiddink ahead of Wednesday’s game.
   Park is a vital cog in the PSV machine, Hiddink remarking: ‘With Park, you can add a lot of movement in the game. He can play in several positions and he is very smart. He is doing well this season.’
   The PSV boss, taking a leaf out of the ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ school of thought, confirmed he was preparing to field the same group of players that made the trip to France, saying, ‘This team gave satisfaction.’
   PSV are hoping to put one over their second big French club after knocking out last year’s Champions League finalists Monaco in the previous round.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson blames Arsenal for leaning on the Football Association to get Cardiff chosen as the venue for this weekend’s FA Cup semi-finals.
   United take on Newcastle on Sunday 24 hours after the Gunners face Blackburn at the Millennium Stadium despite Old Trafford supporters petitioning for their game to be played at Leeds’ Elland Road ground.
   And in the latest twist in the long running United-Arsenal feud Ferguson told Manchester United Radio on Monday: ‘Apparently it was Arsenal who forced this through. I think they wanted it at Cardiff last season instead of Villa Park.
   ‘We are looking forward to the semi-final but it’s a terrible burden on the fans with it being at Cardiff, particularly the Newcastle fans.
   ‘The editor of a newspaper said United fans were being arrogant and that they’ve had plenty of semi-finals whereas Newcastle haven’t.
   ‘I don’t think that’s the point. The point is the cost to fans. And how many accidents will there be on the way down?
   ‘It’s a long journey compared to, say, Leeds. I just don’t understand it.’
   However, the FA insisted they had not been ‘forced’ by Arsenal to do anything, saying the decision about semi-final venues was taken during the close season.
   ‘Every season we are under pressure to find large neutral semi-final venues to maximise the number of fans able to follow their teams,’ a spokesman told the FA’s official website, www.thefa.com.
   ‘As a venue, Cardiff is currently the largest available to the FA.
   ‘The decision to take the semi-finals to Cardiff was publicly announced in September after being approved by the FA board and Challenge Cup committee which includes representation from the professional game and Premier League.
   ‘Contrary to what has been suggested, Arsenal did not ‘force this (decision) through’.’
   The spokesman added: ‘As Manchester United, Newcastle and Arsenal have sold over 30,000 tickets each for this weekend’s ties, there is clearly a strong case for providing the largest possible venue as opposed to one half the size.’

Ashley Cole has moved to end speculation he wants to go to Chelsea by calling on Arsenal to buy some big-name players in the summer in order to compete at the top of the Premiership.
   The England left-back told New Nation Weekly, ‘The club definitely needs to invest to avoid being left behind. It is quite hard when you see Chelsea, and even Manchester United, chucking their money around. You would love your club to be able to buy great players.
   ‘We’ve got a great young squad, but when it comes to vital games maybe we would have got out of jail with a bit more experience.’
   Russian oil billionaire Roman Abramovich spent a staggering 210 million pounds in his first year after buying Chelsea who are on the verge of their first championship for 50 years.
   Arsenal can still end this season with a trophy, with an FA Cup semi-final against Blackburn Rovers to come on Saturday, but Cole described the campaign as ‘disappointing’. ‘Of course it is good that we are bringing the young ones through. But sometimes I think if we would have had a top-class midfielder, or a top-class player to fill someone’s boots, it would have been a little bit easier,’ he said.
   Cole and Chelsea still face possible disciplinary action over a meeting to discuss a potential transfer earlier this season.
   Chelsea, their manager Jose Mourinho and Arsenal’s Cole were charged by the Premier League for attending a meeting at a London hotel in January.
   An independent commission could be set up next week, although it is unlikely to meet before Arsenal and Chelsea play at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday.
   But Cole was looking forward to staying at Arsenal. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has assured Cole the club will meet his 70,000-pounds-a- week pay demand – putting him in the same wage bracket as Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira.
   With a new deal on the horizon, Cole even hopes to follow Vieira as skipper.
   ‘You never know what’s going to happen in football, but Id love to be captain,’ he told The Sun.

Police in Shanghai have busted an online football betting organization linked to Taiwan syndicates that offered betting services in 22 mainland Chinese provinces, state press reported Tuesday.
   The group has been charged with accepting ‘tens of millions of yuan (millions of dollars)’ in bets on football matches at its mainland operation run out of Shanghai’s Xuhui district, the Wenhui Daily reported.
   Some 24 people have been implicated in the case, with police confiscating 1.03 million yuan (120,000 dollars) and estimating that the gang collected bets worth 90 million yuan in its year-long operation.
   College graduate Yuan Min, 28, has been fingered as the ringleader and has been charged with setting up a ‘pyramid-like betting system,’ the Legal Daily reported.
   Police confiscated the gang’s computers and cars when the groups top four operators were arrested, it said.
   The investigation comes with the central government ordering a clean-up of the football industry after players walked out of matches and clubs threatened a boycott over rampant gambling and crooked referees in the professional Super League last year.
   In January, police arrested a gang running an Internet football gambling syndicate out of Beijing which had some 96,000 punters who placed 230 million yuan in bets on football matches from December 2003 until December 2004.

Real Madrid coach Wanderley Luxemburgo's bold decision to play three strikers against Barcelona in El Clasico - Raul, Injured Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has backed his team-mates to come through Wednesday’s tough test in Turin and knock Juventus out of the Champions League.
   ‘I am down about the injury but I will be supporting the lads,’ said the 24-year-old.
   ‘But I am very confident we can get the result we need to go through to the semi-finals.
   ‘The lads have already shown this season they don’t miss me and as I say I am confident they can do it again.
   ‘Now the lads have got to stick together and come up with another big performance in Italy.
   ‘It will take the best performance that a Liverpool team has produced since I have been at the club if we are to reach the semi-final.
   ‘The circumstances mean we will be the underdogs again but I think we are our best when we have something to prove.
   ‘No-one outside the club expected to us get even this far so we are playing under very little pressure.
   ‘The manager said before the first game we had nothing to lose and we are well capable of upsetting the odds again.’

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand wants to sign a new contract with the Old Trafford club.
   The England centre-back has two years left on his current deal with the FA Cup semi-finalists but would like to stay for at least another five years.
   ‘I want a new contract. I’m happy at United and I see my future here,’ Ferdinand told The Sun.
   ‘I hope talks will be positive but my agent is dealing with that and I’m waiting to see the results.’
   The defender’s agent Pini Zahavi added, ‘Things are
   progressing well and hopefully we will soon reach a conclusion.’
   Ferdinand, who served an eight-month ban for missing a doping test last year, was bought from Leeds for 29 million pounds two years ago.

Injury has forced Manchester United’s Louis Saha out of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final with Newcastle as the striker is expected to miss the next two weeks with a calf strain.
   The forward, signed from Fulham for 12.8 million pounds in January 2004, has been beset by injuries this season.
   The Frenchman was handed his first start in two months against Norwich on Saturday, following a knee injury.
   But the 26-year-old lasted only 22 minutes before being forced off at Carrow Road.
   ‘Louis is suffering from a calf injury and is likely to be out for two weeks,’ a club spokesman said.
   Injuries have limited Saha to just seven Premiership starts this term.
   Man United’s embarrassing 2-0 defeat at Norwich saw Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy come on as second half substitutes to join Alan Smith in a misfiring attack.

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will again have Olympique Lyon pair Mickael Essien and Florent Malouda watched this week.
   Ferguson will have a scout run his eye over the midfield duo when Lyon face PSV Eindhoven in Holland tomorrow night.
   Winger Malouda and Ghanaian midfield ace Essien have been linked with a mega £15 million switch to Old Trafford at the end of this season.

Juventus striker David Trezeguet has been ruled out of Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final, second leg, match with Liverpool.
   In Trezeguet's absence Capello will almost certainly start with Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alessandro Del Piero in attack -- both were on target against Fiorentina with Ibrahimovic scoring twice.
   "Obviously we need a goal but we haven't to be in a panic to get it," said Capello.
   "Our defence is quick enough but we need to watch out for their counter-attacks," added Capello.
   "The important thing will be to get a grip of the game in midfield," he said.
   Del Piero said Juventus would need to probe Liverpool's weaknesses but also warned they had to be careful of being caught out on the break.
   "One of their weak points could be our quick passing on the ground, given that they are very good in the air," said the Juve striker.
   "But we have to watch out for the breaks because they can come at you very quickly," he said.

UEFA delegate Wolfgang Eichler is to report Chelsea after manager Jose Mourinho again shunned his Champions League pre-match press conference, sending fitness coach Rui Faria and fringe striker Mikael Forssell instead.
   'We cannot force them to do anything, as there is no punishment for this,' the match delegate told the Daily Mail.
   'But you have to look at the difference between Chelsea and Bayern Munich. They put up their manager (Felix Magath) and captain Oliver Kahn, as well as Owen Hargreaves.
   'Chelsea did not even bother telling us who they intended putting up.
   'This is not ideal and I will have to report it to UEFA.'