Nagpur, Feb. 5: One unit plagued by injuries and another desperately seeking redemption renew a rivalry that could outdo quite a few others in world cricket. India and South Africa will commence a media-charged series to decide the best team in Test cricket here on Saturday.

NAGPUR, Feb. 5: Take away the Don’s staggering average of 99.94 and the 400 of Brian Charles Lara, and every other conceivable Test batting record stands with Sachin Tendulkar. The CV has glittered right from the day he took guard as a 16-year-old. If Tendulkar would want one alteration to his resume, though, it will well be his record against South Africa.

NAGPUR, Feb. 5: Barring uncertainty hanging over the fitness V.V.S. Laxman, preparations have gone according to plan for the first Test against South Africa here from Saturday, according to India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Nagpur, Feb. 5: The series has not received its high billing for nothing. There is a lot more at stake for India and South Africa over the next two weeks than mere victory. A battle between the two top teams in world cricket has generated good interest and Test cricket is in the news for the right reasons.

Napier, Feb. 5: A superb all-round display by Jacob Oram helped New Zealand crush Bangladesh by 146 runs in the first one-day international at Napier on Friday.

NAGPUR, Feb. 5: Jacques Kallis has every reason to be put out. If greatness is to be calculated by cold numbers, then even the great Sir Gary Sobers might have to make way for the strong-as-teak South African.

London, Feb. 5: Manchester United will stay hot on the heels of Chelsea in the Premier League title race and plunge Portsmouth into deeper trouble if they beat the bottom-placed club on Saturday.

Warsaw, Poland, Feb. 5: Russia and Croatia, who have failed to make this year’s World Cup finals in South Africa, will be among the top seeds when the draw for the qualifying round of Euro 2012 is made on Sunday.

Feb. 5: John Terry was stripped of the England captaincy by coach Fabio Capello on Friday following a media storm over his private life, and will be replaced by Rio Ferdinand. Capello told Terry of the decision in a brief meeting at Wembley Stadium, a

New Delhi, Feb. 5: The national selectors will meet on Saturday to pick a 18-man strong team for the 11th Hockey World Cup that begins here on February 28. The 22-member squad that assembled in the capital on Wednesday, will undergo trials at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium before the final selection is made.