Flintoff ruled out of fourth Test

England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will miss the fourth Test against West Indies in Barbados on Thursday with a muscle strain in his right hip.

The 31-year-old had a suspected tear that severely hindered him in the drawn third Test in Antigua.

He will be reassessed over the coming days in the hope that he will be fit for the final Test in Trinidad, which begins on 6 March.

Spinner Graeme Swann is also an injury doubt because of elbow trouble.

Flintoff was clearly struggling in Antigua, but still managed to send down 17 overs in West Indies' second innings as the tourists chased victory.

A statement on the ECB website read: "He will be reassessed over the coming days in the hope that he will be fit for the final Test in Trinidad and the one-day series which follows."

Seamer Amjad Khan and all-rounder Ravi Bopara have been called up to the senior squad as cover and could play in the two-day warm-up match which begins in Barbados on Sunday.

A one-day practice game against an WIPA President's Select XI is next up on March 14 before a one-off Twenty20 international which precedes the 50-over series.

606: DEBATE Once again the big fella is injured! JJsLastLaugh

In only his third Test, Swann celebrated his maiden five-wicket Test haul in the first innings and then took three in the second innings as England almost secured a series-levelling victory.

However, the developing injury could make him doubtful for the next Test of the five-match series, which starts on Thursday.

There is also some concern about the fitness of left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom, which is another reason why the squad was expanded.

Flintoff looked uncomfortable as he recorded his second duck of the match having been dropped to number nine in the batting order on day four.

"He played the first Test and struggled a bit with his Achilles, he has had a chronic Achilles problem, and is getting back to full fitness," assistant coach Andy Flower said.

Kevin Pietersen suffered a hand injury in the final over of the third Test, but it is not thought to be serious.

The batsman was struck on the back of the right hand when fielding close to the wicket, but England's medical staff remain confident that the damage is merely bruising.

BBC

Jayawardene dominates in Pakistan

Captain Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera scored centuries to put Sri Lanka in a commanding position on day one of the first Test against Pakistan.

Jayawardene scored an unbeaten 136 and Samaraweera raced to 130 not out off just 155 balls, as the visitors closed on 406-3 in Karachi.

It was Jayawardene's 25th Test century and on his way to three figures he passed 8,000 Test runs.

It was also a first Test century against Pakistan for Jayawardene.

The Sri Lanka captain was dropped three times by Pakistan, who were playing their first Test for 14 months.

The grassless wicket at the National Stadium gave little response to either the Pakistan seamers or their two spinners.

Paceman Umar Gul (1-82) could not hold on to a low return catch when Jayawardene was on 17.

And he got another life when Misbah-ul-Haq, who took all three catches in the innings, dropped a regulation chance in the slips.

606: DEBATE What a disaster. Bowling is shameful gothicpakistani

It came just after Jayawardene, who is in his final series as captain, had driven debutant fast bowler Sohail Khan for a boundary to become the first Sri Lanka player to reach the 8,000-runs mark.

Jayawardene, playing in his 101st Test, completed his century in the last session when he cut leg-spinner Danish Kaneria to the boundary.

The captain, who was also dropped by Shoaib Malik when he was on 123 late in the afternoon, struck 20 boundaries in his five-hour knock and faced 239 deliveries.

Samaraweera hit 21 fours in his century and drove off-spinner Malik straight down the ground for a boundary to complete his seventh Test hundred.

Earlier, Sri Lanka lost debutant Tharanga Paranavitana to the first ball he faced but Kumar Sangakkara (70) and Malinda Warnapura, with 59 off 48 balls, gave the visitors the upper hand before Jayawardene and Samaraweera assumed total control.

BBC

Tsonga upsets Djokovic in semis

Home favourite Jo-Wilfried Tsonga overpowered top seed Novak Djokovic 6-4 7-6 (7-1) to book his place in the Marseille Open final.

Tsonga converted his only break point in the seventh game on the way to winning the opening set.

The second set went with serve but Tsonga easily won the tie-break with a series of devastating forehands.

"I told myself I had to go for it," said the fourth seed Tsonga after winning in 85 minutes.

606: DEBATE I can't help but to feel that Djokovic has lost passion for the game of tennis add user name or initials here

"I have played an extraordinary match. I have been heroic on every important point. I am proud of having played such a match."

World number 12 Tsonga, who has now won his last four matches against the Serbian, will face Michael Llodra in an all-French final.

Llodra beat second seed Gilles Simon 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 in the second semi-final.

Man Utd 2-1 Blackburn

Manchester United moved eight points clear at the top of the Premier League after a hard-fought win over Blackburn.

Wayne Rooney lashed in a shot to put United ahead before a precise Roque Santa Cruz finish levelled matters.

Jonny Evans' header was controversially disallowed for the home side before Ryan Nelsen hit the post for Rovers.

Cristiano Ronaldo powered in a superb free-kick for United's winner, and Morten Gamst Pedersen was denied a penalty late on for the visitors.

The Norwegian winger looked to have been pulled back by Rafael Da Silva when he was clean through on goal and the decision not to award a spot-kick provoked a furious response from Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce.

But given Rovers are third from bottom and two points away from safety, Allardyce's side can be encouraged by their display, troubling a United side that has been sweeping aside all before them in recent weeks.

Allardyce frustrated by penalty controversy

Blackburn also have the honour of becoming the first side to score against United since 8 November, 2008 when Sir Alex Ferguson's side were beaten by Arsenal.

With United playing Inter Milan on Tuesday, Edwin van der Sar and centre back Nemanja Vidic were left on the bench with Tomasz Kuszczak and Evans left to fill the key roles, a policy that almost backfired on the Scot as Blackburn threatened to steal a point.

Not that there appeared any likelihood of that in the early stages of the game.

606: DEBATE What were your thoughts on the game

lackburn were sloppy in possession and their defence was creaking as Nelsen hooked a Ronaldo cross away at the far post with Rooney waiting to tap in.

Patrice Evra put a follow-up strike just wide as United patiently passed and probed in the knowledge a goal would come.

Sure enough it did when Nani curled in a low cross, and although the outstretched leg of Nelsen got a touch to the ball, it was not enough, and Rooney pounced to score from close range.

But Rovers regrouped and were soon level as United conceded only their 11th league goal this season.

Andre Ooijer stole the ball from Nani and slid a pass through to Santa Cruz, who rode a Rio Ferdinand challenge, rounded keeper Kuszczak and slotted in.

The goal gave Blackburn an injection of confidence and their closing down became sharper as United's play fell away.

Evans thought he had restored the home side's lead with a header from a dubiously awarded corner, only for his effort to be ruled out for a Ronaldo push on Nelsen.

The New Zealand defender was soon in the thick of the action again, though this time in the United box, as his first-time shot came back off the woodwork, with El-Hadji Diouf's effort from the rebound saved by Kuszczak.

Ronaldo punished the visitors for the miss when he angled in a free-kick from just outside the left edge of the area with a stunning strike.

The Portuguese had earlier been booked for diving and might not have been on pitch had he also been carded for kicking out at David Dunn.

Blackburn will also feel aggrieved that they did not get a penalty when Pedersen went down in the closing stages.

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Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce:

(On the penalty decision) "I think he's pulled him, got his arm on his shoulder.

"It's not so, so blatant but he's through on goal and it's put him off balance and it's not given but I wasn't surprised.

"It's difficult to play here so it's difficult to ref here as well but they're prepared to do the job and get it right like we are, and when they get it wrong then they need to be held accordingly to that.

"From our point of view what we could control we missed, and that was the Ryan Nelson miss."

Manchester United assistant manager Mike Phelan:

"We've done our job, that's all we can do so now we move on to the next one.

"It's never easy playing against Sam Allardyce's teams and that was shown today.

"Games seem to be about controversy all the time. I think the referee is right on the spot and he didn't give it.

"We can only stand by what the officials do."

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Man Utd: Kuszczak, Rafael Da Silva, Ferdinand, Evans (Vidic 64), Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes (Giggs 82), Nani (Tevez 64), Rooney, Berbatov.
Subs Not Used: Foster, Welbeck, Fabio Da Silva, Fletcher.

Booked: Ronaldo, Berbatov.

Goals: Rooney 23, Ronaldo 60.

Blackburn: Robinson, Ooijer, Nelsen, Givet, Warnock, Grella (McCarthy 79), Diouf (Treacy 83), Andrews, Dunn (Kerimoglu 73), Pedersen, Roque Santa Cruz.
Subs Not Used: Brown, Khizanishvili, Mokoena, Roberts.

Booked: Andrews, Givet.

Goals: Roque Santa Cruz 32.

Att: 75,000

Ref: Howard Webb (S Yorkshire).

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BBC Sport Player Rater man of the match: Manchester United's Wayne Rooney on 7.68 (on 90 minutes).

Please note that you can still give the players marks out of 10 on BBC Sport's Player Rater after the match has finished.

BBC.com

Hiddink truyền cảm hứng, Chelsea đả bại Aston Villa

(VietNamNet) - Bàn thắng duy nhất của Anelka giúp Chelsea giành chiến thắng ấn tượng trên sân Villa Park, mang đến sự khởi đầu tốt đẹp cho HLV Hiddink trên cương vị mới, tối 21/2.

Không ào ạt và hào nhoáng, nhưng Chelsea dưới triều đại tân HLV Hiddink vừa thể hiện bộ mặt tươi mới, máu lửa và tràn đầy sức sống. Trong trận đầu tiên ngồi trên băng ghế chỉ đạo, "phù thủy" người Hà Lan phần nào thể hiện tài cầm quân qua cách bài binh bố trận hợp lý.

Sự xuất hiện của Hiddink trên băng ghế chỉ đạo thu hút mọi sự chú ý của giới truyền thông - Ảnh: AP

Chỉ cần một phút lóe sáng của bộ đôi Lampard - Anelka, đội khách đã có được chiến thắng quý giá. Ba điểm không những giúp đội bóng thành London vượt qua chính Villa trên BXH (lên thứ 3), mà nó còn mở ra hy vọng về tương lai tươi sáng hơn ở nửa cuối mùa giải.

Do tính chất quan trọng của cuộc chạm trán nên đôi bên nhập cuộc với tính chất thăm dò. Vì thế, khu trung tuyến trở thành điểm nóng với những pha tranh chấp quyết liệt của cầu thủ hai đội.

Guus Hiddink tỏ ra khá am hiểu đối thủ, yêu cầu các hậu vệ biên phong tỏa hai mũi nhọn chơi kỹ thuật và tốc độ bên phía chủ nhà là Ashley Young và Agbonlahor. Trong vòng cấm, Heskey dần trở nên đơn độc giữa sự kìm kẹp của Terry và Alex.

Trong thế trận chặt chẽ như vậy, bàn thắng chỉ có thể đến từ những khoảnh khắc lóe sáng cá nhân. Chelsea đã tìm được điều đó, nhờ công nhạc trưởng Lampard.

Nhận bóng ở giữa sân, chàng tiền vệ người Anh xử lý khéo léo, vượt qua hai cầu thủ Aston Villa rồi chọc khe thuận lợi cho Anelka. Trên đà băng xuống, chân sút người Pháp thựuc hiện cú dứt điểm tinh tế, mở tỉ số trận đấu.

Có bàn thắng làm lưng vốn, "The Blues" thi đấu từ tốn nhưng vẫn giữ được sự chủ động nhất định. Phút 31, suýt chút nữa Terry nhân đôi cách biệt cho Chelsea, sau cú đánh đầu căng cận thành. Tuy nhiên, thủ môn Friedel đã chơi xuất sắc, tung người đẩy ra.

Nửa cuối hiệp một, các học trò HLV Martin O'Neill mới lấy lại được sự tự tin và triển khai tấn công mạch lạc hơn. Ashley Young khiến nhiều CĐV mừng hụt, với pha sút phạt vòng cung từ khoảng cách 20m đưa bóng đập trúng xà ngang.

Các cầu thủ Chelsea chia vui cùng Anelka - Ảnh: Getty

Sang hiệp hai, Terry một lần nữa cho thấy mức độ nguy hiểm mỗi lần dâng cao không chiến. Thế nhưng, vận may vẫn ngoảnh mặt với đội trưởng Chelsea khi cú đánh đầu của anh bị Petrov phá ra ngay trên vạch vôi.

Không chấp nhận kết cục thất bại, Martin O'Neill thúc giục học trò gia tăng sức ép mạnh mẽ về phía khung thành Petr Cech. Tận dụng sai lầm mà Alex mắc phải, Agbonlahor có cơ hội kết thúc chìm, nhưng Cech kịp thời khép góc đẩy bóng đi hết đường biên ngang.

Phút 68, Gareth Barry nhận bóng ngoài vòng cấm rồi sút hóc hiểm về góc xa. Mặc dù vậy, thủ môn "The Blues" vẫn chơi xuất sắc, tung người cứu thua. Cuối trận, HLV O'Neill còn tung cả Carew vào sân nhằm tận dụng các tình huống bóng bổng.

Thế nhưng, do cách sắp xếp chiến thuật thiếu hợp lý nên Aston Villa đánh mất quyền kiểm soát ở khu trung tuyến. Nếu không có phản xạ xuất thần của Friedel, đội chủ nhà còn có thể thua thêm hai bàn, sau 2 cú sút khó từ chân Bosingwa và Ballack.

Đội hình ra sân:

Aston Villa: Friedel, L Young, Davies (Carew 69'), Knight, Cuellar, Milner, Petrov, Barry, A Young, Heskey, Agbonlahor.
Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Terry, Alex, Ferreira, Mikel, Lampard, Ballack, Kalou (Deco 56'), Drogba (Belletti 90'), Anelka.

Bàn thắng: Anelka 18'