Boyce spins Strikers to victory

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Walk of shame ... Adelaide Strikers celebrate the wicket of Aiden Blizzard. Source: Nikki Davis-jones / News Limited

A screamer of a catch from Adelaide Strikers' Kane Richardson helped his side to a convincing 38-run win over Hobart Hurricanes at Blundstone Arena.

T20 - Blundstone Arena

5 January 2013 - Day 1, Session 2

Hurricanes 1st Innings

X. Doherty	15	11	2	0	136.36
B. Laughlin	8	12	1	0	66.67
S. Tait	4	0	23	1	5.75

Set 163 to win, the Hurricanes fell apart once key men Ricky Ponting (26 from 25) and Tim Paine (33 from 31) departed, finishing at 8-124 on Saturday night.

Richardson brought back memories of Glenn McGrath at Adelaide Oval when he dived in the outfield to dismiss last season's leading runscorer Travis Birt (1 from 6).

The lanky paceman looked to have misjudged the chance as he moved towards deep extra cover but threw out his right hand only for the ball to stick.

He raised his arms to the crowd on the Bellerive hill as his teammates celebrated with the Hurricanes reduced to 4-63.

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Click on the video above to watch Kane Richardson's sensational catch!

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		P	W	L	NR	T	Pts	NNR
1	Renegades	6	5	1	0	0	10	0.708
2	Scorchers	7	4	3	0	0	8	0.632
3	Strikers	7	4	3	0	0	8	0.53
4	Stars	6	4	2	0	0	8	0.317
5	Hurricanes	7	4	3	0	0	8	-0.287
6	Heat	6	3	3	0	0	6	0.243
7	Sixers	6	2	4	0	0	4	-0.331
8	Thunder	7	0	7	0	0	0	-1.471

Richardson's stunning effort gave young legspinner Cameron Boyce (3-17) his third wicket after he'd already removed big guns Ponting and Paine.

When Richardson (2-26) then bowled Owais Shah (9 from 9), the home side were in all sorts of trouble at 5-85.

The win keeps the Strikers in the hunt for the finals, while Hobart blew a chance to go second on the ladder and all but wrap up a semi-final.

The Hurricanes were 1-10 when Aiden Blizzard was out for a third ball duck to Shaun Tait (1-23) - who clocked a tournament high 154.4km/h - and 2-56 when Ponting was caught at point.

It was game on when in-form Paine was caught in deep at 3-63, then came Richardson's moment and the momentum was all with the visitors.

Earlier, Strikers opener Michael Klinger had anchored his side's 4-162 with an unbeaten 71 from 61 balls with eight fours.

Klinger put on a partnership of 59 with Callum Ferguson (32 from 23) and 70 with Nathan Reardon (29 from 23).

Reminded of McGrath's catch, Richardson was happy to stake his claim.

"I think he got two hands on that so I might have him covered there," he said.

"I think I made it look a bit better than it was.

"It got caught in the wind a bit, I just stuck one hand out and it fell in.

"I probably carried on a bit too much after it."

Hurricanes captain George Bailey said his side's equation for the finals remained the same.

"It was win one of your last two and I guest that hasn't changed, and if we don't we probably don't deserve to make the finals," he said.

Relive the game with our Match Centre, featuring video of every wicket and boundary.

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Classy Serena takes Brisbane title

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Champion ... Serena Williams celebrates her Brisbane International title. Source: Darren England / AP

Frightened by the fish, Serena Williams admitted she was too afraid to swim in the ocean during her recent training camp in Mauritius.

But it will be Williams who'll be scaring the daylights out of the women's field at the Australian Open after ruthlessly showcasing her power and precision at the Brisbane International.

The American superstar warmed up perfectly for a possible sixth major at Melbourne Park with a 50-minute demolition of Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova on Saturday night.

Her 6-2 6-1 final triumph meant she didn't lose a set at the year-opening tournament and conceded just 17 games in total on Pat Rafter Arena.

Pavlyuchenkova admitted she was clueless.

Williams now has a 35-1 record since her shock first-round loss at the French Open, which shook her into career-best form.

Under new coach Patrick Mouratoglou, the 15-time grand slam champion is reaching towards the heights of her career-best 2002-03 period when she claimed the "Serena Slam", capped by the first of her five Australian Open titles.

Mouratoglou claims she's only getting better at 31 and, on her recent form - triumphing at Wimbledon, the Olympics, US Open and the year-ending WTA Championships - it's hard to disagree.

The world No.3 can become the rightful No.1 with victory in Melbourne in three weeks time and she feels she's done everything right to prepare.

Her Mauritius camp had her arrive in Brisbane in peak fitness despite recent surgery on both big toes.

But swimming was not on the menu.

"I ended up being really afraid of everything," she said in Brisbane.

"I was afraid of the ocean. Everyone swam with the dolphins; I thought they would bite me, so I refused.

"I ended up barely being able to snorkel because I was afraid of the fish."

Now it's Williams who's the big shark in Melbourne and the fear will on the other side of the net.

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Ryall late show spoils Perth party

Baptism of fire ... Sydney's teen defender Aaron Calver marshals Shane Smeltz. Source: Lincoln Baker / AAP

Sydney FC defender Seb Ryall has stolen a point for his team after Perth Glory looked to have had the game wrapped up through a Shane Smeltz brace.

Ryall poked home after a goalmouth scramble that resulted from an Alessandro Del Piero free kick in the 83rd minute, setting up a grandstand finish between two sides desperate for a win.

A game which had dallied for much of the opening period exploded into life when Jason Culina marked his recent comeback from a career-threatening injury with a superb equaliser in the 63rd minute.

Culina's goal was just reward for the visitors as they picked up their tempo in the second half and started to create chances with a run of good possession.

		P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Central Coast	14	9	3	2	13	30
2	Adelaide	15	9	2	4	7	29
3	Victory	15	8	2	5	0	26
4	Western Sydney	14	7	2	5	6	23
5	Perth	15	5	4	6	2	19
6	Brisbane	14	5	2	7	1	17
7	Newcastle	15	5	2	8	-9	17
8	Wellington	15	4	4	7	-3	16
9	Heart	14	4	3	7	-3	15
10	Sydney	15	4	2	9	-14	14

But just as Sydney looked the most likely side to snatch victory, a re-invigorated Smeltz curled in a trademark first-time hit from the top of the box after some superb lead-up work from Travis Dodd. 

The A-League's all-time leading goalscorer, Smeltz has had a battle to find the back of the net this season but it was he who struck first to give the home side the lead.

Despite the Sky Blues dominating possession for much of the opening stanza, they were unable to create much with it and the Glory continually threatened on the break.

Finally it was the lethal head of Smeltz that broke the deadlock, giving the home side a lead at the break.

More to come...

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Video: Richardson's stunning catch

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Screamer ... Kane Richardson won't forget this catch in a while. Source:Fox Sports

Was Kane Richardson's stunning catch at Blundstone Arena on Saturday night the best grab we've seen so far in the KFC T20 Big Bash League?

Plenty who watched Adelaide Strikers' win over Hobart Hurricanes would think so, especially if the reaction on Twitter is anything to go by.

Richardson's sensational effort may not have been so eye-catching if he didn't first misjudged the flight of the ball, but he recovered brilliantly to dive at full stretch and take an amazing one-handed catch just in front of the boundary.

It brought back memories of Glenn McGrath's brilliant outfield effort against England at Adelaide Oval, or for those with even longer memories, Adam Dale's incredible diving catch for Queensland against New South Wales in 1997-1998.

But was it the best grab we've seen since the creation of the Big Bash League?

We've pulled together some of the more memorable grabs from this season, and at the bottom of the page there's a compilation of the 10 best catches from season one.

Which catch is your favourite? Have we left any out? Join the debate by leaving a comment at the bottom of the page!

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Cameron Borgas/Scott Coyte (Sydney Thunder v Adelaide Strikers, ANZ Stadium)

Tim Ludeman (Adelaide Strikers v Brisbane Heat, Adelaide Oval)

Kieron Pollard (Adelaide Strikers v Melbourne Renegades, Adelaide Oval)

Alfonso Thomas (Perth Scorchers v Sydney Thunder, WACA)

Best catches from season one of KFC T20 Big Bash League

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Mundine feels good in Brisbane

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Ready ... Anthony Mundine finishes his training in Brisbane. Source: Torsten Blackwood / AFP

Daniel Geale and Anthony Mundine have taken opposite paths to prepare for their eagerly awaited boxing world title rematch, one man staying at home and the other heading interstate.

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Mundine claims he has received a timely boost ahead of his January 30 bout with IBF middleweight champion Geale, by returning to the city where he last defeated his rival - Brisbane.

Conversely, Geale has stayed at his western Sydney base and has no plans to go elsewhere before their Sydney Entertainment bout.

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Mundine on Friday completed a month-long training stint in the Queensland capital where he was awarded the controversial 2009 victory - Geale's only professional loss.

He claimed there was "something special'' about Brisbane and believed the four-week camp had provided the finetuning needed ahead of his re-match with Geale in Sydney.

"I always feel different when I leave this joint. I always feel a lot fitter and stronger,'' Mundine said.

"Moving to a different climate, it's like altitude training for me.''

"Now I am ready to shake the world up again.''

Geale lost his IBO middleweight title to Mundine in a split-points decision in Brisbane in May 2009.

He went on to win the IBF and WBA Super titles, though he was stripped of the latter for choosing to fight Mundine.

Tasmanian-born Geale relocated to Sydney several years ago and saw no reason to change his usual routine and follow Sydneysider Mundine out of town.

"Everybody to their own - I'm getting the best out of what I need to do right where I am. It definitely works for me,'' Geale said.

"We pretty much do everything we need (to) here in Sydney.

"We're very happy - we've got good sparring partners. Everything has fallen into place perfectly for us.''

Geale, who has sparred with Trent Broadhurst and former Mundine victim Rob Medley, said he kept working throughout the holiday season.

The 37-year-old Mundine, is a $3.36 outsider with bookies against hot favourite Geale ($1.30).

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Mehmet leaves Glory for Thailand

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Gone ... Billy Mehmet decides to leave Perth Glory for Thailand. Source: Justin Benson-Cooper / News Limited

Perth Glory striker Billy Mehmet has left the A-League club in order to link up with Thailand outfit Bangkok Glass FC.

Glory coach Ian Ferguson said he has already sounded out several potential replacements for the hard-working Mehmet, who scored 10 goals in 42 games for the club.

Mehmet's departure frees up an international spot on the Glory's roster, with Ferguson keen to secure a player before the transfer window shuts at the end of the month.

"We have got one or two irons in the fire overseas and we're waiting to see what happens with those, whether they are still progressing,'' Ferguson said on Friday.

"We have put a couple of things to certain players and hopefully if it comes off, it'll be great for Perth Glory.''

Mehmet, who has been used largely off the bench whenever Shane Smeltz has played this season, was keen to join a club where he could earn a regular start.

"I can't guarantee anyone a first team place, and Billy is 29 and he wants to be playing regularly,'' Ferguson said of Mehmet's reasons to leave.

"It's disappointing, but we don't want unhappy players here either and if anyone wants to move on and head overseas, we won't stand in their way.

"We've got good attacking cover.

"Travis Dodd can play up there, as can (Steven) McGarry and we've got (Chris) Harold and (Ryo) Nagai as well.

"Hopefully the players we bring in will do a good job for us.''

Perth will be aiming to break back to the winners' list when they host Sydney FC on Saturday night.

Smeltz is set to start against the Sky Blues despite suffering a slight tweak to his groin at training this week.

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Cole returns home to West Ham

Return ... Joe Cole signs for the club he started his career with, West Ham United. Source: Tim Hales / News Limited

Barclays Premier League side West Ham United on Friday said they had signed Joe Cole from Liverpool, bringing the midfielder back to the club where he began his career.

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The 31-year-old, who has been capped 56 times for England, has inked an 18-month contract with the Hammers, a decade after leaving the east London side for capital rivals Chelsea.

"It is a great move for me,'' he was quoted as saying on the club's whufc.com website.

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"Coming back here brings back all the memories of the pitches I learnt how to play on.

"This is where I learnt my trade and I'm happy to have another chance to be here. I've always loved West Ham and I hope I can give the club a few memorable seasons.

"The timing was right for me to come back and I'm happy. I'm back in London and I'm delighted to be here. I want to be here and I want to make an impact.''

Cole, whose time at Liverpool included last season on loan at French Ligue 1 side Lille, said he was looking forward to playing under manager Sam Allardyce and excited to return to his roots.

"Sam didn't have to sell me the club for me to come back. For me, I have had 18 months at Liverpool where I haven't played much football and Sam wants to play me,'' he added.

"I'm going to need games to get back to my best but I want to play football and come here and help the team to make an impact.

"I feel like I owe the club a little bit as well because, if it wasn't for West Ham, I wouldn't be a footballer. This club's great youth-team coaches taught me the trade.''

In Cole's first spell at the club, he played alongside Paolo Di Canio, Michael Carrick, Frank Lampard, Jermain Defoe and Trevor Sinclair and, in 1999, was part of the Claret and Blues' FA Youth Cup-winning team.

West Ham are mid-table in the Premier League and take on Manchester United on Sunday in the FA Cup third round.

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Scorchers tame woeful Thunder

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Matchwinner ... Brad Hogg took four wickets for the Scorchers. Source: Daniel Wilkins / News Limited

Sydney Thunder remain winless in the Big Bash League with Chris Gayle again failing to fire as Perth Scorchers crushed the visitors by nine wickets at the WACA Ground on Friday.

T20 - WACA Ground

4 January 2013 - Day 1, Session 2

Scorchers 1st Innings

S. Marsh	56	45	6	2	124.44
M. North	39	30	3	0	130
A. Zampa	3.2	0	34	0	10.20

The Thunder posted just 9-113 with Usman Khawaja scoring 56 after West Indian import Gayle made just two runs while Englishman Matt Prior added only four.

Big money signing Gayle has now made just 72 runs in his six innings for the Thunder, failing to hit any sort of form with an average of just 12 this BBL campaign at a disappointing strike rate of 72.7 per cent.

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Re-live the game as it happened, with the BBL Match Centre, featuring video highlights of the wickets and all the big moments!

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Gayle was again disappointed with the performance of the team and knows with himself and Prior falling early, it turned the match in the Scorchers' favour.

"It is disappointing. We didn't start well again and that actually cost us the match. We wanted to select to bat first, but the ball did a bit and they put the ball in the right place to get the early wickets," Gayle said.

"We paid the penalty, but having said all of that we can take the positive out of the batting of Usman.

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"I thought he batted really well to actually give the team a chance to be in a winning position, but to defend 113 runs on this wicket was always going to be difficult."

Prior didn't play the first four games due to his commitments with England in the successful Test series in India but has made just 25 runs in three innings averaging 8.3 and also going at a relatively slow strike rate of 80.6 per cent.

Perth had little trouble making 1-117 in just 13.2 overs to win with nine wickets and 40 balls in hand with Shaun Marsh scoring 56 not out from 45 balls.

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Herschelle Gibbs fell early for six before Marsh and Marcus North (39 from 30) guided the Scorchers home.

Perth move to second on the ladder and the win further enhances their prospects of a semi-final berth with one game to go away to the Adelaide Strikers.

North did have two close LBW calls when on two (to Gurinder Sandhu) and 20 (to Scott Coyte) but survived both and then the pair got cracking as the pressure was released from the Thunder as they fell to a 12th straight BBL loss.

The Thunder were in trouble early slumping to 4-31 before Khawaja stood tall with some help from Mark Cosgrove (18 from 15) as the visitors limped to 113 from their 20 overs.

Bowling for the Scorchers, Jason Behrendorff delivered four straight overs at the start to take 2-16 and then Brad Hogg finished strongly, the veteran spinner claiming three last-over wickets to finish with 4-29 from his four overs.

Behrendorff was duly awarded Man of the Match and he said the Scorchers were now in a good position to target a finals berth.

"I was absolutely stoked. I was given the new ball and my job was to swing it around, and hopefully take a few early wickets. I did that and I was really happy with it," Behrendorff said.

"Even though the Thunder haven't won a game, we knew they are still a very dangerous side with some really good players. We were conscious of that coming into the game and made sure we bowled well early, and was lucky enough to get the two big wickets at the top.

"If we win in Adelaide then we definitely should be in the semis so we are going well now, and are really confident. Hopefully we can continue that form in Adelaide."

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Tomic, Barty make short work of Italy

Three in a row ... Tomic finished his singles rubbers in Perth with a perfect record. Source: News Limited

Australian Bernard Tomic continued his winning run at the Hopman Cup with a 6-3 7-5 triumph over world No.23 Andreas Seppi at Perth Arena on Thursday night.

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Tomic, who stunned world No.1 Novak Djokovic on Wednesday night after accounting for German Tommy Haas earlier in the tournament, had too many weapons for Seppi, with the 71-minute win giving Australia a 1-0 lead in the tie.

"I think I played really well against Novak yesterday and today was really good as well," Tomic said.

"It's amazing preparation before the Australian Open and I'm really glad I came.

"The last few months were very hard. I was focusing a lot on my fitness and my serve. You need to serve well when you play against these top players."

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Tomic had to save three break points on his first service game.

But from there, the 20-year-old took control of the match, breaking Seppi in the fourth game on the way to first-set honours.

Seppi and Tomic went toe-to-toe for much of the second set.

But a double fault from Seppi on break point in the 11th game ended the Italian's resistance, with Tomic easily serving out the match.

Teenager Ashleigh Barty then claimed the biggest scalp of her fledgling career with a 6-0 6-3 demolition of 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone.

Australia will reach Saturday night's final if Germany upset Serbia's top-seeded pairing of Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic on Friday.

Barty was only playing at the mixed-teams tournament after Casey Dellacqua was forced to pull out with a foot injury.

The 16-year-old lost to Ivanovic in straight sets on Wednesday night, but came out with all guns blazing against world No.35 Schiavone, who couldn't keep pace in the opening set.

Schiavone committed 10 unforced errors in the first set, with two of her double faults handing Barty crucial breaks.

The 32-year-old veteran won the first two games of the second set but, from there, Barty took control to break Schiavone three times to secure the win.

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Chelsea, Ba agree to terms: reports

Demba Ba ... looks set to make move to Stamford Bridge. Source: SCOTT HEPPELL / AP

Newcastle striker Demba Ba has agreed to join Chelsea on a three-and-a-half-year contract, it is understood.

The Senegal international is undergoing a medical with Rafa Benitez's side after a release clause was triggered in his Newcastle contract once Chelsea offered £7 ($A11) million for him.

Ba was left out of the Magpies' squad for their 2-1 home defeat to Everton, with manager Alan Pardew admitting afterwards that he was on his way to Stamford Bridge.

A deal between the Premier League rivals appears close to being finalised, with Benitez keen to add to his attacking options to ease the burden on Fernando Torres.

"He has done fantastic for us and it's not a bad thing, all the uncertainty is now done and we can move on.

"The ball was always in Demba's court. But this club is bigger than any player for sure."

Ba joined Newcastle on a free transfer from West Ham in June 2011 and after impressing last season he has already scored 13 goals this campaign.

"It's done. He will go to Chelsea with our blessing," Pardew told Sky Sports ahead of their defeat by Everton.

"He has done fantastic for us and it's not a bad thing, all the uncertainty is now done and we can move on.

"The ball was always in Demba's court. But this club is bigger than any player for sure."

Chelsea officials held initial discussions with Ba's representatives earlier this week but had been unable to reach an agreement.

Newcastle released a statement which read: "Newcastle United can confirm Chelsea Football Club has made an official offer for Demba Ba which has triggered the release clause in the player's contract.

"The club has given the player permission to speak to Chelsea FC and therefore he will not be included in the squad for tonight's game with Everton."

Read more: http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11668/8378310/Chelsea-agree-deal-with-Newcastle-striker-Demba-Ba

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