INDIA put themselves in a strong position to deny Australia a new Test wins record thanks to some valiant batting from VVS Laxman and a fine all-round showing from Irfan Pathan in the third Test at the WACA.

AUSTRALIA’S cricket side will tonight begin its quest to ensure they go down as the greatest ever — statistically anyway.

ADAM GILCHRIST hopes Australia’s historic achievement winning the World Cup is not overshadowed by the farcical scenes at the end of the rain-hit final in Barbados.

AUSTRALIA ruthlessly swept aside their closest challengers on the international stage to march relentlessly towards a fourth successive World Cup final.

Australia cruised to their 20th successive World Cup win at the expense of an under-strength Sri Lanka today to make almost certain of topping the Super Eight table.

Matthew Hayden’s second World Cup hundred in four days helped to put Australia in a dominant position in their rain-interrupted Super Eight match against West Indies.

Matthew Hayden’s second successive World Cup hundred powered Australia to 322 for six against West Indies, in the first Super Eight match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Ricky Ponting proved an unlikely ally in England’s bid to reach the Commonwealth Bank Series final with a magnificent century as Australia beat New Zealand by five wickets in Melbourne.

James Franklin removed both openers as New Zealand kept the pressure on Australia in their Commonwealth Bank Series clash in Melbourne.

SHANE WARNE savoured every second of his final confrontation with England to deliver one of his best all-round displays and put Australia on the brink of an Ashes whitewash.

UNDERFIRE coach Duncan Fletcher has admitted he made selection blunders in choosing the England team for the disastrous Ashes series against Australia.

ADAM GILCHRIST is confident Australia will retain their status as the world’s best Test side even though several of their great players are approaching the end of their careers.

ANDREW STRAUSS is backing England’s inexperienced batting line-up to overcome their nerves and deliver in the forthcoming Ashes series.

SOUTH London’s murky weather conditions made another telling contribution towards ending England’s long wait for Ashes success, inching the hosts towards their historic prize in the deciding Oval Test yesterday.

Simon Jones struck twice in as many balls in a stunning start to the third day’s play of the fourth Ashes Test at Trent Bridge.

ENGLAND narrowly failed to claim a major advantage in the Ashes series after Australia clung on to claim a draw in another tense and dramatic finish to the third Test at Old Trafford.

SIMON JONES and Ashley Giles bowled England into a strong position at stumps on the second day of the third Ashes Test against Australia at Old Trafford yesterday.

BRETT LEE took two late wickets to remove some of the shine from England captain Michael Vaughan’s 166, the first century of this Ashes series, on the first day of the third Test at Old Trafford yesterday.

ENGLAND had a great second day in the Edgbaston Test against Australia to give themselves a clear advantage yesterday.

GLENN MCGRATH’S superb spell of four wickets for three runs in 23 balls saw Australia beat England by 239 runs to win the first Ashes Test with more than a day to spare at Lord’s.

Kevin Pietersen was given a harsh introduction into Test cricket after Australia ruthlessly exploited his fluctuating fortunes to take command of the opening Test at Lord’s.

GLENN McGRATH settled back into his usual Lord’s routine to secure his place in cricket’s hall of fame and ruin England’s fine start to the first Test yesterday.

AUSTRALIA clinched their third Cricket World Cup with a thumping 125-run victory over India.

Brad Hogg claimed three crucial wickets as Australia took command of their World Cup Pool A match with Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.

ENGLAND finished their miserable Ashes tour on a victorious note with a 225-run thrashing of Australia to prevent a historic 5-0 series whitewash in the final test yesterday.

Mark Butcher marked his 50th Test for England with a determined century today after he battled through an uncertain start to his innings in the final Test against a new look Australian line-up at the SCG.

ENGLAND’S Barmy Army have been branded a disgrace after playing an unwitting role in inspiring Brett Lee’s most hostile spell of the series and plunging the tourists further into trouble in the fourth Test.

Brett Lee delivered another sustained spell of hostile fast bowling to halt England’s counter-attack and ensure Australia remain dominant in the fourth Test at the MCG today.

England emerged from 61 days of torment and embarrassment to finally record their first victory of the tour and at last show the Australian public just a taste of the cricket they are capable of producing.