Injuries are not the only factor that have hampered Shaun Marsh in a rollercoaster career so far, the opener also battled drinking problems before the slide of a fellow player, Luke Pomersbach, prompted him to mend his ways.
Embattled former Australia captain Ricky Ponting managed to retain his place in the 13-member squad for the first cricket Test against India, starting in Melbourne on Monday.
Ed Cowan will open the batting on his debut for Australia in next week's first Test against India after being included in an extended squad announced on Wednesday.
FIFA's ethics watchdog has recommended a nine-year ban for secretary-general Jerome Valcke over World Cup ticket selling accusations, one of many corruption allegations involving officials at soccer's crisis-plagued governing body.
Having dismissed Australia for a paltry 145 in their first innings, Pakistan stretched their lead to a daunting 281 by stumps on day two with Zaman's 66 and an unbeaten 54 by Ali taking them to 144-2.
Sri Lanka's Australian cricket coach Geoff Marsh has drawn criticism after the team's loss to Pakistan in the recent Test and ODI series in the UAE with media reports here stating that he was more focussed on his son Shaun's progress in the Aussie team.
'The pitch should have enough for the bowlers to be interested on all days of the Test.'
Kings XI Punjab will once again be facing a 'do-or-die' situation during their penultimate round encounter against table toppers Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League, in Mumbai, on Thursday.
Needing a win to keep their play-offs hopes alive, KXIP could put up just 167 for 6 after being put into bat but they defended the total courtesy a remarkable show by their bowlers at the PCA Stadium.
Australia may have made batting look easy while chasing 300-plus totals against India successfully twice, but opener Aaron Finch credited the team's inexperienced bowlers for it, pointing out that the current attack combined has played less ODIs than the now retired Mitchell Johnson.
A Manchester United fan aims to block rival Manchester City's 'goals of football domination' by selling off thousands of parcels of a site earmarked by the world's richest club for a 100-million-pound training complex.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly was on Tuesday named captain and ambassador of Libra Legends in the upcoming Masters Champions League to be played in Dubai and Sharjah from January 28 to February 13. Ganguly will lead a team which will have South African iconic all-rounder Jacques Kallis, left-arm spinner Nicky Boje, English spinner Graeme Swann, Aussie speedster Shaun Tait, spinner Brad Hogg, Netherlands allrounder Ryan ten Doeschate among others.
Kings XI Punjab will look to go all guns blazing against down and out Gujarat Lions in Mohali.
While praising young Prithvi Shaw, who cracked a Test century on debut in Rajkot in the opening Test against the West Indies, India discard Gautam Gambhir asked people to think hard before comparing the diminutive Mumbaikar to his former opening partner, Virender Sehwag.
Images from the second and final Twenty20 International between India and Australia in Melbourne, on Friday.
Mitch Marsh has said that he is in no hurry to make his entry into the Australian Test team in the wake of failures from his older brother, Test batsman Shaun.
Australia have dropped struggling top order batsman Shaun Marsh and rested wicketkeeper Brad Haddin for the first three matches of the one-day Tri-series against India and Sri Lanka, which starts next week.
Holders Real Madrid breezed into the last 16 of the Champions League with two games to spare when a Karim Benzema strike secured a 1-0 win in their Group B match at home to a toothless Liverpool on Tuesday.
Rediff.com brings you a wrap of big stories in pictures with the Best Sports Photos of the Week.
Mumbai Indians bounced back in splendid fashion after losing their previous match and beat Kings XI Punjab by 23 runs to regain the top spot in the Indian Premier League, at the Wankhede stadium, in Mumbai, on Monday.
Danny Gabbidon headed in the winner as Queens Park Rangers weathered a spirited performance from third tier MK Dons to win 1-0 in their FA Cup third round replay on Tuesday and give new manager Mark Hughes his first victory.
Images from the match played between Chelsea and Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Sunday
The 37-year-old left-hander was forced to retire on 49 not out on the fourth day of Australia's 405-run second Test victory against England at Lord's, which levelled the series 1-1.
Australian top order batsman Shaun Marsh was unable to fulfill a media engagement ahead of the third Test against India in Perth because of illness on Monday.
"I'm very happy for my players, we showed character and the right mentality, it was very hard for us tonight. We worked hard defensively."
Australia bundled India out for 191 on the opening day of the second Test Tuesday, before coming through a top order crisis of their own to finish a frenetic day on 116 for three, 75 runs behind.
England beat France 2-0 in an emotional friendly at Wembley on Tuesday when more than 70,000 fans paid tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks with English fans roaring out a spine-tingling rendition of the visitors' national anthem.
Rediff.com brings a preview of the main matches coming up this weekend in the English Premier League.
Arsenal 'keeper Petr Cech has the answer...
Former captain Mark Taylor feels that either Ricky Ponting or Mike Hussey should be dropped for the first Test against India, in Melbourne, to make room for both the all-rounder Dan Christian and recovering batsman Shaun Marsh in the top six.
World No 1 Serena Williams has backed Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki's accusations of ' sexist scheduling' at the Wimbledon Championships.
Shaun Marsh, who was virtually ruled out of the first Test against India starting from December 26, has re-emerged as a contender for the opening game and is all set to join his Australia team-mates for a batting camp, in Melbourne, on Tuesday.
Arsenal have only lost six times to Tottenham Hotspur in 43 matches since Arsene Wenger became their manager nearly 18 years ago, but the Frenchman is taking nothing for granted before the first north London derby of the season on Saturday.
Rajneesh Gupta presents some interesting numbers from Day 3:
'I'm doing my best to make the number six spot my own, that's all I can do.'
Racing against time to be fit for the Test series against India, Australian opener Shaun Marsh says he might have to undergo a surgery on his troublesome back to prevent his career from ending prematurely.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter and his UEFA counterpart Michel Platini could face a six-year ban from football-related activities due to corruption proceedings against them.
Sri Lanka and Australia shared the spoils on the opening day of the third and final Test on Friday, the tourists putting up 235 for five before bad light stopped play. A sedate knock of 81 off 207 balls by Shaun Marsh held the Australian innings together as they struggled for runs throughout the rain-interrupted day.
There is some good news for the injury-hit Australian cricket team as opener Shaun Marsh is likely to be fit for the upcoming Test series against India and might even play the two warm-up matches before that.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola finds nothing abnormal in his team's 2-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur but wants the side to learn from Sunday's loss and put their Premier League campaign back on track.
