Cricket world mourns loss of Greig

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The team ... Tony Greig, Bill Lawry and Ian Chappell. Source:Supplied

The cricketing and wider community pay their respects to former England captain and Australia media personality.

James Packer: "apart from his considerable talents as a cricketer and then a commentator, (Greig) played an absolutely pivotal role in the success of World Series Cricket, which changed the game forever for the better, Tony stood shoulder to shoulder with my father at times when it was not always fashionable. And together with the backing of other key players and supporters, they forged a brave new age for both cricketers and spectators alike. For that alone, every fan of the game is in Tony Greig's debt. But he was much more than that. Our cricket enemy turned our mate - his famous car keys stuck in the pitch to demonstrate its hardness, and his legendary but friendly on-air barneys with the great Bill Lawry."

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Richie Benaud: "when he played cricket, he was big and he did big things. And he didn't care about anyone else who was bigger or perhaps might even be faster or anything like that. He would just get in there and fight. Greig and Bill Lawry's playful on-air fisticuffs defined Australia's cricket coverage for three decades and they grew to be great friends."

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Bill Lawry: "an Englishman with an Australian attitude" - "I missed Tony this summer just in the commentary team and now he's gone forever. My wife and I are absolutely shattered and we really feel for Vivian and his four children today. I have missed him terribly this year, not knowing how sick he was."

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John Howard: "he would always as a former English captain have a bit of a jab at the Australians. That was all part of the spirit in which the game has always been played. To everyone else, Greig was remembered as combative in every facet of his life and someone who revelled in being the villain both on and off the field."

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Test captain Michael Clarke: "I was only speaking with Tony a couple of days ago so news of his passing is absolutely devastating. Tony has a long and decorated history with international cricket both as a player and commentator and cricket will be much poorer for his loss. Personally, he has also been a great mentor for me, providing great advice through the good times and the bad. On behalf of the Australian Cricket Team our thoughts, prayers and wishes are with Greig family at this difficult time.''

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Former Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee: "Tony was a tough opponent who took on all opposition with aggression and a determination to win. We will not forget the way he stirred the viewers in a similar vein to the way he did to opposition teams.''

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Greig's wife Vivian: "Our family wants to extend our gratitude for the support and condolences we have received and would ask for privacy at this very sad time.''

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Former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist on Triple M radio: "Horrible, frightening news. It's just such a shock. The cricketing community in particular will be hit very hard by this.''

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Channel nine chief executive David Gyngell: "It's a deeply upsetting time for his family and for everyone associated with Tony at Nine, and indeed for many, many others who came to know and love the man. He's not only been part of our family, but he's had a seat at the head of the table.''

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Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards: "He was a combative on-field rival of Australian cricket but became one of Australian cricket's firmest friends, with his long-running role as a Channel Nine commentator making him an Australian household name.''

Former Australian wicketkeeper Rod Marsh said on ABC: "I don't know as a player whether he was an icon. I think in some ways he'll be remembered more for his commentary in Australia. I don't think that is a bad thing to say about him because he was very special as a commentator. He got the place alive and working, that Channel 9 commentary box. He loved the game and he served the game very well.''

Tim Horan

Glenn McGrath

Matt Prior

Mickey Arthur

Dav Whatmore

Kerry O'Keefe

Moises Henriques

Jason Gillespie

Brian Lara

Billy Birmingham

Brett Lee

Graeme Smith

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Hussey announces retirement

Mr Cricket ... Hussey will pull up stumps from internationals at the end of the summer. Source: Chris Crerar / AAP

Michael Hussey has made the shock decision to retire from international cricket.

TEST CAREER

Matches: 78

Innings: 135

Runs: 6183

Highest score: 195

Average: 51.52

50s: 29

100s: 19

ODI CAREER

Matches: 185

Runs: 5442

Highest score: 109*

Average: 48.15

50s: 39

100s: 3

Hussey will play his final Test against Sri Lanka at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3. He will also play the one-day international series against Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

The 37-year-old told Cricket Australia his desire to spend more time with his family was his primary motivation for announcing his retirement.

"I was quite excited to tell them (children) that I'm not going to go away and play for Australia any more," Hussey said.

"They were happy, but not as excited as I thought they were going to be. So it was a bit of a shock."

Hussey has scored 6183 runs at 51.52 from 78 Tests. He has also represented Australia in 185 one-day internationals and 38 Twenty20 internationals.

Usman Khawaja is likely to replace Hussey in the Test batting line-up.

Hussey was a central plank in Australia's plans for the forthcoming tour of India and the 10 Ashes Tests to be contested over the next 12 months.

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His retirement means Australia will field a new-look top order that includes Phil Hughes, who replaced Ricky Ponting after he too retired after the third Test against South Africa earlier this summer.

Hussey said any Test match is a stressful experience, but admitted next week could be different.

"That's one thing about playing for Australia, there is always a lot of stress and pressure to perform," he said.

"I feel like I can come into this last Test match with no pressure whatsoever.

"I can just really go out there and enjoy it.

"It will be nice to be able to sit back when it's all finished and really reminisce over some fantastic memories and great wins for Australia."

Hussey refused to reveal who he had chosen as his replacement as the team song leader.

"I have made up my mind and I haven't told him officially yet, I want to keep it to myself until I have spoken to him," he said.

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Greig's unique cricketing story

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Journey ... Tony Greig lived a rich cricketing life, Robert Craddock writes. Source: Adam Ward / AAP

There has never been another cricketing story like Tony Greig's and there never will.

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The son of a Scottish migrant was a South African-born, England-finessed, Australian-residing citizen of the world, a Test captain who loved stirring the pot, a revolutionary who fought the establishment, losing some battles but spectacularly winning others.

At times throughout his colourful life all of nations mentioned above claimed and cursed him but that was the essential flavour of his story as a man who followed in no other man's steps.

In an attempt to intimidate rivals Greig would stand within breathing distance of the batsman and make subtle jibes, making the term silly point as suitable for what he was saying as where he was standing.

He would bait crowds when few of his generation would never have been so bold and found verbal combat stimulating.

In some ways his trademarks - such as the windmill swings of the bat when he came to the crease - were unforgettable, in other ways the footprints he left on cricket have been underplayed.

He was among the first to wear motorcyle helmets for protection, to stand upright in his batting stance and to slice fast men deliberately over slips ... a trailblazer in every sense.

Later in life, with Channel Nine, the playful side of his personality shone through as a commentator who enjoyed playing the contrarian, the man in black.

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The cricket world, though hearing Tony Greig as a commentator for more than three decades with the Nine network, never really heard the best of him. 

His finest work was done as perhaps the best dinner company in cricket, a man whose colourful stories ranged from tales of Bradman to Tendulkar, from Shane Warne's brilliance to Muttiah Muralidaran's family biscuit factory in Sri Lanka, to Kerry Packer's private world.

Some of his greatest battles were ones kept mostly away from public view such as his battle with epilepsy which once saw him collapse at Heathrow Airport after the return of the 1975 Australian tour. 

As an all-rounder Greig was no Sir Garfield Sobers but certainly he was in one of next drawers down.

He was dynamic and, like Sobers, a master of versatility. His Test record of 3599 runs at 40.4 and 141 wickets at 32.2 in 58 Tests may not make the jaw drop but he was robust competitive force in everything he did.

As a player he carried himself like a man who had the key to every lock; his body language radiated the vibe "just watch this'' and he often got wickets through the force of his personality.

Greig arrived in England from South Africa having played just one first class match but such was his exceptional talent he reached 1000 Test runs in just his 14th Test and won Test matches bowling medium pace on some occasions and off-spin on others.

No lesser judge than keeping icon Alan Knott rating Greig's - at his peak - the best off-spinner in the world.
Sometimes Greig's combative nature got the better of him and he lived to regret a throwaway line made against the West Indies in England in 1977 when he said he intended to "make them grovel.''

With their sensitivities over the region's slave ancestry raging, the West Indies never forgave or forgot.

After one dismissal of Greig in that series Viv Richards said: "Who wouldn't want to maybe have one-up on your colonial masters at some point? ... I just wanted to send that message we are all equal. It's pretty simple."

Greig will almost be remembered for his role in quitting English cricket to help Kerry Packer organise the World Series Cricket circus in the late 1970s.

No other cricketer in World Series was closer to Packer than Greig; their mutual admiration knew no bounds. 

One theory has it that Packer and Greig gained their rebellious streak from having domineering fathers who they could never please. 

Greig's once said his father was "exceptionally critical of every move I made" while Packer could never recall his father praising him to his face.
 
Greig was given a brutal working over from the English public and media but his final decision to join Packer was made when he felt shattered by a snub to his daughter.

"I went to pick up my daughter, Samantha, from school," he recalls. "Her best friend had a party the next day. The mother was handing out invitations and my daughter didn't get one. The mother looked at me and said she's not getting one.

"I was gobsmacked. That caused me to phone up and tell Kerry 'I'm out of here'. Within three days, we were out of England."

Greig had cricketing life like no other. It's hard to know where he fits best in his history but one thing is sure - history will never forget him.

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Lankans to fight back in Sydney

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Character ... Sri Lanka will hope to bounce back in Sydney. Source: Wayne Ludbey / News Limited

Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene has demanded his team show much more character in the third Test against Australia after they were smashed inside two and a half days at the MCG.

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The tourists will likely have to make three forced changes.

Star batsman Kumar Sangakkara (broken finger) and paceman Chanaka Welegedera (hamstring) are definitely out, while wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene is also unlikely to recover from a fractured thumb in time for the January 3-7 Test at the SCG.

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But even more important than finding fit players is the need to show some fight after a Mitchell Johnson-led pace barrage condemned Sri Lanka to defeat by an innings and 201 runs on Friday.

"I thought we needed to buckle down and bat well,'' said Mahela Jayawardene.

"We lost two wickets in no time in the first over which gave them a lot of momentum and then we just kept losing wickets.

"You can't pinpoint one thing and say that's where we went wrong.

"There were loose shots and a loss of concentration.

"At the same time, the Australians played some really good cricket as well. You can't take that away from them.

"We need to step up to the plate, we need to show character and really dig deep.''

There was no way back for Sri Lanka after they were reduced to 3-3 in their second dig - equalling their worst start to a Test innings.

The procession began when Dimuth Karunaratne was senselessly run out in the first over.

And it didn't get any better, with the skipper extending his sorry run outside his home country to 26 Test innings without reaching 50.

Once again, it was first innings top-scorer Sangakkara who provided the most resistance - until he was forced to retire hurt for 27 after having his left index finger broken by a rampaging Johnson.

"We played a really bad game of cricket,'' said Jayawardene.

"The Boxing Day Test match is always a big occasion but I don't think that alone is an excuse.

"We went out and didn't play good cricket. We need to put our hand up and accept that.''

Looking beyond the Sydney Test - when Sri Lanka will be at long odds to avoid a series whitewash - is the fact that their best batsmen are in their mid 30s.

Jayawardene said the one-day team had experienced a major overhaul in the past 18 months and the same process needed to be managed with the Test side as he, Sangakkara, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Thilan

Samaraweera near the end of distinguished careers.

"But the transition has to be smooth,'' he said.

"We might have some wobbles down the line but we must have faith in the system and have faith in the team.''

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Tomic vows to bounce back in 2013

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Behind him ... Aussie Bernard Tomic is targeting a top 10 ranking in 2013. Source: Andrew Yates / AAP

After learning some brutal lessons both on and off the court in 2012, Australian Bernard Tomic is confident he now has the maturity, hunger and fitness to propel himself into the world's top 10 by the end of next year.

Tomic reached a career-high tennis ranking of 27th in June.

But his 2012 campaign was also blighted by a series of on and off-court controversies.

The 20-year-old was accused of tanking by tennis great John McEnroe during his meek 6-3 6-4 6-0 second-round loss to Andy Roddick at the US Open.

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In November, Tomic was found guilty of failing to stop for police after a series of run-ins with officers while driving his high-powered BMW on Australia Day.

And even his 20th birthday celebrations in October were marred when he was reportedly involved in a fight with a friend.

Tomic, who reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon in 2011 and the fourth round of the Australian Open earlier this year, has seen his ranking slip to 52nd over the past few months.

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But after embarking on a hectic training campaign following his final tournament in October, Tomic is fresh, fit and desperate to make 2013 a year to remember for all the right reasons.

"I'd like to reach the top 10 by the end of the year," Tomic said in Perth on Friday.

"I'm sure if I do the right things and commit, like I've agreed to myself, I'll do quite well.

"This year was a big learning year for me.

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"It was one of my biggest years so far.

"It wasn't the underdog feeling I had in 2011 when I did well at Wimbledon.

"It was a different feeling this year.

"There were a few tournaments to defend and I got used to the pressure and I didn't quite handle it well.

"I feel I've learned a lot this year and it's going to help me a lot for the start of 2013."

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Tomic said he had made a promise to himself to commit fully to tennis and make the most out of his career.

"I'm looking to do what I did at Wimbledon, and even better," he said.

"My body is now at a strong level and I've worked a lot on my fitness over the last few months.

"I feel like 2013 is going to be a good year for me. I expect a lot from myself and I'm sure I can do it.

"You're going to learn to focus more when you mature more.

"I think I've done that and I've practised a lot on my mind and my patience in the last eight weeks."

Tomic's new-found resolve will be put to the test on Saturday when he teams with 16-year-old Ashleigh Barty for Australia's opening Hopman Cup tie against Germany's Tommy Haas and Andrea Petkovic at Perth Arena.

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India release Aussie tour dates

Dates ... Schedule released for Australia's tour of India. Source: Theron Kirkman / AP

India's cricket board (BCCI) moved a scheduled Test match in 2013 from Kanpur to Hyderabad following pressure from Australian officials.

• First Test: New Delhi, 22 Feb

• Second Test: Chandigarh, 2 Mar

• Third Test: Hyderabad, 14 Mar

• Fourth Test: Chennai, 22 Mar

The BCCI said that Australia would play a four-Test series in India in February and March in the cities of Delhi, Mohali, Hyderabad and Chennai.

"The change was necessitated because the ongoing construction activity at the Green Park, Kanpur, would not have been completed in time for the Test,'' BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale said.

A recent inspection by Cricket Australia (CA) found the Kanpur venue to be below-par, while hotel amenities have also failed to satisfy the standards of CA and the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA).

Association chief Paul Marsh said earlier this week that neither the ACA nor Cricket Australia was keen on the Kanpur venue.

"The change-room facilities are not up to international standard and there are various issues with the outfield and the pitch,'' Marsh said.

"The main thing is there are certain facilities they haven't got that we would expect to be in place for international cricket.''

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Brockie brace breaks Hearts'

Comeback ... Jeremy Brockie scores against the Melbourne Heart. Source: Ross Setford / AAP

Melbourne Heart's three-year A-League winless streak at Westpac Stadium continued when Wellington Phoenix fought back from a two-goal deficit to steal a 3-2 victory.

Golgol Mebrahtu's free kick and an Andrew Durante own goal gave the Heart a 2-0 lead after 16 minutes, while Louis Fenton's 20th minute strike pulled one back for the home team.

		P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Central Coast	12	8	3	1	13	27
2	Adelaide	13	8	1	4	4	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	Wellington	13	4	4	5	0	16
7	Newcastle	12	5	1	6	-7	16
8	Brisbane	13	4	2	7	0	14
9	Heart	13	3	3	7	-4	12
10	Sydney	12	3	1	8	-12	10

But two second-half goals from the prolific Jeremy Brockie were enough for Wellington to secure their fourth win of the season and climb to sixth on the ladder.

If the Heart had been guilty of squandering chances in previous games, they made up for it with two goals in as many minutes early in the first half.

The first came just on 14 minutes after Phoenix captain Durante brought down Heart striker Jason Hoffman just outside the area and Mebrahtu curled the resulting free kick past stranded keeper Mark Paston into the top right corner.

Too slow to regroup, Wellington conceded a second soon after when David Williams' strike deflected off Durante and through Paston's legs to make it 2-0.

Teenage striker Fenton pulled one back for the Phoenix four minutes later as Wellington pressure in the attacking third forced the turnover and Vince Lia's through-ball found Fenton for a clinical finish.

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Catch Jeremy Brockie's brace in our Match Centre. 

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The Heart's makeshift defence continued to struggle without central defenders Simon Colosimo and Patrick Gerhardt, both serving a one-match suspension after collecting five yellow cards.

Brockie scored his eighth goal of the season with a penalty on 65 minutes after Heart defender Michael Marrone was adjudged to have pushed Fenton as he rose to meet a Leo Bertos cross.

Five minutes later Brockie punched home No.9 when playmaking midfielder Dani Sanchez's shot fell kindly after skewing off a defender.

Urged on by a 6410-strong crowd, the Phoenix launched a wave of attacks in the closing 10 minutes as Melbourne continued a dreadful away record this season which has secured them only four points from a possible 21.

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Wild Oats closes on record

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Super maxi ... Wild Oats XI setting race-record pace in the Rolex Sydney Hobart. Source: Brett Costello / News Limited

Negotiating a wind change off the Tasmanian coast was all that stood in the way of super maxi Wild Oats XI smashing its own Rolex Sydney Hobart race record late on Thursday evening.

Powered by perfect 15-30-knot northerly winds, the Mark Richards-skippered boat was 45 nautical miles ahead of its position at the same time in 2005, when it finished the race in a record one day 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds.

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The Wild Oats team was forecasting a finish up to an hour inside the record, which would have the boat arriving at Constitution Dock any time from 6.40am (AEDT) on Friday.

It would need to arrive within nine seconds of the clock hitting 7.40am to claim the record.

The five-time winner was almost certain to add line honours to a new record, while the overall victory on handicap also remained a possibility.

Wild Oats had increased its lead over 2011 line honours victor Ragamuffin Loyal by 56 nautical miles with third maxi Lahana another 40 miles behind.

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On handicap, Oats was ahead of Jazz, last year's winner Loki and Black Jack, which led at stages on Thursday.

Wild Oats tactician Iain Murray said the focus was on avoiding mishap after the boat narrowly avoided damage when it hit a log on night one.

"Everyone's tired, the boat's going fast,'' he told reporters from the boat.

"We've just learnt to be very careful with this boat because things can happen so badly very quickly.

"Everyone's got to watch each other and look out for their buddies and we'll just try to keep it simple.''
Asked if the record was a priority," he said: "I think we'll just try to get there in one piece.

"We're sailing along doing 23, 24 knots in a bit of a confused sea so our concentration needs to be on getting to Tasman (Island) right now.''

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Complicating matters was the forecast of westerly winds, expected to hit the fleet between 9-11pm on Thursday night.

Murray said those winds and a predicted southwesterly when the leader turned into the River Derwent could still be favourable.

"Obviously it's always a tricky place,'' he said. "We're just positioning ourselves ... for the breeze to go left and then be ready to get headsails up and start back on a wind.

"We should have pretty good southwesterly breeze so we should have a reasonably quick trip down the Derwent.''

In a rare event for the race, none of the 76-strong fleet had yet retired.

Meanwhile, Ragamuffin could face a time penalty after jumping the start on Sydney Harbour on Wednesday.

The matter has been referred to the race's international jury following an apparent failure to notify the boat's skipper of his infringement within a five-minute limit.

It is likely to be held in Hobart after Ragamuffin's arrival.

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Gourmet ride to Hobart for sailors

Luxury ... Crew members on Charlie's Dream are dubbed the 'gourmet sailors.' Source: Mark Evans / News Limited

Seasickness and a drenching isn't the lot of every Sydney to Hobart sailor.

On board Charlie's Dream, they're serving up a gourmet menu and enjoying a hot shower each morning.

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The catch? The cruising yacht has been running last for most of the race.

By Thursday afternoon, skipper Peter Lewis and his crew caught the 1932-built Maluka of Kermandie east of Batemans Bay to move up one place to 75th in the race for line honours.

Lunch had obviously served the Queenslanders well.

"We've got smoked chicken, prosciutto, we've got Stilton blue cheese, King Island double brie, some ordinary tasty cheddar, tomatoes, pickled onion, jalapenos, olives,'' Lewis told reporters by satellite phone.

"Because the conditions are reasonably calm at the moment we'll make the most of the opportunity to have a glass of chardonnay with all this.''

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That could be as wet as Lewis' crew gets, if you don't count the shower.

There were some green faces on night one, Lewis said, but the 13.7-metre Bluewater 450 built in 2008 is now doing what it did best.

"We're built for comfort rather than speed,'' Lewis said.

"I had a hot shower this morning. There's not many boats where crew can have a shower when they feel like it.

"We had bacon, egg and beans this morning.''

Lewis said the crew's main goal, an adventure with mates, had already been achieved.

But he was deadly serious about the aim now - to cut a swathe through the back end of the field.

"As you get to Tasman Island ... all of a sudden you've got sails in front of you, sails behind you,'' he said.

"Instead of feeling tired the adrenaline kicks in and you've got another race.

"We've obviously got two or three yachts that are at the tail end of the fleet ... and we've certainly got a couple of those we'd like to pip to the post.''

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As it happened: AUS v SRI T2 D1

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What a day ... Jackson Bird got the first wicket of the day. Source: Salpigtidis George / News Limited

Australia trail Sri Lanka's first innings by just six runs after a dominant first day's display at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Re-live the action from the first day of the Boxing Day Test with our fresh new take on the live match blog format.

Via our new blog format, which we'll bring you every day throughout the Boxing Day Test, we plan to capture the colour and excitement of the battle with blog that allows you more say while also bringing in news, knowledge and insight from all corners of the cricket world.

2nd Test - Melbourne Cricket Ground

26 December 2012 - Day 1, Session 3

Australia 1st Innings

S. Watson	13	44	2	0	29.55
M. Clarke	20	46	3	0	43.48
S. Eranga	10	2	53	0	5.30

We will have regular score and wicket updates here along with commentary, images and interaction with experts and fans.

If, however, it's a ball-by-ball description and up to the second scoreboard you want, along with wagon wheels and ball tracking technology, we have that covered in our MATCH CENTRE, right here.

Please get involved with the live blog in one of three ways.

Send us an email using the form on this page (on the right), leave a comment on the story or contact us via twitter at @FoxCricketLive.

If you are at the ground we'd love to see your images and will use as many as possible during the day.

We hope you enjoy this new approach to the live experience online – do tell us what you think. 

Re-live day one, as it unfolded, below, and join us on Thursday from 10.30am (EDT).

[View the story "LIVE: AUSvSL - 2nd Test, Day 1 MCG" on Storify]

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Johnson overpowers Sri Lanka at MCG

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You beauty ... It was a great day for Mitchell Johnson. Source: Wayne Ludbey / News Limited

Mitchell Johnson launched himself into the elite 200-club on Wednesday as Australia overpowered Sri Lanka on day one of the second Test.

2nd Test - Melbourne Cricket Ground

26 December 2012 - Day 1, Session 3

Australia 1st Innings

S. Watson	13	44	2	0	29.55
M. Clarke	20	46	3	0	43.48
S. Eranga	10	2	53	0	5.30

Australia will resume on Thursday on 3-150 after Johnson claimed 4-63 to help skittle the tourists for 156 in front of 67,138 fans at the MCG.

In just his second Test appearance in 2012 after battling injury, Johnson became the 14th Australian to reach the 200-wicket milestone and achieved the feat in his 49th match.

"It's great having personal milestones. To be able to be in the 200 club, I'm very happy about that," the 31-year-old left-armer said.

Sri Lanka's sole shining light with the bat was veteran Kumar Sangakkara, who made 58 and also notched a major milestone by becoming the 11th player in Test history to score 10,000 runs.

Sangakkara was eighth man out with the total on 147 after he top-edged a pull-shot and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade sprinted towards the boundary and dived to take what Johnson described as an unbelievable catch.

"It was a pretty special one for me as well being my 200th wicket so I thanked him for that," Johnson said.

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Re-live day one in our brand new live and interactive blog format, and join us for all the fun again on Thursday from 1030am (EDT).

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Skipper Michael Clarke is unbeaten on 20 for Australia with Shane Watson on 13. Clarke looked in fine touch despite being in doubt for the match with a hamstring injury which he suffered in last week's win in the first Test in Hobart.

Australia's pace-bowling strategies have remained in the spotlight after the decision was made to rest in-form quick Mitchell Starc.

Debutant Jackson Bird (2-32) and Peter Siddle (2-30) provided tremendous back-up to the fiery Johnson, who returned to the side after Ben Hilfenhaus was ruled out with a side strain.

"There's been talk with rotations systems and our policies," Johnson said.

"Jackson Bird, it's his first game and I've been in and out so it's good to be able to go out there and perform as a unit.

"It can be tough when you're chopping and changing. We're becoming a better side now.

"We've got those options there."

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Sri Lanka coach Graham Ford admitted his side's shot selection could have been better, with Tillakaratne Dilshan losing his off stump for 11 to Johnson after aiming a big slog over mid-on.

Thilan Samaraweera (10) departed after top-edging a pull shot to Bird in the first over after lunch at 4-79, adding to Sri Lanka's woes.

"There might have been a few loose shots out there from the Sri Lankans but we've still got to put the ball in the right area,'' Johnson said.

Johnson said he expected the pitch, which provided 13 wickets on day one, to quicken up and provide value for shots on day two.

"We're definitely in a strong position," he said.

"We're three-down, we're 150 and we've got a great wicket out there."

Sri Lanka's woes include having wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene on the sidelines nursing a fractured thumb courtesy of a lifting ball from Johnson.

Stand-in wicketkeeper Sangakkara fumbled a diving attempt to catch Watson for five off the bowling of Chanaka Welegedara.

Australia's Ed Cowan (36) and David Warner (62) shared a 95-run opening stand and Phil Hughes was run out for 10.

Ford was particularly disappointed with his side's missed opportunities in the field after Clarke and Watson were both dropped before they reached double figures.

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Praise for Wild Oats XI start

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Top start ... Wild Oats XI has made a flying start to the Rolex Sydney Hobart. Source:AAP

Navigator Adrienne Cahalan rates Wild Oats XI's blockbusting start to the Rolex Sydney Hobart as one of her best ever after the super maxi hit speeds of around 20 knots to lead the 66-strong fleet up the harbour on Boxing Day.

Bob Oatley's boat flew out of the blocks in Sydney Harbour on Wednesday, quickly surging to a good lead in south-easterly breezes of around 15 knots.

"We've been going pretty quickly,'' Cahalan said in the boat's 21st Rolex Sydney Hobart.

"We can see Ragamuffin Loyal not far away and Lahana. It is still pretty bumpy out here but not too bad."

Cahalan said skipper Mark Richards and the crew were delighted with the 100-footers speedy exit from Sydney Harbour which saw her leave her major rival Ragamuffin Loyal well in her wake.

"We got a good start, we were right in there,'' she said. "That would be one of our best starts."

Ragamuffin Loyal may have had a luckier start though, with the Syd Fischer-skippered yacht over the line when the canon fired.

It appears the boat will not be penalised due to her not being notified of her early start in the correct manner.

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At least Ragamuffin Loyal made it to the start, something that was denied fellow super maxi and 2003 line honours winner Wild Thing.

The race committee ruled her out of the race three hours before the start after failing to receive some documentation.

Further back in the fleet, Brad Kellett - on the former Rolex Sydney Hobart winner Brindabella - said everyone was relieved to have made it through the first few hours of the race without incident.

"It's pretty uncomfortable though,'' said the Brindabella sailing master.

"It's quite rough out here. We are all looking forward to the nor'easterly.''

The change is expected to hit the frontrunner on Wednesday night, transforming the race from a slow upwind slog into a fast downwind surf.

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League's biggest moment in 2012

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Another huge year ... what was sport's biggest moment in 2012? Source:FOX SPORTS

Foxsports.com.au has gathered the five moments that defined rugby league in 2012 and it's up to you to decide which was the biggest.

Check out our highlights video of the five big moments before heading to the bottom of the page to tell us if the decision was right or wrong.

Have we missed any of rugby league's defining moments for 2012? Leave a comment with your most memorable moments at the bottom of the page!

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TOOTHLESS TIGERS
It wasn't one moment that consigned Wests Tigers' 2012 season to the scrapheap but the cumulative effect of a number of poorly managed issues. Favourites with the bookmakers prior to round one, the Tigers lost five of their first six games and never fully recovered. First it was big-name signing Adam Blair who copped the treatment for failing to justify his price-tag in a forgettable start to the season then it was talk of a rift between Robbie Farah and Benji Marshall that caused a distraction in Concord. The rumoured power struggle was brought to a head by NRL on Fox, with Farah furiously describing the show as an ambush on Twitter after Matthew Johns probed the Tigers skipper on his relationship with the Kiwi superstar as well as a perception that the team was soft in defence. The Tigers briefly turned things around, winning seven in a row mid-season, but fell away again and failed to qualify for the finals, costing premiership coach Tim Sheens his job at the end of a train wreck of a year. 

Glory ... Cam Smith holds the Origin shield aloft. Source: AAP

THE TRY THAT WASN'T
In a year that can only be described as forgettable for NRL officials, the Michael Oldfield try in the semi-final between Manly and North Queensland Cowboys was the straw that broke the camel's back. With the Sea Eagles leading 16-12 with just under 20 minutes remaining, a bomb in Manly's attacking zone was contested by Kieran Foran and his opposing five-eighth Johnathan Thurston. Neither was able to come down with a clean catch and the ball spilled towards the Sea Eagles' try line before being scooped up by Jamie Lyon, who offloaded in a tackle to send Oldfield over. The decision went upstairs and, not for the first time in 2012, video referee Sean Hampstead thrust himself into the spotlight by awarding the try despite vision showing Foran propelling the ball forward in the lead-up. The wrong decision condemned the Cowboys to another failed finals appearance and, ultimately, cost referees bosses Bill Harrigan and Stuart Raper their jobs.

STORM REDEMPTION
Melbourne Storm's history was unpleasantly re-written in 2010 when they were stripped of two NRL titles as punishment for rorting the salary cap. But it didn't take them long to get their name back on the premiership honour board with a stirring finals campaign in 2012. The Storm were written off in some quarters after a post-Origin slump. But the Storm's star-studded line-up rose for the big occasion, first with a stunning thrashing of finals nemesis Manly in the preliminary final, then with a near-flawless grand final against Canterbury-Bankstown to claim ultimate redemption with a 14-4 victory. 

Hindy ... the 330-game veteran bids farewell to Eels fans. Source: AAP

MIGHTY MAROONS
After winning an epic battle in 2011, Queensland started the 2012 series as favourites to clinch a remarkable seventh series in a row and they didn't disappoint. Lauded as one of the best teams of all-time, the Maroons soaked up everything a valiant New South Wales side could throw at them before eventually clinching victory by a solitary point in the decider through a 40-metre Cooper Cronk field-goal. It was a fitting way for a series full of controversial moments - headlined by the Greg Inglis try in game one - to end. The seventh series win in a row extended an already history-making dynasty and guaranteed another year of soul searching for the Blues.

FAREWELLING A LEGEND
Almost since the day he started his NRL career, Nathan Hindmarsh was a fan favourite and that status only grew the longer the Parramatta legend's career lasted. So when he announced towards the end of the 2012 season that the round 26 match-up with St George Illawarra would be his last, a sentimental build-up to his finale began. Alas, Parramatta couldn't match the occasion with a fitting performance, going down to the Dragons 29-8 to give another duo of retiring champions, Ben Hornby and Dean Young, the fairytale farewell. While Hindmarsh and his good mate Luke Burt instead went out with their first wooden spoon, it mattered little to the adoring fans, with 45,000 present at ANZ Stadium to scream themselves hoarse in appreciation of all of the decorated retirees.

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AFL's biggest moment in 2012

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Another huge year ... what was sport's biggest moment in 2012? Source:FOX SPORTS

Foxsports.com.au has gathered the five moments that defined AFL in 2012 and it's up to you to decide which was the biggest.

Check out our highlights video of the five big moments before heading to the bottom of the page to tell us if the deicision was right or wrong.

Have we missed any of AFL's defining moments for 2012? Leave a comment with your most memorable moments at the bottom of the page!

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GIANTS JOIN THE PARTY
The AFL's newest franchise, led by the competition's oldest coach, stepped out for the very first time in 2012. Kevin Sheedy guided the young Giants to two victories but couldn't avoid the wooden spoon. A number of exciting youngsters, headed by Toby Greene, Jeremy Cameron and Stephen Coniglio, looked at home in the big time. Israel Folau, however, didn't. The big-money former NRL star turned his back on the code after a trying year.

BUDDY BOOTS A BAKER'S DOZEN
AFL crowds are used to Lance Frankling doing the seemingly undoable, but the game's most mercurial player took it to another level in round 10 against North Melbourne. Heading into the match with just 21.36 from the opening nine rounds, the Hawthorn hero slotted home 13 majors in a career-best performance. Buddy's performance helped his side crush the Kangaroos by 115 points, a record for the Hawks against the Kangaroos. Are you really surprised that, according to IMG Sports Technology Group, Franklin is the AFL's most popular player and more than twice as popular than the second-ranked player, teammate Cyril Rioli? Didn't think so.

Swans ... flew to the flag in 2012. Source: AAP

RATTEN OUT, MALTHOUSE IN
Carlton great Brett Ratten never really won over Blues fans as coach. The likeable Ratten helped the club return to the finals after a seven-year drought in 2009. They were bundled out by a kick, then again in 2010, before thumping the Bombers in an elimination final in 2011. Big things were expected in 2012 - a premiership, perhaps - but when Gold Coast rolled them in round 22, that was it for 'Ratts'. Mick Malthouse got the nod in no time and the former Footscray, West Coast and Collingwood coach will be paid handsomely to do so.

THE TIPPETT SAGA
He's not the biggest name in the game but Kurt Tippett has commanded more column inches than anyone in 2012. The off-season - and much of the season itself - was dominated by the former Adelaide Crows big man. Would he stay or would he go? Then, where would he go? And, then, what would the AFL commission decide. Collingwood superstar Travis Cloke did his best to keep pace with the Tippett for headlines before opting to sign a new deal with the Magpies.

SUPER SWANS
Hands up if you tipped the Swans to make the top four? Didn't think so. And forget it if you claim you had them as your pick for the flag. Sydney, powered by a blue-collar midfield, a dependable defence, and honest attack, upset the more-fancied Hawks in a classic grand final. Lewis Jetta's run down the wing with Cyril Rioli in pursit, Nick Malcesski's stunning goals, and Lance Franklin's third quarter were memorable.

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Sixers need some Lumb luck

Call up ... Batsman Michael Lumb will play for Sydney Sixers on Boxing Day. Source: Stephane de Sakutin / AFP

Sydney Sixers have called upon star batsman Michael Lumb in a bid to revive a flagging KFC T20 Big Bash League title defence ahead of their Boxing Day clash with the Hobart Hurricanes at the SCG.

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Sydney suffered a heavy nine-wicket loss to the Adelaide Strikers on Sunday and with just one win from the opening four games sit in second-last place, ahead of only winless rivals the Sydney Thunder.

The Sixers lost just two games on their way to winning last year's title, and have so far come up with few solutions as to how they halt their current three-game skid.

They've already fallen three games behind competition leaders the Melbourne Renegades, and have just four games left to improve their position to fourth to secure a finals berth.

But star allrounder Steve Smith insists they haven't given up hope yet.

"It is obviously going to be hard work from here on in. We are going to have to play some good cricket and turn it around,'' he said.

Helping matters significantly will be the return of English batsman Lumb, who arrived on Christmas Eve after missing the start of the tournament and has been named in a 13-man Sixers squad.

Lumb starred for the Sixers in their triumphant Champions League campaign, finishing as the tournament's leading scorer with 226 runs and a top score of 82 not out.

Much of the Sixers' troubles this summer have stemmed from a lack of runs at the top of the order, highlighted by their scores of 113 and 135 in losses to Perth Scorchers and the Strikers.

Young pair Kurtis Patterson and Daniel Hughes have also been added to the Sixers' squad after missing the first half of the season through injury.

Hobart enter the clash in strong form having belted the Thunder by 30 runs for their second win of the season, leaving them in fourth spot on the ladder.

Sydney Sixers: Brad Haddin (capt), Luke Feldman, Moises Henriques, Daniel Hughes, Josh Lalor, Brett Lee, Michael Lumb, Sunil Narine, Stephen O'Keefe, Kurtis Patterson, Dan Smith, Steve Smith, Dominic Thornely (12th man to be named, one to be omitted)
Hobart Hurricanes: George Bailey (capt), Tim Paine, Aiden Blizzard, Scott Boland, Doug Bollinger, Travis Birt, Xavier Doherty, Michael Hogan, Jason Krejza, Ben Laughlin, Ricky Ponting, Owais Shah, Jon Wells (12th man to be named, one to be omitted)

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Milligan banned for two games

Banned ... Victory's Mark Milligan has been outed for two matches after last weekend's Derby. Source: JOE CASTRO / AAP

Melbourne Victory midfielder Mark Milligan has been banned for two A-League matches for a jab to the stomach of Heart rival Jonatan Germano in last weekend's derby.

Milligan's first half hit on Germano was missed by match officials, but was picked up by the match review panel in its deliberations on Monday.

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The Socceroo will miss the Victory's clash with Newcastle at AAMI Park on Friday night, and the New Year's Day match at Western Sydney Wanderers.

"The MRP determined that the player had committed the offence of assault on a player (violent conduct when not challenging for the ball) against Jonatan Germano," the panel said in a statement.

It is a double blow for the Victory, who have already lost skipper Adrian Leijer for the Jets match after his suspension for exceeding the yellow card limit.

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Fischer tips Sydney-Hobart drag race

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Drag race ... Ragamuffin and Wild Oats ready for battle. Source: Mark Evans / News Limited

Ragamuffin Loyal skipper Syd Fischer is tipping a drag race between Wild Oats XI and his boat in the battle for line honours in the Sydney to Hobart.

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The two super maxis remain favourites to secure line honours with Wild Oats XI having previously been first to reach Hobart on five occasions and Investec Loyal - as she was known then - claiming the honour last year.

"I think it's going to be a bit of drag race actually, because they are going to be watching us and were going to be watching them,'' Fischer said.

The oldest competitor in the race at 85, Fischer is confident his boat is ready to go after an eventful leadup.

It required repairs to rigging after the mast struck Sydney's Anzac Bridge just under two weeks ago.

"We were struggling, we had a couple of problems that we've had to overcome but we're pretty right,'' Fischer said.

Eternally respectful of the weather's influence on the race, Fischer was cautious about talking up his boat's line honours prospects.

"I think we're confident we've got a good chance, but I don't like overestimating a situation that you can't control,'' Fischer said.

The fleet of 77 is expected to start in south easterly breezes of around 15 knots on Wednesday.

The winds will lighten after a few hours but forecast northerlies will kick the fleet along on Thursday.

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With a westerly change now likely to arrive earlier than expected on Thursday it may be hard for any boat to break the race record.

"The race record to us is a bonus ... it all depends on the conditions,'' Wild Oats XI skipper Mark Richards said.

"It's possible, the nor-easter may stay in for an extra three or four hours and that's a big deal in these boats.''

Richards acknowledged for the record to fall, his boat would have to cover as much of the 628-nautical mile course as possible before the westerly change hits.

"Don't back off, push as fast as you can and hopefully you can sail the shortest course possible and the rest is in the hands of the gods.''

There was nothing in the latest weather forecast to concern Fischer, who will be doing the race for the 44th time.

"I don't think we're going to get knocked around too much,'' Fischer said.

"It will be a race in which attention to detail will be the main thing.''

Richards emphasised it wouldn't be all smooth sailing, especially with southerlies to contend with on the first night.

"It's going to be big and bumpy and uncomfortable,'' Richards said.

The latest forecast still appeared to favour the bigger boats in the battle for overall honours.

"The overall winner is likely to come from a boat 60 foot or larger and it depends on who gets through some of those transition periods the best,'' said Matt Allen skipper of the 70-foot Ichi Ban.

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Pattinson to resume in one-dayers

Return ... James Pattinson is set to play in Australia's one-day series against Sri Lanka. Source: AFP

Pace bowler James Pattinson is set to resume from a rib injury in the one-day series against Sri Lanka in January, Cricket Australia's team physio Alex Kountouris said on Monday.

Pattinson broke down during last month's second Test against South Africa in Adelaide but was able to train with Australia's Test squad at the MCG nets on Monday morning.

"James is making good progress from the rib injury he sustained against South Africa," Kountouris said.

"He has resumed bowling and building up his bowling workloads to be available for the series against Sri Lanka."

The five-match ODI series starts on January 11 at the MCG.

Pattinson has a tremendous record in his seven-Test career of 31 wickets at an average of 22.09 and the 22-year-old is a key part of Australia's plans for the 2013 Ashes tour.

All-rounder John Hastings, who made his Test debut in Perth last month against South Africa before being rested from Big Bash League games for Melbourne Stars because of a back injury, is also returning to full fitness.

"John has recovered from the back injury. He is preparing to play in the BBL for the Melbourne Stars later this week," Kountouris said.

The Stars' next BBL game is in Adelaide against the Strikers on December 27.

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Clarke no certainty for Boxing Day

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Race against time ... Clarke has three days to prove his fitness for the Boxing Day Test. Source: Phil Hillyard / News Limited

Australia Chairman of selectors John Inverarity has declared Michael Clarke just a "50-50 chance" of being fit for the Boxing Day Test as the skipper hit the MCG in a bid to prove his fitness.

Australia captain Michael Clarke is no certainty to play in the Boxing Day Test, with chairman of selectors John Inverarity rating him just a "50-50 chance" of being fit.

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Clarke, who suffered a hamstring strain during the dramatic first Test win over Sri Lanka in Hobart last weekend, only trained for the first time on Sunday in a bid to prove his fitness.

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Just three days out from the big match, Clarke trained separately from the main group, giving his hamstring a short workout with some light running before engaging in conversation with Inverarity.

Usman Khawaja is on stand-by should Clarke be ruled out, but with the skipper clearly Australia's most in-form batsman; the side's new-look top order will need to step up if their captain is absent.

"Look, he's travelling optimistically and well, but he's 50-50 as to whether he'll be fit enough to play on Boxing Day," Inverarity said.

Inverarity and vice-captain Shane Watson both expect the world's No.1-ranked batsman to do everything possible to prove his fitness over the next couple of days.

"He's a very precious asset and I would go low risk," Inverarity said.

"He's always upbeat, he desperately wants to play, but we certainly don't want to push him especially hard in a Test and for him to break down."

Watson said if Clarke isn't fit, he will be ready to take on the captaincy, although he isn't thinking about it just yet.

The all-rounder has never led Australia in a Test, although he did the job with some distinction in the limited-overs series in the West Indies earlier in the year.

"It's just about as big as it gets for an Australian cricketer," said Watson of the prospect of leading Australia in a Boxing Day Test.

"There's no doubt if that opportunity arises it certainly will be like it was when I had the opportunity to be captain in the one-dayers; it's an amazing opportunity to think that something like that has come along in your life.

"But as I said, I'm trying not to get too far in front of myself at the moment.

"In the end I know Michael will be doing everything he possibly can to be able to get right for this Test match and everyone's got their fingers crossed that he'll be right but if the opportunity does arise then I'll re-focus then."

Watson said recently-retired former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting had taught him a lot about leadership and captaincy with Watson ready to trust his instincts if he is called on to lead the team.

"Ricky has always been an amazing influence on my career and there's no doubt he's taught me a lot of very good lessons about the game of cricket, but also leadership as well," Watson said.

"There's no doubt a lot of those things he's always talked to me about, when I did lead the team last summer, about just not thinking about things too much and just letting your gut instinct make the decisions for you.

"I'll make sure I'm nice and planned if that opportunity does come around but as I said, Ricky Ponting has given me a lot of very good advice in the past so I'm sure that will come out if the opportunity arises."

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Ponting leads Hurricanes to victory

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Winding back the clock ... Ponting posted a half-century at Blundstone Arena. Source: Nikki Davis-Jones / News Limited

Ricky Ponting's highest KFC T20 Big Bash League score and a hat-trick from Xavier Doherty led Hobart Hurricanes to a 30-run victory over Sydney Thunder at Blundstone Arena on Sunday.

T20 - Blundstone Arena

23 December 2012 - Day 1, Session 2

Thunder 1st Innings

S. Abbott	9	8	1	0	112.5
D. Nannes	3	2	0	0	150
B. Laughlin	4	0	23	2	5.75

Ponting, who turned 38 last week, hit 63 from 45 balls, putting on an opening stand of 111 with Tim Paine (40 from 34) in the Hurricanes' 4-177 after they lost the toss.

Spinner Doherty (3-32) grabbed a 17th-over hat-trick when he snared Simon Keen (24 from 12), Ryan Carters (10 from 10) and Cameron Borgas (0).

Doherty had Keen caught at mid-on by sub Jason Krejza and Carters stumped by Paine before Borgas appeared unlucky to be judged lbw.

That reduced the Thunder to 7-122 before they finished on 9-147 for their fourth loss in as many starts.Earlier, Ponting reached his 50 from 36 balls with a huge six over midwicket off the bowling of Azhar Mahmood (0-44), the shot coming after consecutive fours.

With superb placement rather than brute power, the former Australia captain hit seven fours and two sixes in making his highest BBL score in his first Hurricanes match at Bellerive.

And to the delight of the crowd of 12,209, Ponting chipped in with the late wicket of Scott Coyte (10 from five).

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Click on the video at the top of the page to see all the sixes from Punter's innings!

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The Thunder never recovered from losing openers Chris Gayle (13 from 14) and Mark Cosgrove (19 from 16 early) to be 2-36 in the sixth over.

They were 4-91 in the 14th when Mahmood (23 from 20) and skipper Chris Rogers' (24 from 28) rescue mission was ended.

Earlier, Hobart's bright start looked like it could be squandered when Paine and Travis Birt (0 from 4) were both out with the score 111 in the 14th over, delivered by young legspinner Adam Zampa (3-26).

But Englishman Owais Shah (26 from 16) and skipper George Bailey (30 from 13) salvaged the situation for the Hurricanes with a stand of 54.

The Hurricanes' victory took them to 2-2 at the halfway point of their campaign.Englishman Owais Shah (26 from 16) and skipper George Bailey (30 from 13) salvaged the situation for the Hurricanes with a stand of 54.

Showman Chris Gayle earned the ire of a big Hobart crowd when he half-threatened a Mankad runout, then stood with arms extended gesturing to the grandstand.

The match looms as a season-definer for both sides, with Hobart 1-2 and the Thunder yet to notch a BBL victory this season.

Relive the game with our Match Centre, featuring videos of every wicket and boundary!

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New coach puts Roar on notice

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On notice ... Roar coach says he will be "active" in next month's transfer window. Source: Adam Armstrong / News Limited

Mike Mulvey has put his struggling Brisbane Roar squad on notice, saying he will be "active" in next month's transfer window after a 1-0 home loss to Perth Glory.

Having last week inherited a squad put together by master mentor Ange Postecoglou and failed successor Rado Vidosic, the new Roar coach has acknowledged the need for some fresh faces in all positions.

"I've got some phone calls to make overseas," Mulvey said yesterday less than 24 hours after his first game in charge of the Roar ended in a 1-0 home loss to Perth Glory.

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"We know we need some additions to the squad, and at the same time the players need a bit of a boost.

"We're certainly going to be active in the January transfer window.''

And that potentially means buying and selling players.

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Catch Adelaide United v Brisbane Roar LIVE on Wednesday 7.30pm (EDT), Fox Sports 3HD

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Mulvey had a lengthy discussion at yesterday's recovery session with midfielder Erik Paartalu, who has made no secret of his desire to leave the champions.

Another player likely to be headed for the exit door, either next month or at the end of the season, is disgruntled defender Matt Jurman.

The former Sydney FC centre-back has fallen even further down the Roar pecking order, with Mulvey saying he was going to persevere with youngster James Donachie as skipper Matt Smith's central defensive partner.

Jurman will play in today's National Youth League clash between the Roar and the Glory at Goodwin Park.

"I expect him to be disappointed that he's not in the first team,'' Mulvey said of Jurman.

"It's now up to Matt to put pressure on those guys (Smith and Donachie).''

Certain to miss Brisbane's clash against Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium on Wednesday is fullback Jack Hingert, who suffered a serious hip injury just minutes after coming on as a substitute against the Glory.

Mulvey said he was yet to decide whether Ben Halloran would again be left out of the starting side after he surprisingly watched most of the Perth loss from the bench.

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