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Australia's captain Steve Waugh (L) waves to the crowd in the Great Southern Stand after winning the third test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. REUTERS

PONTING ENDS 2003 AS LEADING TEST RUN SCORER
Ricky Ponting's back-to-back double centuries against India saw him finish 2003 as the leading run scorer in test cricket. More...

"Cricket is not just live, but full of life, excitement, fun and spirit on CricketNext.com. Like our World Cup winning team, CricketNext. com is a leader. The best. A true champion!"

Ricky Ponting, Australian World Cup winning captain and Brand Ambassador for Cricketnext.com

QUOTE OF THE DAY �

It does become a bit harder when you come out to bat. Sachin is the best batsman in the world and there are times in your career when you have to look after certain people, We want him to fire - India Captain Sourav Ganguly

�	Clarke named in Aussie ODI squad
�	No special formula to get out of run drought
�	India should remain positive despite loss at Melbourne
�	Ponting leads end of year ratings
�	Ganguly shields Tendulkar from test pressure
�	Ganguly demands some spine from tailenders
�	Match referee investigates Melbourne pitch incident
�	Australia include Gillespie in fourth test squad
�	Melbourne test images
More...

� Column	� Article
No special formula to get out of run drought: Ponting Ricky Ponting talks exclusively to Tapan Joshi about his career-best 257 against India and also discusses ways to get out of run drought. More...	I am very excited about the tie-up: Ponting Australian one-day skipper Ricky Ponting will be the brand ambassador for the world's leading website, CricketNext.com. More... Ricky Ponting Photo Gallery

� Interview	� Profile
Ponting relishing captaincy challenge It was never going to be easy taking over from Steve Waugh, but Ricky Ponting is relishing the prospect of leading Australia into the World Cup. More...	Ricky Ponting - A Class Apart Right up there with Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara as one of the modern batting greats, Australian Ricky Ponting took the art of willow wielding to a different level at Johannesburg. More...

Aus vs Ind
4th Test, Day - 1
2nd Jan, Sydney
Play begins at
0530 hrs (IST)

WI v SA
3rd Test, Day - 1
2nd Jan, Cape Town
Play begins at
1330 hrs (IST)

NZ v Pak
1st ODI
3rd Jan, Auckland
Play begins at
0400 hrs (IST)

	Search for: Worldwide Web India

BORN ON THIS DAY
December 31

BLANCKENBERG, J M, 1892

MAY, P B H, 1929

ALLAN, P J, 1935

MILKHA SINGH, A G, 1941

MARSH, G R, 1958

BENJAMIN, W K M, 1964

SIVARAMAKRISHNAN, LAXMAN, 1966

HOGGARD, MATHEW JAMES, 1976

DID YOU KNOW �

William Milton played in the first three Tests for South Africa between 1889 and 1892 after having represented England at rugby.

DISCUSSION BOARD �
Sachin Tendulkar is going through a nightmarish run of poor form with the bat. What's the reason, you feel?Click here to send in your views. VIEW the discussions.

GOOD BYE 2003�

�	Chuck the �chuckers� out
�	Not yet numero uno, but can get there
�	Images 2003

PAKISTAN IN NEW ZEALAND�

�	New Zealand v Pakistan test series averages
�	Rain made us sweat says Miandad
�	Fleming rues lack of killer instinct
�	Pakistan beat New Zealand by seven wickets

THE WEEK THAT WAS �
AN OPEN LETTER TO SACHIN TENDULKAR In this open letter to Sachin Tendulkar CricketNext.com Managing Editor Sanjay Jha says the Little Master should forget his few intermittent failures, comparisons with Don Bradman and expectations of a billion people and, instead, enjoy his stint at the crease. More...

WEST INDIES IN SOUTH AFRICA�

�	No whitewash, forecasts Lara
�	Battling centuries fail to halt South Africa

CNEXT.COM SPECIAL�

�	Sri Lanka 'A' are champs
�	Ranji Round Up: Railways in last four
�	Zimbabwe face massive task says coach Marsh

COLUMNISTS �

Anil Dharker's Out Of My Mind	Tapan Joshi's Round The Wicket	Amrit Mathur's Inside Edge
Sanjay Jha's The Week That Was...	S S Ramaswamy's Random Thoughts
Arun Lal's From The Opener's Corner	Geoff Lawson's Henry's Law

INTERVIEWS �

�	Living on the edge suits this young man
�	A distant dream, a strong will, enter �Steveda�
More...

PHOTO OF THE DAY

Brad Williams... his aggression is likely to get him a nod in the Australian team for the final Test at SCG

The Government of Bangladesh conferred a special honour on Cricketnext.com by bringing out a Postal Stamp highlighting the website's role in development of cricket in that country.