ARGENTINA TOPS FIFA RANKINGS

Argentina have moved up one place to go top of the FIFA rankings for October, released by world football's ruling body on Wednesday.

World Cup champions Italy fell two places to third, while Brazil leapfrogged them into second place.

Beaten finalists in Germany last year, France jumped two spots to move up to fourth place while the Germans drop one place to fifth.

But the big losers in October were England, who fell to 11th place after their recent poor showings in Euro-2008 qualifiers.

Rankings

1. Argentina 1533 points (+ 1 place)
2. Brazil 1459 (+ 1)
3. Italy 1387 (- 2)
4. France 1271 (+ 2)
5. Germany 1245 (- 1)
6. Spain 1226 (+ 1)
7. Netherlands 1207 (- 2)
8. Portugal 1203 (=)
9. Czech Republic 1174 (+ 2)
10. Croatia 1155

BEIJING OLYMPICS 2008 SCHEDULE

2008 AUGUST SPORT day weekday		06	07	08	09	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	Total Events
		-2	-1	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
		Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat	Sun
Opening Ceremony
	Aquatics					5	5	5	5	4	4	4	5		1	2	3		2	1	46
	Archery					1	1			1	1										4
	Athletics										2	4	6	6	5	3	6	7	7	1	47
	Badminton										1	2	2								5
	Baseball																		1		1
	Basketball																		1	1	2
	Boxing																		5	6	11
	Canoe / Kayak							2		2								6	6		16
	Cycling				1	1			2		1	3	1	2	3		2	1	1		18
	Equestrian							2		1				1	1		1				6
	Fencing				1	1	1	1	2	1	1	1	1								10
	Football																1		1		2
	Gymnastics							1	1	1	1		4	4	4				1	1	18
	Handball																		1	1	2
	Hockey																	1	1		2
	Judo				2	2	2	2	2	2	2										14
	Modern Pentathlon																1	1			2
	Rowing											7	7								14
	Sailing											2	1	2	2	2	2				11
	Shooting				2	2	2	2	1	2	1	2	1								15
	Softball																1				1
	Table Tennis												1	1				1	1		4
	Taekwondo															2	2	2	2		8
	Tennis											2	2								4
	Triathlon													1	1						2
	Volleyball																1	1	1	1	4
	Weightlifting				1	2	2	2	2		2	1	1	1	1						15
	Wrestling							2	2	3		2	2		2	2	3				18
Closing Ceremony
Total Events					7	14	13	19	17	17	16	30	34	18	20	11	23	20	31	12	302

WON'T LET MURALI BREAK WARNE'S RECORD IN WARNE'S SOIL....SAID PONTING

Muttiah Muralitharan may be just nine short of overtaking Shane Warne as Test cricket’s highest wicket-taker but Australian skipper Ricky Ponting says he is confident his team can stop the Sri Lankan off-spinner from capturing the record in its backyard.

The task of taking nine wickets to surpass the record of Warne’s 708 wickets does not seem too hard for the wily bowler in next month’s two-Test series but Ponting says he is determined not to let it happen in Australia.

“He needs nine wickets to pass Warney’s world record and I want to make it pretty clear that it would be nice if he left Australia not getting those nine wickets,” Ponting was quoted as saying by ‘The Australian’.

“If that’s the case, then we’ve done a pretty good job. He’s also made it pretty clear over the years that he feels Australian batsmen play him better than any other team in the world. In saying that, and in our conditions, hopefully we can keep him under wraps,” he added.

Ponting also played down apprehensions that there would be crowd trouble when Muralitharan plays his first Test on Australian soil after 12 years.

The Aussie skipper said he was confident that spectators would behave themselves even if Muralitharan overtakes local hero Warne.

VOLKSWAGEN PASSOUT IN INDIA

Volkswagen, Europe’s largest car maker announced the launch of the brand in India with the unveiling of its first locally assembled Passat Sedan. The very well equipped Passat TDI 2.0 litre Highline will be currently available in two versions in India. These are priced at Rs. 22.35 lakhs and Rs. 24.35 lakhs, respectively (all prices ex-Showroom Delhi incl. VAT).

Pictures of Volkswagen Passat
The powerful 2.0 litre TDI diesel engine with an output of 103 kW (140 bhp) is one of the most successful engines in the Volkswagen range. It is paired with a 6-speed automatic DSG gearbox. Advanced occupant safety is one of the key features of the Passat which comes equipped with 8 airbags which include side airbags for the rear passengers, Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP). The Passat offers a comfortable driving experience with latest features such as the "Press andDrive" starting function, automatic driving light control with "Coming and Leaving home" function. The “Climatronic" air condition with 2-zone temperature control, leather upholstery, electric and manual sun blinds in the back, 6-disc CD changer, alloy wheels and a rain sensor give the Passat the perfect impression of a real luxury sedan. It is also the first vehicle in this class to have a push-button-operated Electromechanical Parking Brake (EPB).

The top version will come equipped with additional state-of the-art features like front seats with electric 12-way adjustment, bi-xenon headlights with headlight cleaning system, electric sliding / tilting glass roof, parkingsensorsat front and rear, anti-theft warning system and multi-function steering wheel with operating facility for gear-change, multi-function display and radio.

CAN HAMILTON WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP???

Lewis Hamilton still has a slim chance of taking the F1 title after McLaren said they would contest a decision not to punish two other teams in Brazil.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen won the race to edge out Hamilton, who finished seventh, for the drivers' championship.

Race stewards then investigated alleged fuel irregularities by Williams and BMW Sauber, but decided not to punish them.

Had they been disqualified, Hamilton would have finished fourth, earning him enough points to become world champion.

Interview: Eddie Jordan

MURALI KARTHICK'S MAGIC SPELL

A whole new game

On the eve of the one-off Twenty20 match at the Brabourne Stadium - which was abuzz with 11th-hour activity - the Indian team were keen to reinforce the fact that this was a different format of the game, one in which they, and not Australia were world champions.

"Whether they get even or not we're still the world champions, aren't we? It's a very good feeling to go into this game as world champions. The confidence is high, everyone's enjoying the game and the atmosphere in the dressing-room is fantastic," said Robin Uthappa when someone suggested to him that the Australians would be using this game to get back at the Indians for the semi-final defeat in South Africa.

"The young guys are all happy to be back. They've had a good break so they've come back fresh. Again it's a new kind of experience. Playing there in South Africa and playing here are two different things altogether - the wickets and the conditions are really different. It's a twenty-over game and can change in a matter of five balls. It's a fast game. Whoever plays well tomorrow will win."

That said, both teams realise that in this format of the game it's not really worth naming one side favourites and the other under dogs. This is the format in which Australia were beaten by Zimbabwe, and both stressed on the need to enjoy the game. "It's a completely different version of the game so I don't think the loss in the one-day series will have any bearing tomorrow," said Uthappa. "Everyone's going out there to enjoy themselves. After a seven match series this Twenty20 game comes like a picnic kind of thing where you enjoy yourselves come what may."

So much has changed now in that the Indians are suggesting they'd take the game a bit lightly, even if in jest, while the Australians concede they realise this version of the game is here to stay and it's important to play as hard as you can. But this role reversal is only understandable, given India's success in the ICC World Twenty20.

And for Uthappa, the good times have rolled on even after, as he's played a couple of exciting and critical knocks in different positions in the batting order in the fifty-over format of the game. When asked if it was easy to play this floating role, Uthappa said, "It's easy if you keep an open mind. You should not think 'I'm fit to play in one position or another.' If you have an open mind anything is possible. If you want to do it for your team you'll do it."

Both teams realise that in this format of the game it's not really worth naming one side favourites and the other under dogs. This is the format in which Australia were beaten by Zimbabwe, and both stressed on the need to enjoy the game

Uthappa drew praise from Ricky Ponting, for the manner in which he batted, and insists this will only inspire him further. "Coming from the captain of the best one-day side in the world it's inspiring and pushes me to work harder," said Uthappa. "I'm working on my game and a few flaws that I have. I'm looking to up my game a bit and convert starts to bigger scores."

He added that this was possible because he had a flexible approach to batting. "I've been able to adjust to situations whenever and wherever I've needed to change my game. I have the confidence to bat according to the situation. I've done it successfully a couple of times and feel very confident. I think I can up my game at will and if I want to drop down a couple of gears I can do that at will to. I've reached a place where I can change gears at my own time."

That said, even being in good form, Uthappa conceded that the Twenty20 format meant that even a couple of mistakes could cost you dear. But he said the team was not approaching the game with that sort of a mindset. "If you're going to think about making that one mistake then that mistake's going to happen. You shouldn't think of negatives," he said. "You want to think of the positives, go out there and give your best. Everyone in the team has been absolutely positive."

Once again then, India are without Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid, and the talk is all about high energy, intensity and a fun atmosphere in the dressing-room. There's extra room for celebration as Virender Sehwag - who missed practice - became a father for the first time. Mahendra Singh Dhoni too missed some part of practice with a knee niggle, but was set to play.

Also likely to return in tomorrow's match is Mathew Hayden. Before the final one-dayer, which Hayden missed, Ponting said that his player was "85 to 90% fit." By now he's good to go, and all things being equal will play tomorrow. And Australia, one-day series wrapped up or not, will be keen to end the tour with a bang.