Abdul Razzaq gave Pakistan welcome on-field respite with a stunning century to set up a dramatic one-wicket victory over South Africa in the second one-day international on Sunday.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) earlier confirmed suspensions on three Pakistan players over spot-fixing allegations and the team looked to be struggling as they chased a formidable target of 287.

West Germany's 1954 World Cup-winning team, feted as the men who helped put a nation back on its feet after World War Two, may have been boosted by a secret doping programme, according to a new university study.

Germany upstaged red-hot favourites Hungary 3-2 in the final in Switzerland in a victory that became known as the 'Miracle of Berne', giving the war-weary nation cause at last for cheer.

Coach Jose Mourinho was happy despite Real Madrid being held to a 0-0 draw at Segunda B (third tier) Real Murcia in a King's Cup last 32, first leg on Tuesday.

Elsewhere, a weakened Barcelona were comfortable 2-0 winners at third-tier Ceuta with Maxwell and Pedro netting first-half goals.

ROME: AC Milan kept on Lazio`s heels at the top of Serie A as they beat 10-man Napoli 2-1 at the San Paolo stadium in Naples on Monday.

Robinho and Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the goals for Milan as Michele Pazienza was sent-off for the hosts for a pair of handballs before Ezequiel Lavezzi hit an ingenious late consolation.

After a week when Wayne Rooney hogged the headlines, his stand-in Javier Hernandez scored twice to secure Manchester United's first away win in the Premier League this season in a 2-1 triumph at Stoke City on Sunday.

Rooney, whose stated desire to leave Old Trafford was followed by an immediate u-turn and a five-year contract, missed the game with an ankle injury but for the second week running his replacement, Hernandez, opened the scoring.

Fast bowler Doug Bollinger and batsman Mike Hussey will return to Australia ahead of the third and final one-day international against India, Cricket Australia said on Thursday.

Bollinger had reported a minor abdomen injury while Hussey will return to play in West Australia's Sheffield Shield match with South Australia.

Plans to surround London's Olympic stadium with an eye-catching fabric wrap have been scrapped after Wednesday's spending review by the British government but the overall Games budget has been unaffected.

"It is non essential and cannot be justified in the current financial climate," a spokesman for the Department of Culture and Sport (DCMS) said.

Tigers have won the fifth and final match by 3 runs to whitewash Kiwis 4-0 in the lowest ever ODI total defended by the hosts.

Bangladesh took the last wicket with three balls remaining to secure 67 points in the International Cricket Council (ICC) ratings to stand alongside West Indies in the international one-day rankings.

Premier League side Liverpool inched closer to a sale on Wednesday when a High Court judge ruled against their unpopular American owners and backed the club's board and its right to negotiate a deal.

The ownership battle engulfing one of the world's most famous sporting institutions ended up in court after owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett tried to sack members of the board last week in a last ditch bid to keep control of the club.

A brilliant all-round performance by Shakib Al Hasan steered Bangladesh to a pulsating nine-run victory over New Zealand in a rain-interrupted first one-day international on Tuesday.

Shakib belted 58 off 51 balls to help the hosts to a competitive total of 228 all out. He then bamboozled the visitors with his left-arm spin to grab 4-41 as New Zealand were left stranded on 200-8 after they were set a revised target of 210 runs in 37 overs.

Vangipurappu Laxman revived his role as Australia's chief tormentor with a magnificent unbeaten 73 to script India's unlikely one-wicket victory on the final afternoon of the first Test on Tuesday.

Resuming on 55 for four and chasing a victory target of 216, India appeared dead and buried in the last hour before lunch but an 81-run ninth wicket stand between Laxman and Ishant Sharma set up the opening win of a two-Test series.

Real coach Jose Mourinho had warned that an opponent would soon pay for his side's recent goal drought and Depor were the whipping boys on a rain-sodden night at the Bernabeu on Sunday.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain put Real 4-0 ahead by the 53rd minute before Depor defender Ze Castro stroked the ball into his own net.

Didier Drogba has suggested that he may not finish his career with Chelsea, despite previously indicating he wanted to commit the rest of his playing days to the club.

Drogba was rumoured to be the subject of a transfer bid from former club Marseille in the summer, something that was denied by Chelsea, but the Ligue 1 outfit have stated their desire to eventually re-sign the 32-year-old, reports ESPN.

The Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) said Sunday's tourist shooting in New Delhi will not change its Commonwealth Games plans.

New Zealand's Prime Minister, meanwhile, remained confident of his country's participation in next month's multi-sport event.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored with a deflected free-kick to earn Real Madrid a battling 2-1 victory at promoted Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday.

The world's most expensive player has endured a frustrating start to the season, being booed and whistled by home and away fans, with his anxiety to score a goal clear for all to see.

Fresh allegations of spot-fixing by Pakistan players following Friday's third one-day international against England appear to be false, Pakistan Cricket Board legal adviser Tafazzul Rizvi said on Saturday.

"At this stage we don't believe these latest allegations that our players did any fixing in the third one-day match against England," Rizvi told Reuters in Karachi.

Opening batsman Shahriar Nafees was the only surprise inclusion in Bangladesh's 14-member squad for the five-match home ODI series against New Zealand.

Left-arm spinner Suhrawadi Shuvo who made his debut in March, before being ignored for the tour to the United Kingdom, also earned a recall to the side, reports Cricinfo.

Buenos Aires, Sept 8 (bdnews24.com/Reuters) - Carlos Tevez laid on two goals and scored a third as Argentina beat world champions Spain 4-1 in a friendly at the Monumental on Tuesday. Argentina, rebuilding after World Cup coach Diego Maradona was let go, scored two early goals in the space of three minutes.

Lionel Messi, appearing marginally offside, chipped brilliantly over Pepe Reina from a through ball by Carlos Tevez, who minutes earlier shot just wide in Argentina's first attack.

England underlined their status as World Twenty20 champions as they won with the first of two internationals against Pakistan with 17 balls left at Cardiff's Sophia Gardens on Sunday.

With the controversy over Pakistan's alleged spot-fixing plot hanging over the game, England weathered a mid-innings wobble to chase a 127 target, reports BBC Sport.

Fast bowler Graham Onions is expected to be out of action for a further nine months once he undergoes back surgery next week, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Thursday.

"The surgery Graham faces is a relatively significant operation and his rehabilitation will see him ruled out of all cricket for approximately up to nine months," ECB chief medical officer, Nick Peirce said in a statement on Thursday.