Legends of Sports

A brace each from Alexandre Pato and Neymar helped defending champions Brazil thrash Ecuador 4-2 to reach the Copa America quarter-finals on Wednesday. Defeat for Mano Menezes' side at the Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes would have sent them rolling out of the contest, but they produced a battling display to win Group B and earn a last-eight date with pool rivals Paraguay.

Felipe Caicedo twice got Ecuador back on level terms, cancelling out Pato's opener and then Neymar's second goal for Brazil, but the Selecao moved up a gear when necessary to do so to make sure their progress and Ecuador's exit. Menezes handed Maicon a initial berth at the cost of Barcelona's Dani Alves, the Inter Milan man turning in a star performance for Brazil, while Robinho also returned to the starting XI.

The Brazilians deadlock was broken down in the 27th minute when Andre Santos crossed from the left and Pato headed home. Robinho struck the bar as Brazil searched for a second goal, with Maicon’s raiding runs down the right causing all sorts of problems for Ecuador. Brazil restored their advantage within four minutes of the restart, Pato setting up Santos star Neymar to make it 2-1, but once again the lead its way past Julio Cesar in the 58th minute.

Australia Twenty20 Big Bash team Sydney Thunder have strengthened their pace attack by recruiting West Indies quick Fidel Edwards and Australian left arm quick Doug Bollinger. The pair will join the likes of Chris Gayle, David Warner and Usman Khawaja at the Thunder for the restore domestic Twenty20 contest starting this summer.

Edwards has played 12 Twenty20 internationals for the West Indies, taking 10 wickets at 30.80.New South Welshman Bollinger overcome during the 2011 Indian Premier League season where he was the second leading wicket taker for Chennai Super Kings, claiming 17 wickets at 19.35.

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Indian batting expert Sachin Tendulkar and opener Virender Sehwag are among the list of players nominated for an online poll to choose the greatest team of all-time on the occasion of Test cricket's 2,000th match. The historic match will take place between India and England at Lord's from July 21 to 25, and the ICC has called on supporters from across the globe to select the greatest team of all-time.

While Sehwag has found a place in the list of openers, which also has former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar, Tendulkar has been short listed for the middle-order batsman's slot. However, no Indian player has found a place in the shortlist for the slot of wicketkeepers and fast bowlers, while the 1983 World Cup winning Indian team captain Kapil Dev is in the estimate as an all-rounder.

Opening batsmen: Geoffrey Boycott, Sunil Gavaskar, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Jack Hobbs, Len Hutton, Hanif Mohammad, Virender Sehwag, Herbert Sutcliffe, Victor Trumper.

Middle-order batsmen: Don Bradman, Greg Chappell, Wally Hammond, George Headley, Brian Lara, Javed Miandad, Graeme Pollock, Ricky Ponting, Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar.

All-rounder: Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Aubrey Faulkner, Richard Hadlee, Jacques Kallis, Imran Khan, Keith Miller, Wilfred Rhodes, Gary Sobers, Frank Worrell.

Wicketkeepers: Les Ames, Mark Boucher, Jeff Dujon, Godfrey Evans, Andy Flower, Adam Gilchrist, Alan Knott, Rod Marsh, Clyde Walcott, Wasim Bari.

Fast bowlers: Curtley Ambrose, Sydney Barnes, Michael Holding, Dennis Lillee, Ray Lindwall, Malcolm Marshall, Glenn McGrath, Fred Trueman, Courtney Walsh, Wasim Akram.

Spinners: Bishen Bedi, Richie Benaud, Lance Gibbs, Clarrie Grimmett, Jim Laker, Anil Kumble, Muttiah Muralitharan, Bill O'Reilly, Derek Underwood, Shane Warne.

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Chanderpaul recorded his 23rd Test century as West Indies and India drew the third Test & clinching the series 1-0.India were chasing a target of 180 after the hosts compiled a second innings total of 332, including Chanderpaul's unbeaten 116.But with India, who travel to England later this month, on 94-3 the captains decided to an early finish and the draw.

Chanderpaul also earned his 133rd Test cap, a West Indian record."It is always an honour to become the most capped Test cricketer. It just shows what hard work can do for you," said Chanderpaul."The whole series I was getting out in 20s and 30s, so I was very happy to carry on past the three-figure mark."

India failed to get with not only the wicket of Chanderpaul but Fidel Edwards (30) as the pair shared an eighth wicket stand of 65 that lasted 37 overs. Edwards then took the new ball and struck with the first delivery trapping Abhinav Mukund leg before wicket. Ravi Rampaul struck twice to dismiss Murali Vijay for 45 and Suresh Raina for eight before the game finished when it was clear India were no longer chasing the target.

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England 268 for 9 (Trott 72, Morgan 57, Randiv 5-42) beat Sri Lanka 252 (Mathews 62, Chandimal 54, Bresnan 3-49) by 16 runs

Four one-sided games preceded this match at Old Trafford, but with the series at chance England and Sri Lanka traded blows in a see-sawing meet that had no clear champ until the closing minutes of the match. England prevailed by 16 runs in a thrilling finale to Sri Lanka's tour, the bowling attack operating as a unit to defend 268 for 9 as the visitors were dismissed for 252 in the 49th over.

Two confident partnerships, first between Alastair Cook and Craig Kieswetter then from Jonathan Trott and Eoin Morgan, had carried England's innings. Sri Lanka, who showed their weakness against the new ball at The Oval, when the damage was 20 for 4, once again struggled first up, the first a counter-attacking 94 between Dinesh Chandimal and Kumar Sangakkara, and the second a backs-to-the-wall 102 between Angelo Mathews and Jeevan Mendis to get close before Jade Dernbach's two wickets in successive balls sealed the result.

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In his debut series as full-time captain Cook had many doubters to win over and his reply could not have been more forceful than his unbeaten 75-ball 95 to seal victory at Trent Bridge. Unlike his century in a behind cause the game before this innings optional Cook had the resources to set the pace his team needs to follow.

Captain: Alastair Cook

Key Players: Craig Kieswetter, Kevin Pietersen, James Anderson

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka would have noted with some attention that Lancashire have been playing a spin-heavy attack in Twenty20 cricket this season. Though they are without Saranga Lakmal, it is their spin duo of Suraj Randiv and Jeevan Mendis who, alongside Lasith Malinga, will be their biggest theat.

Captain: Tillakaratne Dilshan

Key Players: Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Lasith Malinga

The Prince of Kolkata, Sourav Ganguly, turned 39 on Friday(Today). And there was some good news for the former India cricket captain stylish southpaw. As on Wednesday the West Bengal government nominated Sourav Ganguly as a vice-chairman for the State Sports Council.

Former footballers Gouranga Banerjee, Compton Dutta, paddler Poulami Ghatak and chess grandmaster Dibyendu Barua are the other members in the working committee who will work in the same capacity along with the former India captain.

Surprisingly Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who celebrated his birthday on Thursday. And both Dhoni and Ganguly were born in July. Ganguly was born July 08, 1972 in Behala, Kolkata, West Bengal.

India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh became the 11th bowler in history to capture 400 Test wickets as the West Indies were dismissed for 204 in their first innings of the third Test. Only former captains Anil Kumble (619) and Kapil Dev (434) have taken more wickets for India than Harbhajan.

He is also the fourth spin bowler to take 400 wickets in Tests, following in the path of fellow off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Australia's Shane Warne (708) and Kumble.