Sports Cricket:

Rajasthan in sight of retaining title:

Standout innings:Tamilnadus Dineshkarthik showed exemplary powers of physical and mental endurance as he played a lone against Rajasthan.

Weathering a heroic innings of different hues from Dinesh Karthik, Rajasthan has all but retained the Ranji Trophy title.Dismissing the host for 295 here on Sunday, Rajasthan gained a massive 326-run first innings lead in the final at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. The defending champion was 21 without loss at stumps on day four.A well-knit side that can execute its plans with discipline and focus, Rajasthan will be a deserving winner.
The scores: Rajasthan 1st innings: 621.

Tamil Nadu 1st innings: 295.

Rajasthan 1st innings:21(batting)

Dilshan resigns, Mahela new Sri Lanka captain :

Dilshan's notable achievement was Sri Lankas first test win in South Africa at Durban last month.

Sri Lankas successful captain in the post-Muralitharan era, Tillakaratne Dilshan has submitted his resignation as captain of the national team to Chairman of the National Selection Committee with immediate effect.Dilshan has resigned as captain in all three formats of the game. Members
of the Executive committee take this opportunity to thank Dilshan for his commitment and dedication during his tenure as the National Captain. We also wish him well as he continues to represent Sri Lanka as a National Player, a note from Sri Lanka Cricket, the governing body, said.

Hockey:

Indian hockey team

India again staged a fightback to hold South Africa to a 3-3 draw in the fifth and final match of the hockey Test series at the National Stadium here on Sunday. The draw helped the host win the series 3-1. South Africa took a 3-0 lead at half-time through strikes from Ricky West (26th minute), Ian Haley (31st) and Miguel Da Graca (34th). India wiped out the deficit with goals from Yuvraj Walmiki (43rd), V.R. Raghunath (49th) and S.K. Uthappa (66th).
The result:

India 3 (Yuvraj Walmiki 43, V.R. Raghunath 49, S.K. Uthappa 66) South Africa 3 (Ricky West 26, Ian Haley 31, Miguel Da Graca 34).

BADMINTON:

GOOD SHOW: Sourabh Varma, who beat Anup Sridhar, in action on Sunday.

Sourabh won 21-15, 21-18 with an authoritative display. The strong 19-year-old lad pounced on anything loose that Anup put across the court and often had the former champion on the defensive with some delectable crosscourt shots. Anup slowed the pace in the second game and the two went neck and neck till 16-all before Varma, with some superb dribbles and telling smashes, ended Anup's challenge.

MotorSport:
Williams signs Senna to complete 2012 F1 lineup

Bruno Senna is the nephew of threetime F1 champion Ayrton Senna (seen in this image released by Universal Pictures).

Brazilian driver Bruno Senna signed with Formula One team Williams on Tuesday, returning the Senna name to the British outfit 18 years after his uncle died.

Senna, the nephew of threetime F1 champion Ayrton Senna, joins Venezuelan driver Pastor Maldonado to give the British team an allSouth American lineup going into the March 18 opener in Australia. Ayrton Senna joined Williams from McLaren in 1994 and was fatally wounded during a crash at San Marino, only his third race with the team.

Tennis:
Sharapova advances to Australian Open quarterfinal :

Maria Sharapova of Russia screams after winning a point against Sabine Lisicki of Germany during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship, in Melbourne.

Maria Sharapova is back into the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the first time since she won the title at Melbourne Park in 2008. The No. 4-ranked Sharapova had a 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 win over No. 14 Sabine Lisicki at Rod Laver Arena on Monday night and will meet fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova in the next stage. No. 56-ranked Makarova caused the upset of the Open so far when she beat five-time champion Serena Williams in straight sets earlier Monday to reach the quarterfinals of a major for the first time.