'Spin can undo pace-fed Aussies'

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Confident ... Rangana Herath believes his spin can undo Australia in the Boxing Day Test. Source:AP

Sri Lanka spin star Rangana Herath says Australia's batsmen's liking for pace can play into his hands in the Boxing Day Test.

Herath, the world's leading Test wicket-taker this year with 60 scalps from nine matches, gave a glimpse of the damage he can cause by taking 5-95 in the second innings of his side's defeat in the first Test in Hobart.

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That included the wickets of top-order batsmen David Warner and Shane Watson.

The wily left-armer suspects there might be more rewards for him at the MCG on a pitch he expects to lend assistance as the second Test wears on.

He said the rarity with which Australia's batsmen faced quality spin would help.

"Definitely. I know that the Australians, playing even in domestic cricket, they are 80-90 per cent playing against fast bowlers," Herath told reporters on Saturday.

"So with that, I have chances to get wickets bowling spin."

Herath said Sri Lanka's first Boxing Day Test in Melbourne in 17 years was a "remarkable occasion" for the tourists.

But it is unlikely to overwhelm them.

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They handled a comparable situation well a year ago when they beat South Africa in a Boxing Day Test in Durban.

Herath took combined figures of 9-128 on that occasion to be man of the match.

"In South Africa, (it was) the same scenario," he said.

"We lost against South Africa in the first Test and we came back strongly and we did well and we won against South Africa in that Boxing Day Test match.

"That was a remarkable one, because that's the only (Test) we have won against South Africa on their soil."

A win in Melbourne would be the visitors' first Test triumph in Australia.

Herath said experience playing one-day cricket at the MCG had him expecting the support of a very large Sri Lankan contingent in the crowd.

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Phoenix steal point from Mariners

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Sneaking up ... Danny Sanchez keeps Nick Montgomery at bay. Source: ROSS SETFORD / AAP

A-League leaders Central Coast extend their unbeaten streak to nine games, but couldn't shake off a determined Wellington, who fought back for a dogged 1-1 draw at Westpac Stadium.

The struggling Phoenix put together a vastly improved performance but looked set for their their third successive defeat after in-form Mariners striker Daniel McBreen's 44th minute goal - his 10th of the season.

However, Wellington treated the 5961-strong crowd to an excellent late fightback, a Dani Sanchez header levelling the scores in the 83rd minute.

Wellington kept pace with the competition leaders for much of the first half, 19-year-old striker Louis Fenton looking particularly dangerous down the right flank.

		P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Central Coast	12	8	3	1	13	27
2	Adelaide	12	8	1	3	5	25
3	Victory	12	6	2	4	-2	20
4	Western Sydney	12	6	1	5	5	19
5	Perth	12	5	2	5	3	17
6	Newcastle	12	5	1	6	-7	16
7	Wellington	12	3	4	5	-1	13
8	Heart	12	3	3	6	-3	12
9	Brisbane	12	3	2	7	-1	11
10	Sydney	12	3	1	8	-12	10

Coach Ricki Herbert praised his combination with 17-year-old Tyler Boyd and the experienced Jeremy Brockie more than compensated for the absence of Paul Ifill, who is out for at least a month following ankle surgery.

"The young boys in there really set a benchmark for this club,'' Herbert said.

"They shifted the ball well tonight, and ran a really positive performance.''

Mariners coach Graham Arnold echoed Herbert saying the rookies played a key role in galvanising the Phoenix up front as the Wellington club works towards a more attacking style of football.

"I was very impressed with their young boys, who really gave them some mobility and speed up front and energy.

"You can see they're trying to play a different style as well, and you've got to give them full credit.''

The Mariners' composure in midfield, marshalled by skipper John Hutchinson, proved hard to break.

The Phoenix looked to have done enough to go into halftime on even terms only to pay the price for not clearing their line with the Mariners hot on attack.

Keeper Mark Paston could only parry Tom Rogic's initial strike, and although there was a hint of offside, McBreen finished clinically to give the visitors a 1-0 lead at the break.

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Central Coast worked hard to put the Phoenix away after the restart, and although Wellington created chances, a lack of confidence in the final third meant the Mariners' goal was rarely threatened.

The Mariners continued to run hard, and Rogic was only denied by a superb Paston reflex save as he broke through clear on goal in the 72nd minute.

But substitute Benjamin Totori, who was a handful down the left with his pace following his injection in the 70th minute, sent in a taunting cross in the 83rd minute, and Sanchez looped his header high over keeper Mathew Ryan for Wellington to salvage the draw.

Arnold said they were lucky to escape with a point as the resurgent Phoenix kept them under the hammer for the closing 15 minutes.

"I thought the first 75 minutes, we should have killed the game off and, the last 15, it was all Wellington,'' he said.

"In the first half, we had a number of good chances at 1-0 and, in the second half on the counter, we had two or three good chances.

"But in the end, we were lucky to get away with a point.''

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Jockey injured in horrific fall

Shock ... Ryan Maloney lies on the track after the fall. Source: News Limited

Jockey Ryan Maloney suffered a broken wrist but fortunately escaped major injuries after victory turned to tragedy in the Red Tempo Handicap (1000m) at Flemington.

Maloney steered Beltrois, who has not raced for 13 months, through gaps to a narrow win, only for the seven year old to knuckle three strides after the winning post, tumble and crash to turf.

Beltriois hobbled to the top of the straight but had to be euthanised.

Maloney was taken to hospital complaining of a sore left wrist.

The incident sucked the air from the pre-Christmas meeting. The glee associated with the return of Beltrois dissipated as stunned patrons watched the drama unfold.

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Thompson late-show lifts Victory

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Revenge ... Archie Thompson scores the match-winner. Source: Salpigtidis George / News Limited

Melbourne Victory striker Archie Thompson scores the winner deep in injury-time to secure a pulsating 2-1 derby triumph over crosstown rivals Melbourne Heart at AAMI Park.

Thompson netted via the crossbar two minutes into injury time to snatch all three points and sink the Heart, who grabbed an equaliser just minutes earlier.

The win lifts the Victory to third place and leaves the Heart third from bottom.

		P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Central Coast	12	8	3	1	13	27
2	Adelaide	12	8	1	3	5	25
3	Victory	12	6	2	4	-2	20
4	Western Sydney	12	6	1	5	5	19
5	Perth	12	5	2	5	3	17
6	Newcastle	12	5	1	6	-7	16
7	Wellington	12	3	4	5	-1	13
8	Heart	12	3	3	6	-3	12
9	Brisbane	12	3	2	7	-1	11
10	Sydney	12	3	1	8	-12	10

The Victory took the lead with Marco Rojas' 67th-minute goal - a wonderfully-worked move sweeping through Thompson, Gui Finkler and Mark Milligan before the New Zealander finished sweetly.

But the Heart looked to have earned a share of the points when skipper Fred, who missed his side's two best chances of the match earlier, leapt high to meet a superb Michael Marrone cross and finish.

Then the Heart lost possession in the middle of the park in injury time.

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Relive the frantic Melbourne derby in our Match Centre

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Rojas grabbed the ball and sent a sublime pass to Thompson, whose shot hit the crossbar and crept just inside before Heart defender Aziz Behich thumped it out in vain.

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With more than 26,000 watching on, it was a first half of desperate defence - four shots blocked, cleared off the line or deflected to safety in a spirited opening 45 minutes.

Fred had the Heart's two best chances, squandering a first-half opportunity on 32 minutes when he shot dreadfully from Behich's superb run to the byline and cross.

But he went within a coat of paint of a spectacular goal six minutes after halftime, controlling then thumping a wonderful long-range volley just wide of the top corner.

Heart coach John Aloisi lamented his side's lack of cutting edge having had the better chances in the match, but felt his team at least deserved a draw, if not all three points.

"We were the team that was trying to go for the win, and we lost the ball in a bad area and they caught us on the counter,'' Aloisi said.

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"We felt we could go on and win the game. They showed really good character and spirit.

"They (the players) are distraught. But we've got a game in a few days against Wellington and we've got to pick ourselves up and get on with it.''

The Heart will go into the match without central defenders Simon Colosimo and Patrick Gerhardt, who both picked up yellow cards to exceed their limit and earn automatic one-match bans.

Victory assistant coach Kevin Muscat - deputising post-match for coach Ange Postecoglou, who left immediately after the game because of a family bereavement - felt his side had done enough to deserve the points.

"I thought we showed great belief and we controlled the game for long periods,'' Muscat said.

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Super Cooper gets Renegades home

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Late heroics ... Tom Cooper whacks two big sixes to help get the Renegades home. Source:News Limited

Expensive late overs from Brisbane Heat's import pacemen Kemar Roach and Thisara Perera allowed the unbeaten Melbourne Renegades to surge to another Big Bash League win at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

Set a modest victory target of 134, the Renegades were struggling badly at 3-88 from 16 overs, needing 46 from their final four overs.

T20 - Etihad Stadium

22 December 2012 - Day 1, Session 2

Renegades 1st Innings

B. Rohrer	27	25	1	1	108
W. Sheridan	11	5	2	0	220
K. Roach	3.1	0	29	1	9.16

They notched their fourth win from as many games with five balls to spare and six wickets in hand, after some big hitting from South Australia's Tom Cooper (29 from 15 balls) and NSW's Ben Rohrer (30 not out off 25) steered them home.

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The home side were struggling to find boundaries until Cooper swung the game by helping them take 14 off the 17th over, bowled by Perera.

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He opened the next over, bowled by Roach, with a huge swipe for six over square leg.

While Cooper was out lbw next ball, Rohrer took up the slack, smashing another six later in the over as Roach gave up 18 runs for the over.

Rohrer and new batsman Will Sheridan took 13 more runs off the next Perera over before Rohrer smacked Roach for four to win the game off the first ball of the last, making it 49 runs off the last 19 balls of the match.

Rohrer said the Renegades always felt they could launch a late charge with wickets in hand, but it was getting tight.

"Once it gets over 12 (runs an over), it gets pretty tough, so it was getting to the point where we knew we had to go and Tommy hit some big bombs and the rest is history," Rohrer said.

Earlier, Heat all-rounder Ben Cutting, who missed all of the first BBL season through injury, staged a fine rescue effort with bat and ball to put his side in the game.

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Coming in with his side 6-80 in the 13th over - after losing three wickets in five balls - he belted an unbeaten 33 from 24 balls to help them to a semi-respectable score.

Cutting then took 2-12 from four overs with the ball to put the Renegades on the back foot, before West Indian Roach and Sri Lankan Perera let the game slip.

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Nervy Jets hold out Sydney

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Ankle tap ... Ruben Zadkovich is tripped up by Ali Abbas Source:AAP

Newcastle picked up their first win for six weeks and extended Sydney FC's horror run to one win in eight matches with a nervy 2-1 win at Hunter Stadium.

Early goals from Craig Goodwin and Emile Heskey proved decisive, even though Yairo Yau gave the visitors a glimmer of hope after 32 minutes.

It was a far from dominant display from the home team who had not scored since knocking three past Melbourne Heart goalkeeper Clint Bolton on November 24.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and were rewarded with Goodwin's free kick and Heskey's tap in.

But Sydney eventually found their rhythm and pulled a goal back through the speedy Yau.

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Sydney pressed in the second half but couldn't find the decisive touch in front of goal.

When the two sides met in their much-hyped round-two encounter, the Jets produced a thrilling 3-2 win in an entertaining clash in which both marquee men Heskey and Sydney star Alessandro Del Piero scored.

But while Heskey was a force this time, Del Piero barely featured.

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There were seven fouls in the first 10 minutes in what was a heated clash.

Fabio conceded a foul for charging James Virgili just outside the penalty area and would come to regret it moments later when Goodwin scored from the ensuing free-kick.

Goodwin curled the ball into the net from an acute angle about four metres out to put the hosts up after 13 minutes and score the Jets' first goal since round eight.

The goal seemed to spark the Jets into life with Virgili making a defence-busting run down the right and forcing a save from Sydney gloveman Vedran Janjetovic.

Virgili worked his way into the box again, this time setting up Heskey who put the Jets two up with his sixth goal of the season, sending the 17,402 Newcastle faithful into raptures.

To keep the game alive, Sydney struck back minutes later with Panamanian international Yau forcing a save from goalkeeper Mark Birighitti.

But Birighitti, in his first match back from a five-week injury lay-off, couldn't contain the ball with Yau slotting the rebound into the back of the net.

Brilliante had Sky Blues' goalkeeper Janjetovic at full stretch just before half-time with a powerful long-range strike that just shaved the post.

Sydney returned from the break looking to equalise with Rhyan Grant threatening with a strike.

The Jets replied moments later when Ryan Griffiths was able to get on the end of a Goodwin cross with Janjetovic diving to save the header.

Del Piero played a superb ball to Yau in the dying minutes but the striker sent his shot just over the crossbar.

A furious Frank Farina warned his Sydney players to either shape up or ship out.

"When you have to rely on a 38-year-old player (Del Piero) who's just come back from a hamstring injury it's a bit of a worry,'' Farina said.

"We got what we deserved today and we didn't deserve to win.''

Despite an ill Brett Emerton getting subbed off after 30 minutes and missing injured pair Pascal Bosschaart and Jason Culina, Farina was making no excuses saying the side should have the depth to cope.

"There will be a lot of nervous players after that,'' he said.

"They won't like me when I get angry.

"I'm a fighter and I'll go down swinging in terms of the fight to make it off the bottom and I expect the players that will be with me will have that same attitude.

"If they don't, they won't play.''

Gary van Egmond by contrast was full of praise for the Jets, saying it was just the result they needed to get their season back on track.

"Tonight I thought we had two full-backs who had real intent getting past people, we had midfielders who really wanted to work, we had wide players who wanted to take people on, and strikers who wanted to win their duels and score,'' van Egmond said.

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Boof questions Samuels's action

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Under fire ... Darren Lehmann has questioned Marlon Samuels's bowling action. Source:News Limited

Melbourne Renegades' Big Bash League-topping form has hit controversy, with Brisbane Heat coach Darren Lehmann questioning the bowling action of star West Indian import Marlon Samuels.

Samuels produced a tight spell as the Renegades won their fourth straight game against the Heat at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

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But Lehmann queried how an offspin bowler who jogs in off a couple of steps can legally produce faster balls of about 120km/h.

"I've spoken to the umpires about it," Lehmann said.

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"I just want something done.

"He couldn't bowl in the IPL (Indian Premier League) last year, yet he can bowl in the BBL.

"We've got to seriously look at what we're doing. Are we here to play cricket properly or what?

"If he's deemed legal, I'm totally understanding of that.

"But from my point of view from 20 years' cricket, I've got a problem with 120km/h off no steps."

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Samuels was suspended from bowling in the IPL earlier this year after being reported for a suspect action.

Lehmann doubted the West Indian would be suspended from bowling in the BBL but wanted Samuels' action to at least be reviewed.

"I'm sure they'll go through the process but it doesn't help us now, does it?" he said.

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"And it doesn't help any of the teams that have played the Renegades so far.

"So that's certainly a query I've got and they've got to have a look at it."

Renegades coach Simon Helmot defended Samuels' action when asked if he was confident it was legitimate.

"Absolutely," Helmot said, adding he was disappointed with Lehmann's comments.

"That's up to umpires to decide on legitimacy of actions," he said.

"It's disappointing to have some comment made like that and we'll take it up with Cricket Australia tomorrow."

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