Lyon puts Aussies in box seat

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AUSTRALIA is tantalisingly poised to claim the fourth Test at the MCG on Sunday on the way to attempting a 5-0 whitewash in Sydney next week.

After an extraordinary recovery on day three, Australia needs a further 201 for victory with all 10 wickets in hand.

The character of the batsmen is on the line on Sunday after the bowlers yet again dragged the team back into a match the batsmen threatened to sacrifice.

At stumps Australia was 0-30 after bowling England out for just 179 in its second innings, leaving Australia 231 to win.

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History says the target is not as easy as it looks. Australia has successfully chased more than 200 at the MCG just three times, with the best 5-287 against England in 1928-29, and the last 8-258 against the West Indies during 1960-61.

Saturday's hero was Nathan Lyon, who claimed 5-50 and became just the fifth Australian off-spinner to achieve 100 career wickets, taking them in front of 63,864 fans. More than 230,000 have watched the first three days of the Test.

Lyon claimed the slow pitch was not to blame for the terrible batting collapses by both teams.

"Australia has to really be patient with our batting. It's going to be a massive challenge, there's no doubt about it," he said.

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"We have to hang in there, be patient and show good intent and try and rotate the strike."

Mitchell Johnson also continued his outstanding summer, claiming 3-25 from 15 overs to have 31 wickets at an average of just 14 apiece.

He is on course to have the best series by an Australian fast bowler since Rodney Hogg took 41 wickets against England during 1978-79.

No longer the timid church mouse, Johnson literally went toe-to-toe with England's most dangerous batsman, Kevin Pietersen, on Saturday.

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Looking all the more intimidating with his bristling 1970s moustache, Johnson was furious with Pietersen (49) pulling away at the last minute because of what his batting partner Jonny Bairstow said was a baby crawling behind the sightscreen.

Umpire Kumar Dharmasena was forced to step between the pair.

However flaky Australia's batting above Brad Haddin has been in the first four Tests, England's has been so much worse. On Saturday it was catastrophic.

Haddin (65 not out) top-scored in a last wicket partnership of 40 with Lyon, reducing Australia's deficit to 51.

Asked how valuable those runs might be a matter of fact Lyon replied "I'll tell you tomorrow."

England got away well. Captain Alastair Cook looked the best he has all series on the way to a brisk 51 in an opening partnership of 65 with Michael Carberry.

This gave England a 116-run lead with all 10 second innings wickets in hand, and a golden opportunity to bat Australia out of the match.

But England lost 4-22 including an extraordinary collapse of 3-1 in six balls and then followed that up later in the innings by losing the last five wickets for just six runs in six overs.

In Brisbane England lost 6-9 and 5-21, in Adelaide it was 5-43 and Perth 5-43 and 4-17.

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Mild upstages wild on Lyon's day

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MITCHELL Johnson is the man who can do everything - and for sheer gladatorial excitement, his duel with Kevin Pietersen late Saturday had the MCG rocking, as only one of the world's greatest sports stadiums can.

But the evil-eyed enforcer was upstaged by the unfashionable, mild-mannered Nathan Lyon - and guess what, another huge crowd probably enjoyed that even more.

If they weren't already doing that, they changed their mind when the smiling off-spinner had England's most controversial cricketer caught in the deep late in the last session, Lyon's 100th Test wicket.

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The crowd of 63,864, which included his family, gave him a rousing ovation when he performed the now ritual gesture of holding up the ball to mark the five-for - and what was probably the decisive wicket of the match.

For any number of reasons, it was a magical moment in what has developed into one of the most interesting - riveting, in fact - Boxing Day Tests in recent memory, the best since England won by 12 runs three tours ago.

And it hasn't been decided yet.

It will be Sunday, with Australia needing 201 with all 10 wickets intact to make it 4-0.

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Given they only managed 204 in the first innings, and the way the match has twisted and turned over the first three days, that's not a doddle, and England wicketkeeper, Johnny Bairstow, insisted on Saturday night that they were confident of turning it around.

But the tourists might be whistling in the dark.

Their' morale won't be helped by the certain knowledge that they surrendered the high ground not once, not twice but three times on Saturday.

They allowed Brad Haddin and Lyon to add 40 for the last wicket - crucial runs in such a low-scoring contest - and then lost 3-1 and 5-6 in embarrassing collapses themselves, bowled out for 179 in just 61 overs.

They squandered a potentially dominating position when they led by 116 with all wickets intact and for their long suffering fans it was beyond disappointing - again.

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Lyon was a big part of both implosions and history is going to record that he has played a bigger part in this summer-long triumph than anyone - himself included, perhaps - would have expected, given he has been dropped from the team twice this year.

He has now taken 16 wickets, more than anyone except the all-conquering Johnson's 31, and it's not just the number but the names - Bell for a first ball duck, Stokes and Pietersen among them on Saturday.

He has become a great story and will remain one whatever happens in the rest of his career, which began in spectacular fashion with a haul of 5-34 on debut against Sri Lanka just over two years ago.

Now, in his 29th match, he has become only the sixth Australian off-spinner to take 100 wickets behind Hugh Trumble's 141 - well over a century ago - Ashley Mallett's 132, Bruce Yardley's 126, former captain Ian Johnson's 109 and, also well over a century ago, George Giffen's 103.

Three years ago he was helping prepare Test wickets in Adelaide, not bowling on them, so it has been a remarkable journey.

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"It seemed a long way away when I started but no-one can take it away from me now," he said.

"It's amazing."

Johnson captivated the crowd, as he had done in the first innings and everywhere else he has been this summer, when he launched the fightback by disposing of England captain Alistair Cook just as he was threatening to take control and put the match out of reach.

Then he threw down the stumps to run out Joe Root and held a good catch to dismiss Bell in quick succession, before challenging Pietersen to a ferocious battle after the tea-break, each man knowing the result of the match might largely hinge on who came out on top.

Johnson was infuriated when Pietersen pulled away during his run-up, saying a child on the boundary was distracting him, and threw the ball towards the slips instead of bowling it.

The pair exchanged plenty of angry words with unpire Kumar Dharmasena forced to order them to cool it.

It might have been ugly but the crowd was loving it.

The running total for the three days is now 233,302, while Channel 9 said 2.6 million watched Friday's play.

If you haven't beern part of it, either on the spot or on the counch, don't miss it on Saturday - it might yet be a thriller.

ron.reed@news.com.au

Twitter: @Reedrw

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Injuries the downside of stability

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THIS is the downside of stability. Ryan Harris has bowled himself to a standstill and Shane Watson is moving like a bullock dray.

Naming the same side in four successive Tests for the first time in almost a decade has given Australia an unexpected look of certainty and confidence levels have gone through the roof with each emphatic victory.

But the last Test in Sydney is a bridge too far.

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Five Tests in six weeks is an enormous ask, particularly for the bowlers, and this side cannot remain intact.

The plan has always been to rest Ryan Harris in Sydney next week following just a three-day turnaround from Melbourne and Saturday produced ample evidence why.

The limp from his dodgy knee has become more pronounced with each passing day and his pace has dropped off a little.

If Harris was to try and play at the SCG next week he would need the postman's motorbike.

On the opening day England managed just two scoring shots off Harris in his eight overs to lunch, and one of them was an edge.

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On Saturday the first three deliveries in England's second innings were all picked off for runs.

Carrying an obvious groin problem, Watson's few overs on Saturday were delivered at Shane Warne flipper pace and the all-rounder was a liability in the field.

There is simply no way Watson can play in Sydney either if he's going to move like that.

How many changes the selectors make and who fills those spots will be intriguing, with the heavy duty tour of South Africa little more than a month away.

If a common sense approach is taken at the selection table now the Ashes have been well and truly won, Harris and Watson should be put on ice until then, lest they do any more damage to their battered bodies.

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The first inclusion should be this summer's permanent 12th man, bowling all-rounder James Faulkner.

Whether he comes in as a straight swap for Harris or the selectors push Brad Haddin to six and include Faulkner as the all-rounder at seven will be a matter of some debate.

In his only Test, at The Oval last August, Faulkner played as the all-rounder with four specialist bowlers during a typically feisty debut.

That would mean dropping George Bailey, who is the least performed of Australia's batsmen this summer and needs something special in Australia's second innings to be sure of holding his place.

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Given stability has been such a key to Australia's success this summer the selectors will be keen to keep changes to a minimum but it is also a chance to look at players ahead of South Africa.

With Watson likely to be missing Australia will need a new number three and the obvious candidate is Alex Doolan, although his form tapered off after a strong start for Tasmania this season.

And he hasn't played red ball cricket for three weeks because of the Sheffield Shield hiatus that makes room for the Big Bash.

Doug Bollinger and Nathan Coulter-Nile have been on standby for the past two Tests, with Coulter-Nile inching towards a Test debut.

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Heart sack Aloisi after horror run

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JOHN Aloisi's tenure as Melbourne Heart coach is over, after the former Socceroos striker was on Saturday night sacked two years into a three-year deal.

Heart officials were on Saturday locked in meetings and it's believed that they delivered the news to him in the afternoon.

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As Heart finally confirmed that sale talks are taking place, it's understood that Aloisi's departure will be announced on Sunday although club officials on Saturday night denied he'd been sacked.

Former coach and now technical manager John van't Schip or Heart's Spanish assistant Gerard Nus are now favoured to take over from Aloisi.

Heart will now have to sort through a compensation package with Aloisi, 37, who was understood to be earning in excess of $200,000-a-season.

It's unclear what role the consortium in talks with Heart - led by Melbourne Storm chairman Bart Campbell - had in Aloisi's sacking.

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Though Aloisi angrily denounced the idea that he would resign in the wake of Friday night's 1-0 loss to Wellington, Heart's board felt obliged to make the change after a disastrous recent record.

Aloisi cancelled training yesterday after Friday night's defeat left Heart six points behind second-last Phoenix and winless in 17 games - two shy of New Zealand Knights' A-League record.

Aloisi has lost 24 of his 39 games as A-League coach while recording just eight wins and seven draws.

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The Herald Sun on Friday revealed a $12 million sale to the new group was imminent and Heart broke its silence yesterday, confirming talks commenced four months ago and were ongoing.

"Melbourne Heart has been approached by a number of parties over the past 12 months,'' the statement said.

"The club has always maintained that the owners would consider transferring ownership if they considered the sale to be in the best long-term interests of the club, which includes players, staff and members.

"Over the last four months the club's ownership has held discussions with one particular group who has expressed an interest in growing the club.

"Any discussions will ensure the club's existing structures remain, in order to prevent dislocation to the club's philosophies or personnel.''

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It's an intriguing backdrop to Aloisi's future.

Sections of Friday's 6486 AAMI Park crowd chanted "Aloisi out'' and "We're s--t, and we still turn up'' at the final whistle.

And around a dozen fans confronted Aloisi in the car park after the game demanding his resignation with eye witnesses claiming the heated exchange lasted almost 10 minutes.

With Harry Kewell back in action only suspended Patrick Kisnorbo and injured marquee Orlando Engelaar were missing from Heart's best XI against the battling Kiwis.

Melbourne Heart have sacked coach John Aloisi. Source: Getty Images

Van't Schip, who returned to the club on a part-time basis this season, flew back to Europe after last week's Melbourne derby but he has had some input in team tactics and selections this season.

Heart's record makes for horrible reading and its on-field performances continue to be wildly inconsistent, the hallmarks of a coach who had lost his team.

There's no respite for Heart, which travels to Central Coast Mariners next Sunday followed by a tough trip to Perth Glory.

Aloisi had refused to declare wholesale changes for next week but revealed some frustration with his players.

He did not address the squad after Friday's loss and, had been planning to review the game at training this week.

Having coached the youth team for just one season Aloisi's 2012 appointment was a surprise after Heart's No2, Ante Milicic, was passed over to replace van't Schip.

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Wild Oats strengthens lead

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THE oldest sailor to race to Hobart and a man who grew up on a chicken farm have emerged as the most likely roadblocks to Wild Oats XI claiming a record-equalling seventh line-honours win in the Sydney to Hobart today.

As the Mark Richards-skippered Wild Oats and Anthony Bell's Perpetual LOYAL slugged it out last night, octogenarian Syd Fischer (Ragamuffin) and Grant Wharington (Wild Thing) moved within striking distance of the leaders as they raced through Bass Strait.

Aiding both Ragamuffin and Wild Thing's bids for an upset victory is the fact both yachts have aboard special sails they are hopeful of using in the final stretch of the line-honours race.

"This is one hell of a race and it really could go all the way to the line,'' Bell said.

"We aren't looking that flash right now but things can change, things can happen and we will be fighting to the end.''

Fischer, 86, and already planning to be part of the fleet next year, last claimed line honours in 1990.

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Wharington, who grew up on a farm but has spent most of his life on the water, won in 2003. Each has positioned his yacht to take advantage of any slip made by the frontrunners or even the slightest change in the weather, which last night favoured Richards and his crew.

Bell will also be hoping for a change in fate after his yacht was overtaken by Wild Oats late yesterday thanks to ultralight winds on the racetrack.

"We are going to every playbook and we are not giving up the fight until it's over,'' said Bell, who is hoping today's forecast stronger winds will be fresher than anticipated.

Hong Kong businessman Karl Kwok's 80-footer Beau Geste is also still in the mix.

Meteorologist Roger Badham said the key to victory this year was how the yachts dealt with light winds overnight - and pockets of no wind - and then fast running conditions to the finish.

Wild Oats XI leads Perpetual Loyal north east of Flinders Island in Bass Strait on day two. Picture: Brett Costello Source: News Limited

Wild Oats XI will equal the record of Morna/Kurrawa IV if she takes her seventh line-honours victory in the Sydney to Hobart.

At 11.30pm last night, she was 20 nautical miles in front of Perpetual Loyal, with Ragamuffin almost 12 nautical miles further back. Giacomo was 55 nautical miles behind Wild Oats, with Black Jack in fifth place, 53 nautical miles astern.

The Bob Oatley yacht won the race on debut in 2005 and is the only yacht in history to have claimed the race record twice - in 2005 and in 2012 when she covered the course in one day 18 hours 23 minutes and 12 seconds.

The race for the overall honours is still wide open with the early money on a bigger yacht claiming the handicap prize over one of the smaller boats in the fleet.

While the line-honours winner is expected to be docked in Hobart by late today, the majority of the fleet will still be sailing south and battling a nasty sou'westerly front packing a punch.

The crew aboard Perpetual LOYAL rest on the bow during very light conditions off Flinders Island in Bass Strait. Picture: Brett Costello Source: News Limited

Sailors may have to deal with 50-knot gusts down the east coast of Tasmania.

Last night, Wilperina, the smallest yacht in the fleet at 34-foot became the third casualty of the race. The immediate reason for her retirement was unknown.

Just before 2pm yesterday, Wild Oats XI reclaimed the lead, coming from 13 nautical miles behind to again assume the leader's role in the southbound ocean classic.

"We have just taken them,'' Wild Oats navigator Tom Addis told The Daily Telegraph.

"We passed them approximately 300m away.''

It set the scene for a great battle in Bass Strait between the two frontrunners.

In the early hours of Friday morning, Perpetual LOYAL had established a 10 nautical mile lead over Wild Oats XI in light wind conditions.

But Wild Oats XI made steady inroads into that gap as the morning progressed, closing within three miles of the frontrunner, which was 44 nautical miles south east of Gabo Island off the Victorian coast.

Perpetual LOYAL can see her arch rival as she trails Wild Oats X1 across Bass Strait. Picture: Brett Costello Source: News Limited

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A crewman aboard Wild Oats told The Daily Telegraph the yacht had sailed into a major wind hole off the NSW far south coast that had seen her concede her early lead to Perpetual LOYAL during the night.

But around midday the Mark Richards-skippered champion was back up there with her rival with the pair leading the 91-strong fleet into Bass Strait.

The 2013 race was billed as a thriller and it is living up to its pre-race hype with more than seven yachts still in the mix to claim the fastest time honours in this year's race.

These include the New Zealand 70-footer Giacomo, which early Friday was in third place and leading the race handicap overall despite being 30-foot smaller than the fleet headliners, Syd Fischer's Ragamuffin, the Queensland yacht Black Jack and Hong Kong's Beau Geste.

Round the world navigator Adrienne Cahalan, aboard the 55-footer Wedgetail, said the conditions at sea were pleasant but very light on the opening night.

"It is sunny and warm and a nice change to the normal wet and windy and bumpy approach to Bass Strait,'' she said.

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Perpetual LOYAL lies 65 miles off Eden on Friday. Picture: Brett Costello Source: News Limited

On Thursday, the pre-race prediction of Perpetual LOYAL skipper and owner Anthony Bell that navigators would play an important part in the race appeared spot on.

After an incident-filled start on Sydney Harbour, Wild Oats XI was hounded by a group of rivals as she sailed down the NSW south coast before surrendering her lead.

In a boost for Wild Oats XI, Bell and his team on Perpetual LOYAL revealed they had lowered their protest flag over an incident just after the start.

This means there is no protest against Wild Oats, which could impact on her race result.

"We've had a meeting and decided not to proceed with the protest,'' Bell said.

"At first we thought we had been fouled, but in a sense we had not.''

Perpetual LOYAL sits about 65 nautical miles off Eden on day two. Picture: Brett Costello Source: News Limited

The early leading pack included the four supermaxis Perpetual LOYAL, Wild Oats XI, Ragamuffin 100 and Wild Thing; new 80-foot boat Beau Geste and the Volvo 70s Giacomo and Black Jack.

But the news was not all good in the early afternoon, with the fleet reduced to 92 following the retirement of Audi Sunshine Coast (mast damage) and Dodo (torn mainsail).

The fleet was making slow work of the 628 nautical mile race because of headwinds but sailors were optimistic their journey south would speed up overnight when more favourable nor'easterlies hit the fleet.

Wild Oats XI makes good time on the opening day. Picture: Brett Costello Source: News Limited

Skipper Eric Holden, aboard the clipper round the world race leader Henri Lloyd, reported that conditions at sea were pleasant after a hectic start.

"It was organised chaos as usual,'' said the Canadian who is skippering one of the 12 70-footers using the Sydney to Hobart as a leg of their round the world event.

"The conditions are fine and no one has any problems. We are chugging along quite nicely.''

The protest, retirements, and the thrilling early duel between Wild Oats XI and Perpetual LOYAL combined to make it the most eventful and exciting start of recent times.

Wild Oats XI off Port Kembla on day one of the Sydney to Hobart. Picture: Brett Costello Source: News Limited

Cloudy skies gave way to a spectacular and sunny start to the 69th edition of the race, with Wild Oats winning the honour of leading the fleet up Sydney Harbour and out to sea.

Rival supermaxi and race debutante Perpetual LOYAL looked to have the inside running on Wild Oats XI approaching the first mark.

Perpetual LOYAL seemed to hesitate, with some commentators suggesting she might have been confused over which marking buoy to round.

Wild Oats XI, going for a record-equalling seventh line honours title, swept past the Sydney to Hobart rookie to be first to exit Sydney Harbour and turn south, followed by new 80-foot Hong Kong yacht Beau Geste and then Perpetual LOYAL.

Ichi Ban, skippered by Matt Allen, during the start of the Sydney to Hobart. Picture: Brett Costello Source: News Limited

Perpetual LOYAL raised a protest flag soon after, though the reason for it wasn't immediately clear.

The race fleet was quickly reduced by two with Audi Sunshine Coast and Dodo retiring.

Queensland 50-footer Audi Sunshine Coast was forced out inside the first 30 minutes with rig damage, completing an unfortunate double. It was also the first boat out of last month's Cabbage Tree Island Race.

Crew of Audi Sunshine Coast during the start of the Sydney to Hobart. Picture: Mark Evans Source: News Limited

"The code zero masthead fitting failed and the halyard tore down the side of the mast to the hounds fitting,'' owner and skipper Rod Jones said.

"I felt it wasn't prudent to continue.

"I feel subdued, very disappointed, but the world moves on.''

Sydney-based 52-footer Dodo had to pull out with mainsail damage.

The 2013 Sydney To Hobart start viewed from North Head. Picture: Bradley Hunter Source: News Limited

Fears of a rainy start to the race were allayed, as the sun broke through around an hour before the start and the fleet set sail in 15 to 18 knot southerly winds.

Supermaxi Ragamuffin 100 was right up there alongside Wild Oats XI and Perpetual LOYAL at the start.

The 1997 line-honours winner, maxi Brindabella, broke the start and had to turn back and go around again.

Thousands jumped aboard an array of vessels to be close to the action at the start, with the harbour foreshore crammed with spectators keen to farewell the fleet at the start of their annual trek south.

"It is just so exciting, I cannot wait," said Grace Kennedy, making her debut aboard Faceboat Sailors with disABILITIES.

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While Kennedy and the other sailors in the race will enjoy some fast downwind sailing tonight, they and other mid-sized yachts will be clobbered by a big front late Saturday night which comes with huge gusts and 4-5m seas.

While there have been reports of 12m seas they are unlikely to eventuate on the racecourse, with the fleet likely to tuck in close to the coastline to avoid the worst conditions as they sail towards the finish line on the Derwent River.

"I doubt if any of the boats will be seeing that where they are," top maritime weather specialist Roger "Clouds" Badham said.

Wild Oats XI surrounded by spectator fleet outside The Heads. Picture: Tim Hunter Source: News Limited

Wild Oats XI heads out into open water. Picture: Mark Evans Source: News Limited

Perpetual Loyal (left) and Beau Geste make their way out of Sydney Harbour. Source: AP

Wild Oats XI (left) leads Black Jack and Perpetual LOYAL out of The Heads. Picture: Mark Evans Source: News Limited

A yacht drags its spinnaker during the start of the Sydney to Hobart. Picture: Craig Greenhill Source: News Limited

The fleet heads out to sea as they begin their long journey south. Source: Getty Images

The crew onboard Wild Oats before the race start. Picture: Adam Taylor Source: News Limited

Wild Thing, skippered by Grant Wharington, makes good time as she leaves The Heads. Picture: Mark Evans Source: News Limited

The crew onboard Black Jack ready themselves before the start of the trek south. Picture: Adam Taylor Source: News Limited

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DRS could cost Bailey his spot

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A CONTROVERSIAL DRS decision could cost George Bailey his brief and joyful Test career following another calamitous Australian batting collapse.

Bailey was given out caught behind for a duck as Australia collapsed to 9/164 on the second day of the fourth Test at the MCG to trail England by 91, but top scorer Chris Rogers (61) claimed that the Tasmanian captain was "adamant" he did not hit the ball.

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"Maybe there's still a few glitches in the system, but overall I think it's working pretty well," Rogers said of the umpire decision review system.

Umpire Aleem Dar gave Bailey not out caught behind cutting, only for the line on real time snicko to vibrate as the ball went past the bat.

England's Joe Root was given out in Perth when there was less movement from the real time snicko line, so third umpire Billy Bowden had no choice but to send Bailey on his way.

It continued a run of largely poor and unconvincing first innings scores from Bailey which may see him miss the next Test in Sydney, let alone the South Africa tour in February, unless he can bat Australia to victory with a significant score.

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Given Brad Haddin's outstanding form it may be better to move him to number six for the last Test, beginning next week, and include all-rounder James Faulkner, who has been 12th man for the first four Tests.

This would take the load off an attack that has been unchanged during all four Tests - although Ryan Harris may not play in Sydney - and cover for Shane Watson, who is unlikely to bowl after suffering a groin problem.

Brilliant pace bowling has regained the Ashes and continues to camouflage inadequate batsmen who have left Australia in a hole again.

Following on from a record Boxing Day crowd of more than 91,000, another 78,346 turned up at the MCG on Friday to watch culpable batting from both sides.

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Bailey scored a 19-ball, 38-minute duck on Friday as Australia collapsed to 6/122 before the imposing Haddin attempted another rescue mission with a blistering counter attack.

He second-top scored with an unbeaten 43 at almost a run a ball. The veteran gloveman is currently Australia's second highest run scorer in the series behind David Warner with 368 at 74.

Australia lost 3/0 in England earlier in the year and all three losses involved terrible batting collapses.

Not surprisingly, Rogers described Friday as Australia's worst of the series as 13 wickets fell for just 193 runs on a slow pitch.

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"We're up against it, but there's a lot of the game to go in this match and we have to fight well for the rest of it," Rogers said.

"The pitch is hard work. If the bowlers put it in the right areas, it's very hard to score. It's a bit two-paced, but you have to adjust and we didn't do that today."

Bailey's series average of 27 isn't a whole lot worse than other modest performers Shane Watson (30), Rogers (31) and Steve Smith (34).

Rogers was the only Australian in the top six who batted properly on Friday for his third half-century of the series.

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Johnson bouncer elevates his game

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KEVIN Pietersen kindly exposed Mitchell Johnson's two card trick on Friday.

It's an oldie but a goodie, bowl a brutal bouncer that messes with the batsman's mind then pitch the ball up and knock him over.

Now someone playing his 103rd Test may have seen this trick before against genuine pace, not that there are many seriously fast bowlers in modern cricket.

Pietersen had already witnessed Johnson's one card trick with his opening delivery of the second day at the MCG, with England struggling to remain in the fourth Test.

Bowling the second over of the morning, Johnson delivered a searing short ball to useful tailender Tim Bresnan which he meekly fended to George Bailey at short leg.

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Four balls later Johnson bowled an even nastier delivery to Pietersen which followed the right hander, forcing him to back away.

Then Pietersen had a brain explosion which, even for him, was volcanic, stepping away and having a wild slog at a ball which bowled him.

That was two wickets in five balls during another devastating Johnson spell which have suddenly appeared at crucial times this summer.

It is impossible to have the foggiest notion what is going on in Pietersen's head but the standard theory is that he was unsettled by the short ball.

It is blindingly obvious that many of his team mates have been at times during this series.

This was highlighted by a new victim, Jonny Bairstow, late on Boxing Day.

Brought in to replace the hopelessly out of form Matt Prior, who has been stitched up by Johnson at times during the first three Tests, Bairstow proved to be exhibit A with how sheer pace can disturb a batsman.

Two balls after top-edging a six off Johnson, Bairstow was well back in his crease when a full delivery went through a gap between bat and pad so wide a herd of cattle could have made the same journey untroubled.

Mitchell Johnson celebrates another Ashes wicket. Pic: Phillip Hillyard Source: News Limited

Stuart Broad is another who tries to hide in his crease. Having badly bruised one of Broad's feet in Perth Johnson appeared to be aiming for the other when the England fast bowler was compressively leg before wicket.

That gave Johnson a wicket to wicket spell of 5-14 from 6.5 overs with the second new ball either side of a good sleep.

It wasn't quite as devastating as his Adelaide spell, when Johnson claimed 6-16 from 26 balls to set that Test up for Australia.

He now has 28 wickets in the series at a most remarkable average of under 15 apiece.

This is more than any Australian bowler has taken in any series since Shane Warne claimed a gigantic 40 wickets in England during 2005.

And it is the most by an Australian fast bowler since McGrath took 32 wickets in England during 2001.

Even more impressively, it is the best by an Australian fast bowler at home since Craig McDermott's 32 wickets against a similarly beleaguered England in 1994-95.

So now the recently forgotten Johnson sits on 233 career wickets, moving past Ray Lindwall into ninth place on the list of Australia's all-time wicket-takers.

England must be surprised.

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Hussey can't break Thunder drought

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THE Sydney Thunder have extended their losing streak to 736 days in a dramatic Big Bash League match against the Adelaide Strikers at ANZ Stadium.

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Captain Michael Hussey smashed 85 off 56 balls, the highest individual score of the tournament so far, but it wasn't enough to reach the modest 154-run target.

A decent crowd of 11,068 were at the venue for the Thunder's first home game of the season, encouraging the western Sydney team to finally bring their excruciating 14-match losing streak to an end.

And it was a case of what could have been as the Thunder fell six runs short in a dramatic final over that saw Hussey forced to replace his broken bat, which he then used to sky a Shaun Tait delivery down the throat of Johan Botha.

It was game over, leaving a bemused crowd to silently file out of the stadium.

The Thunder's chase got off to the worst possible start when Daniel Hughes was trapped lbw by Johan Botha for a second-ball duck.

Then two wickets in two balls from Michael Neser, first Carl Sandri then Ryan Carters, threatened to derail the home team's innings.

But that brought the crucial pairing of Hussey and Eoin Morgan to the crease and their mammoth partnership brought 109 runs.

Speedster Tait went for 17 runs in the 11th over, feeling the full force of Hussey's bat. The Thunder skipper belted a six and two fours to put his team in a fighting position.

The former Test star brought up his half-century with a massive six off spinner Adam Zampa and it came off just 31 balls.

Michael Neser celebrates a vital Thunder wicket with his Strikers teammates. Pic: Brendon Thorne Source: Getty Images

Morgan was just as brutal at the other end, hitting two memorable reverse-sweeps for four.

It was always going to require a big partnership from the left-handlers to get the Thunder over the line and they were hardly challenged by the Strikers' bowling or the difficult pitch, until the final over.

Earlier, Adelaide openers Alex Hales and Michael Klinger got the visitors off to a fast start, both getting off the mark with boundaries. They rode their luck early on, but it didn't last.

Hales, the Englishman ranked the best Twenty20 hitter in the world, departed for just 16 when he top-edged a Luke Feldman delivery to Kurtis Patterson, who took a good catch running backwards.

That brought Ashes discard Phil Hughes to the crease, but good bowling from Gurinder Sandhu (0-21) and Chris Woakes (1-31) pegged the Strikers back.

The boundaries dried up, causing a frustrated Hughes to mis-hit one from Italian spinner Sandri and Morgan raced in from long on to take a good, diving catch.

Klinger then unleashed the first six of the innings in the 11th over, hitting Sandri hard and high into the crowd. But the opener fell the very next over, clean bowled by Feldman for 44 off 34 balls.

Nathan Reardon added 32 runs at the end of the innings to give the Strikers something to defend, but excellent bowling spells by Feldman (2-41) and in particular Dirk Nannes (2-22) gave the Thunder a rare sniff of BBL victory.

Re-live all the action right here, with our live blog, featuring social media updates and commentary on all the big moments!

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Aussies have captain Cooked

IF all things were equal, Victorian Peter Siddle picking up the English captain as the first wicket on a Boxing Day Test would have been cause for riotous celebration.

But things are far from equal this summer.

Alastair Cook, the barometer of the crestfallen England unit he leads, is in such bad form that his wicket has become more a matter of time than the motivation for a public holiday that it was on the previous Ashes tour three years ago.

The execution on Thursday took slightly longer than most of the previous times in the first three Tests of his wretched tour that has yielded just 181 runs in seven knocks at 25.8.

It's about as far removed from his dominant 2010/11 tour - when he clubbed 766 runs at an imperious 127.7 - as possible for a player of his talent and who once, at least, was revered for his powers of concentration.

But, a day after his 29th birthday and the candid admission that this Ashes debacle had exposed cracks in his captaincy, Cook was still a matter of "when" not "if" to the Aussie bowlers.

The Australians, with ample justification, believe that if they keep plugging away with balls on a length outside off stump that he will eventually fall into their slips cordon trap because he simply doesn't stretch far enough forward in defence.

So, after glimpses of at least some of his armory of strokes on Thursday, it barely engaged a yell from Siddle when, on 27, Cook just shuffled across without conviction and gave Michael Clarke catching practice at second slip.

On Christmas Day, Cook had said he'd have to shoulder more of the batting load.

And when he shuffled forward nervously on the first ball, specifically to cover the possibility of a repeat of the magical Ryan Harris ball that skittled him for a golden duck in the second innings in Perth, there were signs he'd dug in for the fight.

But in the second over, when he pushed a full toss on his pads from Johnson's second ball for two, his complete lack of confidence was evident for all to see because, on his previous Ashes tour, that ball would have crashed into the mid-wicket fence.

He played a couple of nice pushes through the off side and belatedly displayed the cut shot that was the trademark of his previous cavalier best.

There was even a hint that his luck might have changed when he attempted to withdraw his bat from a Harris delivery, but the resultant bottom edge flew short and wide of keeper Brad Haddin and the ball scurried to the third man fence.

But, after reaching 17 before opening partner Michael Carberry troubled the scorers, the frugal Harris tied Cook down and his demise looked ever more imminent.

There'd been some less-than-flattering jokes made during the week that he was the third most popular Cook - behind Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson - as a choice to lead England this week.

The lame dismissal on Thursday won't have done anything to ease that perception.

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Navigators key as LOYAL hits lead

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THE strategists aboard the Sydney to Hobart leaders are set to earn their keep with potentially the closest race in years unfolding, as Perpetual LOYAL took up the running early this morning.

The supermaxi held a handy three nautical mile lead over nearest rival Giacomo, with race favourite and six-time line-honours winner Wild Oats XI a further four nautical miles astern.

The pre-race prediction of Perpetual LOYAL skipper and owner Anthony Bell that navigators would play an important part in the race appears spot on.

After an incident-filled start on Sydney Harbour, Wild Oats XI was hounded by a group of rivals as she sailed down the NSW south coast before surrendering her lead.

In a boost for Wild Oats XI, Bell and his team on Perpetual LOYAL revealed they had lowered their protest flag over an incident just after the start.

This means there is no protest against Wild Oats, which could impact on her race result.

"We've had a meeting and decided not to proceed with the protest,'' Bell said.

"At first we thought we had been fouled, but in a sense we had not.''

REVIEW ALL THE ACTION IN OUR BLOG OF THE HARBOUR START BELOW

The early leading pack included the four supermaxis Perpetual LOYAL, Wild Oats XI, Ragamuffin 100 and Wild Thing; new 80-foot boat Beau Geste and the Volvo 70s Giacomo and Black Jack.

But the news was not all good in the early afternoon, with the fleet reduced to 92 following the retirement of Audi Sunshine Coast (mast damage) and Dodo (torn mainsail).

The fleet was making slow work of the 628 nautical mile race because of headwinds but sailors were optimistic their journey south would speed up overnight when more favourable nor'easterlies hit the fleet.

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Skipper Eric Holden, aboard the clipper round the world race leader Henri Lloyd, reported that conditions at sea were pleasant after a hectic start.

"It was organised chaos as usual,'' said the Canadian who is skippering one of the 12 70-footers using the Sydney to Hobart as a leg of their round the world event.

"The conditions are fine and no one has any problems. We are chugging along quite nicely.''

The protest, retirements, and the thrilling early duel between Wild Oats XI and Perpetual LOYAL combined to make it the most eventful and exciting start of recent times.

Cloudy skies gave way to a spectacular and sunny start to the 69th edition of the race, with Wild Oats winning the honour of leading the fleet up Sydney Harbour and out to sea.

Rival supermaxi and race debutante Perpetual LOYAL looked to have the inside running on Wild Oats XI approaching the first mark.

Perpetual LOYAL seemed to hesitate, with some commentators suggesting she might have been confused over which marking buoy to round.

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Wild Oats XI, going for a record-equalling seventh line honours title, swept past the Sydney to Hobart rookie to be first to exit Sydney Harbour and turn south, followed by new 80-foot Hong Kong yacht Beau Geste and then Perpetual LOYAL.

Perpetual LOYAL raised a protest flag soon after, though the reason for it wasn't immediately clear.

The race fleet was quickly reduced by two with Audi Sunshine Coast and Dodo retiring.

Queensland 50-footer Audi Sunshine Coast was forced out inside the first 30 minutes with rig damage, completing an unfortunate double. It was also the first boat out of last month's Cabbage Tree Island Race.

"The code zero masthead fitting failed and the halyard tore down the side of the mast to the hounds fitting,'' owner and skipper Rod Jones said.

"I felt it wasn't prudent to continue.

"I feel subdued, very disappointed, but the world moves on.''

Sydney-based 52-footer Dodo had to pull out with mainsail damage.

The 2013 Sydney To Hobart start viewed from North Head. Picture: Bradley Hunter Source: News Limited

Fears of a rainy start to the race were allayed, as the sun broke through around an hour before the start and the fleet set sail in 15 to 18 knot southerly winds.

Supermaxi Ragamuffin 100 was right up there alongside Wild Oats XI and Perpetual LOYAL at the start.

The 1997 line-honours winner, maxi Brindabella, broke the start and had to turn back and go around again.

Thousands jumped aboard an array of vessels to be close to the action at the start, with the harbour foreshore crammed with spectators keen to farewell the fleet at the start of their annual trek south.

"It is just so exciting, I cannot wait," said Grace Kennedy, making her debut aboard Faceboat Sailors with disABILITIES.

Crowds gather to get a glimpse of the fleet as it makes its way out of Sydney Harbour. Picture: Bradley Hunter Source: News Limited

While Kennedy and the other sailors in the race will enjoy some fast downwind sailing tonight, they and other mid-sized yachts will be clobbered by a big front late Saturday night which comes with huge gusts and 4-5m seas.

While there have been reports of 12m seas they are unlikely to eventuate on the racecourse, with the fleet likely to tuck in close to the coastline to avoid the worst conditions as they sail towards the finish line on the Derwent River.

"I doubt if any of the boats will be seeing that where they are," top maritime weather specialist Roger "Clouds" Badham said.

Wild Oats XI surrounded by spectator fleet outside The Heads. Picture: Tim Hunter Source: News Limited

Wild Oats XI heads out into open water. Picture: Mark Evans Source: News Limited

Perpetual Loyal (left) and Beau Geste make their way out of Sydney Harbour. Source: AP

Wild Oats XI (left) leads Black Jack and Perpetual LOYAL out of The Heads. Picture: Mark Evans Source: News Limited

A yacht drags its spinnaker during the start of the Sydney to Hobart. Picture: Craig Greenhill Source: News Limited

The fleet heads out to sea as they begin their long journey south. Source: Getty Images

The crew onboard Wild Oats before the race start. Picture: Adam Taylor Source: News Limited

Wild Thing, skippered by Grant Wharington, makes good time as she leaves The Heads. Picture: Mark Evans Source: News Limited

The crew onboard Black Jack ready themselves before the start of the trek south. Picture: Adam Taylor Source: News Limited

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Swishing KP finds unlikely allies

AS Kevin Pietersen came to the crease with England fiddling about at 2-96, the taunts of a record crowd of 91,092 rang in his ears and a large swarm of flies covered the sticky backs of umpires and fielders.

So isolated did the South Engfrican seem in the middle of the cavernous MCG you half-expected to hear the rasping voice of Yabba reprising a taunt from an era when fans were capable of more than mindless obscenity: "Leave our flies alone Pietersen, they're the only friends you've got.''

That could well be true inside the England rooms. Only Graeme Swann's granny knows for sure.

But Pietersen would find some unexpected allies on the field. Australian fielders Nathan Coulter-Nile and George Bailey, whose dropped catches meant neither the crowd's dearest wish, nor Pietersen's appetite for self-destruction, would be satisfied.

Actually, self-destruction is not entirely accurate. With their wonderfully disciplined line and length the Australian bowlers have this summer made England wickets a form of assisted suicide.

Kevin Pietersen has a swing and a miss at a Peter Siddle delivery on day one of the Boxing Day Ashes Test at the MCG. Picture: Colleen Petch Source: News Limited

On Thursday, Ryan Harris, who finished with 2-32 from 20 miserly overs, played Head of Euthanasia as England eked out 226 runs between six mostly self-inflicted wounds.

In Pietersen's case, denied of the attacking shots that are his oxygen, it had at first seemed only a matter of time before his resolve cracked and he died by his own fidgety hand. Tick, tick, tick, tick.

Yet as Pietersen took 13 balls to get off the mark, then faced a further 25 balls before scoring again, for once in this series "duck and cover'' were merely nought and a fielding position, not a warning for those near the scene of another Pietersen brain explosion.

Perhaps Pietersen had been stung by the trenchant criticism of his various swishes and swats. Perhaps he had learned of Jacques Kallis's retirement and had his mind set on filling the vacancy in the South African middle order.

Whatever was going through Pietersen's mind - the lyrics to the song I'm Too Sexy seems a reasonable first guess - his intention to occupy the crease was obvious. So much so that the inevitable ill-disciplined stroke came out of the blue.

On six, Pietersen top-edged a Harris bouncer straight to fine leg where substitute Coulter-Nile took the catch - then stumbled over the rope and tried to flip the ball back into the playing field.

Except Coulter-Nile kept the ball out of play, conceding a six and bringing a premature end to his career as a professional juggler.

Then, having fought his way to 41, Pietersen played a loose pull shot. This one straight in - and out - of Bailey's usually reliable hands.

That was irritating for Harris who was again denied his just reward, and infuriating for the crowd which, by now, wanted Pietersen's head on a stick. Instead he survived to be 67 at stumps, mostly nudged from an unusually laborious 152 balls.

For some the chants of "Boring, boring…'' that rang out as England scored just 13 runs from 15 overs during a period between lunch and tea will vindicate Cricket Australia's assertion - via the Big Bash League Twitter account - that there was a "much bigger'' Boxing Day match on in Perth.

But to borrow a phrase first used about baseball, the day was only dull to dull minds.

Kevin Pietersen acknowledges the crowd after scoring reaching his half-century. Source: AFP

More pertinent than the entertainment value was whether Michael Clarke's captaincy had this time been too "funky'' when he invited England to bat. Even under a heavy sky you can't imagine Clarke taking the same risk if the series had been 1-1.

It was an indulgence accommodated by circumstances as much as the conditions and justified by some poor shots rather than the tight, probing but not consistently threatening Australian bowling.

Which is easy to say if, unlike Pietersen and Tim Bresnen, you are not ducking and weaving to survive Mitchell Johnson's evening bombardment.

Alastair Cook, Michael Carberry and Root seemed to believe they were at the Boxing Day sales, not the Boxing Day Test, selling their wickets at bargain basement prices.

Only Pietersen went on. And but for a couple of dropped catches even he would not have hurt a fly.

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Ruthless Rhino suffocates Poms

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IT is cricket's equivalent of the sleeper hold.

Unlike a raw fast bowler Ryan Harris doesn't skewer his victims but starves them of oxygen.

He slowly tightens his grip, with the victim knowing that the fatal squeeze can come at any time.

In cricket's largest cauldron before a record Boxing Day crowd Harris took hold and refused to let go.

Overcoming his chronic knee problem to play an unprecedented eight Tests in a row, including four in this series, he bowled eight overs in the opening session and just two of those 48 deliveries were scored from.

One was edged between wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and Shane Watson at first slip for four from a late Alastair Cook attempt to leave in Harris's third over, and the other was turned by Joe Root off his hip for a single in his seventh over.

This gave Harris lunch figures of eight overs, six maidens, five runs and no wickets.

It took a surprisingly long time for the burly paceman to take his first wicket, with Root (24 from 82 balls) offering the inevitable nick to an outswinger.

Root's inability to play off the front foot has been embarrassingly exposed by the Australians on this tour. Yesterday it was just a matter time before he nibbled.

Ryan Harris celebrates with his teammates after taking the wicket of Joe Root. Source: News Limited

It gave Harris figures of 1-12 in his 11th over and notched 84 wickets in his 20th Test, with number 85 coming when he bowled the perfect ball to Ian Bell (27 in 98 balls), leaving the right-hander off the pitch to take a thin outside edge.

And Harris would have been closer to his 100th Test wicket if Kevin Pietersen (67 not out) had not been given two chances.

On seven, substitute Nathan Coulter-Nile caught a hook shot at fine leg but stumbled over the boundary rope, and on 41 George Bailey at shortish mid-wicket fumbled a sharp pull which should have been taken.

Even so, with Boxing Day figures of 2-32 from 20 overs, Harris pushed further into elite company.

In 20 completed Tests, Dennis Lillee claimed 91 wickets and Jeff Thomson 94, along with Australia's first great fast bowler Fred Spofforth well over a century ago.

To be so close to these greats is an extraordinary performance by Harris, given his patched-up body and late start in life as an international fast bowler.

Ryan Harris in action during day one of the Boxing Day Test. Source: News Limited

He is now 34, an age when many an Australian paceman had faded or disappeared completely, yet Harris is at the peak of his powers.

So dodgy is his chronic knee problem that Australia's selectors refused to make the final call on him until yesterday morning before the toss, along with a new ailment of sore feet.

And the current wisdom among those who pick the side is that Harris will be a no-go zone for the final Test in Sydney.

The inevitable swelling in Harris's knee managed to subside enough for him to make the three-day turnaround from the second Test in Adelaide to the third Test in Perth but they don't wish to take that risk again.

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Sharks devour Colorado

New York Islanders' Casey Cizikas's shot hits Detroit Red Wings' Petr Mrazek in the chest. Source: Paul Sancya / AP

SAN Jose's Joe Pavelski scored with just under 20 seconds left in regulation to tie the game and the Sharks then prevailed in a shootout to beat Colorado 5-4 in an NHL thriller on Monday,

Elsewhere, Anaheim's hot streak continued as the Ducks rallied past Washington, Dallas scored on its first two shots to set up a win over Los Angeles, and Chicago defeated New Jersey.

San Jose's win over Colorado built to an epic climax, with Erik Johnson and Jamie McGinn scoring just 12 seconds apart in the final two minutes to put the Avalanche up 4-3.

But there was still time for Pavelski to tie it after taking a pass from Joe Thornton, who has an 11-game point streak against the Avalanche, then Logan Couture and Patrick Marleau scored in the shootout to secure two points for the Sharks.

Jason Demers, Brent Burns and Matthew Irwin also scored for San Jose while Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog tallied for Colorado.

Anaheim also won a close game, edging Washington 3-2 to open the Ducks' lead in the Pacific Division to five points over city rival Los Angeles.

Hampus Lindholm scored the winner at 14:24 of the third period while Andrew Cogliano had a goal and an assist and Saku Koivu also netted for the Ducks, who have won a franchise-best nine-straight games.

A potential tying goal for Washington on a shot by Alex Ovechkin that hit the crossbar and landed just outside the line with about three minutes left was reviewed and ruled no goal.

Mikhail Grabovski and Nicklas Backstrom scored for the Capitals.

Dallas Stars' Cody Eakin (20) scores against Los Angeles Kings goalie Martin Jones. Source: AP

Dallas' Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn scored on the Stars first shots, laying the foundation for a 5-2 win over Los Angeles.

It was a horror start for the previously unbeaten Kings rookie goaltender Martin Jones, who conceded further goals to Valeri Nichushkin in the second period and Cody Eakin with 4:48 remaining. Shawn Horcuff was credited with an empty-net goal after he was tripped from behind in the Kings zone.

Justin Williams and Jarret Stoll scored first-period goals for the Kings, who were without ill captain Dustin Brown.

There was another 5-2 scoreline in Chicago where Patrick Sharp scored twice and Patrick Kane, Bryan Bickell and Nick Leddy also connected as the Blackhawks beat New Jersey.

Stephen Gionta and Michael Ryder scored for the Devils, whose season-high four-game point streak ended.

Kane has points in 12 straight games, matching his career high - set earlier this season and just before this run.

Ottawa's Craig Anderson made 27 saves for his second shutout of the season, helping the Senators cruise to a 5-0 win over Pittsburgh.

The game was close after two periods but the Senators dominated the Penguins in the third outshooting them 15-9 while getting goals from Erik Karlsson, Kyle Turris and Cory Conacher. Zack Smith and Bobby Ryan scored earlier for the Senators.

Carl Soderberg of the Boston Bruins shoots while laying on the ice Source: AFP

Nashville's Carl Soderberg scored on a power play and had two assists to lead the Bruins to a 6-2 win over Nashville.

Jarome Iginla added a pair of goals while Brad Marchand, Matt Fraser and Reilly Smith also scored for Boston, which gave coach Claude Julien his 400th career win.

Craig Smith scored twice for Nashville.

Calgary's Joe Colborne scored the only goal of the shootout to give the Flames an improbable come-from-behind 4-3 win over St. Louis.

Colborne took the first attempt in the shootout and beat Jaroslav Halak on a deke, while goalie Reto Berra turned aside three Blues' shots to earn the win.

Mark Giordano forced overtime by scoring the tying goal with 5 seconds left, while Jiri Hudler and Mike Cammalleri also scored for Calgary, which had lost its previous three games.

Kevin Shattenkirk, Jaden Schwartz and Paajarvi scored for the Blues.

Wayne Simmonds tries a wrap-around shot against goalie Niklas Backstrom. Source: AFP

Philadelphia's Wayne Simmonds had two goals and an assist as the Flyers downed Minnesota 4-1 to extend their home winning streak to nine games.

Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis had a goal and two assists as the Lightning beat state rival Florida 6-1 to make it five-straight wins.

New York's Mats Zuccarello and Derek Stepan scored shootout goals to give the Rangers a 2-1 win over Toronto.

Columbus' Ryan Johansen and Jack Skille scored 1:28 apart late in the third period to rally the Blue Jackets to a 4-3 win over Carolina.

New York Islanders' Evgeni Nabokov checks the puck away from Detroit's Todd Bertuzzi. Source: AP

New York's Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves for his 56th career shutout, helping the Islanders win 3-0 against Detroit.

Buffalo scored in bizarre circumstances to take a 2-1 win over Phoenix, as the puck became lodged in the back of the goalie's jersey and when he retreated to his crease, he unwittingly took it across the line to end the game.

Edmonton's Taylor Hall had a goal and two assists as the Oilers snapped a season-worst six-game skid with a 6-2 victory over Winnipeg.

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V8 Classics Boxing Day Enduro

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CRICKET isn't your thing? Yacht racing doesn't float your boat? Don't worry, SPEED's got you covered with our V8 Supercars Classics Boxing Day Enduro!

From midnight to midnight on December 26 we're playing V8 Classics episodes back-to-back, including one brand-new race that we haven't shown before.

Strap yourself in, fire up the flux capacitor and join us on a day-long trip back in time:

MIDNIGHT
April 11, 1999
Rd. 2 - Adelaide, SA
Sensational Adelaide 500, Leg 2
It's hard to believe there was ever a time that the race referred to by all as 'The Clipsal' was known as anything else. Four years after the F1 circus left for the final time, Adelaide turned out in force for the inaugural Sensational Adelaide 500, giving the burgeoning V8 Supercars category the superstar treatment like never before.

Leg 2 is best remembered for two things: drivers dropping like nine-pins due to heat exhaustion and carbon monoxide fumes, and Craig Lowndes's remarkable charge from the back of the field.

A massive crowd turned out for the inaugural Adelaide 500. Source: News Limited

1:30AM EDT
August 26, 2001
Rd. 9 - Queensland Raceway
VIP Petfoods Queensland 500
It's an unforgettable scene. Paul Radisich and Steven Johnson's race-winning Falcon buried in the sand, the rain pouring down as 'The Rat' clambers out and punches his fist to the sky in victory while soaked spectators rush across to join him.

It was a controversial win at the time. The race was red-flagged with just a handful of laps to go because of the heavy rain. Russell Ingall and Larry Perkins had just taken the lead as Radisich spun off in the gloom. But, just like Bathurst 1992, the official results were taken from the last full lap completed by every car in the field prior to the stoppage, handing the win to the Ford pair.

3:30AM EDT
October 7, 2001
Rd. 11 - Mount Panorama, NSW
V8 Supercar 1000
It was a race weekend of remarkable moments. Marcos Ambrose taking pole position as a rookie. The debut of the 'Green-eyed Monster' livery. The sun. The rain. The hail! The race leaders arriving at The Chase at over 250kmh to find a wet track. Larry Perkins crashing on the entry to pit lane while leading. Brad Jones's charge to the front in the OzEmail Falcon.

But holding the trophy at the end of the day was Mark Skaife - his first Bathurst win since 1992 - and Tony Longhurst in his first race win, full stop, since 1992.

6:30AM EDT
October 13, 2002
Rd. 10 - Mount Panorama, NSW
Bob Jane T-Marts Bathurst 1000
Two words sum up Bathurst 2002: Plastic bag. If you're a Ford fan, you're probably still cursing them more than your average environmentalist. If you're a Holden fan, we're sure you'll never get tired of reminding the opposition that 'The General's product made it home with bags clogging the radiator while the Blue Oval's went pop after two laps.

But the race itself was a cracker, with rain and hail setting up a blockbuster finish. It also marked the first return of King of the Mountain Peter Brock, and the Bathurst debut of Jamie Whincup.

Brad Jones led away from the start of Bathurst 2002. Source: News Limited

9:30AM EDT
June 30, 2002
Rd. 6 - Barbagallo, WA
VB 300
Tom Walkinshaw Racing's vice-like grip on V8 Supercars in 2002 was never more evident than at Barbgallo in 2002. Skaife and Bright swept the front row for Race 1, before their four lead cars finished 1-2-3-4 in the race - the second time they did it in successive rounds.

But after sweeping to five-straight round wins to start the season, Skaife came unstuck on the Sunday, failing to finish race 2. It was a mere blip on the radar, the HRT team leader eventually romping to his fifth V8 title.

11:00AM EDT
September 13, 2003
Rd. 9 - Sandown, VIC
Betta Electrical Sandown 500
Melbourne's weather was at its fickle finest on September 14, 2003. A torrential downpour set up wet race to the end, with leader Mark Skaife being chased down by Jason Richards. With Team Dynamik staring down the barrel at their best result of their maiden year, the Kiwi could have been forgiven for settling for the second place.

But that's not what 'JR' was like. He had a crack at Skaife at Dandenong Road corner with just a couple of laps to go. It ended disastrously; Richards became bogged in the sand and failed to finish, while the HRT car won the race.

But you had to love him for having a go.

Russell Ingall's race was memorable — for the wrong reasons. Source: Supplied

1:00PM EDT
May 4, 2003
Rd. 3 - Eastern Creek, NSW
This one is for all the Ford fans, the Blue Oval posting their first sweep of the podium in many a moon at Round 3 of the 2003 championship.

The new era of Project Blueprint had levelled the playing field between the Falcon and the Commodore, giving the Ford faithful something to cheer about after a couple of dry years.

Ford pulled off the trifecta at Eastern Creek in 2003. Source: News Limited

2:30PM EDT
August 15, 2004
Rd. 8 - Oran Park, NSW
It was the kind of race weekend we love to see. Ford's finest going head-to-head with Holden's top man. The Ambrose/Skaife rivalry was at its peak, the HRT man having his best weekend of what was otherwise a horror year.

The weekend also saw a couple of new names on the entry list that would figure quite a bit in years to come: Fabian Coulthard and Will Davison.

4:00PM EDT
December 5, 2004
Rd. 13 - Eastern Creek, NSW
Bigpond Grand Finale
The 2004 finale remains as the high watermark for Stone Brothers Racing in V8 Supercars. Ambrose clinched back-to-back titles with a win on the Saturday, before Ingall raced through to secure a team one-two in the championship on the Sunday.

6:00PM EDT
October 9, 2005
Rd. 10 - Mount Panorama, NSW
Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000
Most people only remember this race for three things: Lowndes copping a wheel to the windscreen, 'Balaclava-gate', and the Ambrose/Murphy carambolage at the Cutting.

But the 2005 race is deserving of its title as a V8 classic, with several cars all having a shot at winning across the day.

Murph clinched the 2005 round in the dark. Source: Supplied

10:00PM EDT
April 17, 2005
Rd. 2 - Pukekohe, NZ
PlaceMakers V8 International
Whenever the V8 fleet made the trip across the Tasman, they knew they faced a tough ask to beat the King of Pukekohe, Greg Murphy. The 2005 race would be Murph's final flourish on home soil, taking a clean sweep to continue his almost-perfect record at the track he made his own.

He received the winner's trophy in the dark, a notorious crash between Paul Dumbrell and Craig Baird delaying the schedule and forcing a very late finish to Race 3.

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TD mark set to be fleeting

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PEYTON Manning says his season record of 51 touchdowns will be short-lived, suggesting Tom Brady will take it back soon enough.

Or, for that matter, any number of other quarterbacks could break it should NFL owners get their way and expand the season to 18 games.

Perhaps he's just being pragmatic.

Maybe he's just being modest.

"If it does go to 18 games, I think that is a practical assessment," said tight end Julius Thomas, who caught the record-breaker in Denver's 37-13 win at Houston on Sunday. "Those two extra games would give a quarterback two additional opportunities to go out there and put more touchdowns on the board.

"That will skew a lot of records. But you know he's also a modest person. That's who he is. It's pretty remarkable to throw 51 touchdowns. I believe records are meant to be broken and most are broken. But that's one that could stand for a while."

Peyton smiles after throwing his fourth touchdown and 51st of the season. Source: AP

It will stand for a long time, suggested Eric Decker, who retrieved the record-breaking memento when Thomas nonchalantly dropped it, unaware of the ball's emotional or even economic value.

"Of course he's being modest," Decker said. "Fifty-plus touchdowns in a season, you've got to do something very, very special. (Dan) Marino had it for such a long time and then it went back and forth for a while. But with the game how it is now, it's more of an offensive game and you have more opportunities to maybe do something like this."

Manning began the season by becoming the first quarterback since 1969 to throw for seven touchdowns in a game, one of eight games this season in which he's thrown for four or more touchdowns.

He's thrown a dozen touchdown passes to Julius Thomas and Demaryius Thomas and 10 each to Decker and Wes Welker.

After breaking Brady's single-season touchdown record of 50 on Sunday, Manning is 266 yards from surpassing Drew Brees' single-season mark for yards passing. The Broncos are 18 points shy of setting a single-season scoring record and 28 points from becoming the league's first 600-point team.

Peyton waits near the bench before the game against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Source: AFP

They're already the first team in NFL history with five players with at least 10 touchdowns; running back Knowshon Moreno has 10 touchdown runs and two touchdown catches. Nobody else has had four players with double-digit touchdowns.

It's reached the point where it's expected that the Broncos will put up gaudy numbers each week, and when they don't march right down the field, fans wonder what's wrong.

"Yeah, we talked about that a little bit earlier in the season. If we punt, man, we would get booed," Julius Thomas said. "But it just speaks to what we've done as an offense. We have no problem with people having high expectations of us because we have high expectations of ourselves."

Maybe that's why he didn't realize he had the record-holder in his hands when he caught No. 51 on Sunday and just let it go instead of holding onto it. Decker picked up the ball and tucked it in the side of his jersey, where it remained as he walked off the field.

Peyton is greeted by Andre Johnson after setting the record for TD passes in a season. Source: AFP

"It wouldn't have surprised me if Julius would have went and handed it to some babe up in the stands, trying to get her phone number in exchange for the ball," Manning joked. "That would be right up Julius' alley."

Julius Thomas said: "If it was the right girl, maybe I'd think about it."

Decker, who was pranked by Manning in the offseason, when the quarterback invited him for a weekend passing camp at Duke University and tricked him into thinking he had to pay thousands of dollars for doing so, saw an opportunity for payback.

"I was going to take (the ball) home. That's an item that is going to go for a lot," Decker said. "H got me at Duke (and) I figured this was maybe a time where I could hold the ball ransom and see what I could get out of it. But I had to give it to him, and that was such a cool thing to be a part of."

Peyton waves to fans after the game. Source: AP

Manning can make it even more difficult to break his touchdown record when the Broncos visit the Oakland Raiders on Sunday.

Because the Broncos need to win to stay ahead of New England in the race for home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs and the Patriots kick off against Buffalo at the same time, Manning, and not his backup, Brock Osweiler, will be under center fine-tuning things before the playoffs.

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Best fights of 2013

Marcos Maidana's straight right catches Adrien Broner during their WBA welterweight title bout. Source: Eric Gay / AP

THE best fights of the year, according to boxing expert Grantlee Kieza.

DENNIS HOGAN BEATS NATHAN CARROLL ON POINTS AFTER 10 ROUNDS

November 7

IRISH-BORN strongman Dennis Hogan overpowered fellow Brisbane rival Nathan Carroll to take the Australian middleweight title with a ferocious 10-round decision at Brisbane's Eatons Hill Hotel.

It was a thrilling encounter for the sold-out crowd and fans watching around the country on Fox Sports.

The unbeaten Hogan proved too rugged and persistent with his savage counterpunches, and his pressure tactics stopped Carroll using his skills at long range.

Nathan Carroll lost a classic bout to Dennis Hogan on point after 10 rounds. Source: News Limited

Last year at the Mansfield Tavern, Hogan stopped Carroll in seven rounds but Carroll - who had won the national title in the interim - came into the rematch with an improved defence and a steely resolve.

It wasn't enough though as Hogan, a former Irish international as an amateur, banged away with his brutal hooks and uppercuts to dominate the fight.

CARL FROCH BEATS GEORGE GROVES BY TKO IN ROUND 9

November 23

A CONFIDENT George Groves needled super-middleweight iron man Carl Froch relentlessly for months and seemed to have him rattled in the days leading up to one of England's most anticipated fights of the year in Manchester.

Groves said Froch was old, that he was slowing up, that he was in serious decline.

In the first round he looked to be right.

All smiles at the BBC SPOTY awards night but was less happy when losing to Carl Froch. Source: Getty Images

Groves caught the IBF and WBA champ flush on the chin with a left-right in the opening round and dropped him.

Froch staggered back into the fight but Groves hit him from all angles throughout round two.

But Froch kept wading forward catching everything on his granite chin and eventually firing back. As both men fought to a virtual standstill Froch began to hurt Groves and, after a barrage of Froch punches in round nine, referee Howard Foster stopped the fight and Froch was still the champ.

TIMOTHY BRADLEY BEATS RUSLAN PROVODNIKOV IN ROUND 12

March 16

IN his first fight since out-hustling Filipino great Manny Pacquiao, American muscleman Timothy Bradley retained his world welterweight title at the Home Depot Centre in Carson, California with an all-time classic battle against Russia's Ruslan Provodnikov.

Timothy Bradley has proved to be a dogged fighter who has taken on the best and largely succeeded. Source: AP

Bradley remained unbeaten in 31 fights with a close decision after dominating the middle rounds. But he was on the canvas in the 12th and final round after one last desperate barrage from Provodnikov, a Kostya Tszyu look-alike known as "The Siberian Rocky.''

Provodnikov appeared to have Bradley out on his feet in rounds one and two as the bell sounded.

The fight ended with Bradley taking a knee in the last round under withering pressure from Provodnikov, but having won enough rounds to earn a unanimous decision.

MARCOS MAIDANA BEATS ADRIEN BRONER IN ROUND 12

December 14

THE spoilt brat got a kick in the backside.

In a thriller Argentine bull Marcos Maidana dropped cocky welterweight champion Adrien "The Problem" Broner twice and took away his WBA belt with a 12-round unanimous decision at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas.

Marcos Maidana lands a right flush on Adrien Broner's jaw. Source: AFP

Maidana cracked Broner with a right hand in the first round and had Broner holding on. Maidana continued the aggression in round two and dropped the champ.

Broner fought back hard in the middle rounds but in round eight Maidana dropped him again.

Maidana gave Broner a light headbutt under the chin as the fighters wrestled, and Broner, acting badly, flopped on the canvas looking for a disqualification.

A desperate Broner fought hard in the 12th but Maidana took the title.

WAYLON LAW BEATS BRENT ELLIOTT IN ROUND 8

August 29

BRENT Elliott retained his Queensland junior-lightweight title with a split decision over Waylon Law in a slugfest at Brisbane's Eatons Hill Hotel.

Brent Elliott and Waylon Law in the lead-up to their classic fight. Source: News Limited

The lanky Law went down from a right hand on the bell at the end of the first round but fell in such a way that it looked like he was joking. Referee Tony Kettlewell did not apply a count.

He was down again in the fourth.

The shorter Elliott was an aggressive bull-ant throughout.

In a rematch three months later Law gained his revenge with a second-round stoppage.

QAMIL BALLA BEATS JACK BRUBAKER IN ROUND 10

September 12

FORMER amateur star Qamil Balla won the vacant Australian light-welterweight title against Jack Brubaker in a battle of unbeaten prospects at the Melbourne Pavilion, Flemington.

The fight was the main event on the Fox Sports program.

Qamil Balla won the vacant Australian light-welterweight title against Jack Brubaker. Source: News Limited

The Altona North sensation was given a thrilling contest against the Sydney fighter but proved too sharp as the fight wore on and took the decision.

Balla is of Albanian heritage and competed at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

SHAGGY KING BEATS DAVID GALVIN BY TKO IN ROUND 9

February 28

LIGHT-MIDDLEWEIGHT Shannon King came from behind to stop David Galvin in nine rounds for the vacant Australian title in a dramatic turnaround at the Greek Club, South Brisbane.

Alice Springs fighter David Galvin had more luck in this bout than against Shaggy King. Source: Supplied

Galvin had out worked King consistently and the heavily favoured former kickboxer looked in desperate trouble complaining to his corner about a burst eardrum.

But in round nine, knowing that he needed a knockout to win, King threw everything he had.

A big right dropped Galvin and shortly after was out in his feet when referee Phil Austin saved him from further punishment at 49 seconds of the round.

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Hales ignores Bailey 'lucky' jibe

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ADELAIDE Strikers star Alex Hales will let his bat respond to Hobart Hurricanes skipper George Bailey's prediction some teams will work him out during the Big Bash League.

Hales enhanced his reputation as the No. 1 Twenty20 batsman in the world when he smacked 49 runs off 19 balls in the Strikers' abandoned match in Hobart last week but Bailey believed the innings was "lucky".

"That's a couple of innings now where I feel like he's a lucky Twenty20 player,'' Bailey told media after the match.

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"He's a beautiful striker of the ball. He's a big strong man and he hits it really clean, but I think that the balls that sort of fly to third man, I've seen him do that a lot.

"There'll be times, I think, when he'll come off just through his brute force and power but I think there'll be teams that work him out.''

Hales hadn't heard Bailey's comments when he arrived back in Adelaide yesterday and wasn't going to be drawn on them.

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"Every team has their plans for you, and that's the game of T20, to try to get one over on an opponent," he said.

Hales Twenty20 numbers suggests there's more to his game than luck. He averages 39.11 at a strike rate of 135 in 21 internationals for England and is the No. 1 rated batsman in the world on the ICC's shortest form rankings.

The 24-year-old admitted his innings was a little streaky against Hobart but hopes to time the ball better against Sydney Thunder on December 27 and against Perth Scorchers in his home debut for the Strikers at Adelaide Oval on New Year's Eve.

English import Alex Hales: "every team has plans for you". Source: News Limited

Anyone who wants to bring in the New Year with fireworks might pay to head to the ground.

Hales took once took 55 from a single over in English Twenty20 tournament. He hit eight sixes and a four from a nine ball over which included three no-balls.

Adelaide will fancy itself to head to ANZ Stadium and beat the Thunder on December 27 with the struggling Sydney side almost certain to be without its two best batsmen.

David Warner will be on Boxing Day Test duties while Usman Khawaja suffered a hamstring injury during the side's six wicket loss to the Sydney Sixers on Saturday night.

The pair put on 116 for the first wicket during the match but the Thunder failed to capitalise, only managing 166, a score the Sixers comfortably ran down.

The Thunder has struggled in the opening two years of the BBL but features a new look side captained by retired Australian Test champion Mike Hussey.

"Two of our best batsmen are going to be unavailable,'' Hussey said. "I still think we've got the ability to cover it."

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The Clashes: what chance a revival?

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CAN England recover from three humiliating Test defeats and the controversy that has accompanied Graeme Swann's sudden retirement? News Corp Australia chief cricket writer Malcolm Conn previews the Boxing Day Test with his counterpart from The Sun, John Etheridge.

Malcolm Conn: Graeme Swann's retirement is the latest drama in a shambolic tour for England. What's going on with your lot?

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John Etheridge: Now that England are 3-0 down, he decided it was time for someone else to have their chance. And also I think his elbow is causing a lot of discomfort, particularly when he bowls long spells. That was part of his decision as well. He can't apply the same number of revs to the ball as he used to, so it's time to go. One thing you can say about Graeme Swann, he's certainly funnier than any of the Australian players.

MC: Well I must say I'm going to miss him dreadfully, not only for the way he bowled in the Perth Test when Shane Watson got after him but also because he gives the best press conferences in world cricket. He is a genuinely funny guy and I hope he goes into the cricket media or somewhere similar where we can see some of his best attributes. I thoroughly enjoyed his press conferences and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing him smacked all over the WACA.

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JE: He did jovially say his last ball in Test cricket was hit about 120 metres by Shane Watson and indeed his final over went for 22, but he'll have a career in TV or the media. He'll be on Strictly Come Dancing type programmes and I'm sure he'll do some cricket commentary too. Behind the jocular exterior he's got a very sharp cricket brain; probably the best brain in the England team. He'll be missed for his bowling, his catching at second slip, and also for his character.

MC: It's a remarkable career. I think he played for five years and took 255 Test wickets. He came into the game fairly late and had a fair bit of success.

JE: He played in the one-day team back in 2000, and it didn't go well, he was only 20 years old. He kept missing the team bus and didn't create much of an impression. Duncan Fletcher banished him to the sidelines and he didn't reappear for more than seven years. When he did come back, his entire Test career was condensed into just five years - he took 255 wickets and no other bowler in the world took more Test wickets in that time than Graeme Swann. He's an orthodox spin bowler who's won matches with no doosra, no wrong-un, no carrom ball, and bowling with a straight arm as well.

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MC: An old-fashioned off spinner.

JE: Anyway Mal, it's all nicely poised isn't at 3-3 in the 10-match series. You can't get more exciting than that!

MC: Your juggernaut's rolling along beautifully isn't it? Or I should say bumping along. How many changes are you going to make this Test? Swann will be replaced by Monty Panesar. Stuart Broad's on one leg, he won't play, so you'll pick that Irish one day bowler Boyd Rankin I imagine, and then young Jonny Bairstow is doing all the keeping drills at training, so he'll come in instead of Matt Prior. You'll be missing a quarter of your side going into Melbourne.

JE: I don't want to give away a secret plan, but if five or six more players retire or get injured we won't have enough players to make up a team and the game will be cancelled - that would be quite good, wouldn't it?

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MC: I guess the one great achievement for England is instead of relying on South Africans the New Zealand-born Ben Stokes actually played very well in Perth. I guess that's some sort of beacon amongst the rubble.

JE: He was very impressive in his second Test match. An allrounder who can score Test hundreds and bowl at 140km/h. Sounds like the sort of cricketer that Shane Watson's always dreamed of being!

MC: Shane Watson's coming up to his 50th Test. The way he's launched into it in Perth, the next 50 will probably be much more fulfilling than the first 50, particularly if they keep playing England. Peter Siddle's also playing his 50th Test match and that will be quite exciting considering Kevin Pietersen's playing again.

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JE: Siddle's effectively played on KP's ego and dried up his runs and just eventually Pietersen can resist no longer and he makes a mistake. He's given his wicket away four or five times in this series already. One would hope there'll be a big Boxing Day crowd, the Boxing Day Test is one of the highlights of the sporting calendar. With 90,000 people there you'd hope the likes of Pietersen will be inspired by the occasion.

MC: Should we read Kevin Pietersen's name in brackets when Graeme Swann had a swipe at at least one, if not more, of his teammates?

JE: Graeme Swann is perturbed that one or two players have disappeared up their own backsides and cricket's got a habit of biting people on the arse, and he hopes that when that happens those people will be very embarrassed by their conduct. What he didn't do is specify which players he meant, he refused to name names and indeed didn't specify which country the players came from, so it might be that he was talking about Australians.

MC: I just wonder if he was talking about Englishmen or South Africans...

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