Football news  

Two late goals give Everton the win

Everton 2 Burnley 0: Goals in the last seven minutes from James Vaughan and Steven Pienaar wrap up the points

• Fellaini earns Everton point in stalemate

• Nugent earns home derby draw for Burnley

Ancelotti's men win after late fightback

Chelsea 2 Fulham 1: Chris Smalling scores an own goal with barely ten minutes left to give the league leaders victory

• Brave Hart in the right place to halt Chelsea

• Ancelotti turns to Cole for confidence boost

Fabregas throws title race wide open

Arsenal captain scores twice to inspire win over Aston Villa before departing early with recurrence of hamstring problem

• Wilshere ready for a big year in 2010

• Villa scalp high on Wenger festive wish list

Rooney relieved to escape the hairdryer

Late goals help out the Manchester United striker after his misplaced backpass costs his side penalty against Hull City

• United grind out win over Hull

• Brown’s pride in battling Tigers

Cricket news  

Cook helps England to seize initiative

South Africa v England: opening batsman hits 118 before Ian Bell pushes home the advantage on day three of second Test

Sangakkara signs for Lancashire

The Sri Lanka captain follows Muttiah Muralitharan and Sanath Jayasuriya as the county's overseas player

‘It was so much another game, another world’

A new film has brought memories of the 1956 tour to South Africa flooding back, showing how little, and how much, has changed

South Africa aim to call time on Trott

Host nation make formal complaint to the umpires about the length of the England batsman's crease routine

Rugby news  

Venter's unbeaten record comes to an end

London Irish 23 Saracens 19: Toby Booth hails smart play as Irish earn rub of the green against Premiership leaders

Crane try a bonus for returning Cockerill

Leicester 32 Sale Sharks 6: Guinness Premiership champions able to exploit their dominance at the set-piece

Walder ensures Wasps take big-match spoils

Harlequins 20 London Wasps 21: Tony Hanks blames weather and Christmas disruption for narrow margin of victory

Meehan enjoys home comfort at last

Bath 24 Gloucester 8: derby victory will prove invaluable in context of Bath's looming relegation battle

More sport  

Murdoch determined to end years of frustration

Great Britain curler is still haunted by his loss to Markku Uusipaavalniemi at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin

Lewis looking to develop angry edge

Darts: No 8 seed believes he can claim overall win after defeating Wes Newton 4-2 in the second round of World Championship

Waddell puts up language barrier

Darts: the commentator has a unique way of describing the action: alliteration, pun and history lesson are rolled into one

They said what? The quotes of the year

From waitress Jamiee Grubb's cheeky plea for forgiveness to sex in the middle of a football pitch: the best sayings of 2009

Racing and Betting News  

‘Unbelievable’ win elevates Kauto Star alongside Arkle

Alan Lee says four-time King George winner may never command the public affection lavished on Dessie but his achievements now outstrip him

Henderson keeps faith in Binocular

Trainer remains positive about Champion Hurdle prospects despite a second successive disappointment

Iris De Balme can prove National treasure

Rob Wright believes former Scottish National winner has big claims in Welsh equivalent at tempting odds of 33-1

Lee looking to push the boat out with Le Beau Bai

Trainer has been pleasantly surprised by gelding whose latest win at Chepstow propelled him to favouritism for the Welsh National