Images of Day 6 at Wimbledon on Saturday.

Images of Day 5 of Wimbledon on Friday.

Super sub Fabregas ready to graduate

Spain's ready to win Euro Cup 2008, says Fabregas

London: Spanish and Arsenal mid-fielder Cesc Fabregas has said that his team will be all together, tight as a strong fist, against Germany in Sunday’s Euro 2008 final.

Fabregas who will replace David Villa for the finals, said: "We know Germany are a very competitive team, one of those national teams that we will have to give our all to beat.”

“We are all together tight as a fist, a very strong fist. I won’t get tired of saying that. We are a team that has a great unity on and off the pitch. Of course we haven’t achieved our objective yet. We don’t draw the line here, we want to go home with the cup,” The Sun quoted him, as saying.

Spain confident of ending title drought despite Villa injury

Vienna (Austria): Spain doesn't think the absence of injured striker David Villa will keep it from winning the nation's first title in 44 years when it takes on Germany in the European Championship final.

Midfielder Xabi Alonso said Friday that Spain has such depth of talent on the bench that losing Villa _ the tournament's top scorer with four goals _ isn't going to hurt the team's chances.

''I don't think it will be a big problem for us,'' said Xabi Alonso, a second-half substitute in Spain's 3-0 semifinal win over Russia on Thursday. ''Whoever is coming from the bench is doing a great job and that is as important as who is starting.''

Villa, who's scored the only hat trick at Euro 2008 against Russia in Spain's 4-1 win in the group stage two weeks ago, said he would likely miss the final after pulling a hamstring muscle while taking a free kick in the first half at Ernst Happel Stadium.

''I'm a little sad that I won't be there to take part, but it's better that a teammate who is fit plays instead of me, particularly as my injury has left me limping quite badly,'' Villa said.

Also read:
Spain trounce Russia; to meet Germany in final Fabregas likely to start for Spain in Euro 2008 final

Spain's team doctor Jesus Jimenez said Friday that Villa has a small rupture in his right hamstring that will take between five-to-10 days to heal.

''He's been ruled out of the final,'' Jimenez told reporters.

Midfielder Santi Cazorla said Spain had enough reserve talent to adjust to the situation.

''We have great players in every position. Whoever plays will do a good job,'' Cazorla said.

Coach Luis Aragones inserted Cesc Fabregas to replace Villa and boost Spain's midfield, leaving Fernando Torres as the sole attacker. The move worked, with Spain scoring three goals in the second half, two of them set up by Fabregas.

Aragones was confident his team could beat the Germans, saying he didn't think they played that well in their semifinal against Turkey.

''They were not that strong against the Turks, but they have great players up front,'' Aragones said Friday outside the team's hotel in Vienna.

Alonso said Spain was ''delighted'' with its performance against Russia.

''The result was brilliant,'' he said. ''Hopefully on Sunday, we will repeat another performance like that. Let's hope we can play a good match and lift the cup, which would be historic.''

Spain has only won one major title: the 1964 European Championship. It reached the final of the same tournament 20 years later, but lost to France.

Germany, on the other hand, has been crowned European champion three times and world champion another three. Furthermore, Spain has only beaten Germany once in seven competitive matches, with four victories for the Germans and two draws.

''They know how to win tournaments, they know how to play these games and we know we have be careful because they are the favorites,'' Torres said.

The Liverpool striker isn't having a great tournament. He has only scored one goal _ in the group stage against Sweden _ and was replaced by Dani Guiza in the second half Thursday after missing a string of chances.

Guiza scored Spain's second goal just four minutes after coming on, but refused to speculate on whether he would take Torres' spot in the lineup.

''It would be a dream to play the final with the national team,'' Guiza said Friday. ''But it's the coach who makes the decisions.''

Brazilian-born midfielder Marcos Senna said Spain will have to look out for Germany's counterattacks.

''They are fast and deadly in this kind of game,'' Senna said in a Euro 2008 online chat. ''I think both teams will try to do what they know. Spain will try to keep the possession of the ball and Germany will try to be a block and use the counterattacks to harm us.''

Will to win will bag Germany Euro 2008 crown: Ballack

London: German captain Michael Ballack has insisted that their ruthless will to win is why they will be crowned Euro 2008 champions on Sunday.

Germany was lucky to beat Turkey 3-2 in a dramatic semi-final, with only a last-gasp goal against the run of play getting them through.

But though Chelsea star Ballack admits his team is exhausted and emotionally drained after the victory, he reckoned that the German desire is stronger than ever.

He said: “We're happy to be in the final and that’s what counts. You can see what is possible when you have the will to win and we’ll be the same in the final, I’m sure of that."

Raina, Gambhir star in Indian victory over Bangladesh

Karachi, June 28 (IANS) Suresh Raina raced to his second century in four days as India demolished a spirited Bangladesh to win their first Super-Four match by seven wickets at the National Stadium here Saturday.
Bangladesh, riding high on Alok Kapali's (115) maiden century, scored a challenging 283 runs - Bangladesh's highest one-day international total against India.
Though in-form opening batsman Virender Sehwag was rested, India were never in a spot of bother and accomplished the target in the 43.2 overs.
Raina scored a defiant 116 not out while Gambhir struck 90 to see the team through. Bangladesh though will repent on the dropped chances they gave to both batsmen early in the innings well before their 139-run partnership could flourish.
Raina has been in top form in the tournament and scored his maiden century against Hong Kong before blasting 81 against Pakistan Thursday.
Electing to bat, Bangladesh got off to a sloppy start, losing opener Nazimuddin in the fourth over with only 19 runs on the board. Captain Mohammad Ashraful joined Tamim Iqbal to stabilize the innings and the two added 45 runs for the second wicket. But once Ashraful fell in the 12th over, Bangladesh were left meandering.
Their middle-order batsmen threw away their wickets with Raqibul Hasan (25) and then Mushfiqur Rahim (22) failing to capitalize on a good start.
But just when the Bangladeshi innings looked heading towards a predictable end, 24-year-old Kapali took charge and played a fighting knock.
He along with Mahmudullah (26) rescued Bangladesh with a 112-run stand for the sixth wicket. Kapali then cut loose in the slog overs feasting on Indian bowlers en route his maiden century that came in 86 balls and was studded with 10 fours and five sixes.
Indians too were lousy on the field with Gambhir dropping Kapali at long on and earlier slipping an easy catch off half-century maker opener Iqbal when he was on 11. India conceded 97 runs in the last 10 overs.
Debutant left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha (2-43) impressed with his tight bowling and also took a couple of good catches to dismiss Nazimuddin (6) and Ashraful (20).
India began their chase on a wrong note, losing Robin Uthappa, who was promoted up in the order in place of Sehwag, for just two runs in the fourth over. But Gambhir played fluently at the other end and along with Raina scripted India's way to victory.
Raina hit 11 boundaries and three massive sixes while Gambhir's innings contained 10 fours and one six.
Both batsmen benefited from the generosity of Bangladeshi fielders. Gambhir was dropped when he was on 56 by Farhad Reza at point boundary and two overs later Raina, on 16, was given a life by Mahmudullah at fine leg after he top-edged a pull shot.
Raina made them pay for their slips, hitting a six and a four in the same over of Mashrafe Mortaza.
Raina was in a Midas touch and along with Yuvraj Singh, who made a quick fire 36 not out, took India to a comfortable victory.