Video: best of Australia v Windies

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Clutch ... Michael Bevan plays one of the finest one-day innings against the West Indies. Source:News Limited

There have been plenty of classic clashes between Australia and West Indies, from the famous tied Test of 1960 to Michael Bevan's last-ball four in 1996.

What's your favourite Australia v West Indies ODI moment?

Bevan's heroics on New Year's Day in 1996 are sure to live long in the memory of many an Aussie fan, but was it the greatest moment in a one-dayer between the men from Down Under and the Calypso Kings?

Is Dwayne Bravo's screamer to remove Australia's most devastating opening batsman Adam Gilchrist at the top of your list? Or does Jerome Taylor's hat-trick in the 2006 Champions Trophy trump his countryman's effort?

Mark and Steve Waugh continue their sibling rivalry as they battle for this coveted title.

Steve showed his incredible courage the cricketing world admired so much, when he caught an unbelievable outfield catch despite nearly colliding with the sight screen.  

Not to be outdone, brother Mark showcased his extraordinary all-round skill, taking 5/24 in 1992.

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Cast your vote for the greatest ODI moment between these two cricket powerhouses

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Meet the EPL's new Solskjaer

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Super sub ... Reading's Adam Le Fondre. Source:AAP

There are worse monikers to wear than 'super sub'. And although Reading's Adam Le Fondre wants to make a name for himself as a 90 minute player, he's been creating more than enough headlines for his late heroics in recent weeks.

Two match-winning performances by The Royals' No.9 has seen late, late drama for the relegation battlers against big-name opposition. Le Fondre scored twice after 87 minutes to steal a draw against Chelsea on Thursday morning (EDT), to back up his six-minute brace against Newcastle United off the bench earlier this month.

These late cameos are doing the 26-year-old no harm as he tries to show he can bring his goal scoring pedigree from the lower division to the Barclays Premier League.

"I have a role to play in the team and I have to accept it. That's how it is at the moment, but obviously I want to start games every week," Le Fondre said after the Newcastle game.

"I have to bide my time because we are playing a different formation. I've just got to wait and take my chance when it comes. Hopefully playing like this will get me another start."

Whether he wants the mantle or not, there's no doubt about the need for a vital injection off the bench. And haven't we seen some great ones through the years?

Ole Gunner Solskjaer – Sir Alex Ferguson's 'Baby Faced Assassin' from a decade ago – is the most famous the league has seen. The Norwegian striker sat behind the likes of Andy Cole, Dwight Yorke, Teddy Sheringham and Ruud van Nistelrooy in the pecking order. But he played his part, too, most famously in the 1999 UEFA Champions League final against Bayern Munich. Indeed, 29 of his 126 goals coming off the pine.

Another  Norwegian, Tore Andre Flo, also carved his niche as a famous super sub, scoring 13 times in 69 appearances for Chelsea off the bench. 

The original super sub was Liverpool's David Fairclough, who scored 55 goals for Liverpool from 1973-1983, with 18 of them coming off the bench - 21 in the final quarter.

Australia's most famous moment off the bench is Tim Cahill, who scored twice as Australia beat Japan 3-1 in Kaiserslauten in 2006, and current rivals for the super sub title in the EPL include Javier Hernandez and Edin Dzeko.

Just don't tell Manchester City striker Dzeko.

"I will never be a super-sub, I want to play," he said after scoring twice off the bench against West Brom earlier this season. 

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My Shield form irrelevant: Doherty

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Xavier Doherty ... hasn't played Shield cricket since November. Source: Phil Hillyard / News Limited

Tasmanian tweaker Xavier Doherty's first-class record this season of two wickets at an average of 80 isn't going to strike fear into the hearts of India's batsmen.

But Doherty, who fought off a challenge from fellow left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe for a spot in Australia's 17-man squad named on Thursday, says his recent form in limited-overs international cricket has left him in a confident mood ahead of the four-Test tour.

Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Jackson Bird, Ed Cowan, Xavier Doherty, Moises Henriques,  Phil Hughes, Mitchell Johnson, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner

Doherty's hopes of a recall, after playing in the Brisbane and Adelaide Tests in his debut series against England in November-December 2010, rest largely on just how spin-friendly the pitches of Chennai, Hyderabad, Mohali and Delhi turn out to be.

Offspinner Nathan Lyon is a certainty for the Test XI and spin-bowling allrounder Glenn Maxwell is circling for a possible Test debut, as is seam-bowling allrounder Moises Henriques.

"Growing up at (Hobart's) Bellerive Oval, you could probably understand the reason my bowling average (119 wickets at 44.78 in 51 first-class matches) is a little more than what most international spinners are,'' Doherty said on Thursday.

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"If anyone had seen the wickets that we've served up at Bellerive earlier this season, you'd probably understand why I've only got two wickets so far.

"They're just trying to pick people who are in form. Stevie O'Keefe has bowled well over the last few weeks as well (taking 4-55 and 4-47 for NSW in last week's Sheffield Shield game against Western Australia).

"Having not played a Shield game for a while (since November), I guess my Shield form almost becomes irrelevant.

"They (selectors) have probably just looked at the last eight weeks.

"Having not had the chance to bowl the red ball, all I could do was bowl as well as I could in the form of the game that I was playing."

Doherty's recent form has been excellent, grabbing 1-30 and 2-21 in Australia's Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka after picking up 3-21 off eight overs in the fifth one-day international against Sri Lanka in Hobart on January 23.

"The best way to answer my critics is to put in and perform,'' Doherty said.

"But that's not the over-riding motivation for doing well. It's the chance to win some games for Australia.

"Playing at this level, you do get your knockers but that's just part of it."

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I was jealous of Roar: Flores

Happy as Larry ... Marcos Flores loves playing under Ange Postecoglou. Source: David Crosling / AAP

Melbourne Victory midfielder Marcos Flores admits he used to be jealous every time he came up against Ange Postecoglou's champion Brisbane Roar team.

		P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
1	Central Coast	18	11	5	2	17	38
2	Victory	18	10	3	5	3	33
3	Western Sydney	18	10	2	6	8	32
4	Adelaide	18	10	2	6	4	32
5	Newcastle	18	6	4	8	-8	22
6	Heart	18	6	3	9	-2	21
7	Brisbane	18	6	2	10	-1	20
8	Sydney	18	6	2	10	-9	20
9	Perth	18	5	4	9	-1	19
10	Wellington	18	4	5	9	-11	17

Now he is coached by Postecoglou, Flores believes the Victory are growing into an outfit capable of emulating their coach's deeds at the Roar - and giving him an A-League championship three-peat.

"We are improving. You can see from the first week we are making steps forward every week,'' Flores said.

"Even if for a couple of weeks we didn't get the three points, we were improving and improving and improving.

"I feel so proud to be honest. So proud of my teammates, so proud of our group because every team wants to improve, and we are doing it.''

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Catch all your A-League news here!

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When playing for Adelaide United, Flores admits he looked longingly at how the Roar moved the ball under Postecoglou, and admired the attacking style he entrenched at the back-to-back champions.

Flores' move to the Victory after a year playing in China and Postecoglou's shift from the Roar to the Victory has united them - and the 27-year-old Argentine couldn't be happier.

"I was so jealous when I saw him and Brisbane when I was playing at Adelaide,'' Flores admits.

"More than anything I wanted to be under him, to be part of this philosophy - the way he drives the team.

"I have a lot of respect (for him). He is one of the important reasons why I came to the club.''

After a slow start with the Victory, Flores is moving towards the sort of form which won him the competition's player of the year honours with Adelaide in 2010-11.

His spike in form has coincided with the Victory's.

The Victory are unbeaten in their past four matches, and have lost just twice in their past 14 to move ominously into the top two.

Their Melbourne derby on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium against the Heart looms as critical, with third-placed Western Sydney and fourth-placed Adelaide United just a point behind the Victory and playing each other this weekend.

Meanwhile, the Victory have signed teenage centre-half Nick Ansell, versatile Leigh Broxham and reserve goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas to new extended contracts.

Ansell and Broxham have agreed to three-year deals, while Thomas will stay with the club until the end of the 2014-15 season.

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Beckham set for PSG move: report

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French suitors ... Becks looks set to sign with Paris St Germain. Source: Ted S. Warren / AFP

David Beckham is set to join French club Paris Saint-Germain, according to a report.

The BBC reports the former England captain is on his way to France to undergo a medical before his signing is announced early on Friday morning (EDT).

The 37-year-old midfielder has been without a club since leaving LA Galaxy in December.

Beckham has been training with Barclays Premier League club Arsenal but manager Arsene Wenger said there were no plans to sign the former Manchester United star.

The move will mean Beckham links up again with PSG manager Carlo Ancelotti, who worked with him during the England legend's time at AC Milan.

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NT Government ends Brumbies agreement

THE Northern Territory government is ending an agreement with the Brumbies to stage a trial rugby union match each year, saying it's not worth the money considering it gets so little exposure.

NT Sport and Recreation Minister Matt Conlan on Thursday said the government would not continue its three-year contract with the Canberra-based franchise.

"When it comes to sport in the Territory I want to get the best bang for Territorians' buck," Conlan said.

"While the Northern Territory has enjoyed a good relationship with the Canberra (sic) Brumbies, we simply can't justify paying $300,000 for a trial game with no television coverage or national exposure," he said.

He cited high debt levels left over from the previous Labor administration, which left office in August last year, as the reason for the axing of the agreement.

"The Territory Government wants the big games," he said.

This is not the first time the Country Liberal Party government in the NT has de-funded a sporting event.

In October last year the government cancelled the 2013 Arafura Games, saying the move saved taxpayers $3.5 million.

The Brumbies are scheduled to play the Western Force in Darwin on Friday night.

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Djokovic through to Aus Open final

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Slammin Serb ... Novak Djokovic celebrates another semi final win at the Australian Open. Source: Dita Alangkara / AP

World No.1 Novak Djokovic will be fresh, confident and in near-perfect form for Sunday night's shot at a record third straight Australian Open title after charging through his semi-final against David Ferrer.

Djokovic made the Spanish fourth seed look like a junior hitting partner as he won 6-2 6-2 6-1 in just 89 minutes on Thursday night.

Australian Open: Mens Singles

Round SF, 24/01/13

Djo (1)	6	6	6
Fer (4)	2	2	1

Ferrer, who has now played in five major semi-finals but never a final, is renowned as a running machine who always keeps fighting.

Those attributes were never going to be enough as the bigger, stronger Djokovic ran the Spaniard around the court then finished points with style and power to keep his unbeaten grand slam record against Ferrer intact.

Djokovic won more than twice as many points as Ferrer, at one stage during the second set stringing together 12 in a row to underline the one-way nature of the contest.

He rode a confidence wave through the third set, making spectacular winners look regulation, as he gave up just 11 points for the set.

The Serb, who extended his Melbourne Park winning streak to 20, will now await the victor of what is expected to be a much closer and more gruelling semi-final on Friday night between 17-time grand slam winner Roger Federer and US Open champion Andy Murray.

Djokovic said playing like he did against Ferrer was a rare feeling.

"I played incredible tennis," he said.

"I felt very comfortable and very confident from the start.

"I was aware of David's quality, I wanted to be aggressive on the court, but this is definitely one of the best performances I've had in my career."

He said it was no coincidence such a stellar showing came at Melbourne Park.

"This has been my most successful grand slam - I love this court, I love this atmosphere," Djokovic said.

"I'm just pleased to have another shot at the title." 

Djokovic's previous three Australian Open finals have all resulted in wins - in 2008 and the past two years - setting him up with a chance on Sunday night to become the first man in the open era to claim three in a row.

If it's Federer he's playing, both finalists will be seeking a slice of history, as the Swiss great will be chasing his fifth Australian Open crown, which would be an open era record.

If Murray wins through, it will set up a rematch of the most recent grand slam final, when the Scot won his maiden major title at last year's US Open, beating Djokovic in a near-five-hour five-setter.

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SA bowlers strike late against Vics

Centurion ... Chris Rogers makes 131 on day one at the Adelaide Oval. Source: George Salpigtidis / News Limited

A Chris Rogers century underpinned early Victorian dominance before South Australia struck back late on the opening day of the Sheffield Shield match at Adelaide Oval.

The Bushrangers made 6-314 on Thursday's first day, with Rogers compiling 131 while Peter Handscomb (85) and Michael Hill (54) scored half-centuries.

SHEF - Adelaide Oval

24 January 2013 - Day 1, Session 3

Victoria 1st Innings

C. White	13	34	2	0	38.24
W. Sheridan	0	13	0	0	0

The Victorians were cruising at 2-279 before SA took 4-25 in a six-over span in the final hour.

SA swingman Chadd Sayers was superb with 4-48 from 19 overs, claiming the prized scalps of David Hussey (one) and Rob Quiney (13), while Test spinner Nathan Lyon returned 0-77 from 24 overs.

The Redbacks were surprisingly without the state's two most recent internationals, Dan Christian and Kane Richardson.

Christian failed to make SA's squad while Richardson, just 11 days after making his Australian one-day debut, was 12th man.

The duo's bowling skills were missed early as prolific run-scorer Rogers banked his 56th first-class ton.

After Quiney was brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Tim Ludeman, diving low to his left to complete a one-hander in front of first slip's bootlaces, Rogers and Hill put on 124 for the second wicket.

But Hill's promising knock ended when Johan Botha (1-43) beat the 24-year-old in flight and had him caught behind.

Handscomb, 21, then joined Rogers for a 136-run union which was broken when Rogers was dismissed with the initial delivery of the second new ball, lbw to Sayers.

Sayers struck again in his next over by bowling Hussey, who only arrived in Adelaide hours before the match, having travelled via Melbourne from Hobart after playing for Australia on Wednesday night.

Paceman Joe Mennie (1-62) then dismissed Handscomb before Sayers claimed his fourth wicket, John Hastings, for a duck. 

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Azarenka takes break for 'choking'

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Controversy ... Victoria Azarenka receives treatment for 'choking' in her semi final. Source: Andrew Brownbill / AP

Criticism has been levelled at Victoria Azarenka after the world No.1 admitted to taking a medical timeout at a critical stage of today's Australian Open semi-final because she needed to "calm down".

Australian Open: Ladies Singles

Round SF, 24/01/13

Azarenka won her way through to the final with a 6-1 6-4 win over American teenager Sloane Stephens on Rod Laver Arena in scorching 35C heat.

But much is being made of Azarenka taking two medical timeouts at once after she blew five match points in the second set.

Stephens had the momentum when she saved the match points and then broke Azarenka to bring it back to 4-5.

Azarenka called for the trainer and was off court for 10 minutes, stopping Stephens' momentum in its tracks.

The Belarussian finally returned to break the younger Stephens and close out the match.

In her on-court interview with Channel 7, Azarenka said it was nearly "the choke of the year".

When she left the court, she was asked by ESPN why she took the timeouts.

"I had to take a little bit of time to calm down ... I couldn't breathe, I had chest pains," Azarenka said.

"It was like I was having a heart attack or something.

"I did it it to make sure I was OK because I really could not breathe."

Then at her post-match media conference not long after, Azarenka changed her story and said it was her back that caused her to take the timeout.

"That's the reason I couldn't breathe - my back was locked," she said.

Of her comments to ESPN, she said she had misunderstood the question.

Azarenka admitted she should have taken the timeout earlier than when she did.

Stephens said she had no issue with Azarenka and denied it hurt her momentum.

"It has happened to me before, but it is not something that affects me," Stephens said.

Stephens pointed out she shares the same agent as Azarenka and said she was sure the two would talk about it at some stage.

Respected ESPN commentator and former player Pam Shriver was one of many to question Azarenka's sportsmanship.

"You cannot leave court for 10 minutes like that," she said.

"That is not the rules of the game."

United States Tennis Player Development general manager and commentator Patrick McEnroe also tweeted his thoughts.

"So let me get this straight. She had a lot of nerves and that's why she left the court. Unbelievable. Absolute travesty," he wrote.

Azarenka is also receiving criticism on her personal Twitter account with many fans accusing her of "cheating".

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Hazards: Sports' best brain snaps

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Brain snaps ... Athletes can lose their cool when the going gets tough. Source:Fox Sports

Live sport is all about being close to the action, but that's not exactly what these fans and officials were expecting when they had their run-ins with sports elite.

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Hazardous job

In Thursday morning's League Cup match - in scenes needed to be seen to be believed - Chelsea star Eden Hazard appeared to kick a ballboy, who wasn't letting go of the ball, in the stomach.

Hazard was shown a red card, and may yet face further sanctioning, but he isn't the first sportsperson to see the red mist descend in a moment of madness.

Cantona attempts to kick racism out of football

Who can forget Eric Cantona reacting to crowd abuse by hurling himself into the Selhurt Park stands and delivering a kung-fu kick and a series of punches to Crystal Palace fan Matthew Simmons back in 1995?

Cantona received a lengthy ban, but it could have been far worse, his two-week prison sentence eventually overturned on appeal.

Alderman's unfortunate tackle

Terry Alderman discovered the perils of taking on a fan during the 1982-1983 Ashes series when he tackled a pitch invader to the ground.

Alderman dislocated his shoulder in the process and was out of the game for a year, not that it deterred future cricketers, as Andrew Symonds showed when he put the shoulder into a streaker in 2008.

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Watch our video at the top of the page of sports best brain snaps and let us know any we have missed by leaving a comment at the bottom of the page.

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Williams unleashes volley of abuse

The sport brain snap isn't always physical, as tennis superstar Serena Williams showed with a foul-mouthed tirade to a lineswoman at the 2009 US Open.

Irate at a foot fault call at a crucial point in the match, Williams unleashed on the official, reportedly threatening: "I swear to god I'm f***kin going to take this ball and shove it down your f**kin mouth."

Serena later apologised but the damage was already done.

Ron Artest ... brawls with NBA fans in 2004. Source: AP

Ron Artest before his World Peace days

What's the best way to start a fight with an athlete? Throw a cup of soft drink at them of course. That's what happened to Indiana Pacers star Ron Artest during wild NBA brawl in 2004.

A scuffle between players quickly spilled into the stands, with Artest, who has since changed his name to Metta World Peace, fighting with four different fans.

Artest was suspended for an NBA-record 86 games and lost close to $5m in prize money for his role in the ugly incident.

Carmen uses his head

Former Aussie rules bad boy Phil Carmen was never far from the headlines during his career and received a 20-week ban for headbutting an umpire and striking an opponent in a match against St Kilda in 1980.

Carmen marked his return to the game from suspension in the only way he knew how, by being reported.

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Have we missed any great sporting brain snaps? Let us know by leaving a comment below or by tweeting to @FoxSportsNews using the hashtag #fsnbrainsnaps.

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