Sports Breifs

Sri Lanka whip Aussies

SRI Lanka beat Australia by seven wickets in the one-off Twenty20 international at the Waca in Brisbane yesterday.

Australia scored a modest 133/8 with Brad Haddin top scoring with 35. Suraj Randiv was the pick of the Sri Lanka bowlers with 3/25.

The visitors passed the total in just 16.3 overs with captain Kumar Sangakkara making 44 and Tillakaratne Dilshan 41. - Sports staff

Clijsters wins in Doha

BELGIAN Kim Clijsters captured the season-ending WTA Championships yesterday with a 6-3 5-7 6-3 victory over world number one Caroline Wozniacki.

Clijsters, who won the tournament for a third time after her victories in 2002 and 2003, was playing in her first event since winning the US Open in September, following an operation to remove a mole from her right foot.

She pocketed almost $1.5-million in prize money for winning the title in a match lasting two hours and 20 minutes.

- Reuters

Australia has new hero

YOUNGSTER James O'Connor was acclaimed as Australia's latest rugby hero by the press yesterday after his last-gasp try conversion against the All Blacks in Hong Kong broke a 10-match losing run.

O'Connor, 20, scored the match-levelling try and then kicked the winning conversion for the Wallabies to clinch a 26-24 win over New Zealand on Saturday.

The win renewed belief that the Wallabies may yet be a title threat at next year's World Cup in New Zealand. - Sapa-AFP

Ronaldo, Messi double

CRISTIANO Ronaldo and Lionel Messi scored two each as Ronaldo's Real Madrid came from behind to beat promoted Hercules 3-1 and Messi's Barcelona humbled 10-man Sevilla 5-0 in La Liga on Saturday.

Portuguese forward Ronaldo, who lost his World Player of the Year crown to current holder Messi, has now netted an incredible 10 goals in his last four league outings to take his tally for the season to 11.

Argentina forward Messi grabbed his sixth and seventh of the season, Spain striker David Villa scored twice and former Sevilla player Daniel Alves netted one as Barca kept the gap to Real to one point. - Reuters

MLS down to the wire

THE New York Red Bulls and FC Dallas took slender leads into their MLS Cup Conference semifinal second legs after claiming one-goal wins in their opening play-off matches on Saturday.

Dallas needed an 88th-minute winner from substitute Eric Avila to beat defending MLS Cup champions Real Salt Lake 2-1.

Joel Lindpere hit the winner for the Red Bulls, who were again without injured Thierry Henry, as they edged the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0. - Reuters

McDowell on a roll

BRITON Graeme McDowell continued his golden season by winning the Andalucia Masters yesterday to put pressure on European money-list leader Martin Kaymer.

US Open champion McDowell shot a three-over 74 for a three-under 281 total at Valderrama to win by two strokes from compatriot Gareth Maybin, Dane Soren Kjeldsen and Irishman Damien McGrane. - Reuters