Matthew Upson confident of England place

West Ham's Matthew Upson believes he is the number one contender to partner John Terry if Rio Ferdinand's injury problems resurface at the World Cup.

England captain Ferdinand has suffered back and groin problems this season.

And competition for the centre-back slot has seen calls for Tottenham's Ledley King and Michael Dawson to join the squad in South Africa.

"Going on the last few internationals I'd have to say I do feel like I am the next in line," Upson told BBC Sport.

"But football changes very quickly so you can never rest back and take that for granted, so I think it's important you keep on top of your game and keep wanting to improve to secure your place."

Ferdinand has played 19 matches for Manchester United this season, plus another seven for England, but his season has been a stop-start affair because of a succession of injuries.

Under England boss Fabio Capello, Upson's emergence as Ferdinand's replacement has seen the former Birmingham defender start nine of England's 17 matches since the beginning of the World Cup qualifying campaign.

And although he is still regarded as playing second fiddle to former England skipper Terry, England have been defeated only once when Upson has featured - the 1-0 loss in a friendly to Brazil.

"I've really enjoyed playing and it has been a good run of games ever since Mr Capello took over as manager so I have enjoyed every minute of it," Upson told BBC Sport at the launch of the Football Association's England Football Day.

"Getting back into playing football at this level is why I get out of bed in the morning. It drives me on and I've really enjoyed being in the squad again."

Upson's form for England has come at a time when the defender has suffered testing times at club level.

Six straight defeats in February and March had West Ham staring relegation in the face and they only managed to effectively secure their Premier League status last Saturday after beating Wigan.

The players, as well as manager Gianfranco Zola, have come under fire from co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold and the latest outburst by Sullivan saw him made it clear that the entire Hammers squad - with the exception of Scott Parker - was available for the right price.

Declining to answer questions about his future, the Hammers skipper said: "It has been a challenge to cope with the situations on and off the field at the club, it hasn't been easy at times but if anything it makes you a stronger character.

"Having had that kind of adversity throughout the year, hopefully it will be nice to get some different kind of problems and a different feeling with England.

"It's been a difficult time at West Ham, we're safe now and I'm pleased that that's happened and hopefully the club can build on that. But it will be nice to go into the tournament - hopefully at the other end of the scale."

Upson said he still harboured ambitions to play in the Champions League again, having tasted European football when he was a youngster at Arsenal.

And he said he had responded to Capello's disciplined approach to give him belief to play at the highest level.

"Capello knows what he wants and if players can't deliver that to him then he lets you know," Upson added.

"Whether it's an arm around the shoulder to be told quietly or if it's in front of everyone in a meeting, he's got his style and his fashion of getting his message across and at times it's not for the faint-hearted.

"If he's not happy with something then quite rightly he tells you and that level of discipline needs to happen and I think it brings the best out in the group.

"He likes to see players work hard; he likes to see you play with confidence, belief and with discipline and that's the key thing he has brought to the team.

"I'm not just talking about behaviour, I'm talking about tactically out on the pitch and I think that's a trademark of his management.

"He has huge respect throughout the squad and throughout the football world. His winning capabilities have been shown in the past and it would be great to see those capabilities at international level for England."

READ MORE - Matthew Upson confident of England place

Liverpool 2 - 1 Atletico Madrid (agg 2 - 2)

Diego Forlan struck an extra-time away goal to end Liverpool's Europa League hopes and book Atletico Madrid's place in the final against Fulham on 12 May.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg in Spain, Liverpool levelled the tie when Alberto Aquilani converted Yossi Benayoun's cross with a fine finish.

And they added a second early in extra time through Benayoun's half-volley.

But former Manchester United striker Forlan fired home a Jose Antonio Reyes cross to confirm Liverpool's exit.

The result will simply add to the gloom surrounding Anfield in what has been a miserable season on and off the pitch.

Rafael Benitez's side suffered early exits in both domestic cup competitions and the Champions League, while they currently languish seventh in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, the club are carrying significant levels of debt, have been riddled by rumours of boardroom unrest and seem unwilling to put an end to constant speculation surrounding the future of Benitez.

In fact, the build-up to this match was somewhat overshadowed by the latest round of speculation linking the 50-year-old with a summer move to Juventus.

Benitez claimed no-one at the club had tried to talk him into staying and expressed frustration that a number of other managers had been linked with his job.

While there was no sign of disunity as the home crowd whipped up a electric pre-match atmosphere, Liverpool may regret failing to capitalise on their early pressure.

Only 10 seconds were on the clock when Dirk Kuyt flicked Daniel Agger's long ball into the path of Benayoun, who saw his low drive saved by the legs of keeper David de Gea.

Atletico looked rattled and it seemed an opening goal was inevitable as Liverpool bombarded them with a flurry of corners, but the visitors held firm and soon asserted their authority on proceedings.

The superb Sergio Aguero returned from suspension to lead their attack and linked particularly well with Reyes, Simao and first-leg goalscorer Forlan.

It was, however, the less heralded Raul Garcia who had their first clear-cut opportunity with a skidding effort from 30 yards that was palmed around the post by the diving Pepe Reina.

Kuyt side-footed Javier Mascherano's cross just over the bar following a delightful passing move, while Aguero was sent clear by Reyes but had nobody to cross to after rounding Reina.

Liverpool, bidding to reach a third European final in six years, thought they had taken the lead but Agger's header was correctly ruled out for offside.

Fortunately for the hosts, nothing would deny them when Benayoun crossed from the right and Aquilani turned a superb first-time finish into the bottom corner shortly before half time.

Atletico settled quickest after the restart - passing, moving and retaining possession with a real swagger - but Liverpool's defence was unmoved.

Simao and Paulo Assuncao put speculative shots off target, and at the other end Antonio Lopez made a vital interception with Benayoun ready to pounce on a Gerrard cross.

De Gea had to react well to tip a fizzing Johnson strike over the bar but Atletico were on top and Gerrard made a crucial clearance before Forlan almost latched on to a defence-splitting Simao pass.

Yet after an animated team talk from Benitez at full time, Liverpool were revitalised and deservedly doubled their advantage as Benayoun drilled a first-time half-volley into the bottom corner.

It felt like there was no way back for Quique Sanchez Flores's men, but they ignored the deafening noise to regain the ascendancy and ensure there would be one final twist.

Reyes collected a long pass, ghosted inside Glen Johnson and crossed for the unmarked Forlan to lash past Reina and send the travelling supporters delirious.

Atletico are now within touching distance of their first major European trophy since the 1962 European Cup Winners' Cup.

READ MORE - Liverpool 2 - 1 Atletico Madrid (agg 2 - 2)

Fulham 2 - 1 Hamburg (agg 2 - 1)

Fulham made history at an ecstatic Craven Cottage as they came from behind to beat Hamburg and reach the Europa League final, where they will face Atletico Madrid.

Roy Hodgson's dream of leading Fulham to their first European final after an epic campaign looked in jeopardy as Mladen Petric's spectacular first-half free-kick put Hamburg on course for victory.

Hamburg, fuelled by the knowledge that the final would be played in their own Nordbank Arena, were in control for an hour - but as they have done before in their European adventure, Fulham responded magnificently to eventually overpower the Germans.

Fulham survived the loss of top scorer Bobby Zamora, clearly still suffering from an Achilles injury, early in the second half to overcome the odds again.

Simon Davies' instinctive turn and finish after 69 minutes gave the Cottagers the first of the two goals they needed, and Zoltan Gera pounced from close range seven minutes later to cap another memorable night on the banks of the Thames.

And as Fulham's players took a lap of honour at the final whistle Hodgson, the man who has orchestrated the resurrection of this famous old club from the brink of relegation to the Championship into a European final, strolled calmly towards the dressing room with his hands in his pockets, stopping only to console Hamburg's beaten players.

The calm and composed manner in which Fulham went about their work was in the image of their manager, who is the perfect advert for sound footballing common sense. And the man who appointed him, Fulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed, also took his share of the glory as he strode off waving his scarf.

Fulham never lost hope in the face of Hamburg's early superiority, maintaining the self-belief that has seen them dispose of the likes of Juventus and Wolfsburg on the way to the showpiece in Hamburg on 12 May.

The scale of the achievement is a tribute to the work of Hodgson and his players - and given the compelling performances they have produced in the Europa League, they will travel to the final with genuine ambitions of lifting the trophy.

Fulham were able to call on striker Zamora after he had an injection in the Achilles injury that threatened to sideline him - and he almost provided a packed Craven Cottage with the start the fans desired after only two minutes.

He exchanged passes with Gera and looked to have a clear opening, but Hamburg keeper Frank Rost was swiftly out at Zamora's feet and scrambled the ball away for a corner.

Fulham were struggling to settle with an expectant crowd roaring them on and it was the visitors, with Ricardo Moniz in charge until the end of the season after coach Bruno Labbadia was sacked after their 5-1 weekend defeat at Hoffenheim, who took control.

And the dominance they exerted was rewarded when Petric produced a moment of brilliance to give them a crucial away goal after 22 minutes. Fulham captain Danny Murphy was penalised for fouling Ze Roberto, and keeper Mark Schwarzer was static as Petric's free-kick flashed high past him from 25 yards.

The goal understandably dented Fulham's confidence, and it was Hamburg who came closest to adding a second before the interval when Jonathan Petroipa sent a low, angled drive narrowly wide at Schwarzer's near post.

Zamora had struggled manfully, despite obviously being less than fully fit, and it was no surprise when he was replaced by Clint Dempsey just before the hour. The talisman of Fulham's Europa League run was given a deserved standing ovation as he limped away.

The London side were starting to get desperate in their search for a breakthrough, but it almost came after 62 minutes when Damien Duff turned Paul Konchesky's free-kick agonisingly wide with Rost scrambling across his goal.

Davies handed Fulham the lifeline they needed with 21 minutes left, taking Murphy's pass and turning past Guy Demel inside the area before beating Rost to send Craven Cottage into delirium.

And another magnificent Fulham fightback was in sight as Hamburg, suddenly unsettled after a night of relative calm, faltered in the face of Hodgson's revived side. Davies' corner bounced off Demel and Gera was first to react and slam home from close range.

Hamburg, stunned by Fulham's recovery, never looked like forcing their way back into the game - and Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir's final whistle signalled the start of celebrations that would surely carry on long into the night.

However, with Fulham's place already secure, any hopes of an all-English final were dashed as Atletico overcame Liverpool on away goals after extra time.

READ MORE - Fulham 2 - 1 Hamburg (agg 2 - 1)

ICC World Twenty20 teams guide

The cut and thrust world of Twenty20 heads to the Caribbean as the world's best cricketers take refuge for sun, sea, sand and sixes.

The third edition of the ICC's World Twenty20 competition marks a significant point in cricket's history with the very first appearance of Afghanistan at an international event.

"Dale Steyn will be no problem," said all-rounder Karim Sadiq, whose team are matched up with inaugural champions India and South Africa in Group C.

This year's tournament is as open as ever, with most of the major Test-playing nations capable of wresting the trophy from the beleaguered fingers of Pakistan.

BBC Sport runs the rule over the 12 teams.

Group A: Australia, Bangladesh, Pakistan
Group B: New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe
Group C: Afghanistan, India, South Africa
Group D: England, Ireland, West Indies

READ MORE - ICC World Twenty20 teams guide

Rafael Nadal eases into Rome Masters third round

Spain's Rafael Nadal remains on course to retain his Rome Masters title after sweeping aside Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-1 6-3 to reach the third round.

The 23-year-old broke the German world number 29 four times in a match that lasted only one hour and 10 minutes.

Nadal eased through the first set, breaking in the second and sixth games.

Kohlschreiber wasted a chance to break Nadal in the fifth game of the second set and was made to pay as the Spaniard broke again on his way to victory.

Nadal, the world number three, faces Romania's Victor Hanescu in the next round as he aims to win his fifth title in six years at the Foro Italico.


"It probably wasn't my best match but I did well, I played safe," said Nadal.

"I was focussed the whole time and I tried to be more aggressive.

"He made more mistakes than usual which helped me a little bit but my serve was working very well."

Fifth seed Robin Soderling also moved into the third round with a 6-1 7-5 win over Italian wild card Paolo Lorenzi.

World number 10 and seventh seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga recorded an easy 6-2 6-3 win over Serbian Viktor Troicki, sixth seed Fernando Verdasco overcame Italian Simone Bolelli 7-6 (13-11) 6-3, while 11th seed Ivan Ljubicic beat Nicolas Almagro of Spain 7-5 7-6 (7-3).

However, former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt fell to a 6-2 6-3 loss to Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

READ MORE - Rafael Nadal eases into Rome Masters third round

Barcelona 1 - 0 Inter Milan (agg 2 - 3)

Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan produced a defensive masterclass to reach the Champions League final at the expense of holders Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

Protecting a first-leg 3-1 lead, Inter were forced to play more than an hour a man short after Thiago Motta saw red for a hand-off on Sergio Busquets.

But Barca failed to fire before Gerard Pique's shot set up a frantic finale.

Bojan Krkic then saw an injury-time strike ruled out, but Inter held on for a first European Cup final since 1972.

The Italian giants will now face Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu on 22 May as Mourinho attempts to lead them to European football's top prize for the first time in more than 40 years.

Barcelona's efforts to become the first team to retain the Champions League trophy, meanwhile, ended in frustration in the face of a sensationally stoic defensive show from the Italians.

Mourinho's reaction at the final whistle said it all as he sprinted around the Nou Camp pitch with his hands aloft, a pointed salute to the Barca supporters and media critics who had labelled him "The Translator" in mocking tribute to his time at the club in the 1990s.

This was further testimony to the Portuguese manager's claims to be "The Special One" as his side's tactics, belief and resolve withstood a home onslaught that saw Barca run out of ideas until Pique's goal.

Emotions and tensions were expected before kick-off to run high, but even for a Champions League semi-final this match surpassed expectations.

An extraordinarily vocal 98,000 Nou Camp played their part, while Mourinho - so often the pantomime villain - riled the Barcelona faithful and staff alike as a constant and vocal presence on the sidelines.

But, more than that, controversy stalked the match regularly, even before Bojan's late strike was ruled out.

The replacement of winger Goran Pandev - apparently injured - with defender Christian Chivu in the Inter line-up minutes before kick-off caught everyone by surprise, while the visitors' high-pressure tactics and gamesmanship continually frustrated the hosts.

And the decision of Belgian referee Frank de Bleeckere to dismiss Motta was even more contestable.

The Brazilian, already on a booking, did indeed raise a hand when defending the ball and he certainly made contact with Busquets' face as he did so, but a straight red card appeared a harsh decision.

Motta's reaction following the dismissal, man-handling Busquets in protest, only fanned the flames of a high-octane encounter.

Amid all of the drama, the football was enthralling, if a little light on goalscoring chances.

The pattern was set early on, with Inter happy to sit deep and flood their defensive areas in protection of their first-leg lead, while the hosts' passing game was typically fluent but all too often in front of the visitors rather than in behind them.

Twice Xavi had a sight of goal but the midfielder was crowded out on both occasions, Pedro flashed an instinctive volley wide from Dani Alves' cross, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic had a snap-shot well blocked by Walter Samuel.

Motta reacts to his sending-off by man-handling Busquets

The best effort of the first half by far, though, came from Messi, the Argentine's goalbound curler from 20 yards superbly tipped wide on the stretch by Inter keeper Julio Cesar.

This was a classic match-up of Inter's defence against Barca's attack, though Mourinho's side did have a brief glimpse of goal when Samuel Eto'o found himself in space in the box from Wesley Sneider's cross, only for his touch to allow Pedro to get back and clear.

The second period was even more one-sided in terms of possession, with almost the entire half played in Inter's defensive third.

But Inter looking increasingly comfortable as the likes of Messi, Pedro, Ibrahimovic and Xavi probed at their defence without success, though Bojan should have done better when he headed wide from close range.

Still, with six minutes of normal time remaining, Barcelona broke the Italians' backline for virtually the first time as Pique, arguably offside, collected Xavi's pass, turned inside defender Ivan Cordoba's challenge and slid home for a goal of which Messi himself would have been proud.

And for the first time in the match, Barcelona sensed victory.

They almost had it too when substitute Bojan broke free in the Inter box and lashed into the roof of the net in injury time.

The home supporters' unbridled joy at what would have proven a tie-winning goal was short-lived, though, as the referee had given a handball against Yaya Toure in the build-up long before.

It was a contentious decision, in keeping with some strange rulings from the officials throughout the night.

However, Inter will argue they deserved their slice of luck, and the match-up of Mourinho against Bayern boss Louis van Gaal, one of the men under whom he served his apprenticeship at Barca, provides a fascinating back-drop to what will be an hotly-contested final next month.

READ MORE - Barcelona 1 - 0 Inter Milan (agg 2 - 3)

Roger Federer shocked by Ernests Gulbis in Rome Masters

Roger Federer made the worst start possible to his clay-court season as he was beaten by Latvian Ernests Gulbis in the second round of the Rome Masters.

An out-of-sorts Federer took the first set only for his opponent to force his way back into the match.

A nervy Gulbis, 21, needed seven match points in the third set to seal a 2-6 6-1 7-5 win over the world number one.

World number two Novak Djokovic defeated France's Jeremy Chardy 6-1 6-1 to seal his place in the third round.

Djokovic, champion in 2008 and runner-up in 2009, dismissed 46th-ranked Chardy in less than an hour, and was later joined in the next round by world number five Andy Murray.

Reigning champion Rafael Nadal of Spain will face Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber on Wednesday.

World number one Federer collected his 16th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January but since then, he has made early exits in Miami and Indian Wells, and now Rome.


The 28-year-old is still in the doubles in Italy, and is then scheduled to play in Estoril and Madrid before beginning the defence of his French Open title in May.

Federer struggled in the damp conditions, committing 38 unforced errors and making only 46% of first serves.

Still, Gulbis looked to have blown his chance when, after missing two match points at 5-3, he served for the match at 5-4 and saw four more chances come and go.

But another error-strewn game from Federer handed the 21-year-old another opportunity to serve for it, and he did so to love.

Gulbis, ranked 40 in the world, described it as "the best win of my career", adding: "I was scared to beat him. My whole body is shaking. I cannot believe I won".

The outcome had looked fairly straightforward early on, with Federer taking advantage of an inconsistent opponent to cruise through the opening set.

But the reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion began to falter in the second and Gulbis took full advantage to win it 6-1 and draw level before finally coming through in a gripping decider.

READ MORE - Roger Federer shocked by Ernests Gulbis in Rome Masters

Arjen Robben eyes final against ex-boss Jose Mourinho

Winger Arjen Robben has targeted a Champions League final meeting with his former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho after helping Bayern Munich beat Lyon.

Bayern saw off the French side 4-0 on aggregate to set up a final date with either Mourinho's Inter Milan or Barcelona at the Bernabeu on 22 May.

"I want to play Inter," said Robben. "I want to play against Mourinho and [Dutch colleague] Wesley Sneijder.

"It's better for us as a team. We can have more difficulties against Barca."

Bayern cruised into the final with 3-0 semi-final second-leg win at Lyon thanks to an Ivica Olic hat-trick and Robben reserved special praise for the Croatia international striker.

"He's great, just unbelievable," added Robben. "He gives more than 100% every game. He just keeps running, he's so energetic and such an important player for us.

"We were much the better team today, we played a great game. We didn't sit back and wait for them to come, we played aggressively, with attacking football and didn't let them come into the game.

"I'm very proud. Very proud of the team and happy to reach the final. It's a great season."

Inter and Barca play the second leg of their semi-final at the Spanish club's Camp Nou stadium on Wednesday, with Mourinho's side leading 3-1 from the first leg.

Bayern's Dutch boss Louis van Gaal, who only took over as the club's coach last summer, agreed with Robben on their preferred final opponents.

"On my first day in charge of Bayern, I said Barcelona are the best team in the world and the example to follow," said Van Gaal, who coached the Catalan giants between 2002 and 2003. "Nine times out of 10, Barca would win but we could win one game.

"I would prefer to play Inter, that way I could have a press conference with my friend Jose Mourinho.

"The players now know what it's like to spend 10 months with Van Gaal - they know it's not easy, but they're happy now and so am I."

Lyon coach Claude Puel, meanwhile, had to admit that the Germans were by far the better team over the course of the two legs.

"We simply have to congratulate this Bayern team, they were superior," said Puel. "They had more impact, more qualities. They were impressive and never lowered the rhythm.

"We have to realise that they were stronger. It's a shame we didn't equalise, we had opportunities in front of goal which would have put us back in the match.

"The score is heavy compared to what the players put in. There's not really much to reproach them for.

"It leaves the feeling of emptiness."

READ MORE - Arjen Robben eyes final against ex-boss Jose Mourinho

Lyon 0 - 3 Bayern Munich (agg 0 - 4)

Ivica Olic scored a hat-trick as Bayern Munich eased past Lyon to reach the Champions League final on 22 May.

The Germans held a 1-0 lead from the first leg and after Thomas Mueller fired wide they got a crucial away goal when Olic turned in Mueller's cross.

Lyon needed to score three to progress but their slim hopes ended when Cris was sent off for two quick bookings.

Hamit Altintop set up Olic to drill a second before he headed in Philipp Lahm's cross to complete his treble.

It was all too easy for Louis van Gaal's German giants and they will contest their first Champions League final since they beat Valencia on penalties to win in 2001.

Bayern, who have won the competition four times in all and reached the final on three further occasions, will play either Inter Milan or Barcelona at the Bernabeu, the home of Real Madrid.

Lyon have never reached a European showpiece and they scarcely looked like wresting back the advantage as they produced an even more insipid display than they had in the first leg in Munich last week.

They failed to respond to the sizzling pre-match atmosphere inside the Stade Gerland as Bayern - who barely got out of first gear themselves, or needed to - set the tempo from the first whistle.

Knowing an away goal would give Lyon a mountain to climb the Germans - missing suspended winger Franck Ribery - almost got off to a dream start, but after Olic stole the ball off Cris his pass to Mueller was slightly behind the 20-year-old and he could only shoot wide.

Lyon, with haphazard defending and misplaced passes coursing through their play, simply could not get going as they looked more like the side sixth in the French league than the team that knocked out Real Madrid in the last 16.

With 26 minutes gone, Bayern got the goal that effectively settled the tie as Mueller played a lovely one-two with former Chelsea winger Arjen Robben down the left and crossed for Olic to turn inside a defender and fire past Hugo Lloris.

Now requiring three goals to progress, Lyon needed an immediate response and they should have had it when Sidney Govou crossed for an unmarked Michel Bastos six yards out, only for the Brazilian to woefully volley wide.

The French side's coach Claude Puel sent on £11m striker Bafetimbi Gomis at the break but after he ballooned a volley over from six yards, any hopes the hosts had quickly evaporated.

Cris was perhaps harshly booked by Swiss referee Massimo Busacca for a foul on Olic and when he sarcastically applauded the decision, a second yellow card and a red followed soon after.

Lyon initially responded well to what the home fans felt was an injustice as Govou stung the palms of Hans Jorg-Butt, but the game was well and truly over when Altintop played a stunning reverse pass for Olic to fire past Lloris.

It only remained to see how many Bayern could score and after Lloris tipped away Robben's drive, Olic completed a fine hat-trick by superbly heading home Lahm's right-wing cross.

---

Lyon: Lloris, Reveillere, Cris, Boumsong, Cissokho (Gomis 46), Gonalons, Makoun, Govou, Delgado (Pjanic 69), Michel Bastos, Lopez (Ederson 79).
Subs Not Used: Vercoutre, Kallstrom, Anderson, Gassama.

Sent Off: Cris (60).

Booked: Gonalons, Cris.

Bayern Munich: Butt, Lahm, Van Buyten (Demichelis 46), Badstuber, Contento, Robben (Klose 76), Schweinsteiger (Alaba 78), Van Bommel, Altintop, Muller, Olic.
Subs Not Used: Rensing, Gorlitz, Gomez.

Booked: Altintop.

Goals: Olic 26, 67, 77.

Att: 40,000.

Ref: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland).

READ MORE - Lyon 0 - 3 Bayern Munich (agg 0 - 4)

Cheating has crept into rugby

Rugby is turning into a cheat-fest and creeping inexorably toward football-style behaviour. And the professional coaches and players who are at the heart of this should be ashamed. The rulers of the game should be even more ashamed.

The mistake rugby makes is in not briefing referees on the deliberate cheating some teams get away with week in and week out. A prop feigns an injury? Get him off the pitch.

I hate it. People lying there, on the wrong side of the ball, conning the referee with arms held straight as if to say: "Look ref, I am not in the way." Oh yes you are. And you are not rolling away. You are deliberately slowing the ball down, you have practiced this, and you are cheating. Fairly recently, my friend, we could have kicked you.

And there are one or two antics creeping into rugby that I hate. And they indicate lack of respect for the opposition and a lack of nerve from the game's rulers.

You see, you might want to talk to me about fans booing players taking kicks. As I have said before I have no problem with that because it's what happens on the pitch that is important to me. That's what young players watch. I don't care if Mrs Bloggs from 3 Helensburgh Drive in Jordanhill is booing a French kicker because she has no interaction with him.

But spending, as I do, my life watching rugby I see it change weekly. And you have to understand that I am a coach too so I absolutely think that what happens on the pitch is coached, or at least instructed from the top and practised in training.

So here are my pet hates in modern rugby:

Free kicks: As soon as one team is awarded a free kick the other team puts the ball as far away from them as possible. I saw it when Edinburgh played Ulster on Sunday, when Glasgow played Leinster on Friday, and when Munster played the Ospreys on the telly. It's so petty. It's so sneaky. It's so pathetic.

Lineouts: The team not throwing the ball in makes sure the other team can't throw it in quickly by doing the very same as they do at free kicks.

Not rolling away at the tackle: This has gone beyond a joke. A friend of mine wrote an article principally accusing the Irish provinces of this and, while Munster are kings at breakdown and in-particular at blocking the path of quick ball, they are not alone and most rugby sides now appear to have coached their tacklers to stay in an obstructing location while pretending to be trapped. "Look ref, my arms are outstretched. I am trapped!" It's pathetic. At the weekend, Munster were penalised for it but everyone seems to be at it and it's getting to me.

Crowding the ref: I thought this only happened in football. It's happening in rugby

Time wasting: If one more prop goes down feigning an injury so that the game can't restart, thereby allowing a centre to be treated, I will run down from the stand and hit him.

Blocking: The amount of blocking in front of backs move is almost unbelievable.

There, got it off my chest.

A crowd can stay silent at a kick while a team cheats on the pitch and you want me to be happy? Do me a favour. It's what happens on the pitch that counts and we are losing the plot.

Referees should be given a dossier as to what each team is up to. The first time they try it should see a yellow card. And pretty soon we would weed out this pathetic stuff from our game. We would pretty soon have a game without props if they keep feigning injuries. I love my game. I hate cheating.

READ MORE - Cheating has crept into rugby

Mystery man catapults Lumb to World Twenty20

Michael Lumb is set to fulfil his ambition and open the batting for England at the ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies - but he has no idea who to thank.

The 30-year-old propelled himself into the 15-man squad for the third edition of the tournament, which begins on Friday, following an eye-catching 58 in a five-wicket victory for the England Lions against the first team in Abu Dhabi in February.

Opening the batting alongside Craig Kieswetter, Lumb's blistering knock from just 35 deliveries as England, including Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood and Graeme Swann, were humbled by their second string.

But that innings may never have happened had a mystery figure not propelled Lumb to the top of the batting order. Was it England coach Andy Flower? National selector Geoff Miller? Twenty20 captain Paul Collingwood?

"I don't know who it was," the Hampshire batsman told BBC Sport. "I was told I was opening, I don't know how it came about.

"I felt in good touch the whole trip, but I had been batting further down the order, which was a new role for me.

"But luckily I got the opportunity to bat up the order against England. That's when things fell into place for me. I'm used to opening so I thought I would play my natural game - and it came off. It was nice timing."

Watch Lumb at the crease and it's almost impossible not to draw comparisons with Matthew Hayden.

Like the Australian, Lumb possesses broad shoulders and an upright stance, allowing him to generate awesome power with a high backlift to swat slog-sweeps deep into the stands as well as punching ferocious drives down the ground.

It's his "natural game" that has caught the attention of England fans, cricket observers and future team-mates alike.

Fast bowler James Anderson described Lumb's approach as "fearless", with the potential to form England's most explosive opening unit alongside the equally abrasive Kieswetter.

Like the Somerset wicketkeeper, Lumb is another member of England's South Africa-born coterie who have made just as many headlines for being born in Johannesburg than their six-hitting abilities.

The pair formed a lethal opening partnership for the Lions - they put on 100 against England before Lumb was forced to retire hurt when he was struck on the helmet by a Stuart Broad bouncer - taking full advantage of the six-over fielding restrictions with a series of aerial assaults all around the Sheik Zayed Stadium.

The pair formed a lethal opening partnership for the Lions - they put on 100 against England before Lumb was forced to retire hurt when he was struck on the helmet by a Stuart Broad bouncer - taking full advantage of the six-over fielding restrictions with a series of aerial assaults all around the Sheik Zayed Stadium.

"We didn't approach Yorkshire, Yorkshire approached us," said Lumb, who qualifies for England through a British passport.

"I didn't come to England saying 'can I play over here?' They rang my dad and said 'can Michael play over here?'

His career at Headingley began promisingly, enjoying a prolific season in 2003 which earned him a call-up to the England National Academy squad to tour India the following winter.

However, his career stalled soon after but a move to Hampshire in 2006 revitalised his ambitions to represent England.

"I had a good time at Yorkshire, but maybe I wasn't trying as hard as I could," said Lumb.

"I could have stayed, but I want to play for England and to go to the highest level, you need to get out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself.

"The move to the Rose Bowl set up new challenges. The support staff and a new environment was something I needed and things kicked off from there."

Of further benefit for England will be Lumb's invaluable Indian Premier League education having spent seven weeks in Jaipur with the Rajasthan Royals, captained by former Hampshire team-mate Shane Warne.

Lumb played the most matches out of the eight Englishmen involved in the lucrative Twenty20 league, scoring 278 runs with a highest score of 83, along with a seriously impressive strike-rate of 144.79.

And his performances on the subcontinent have not gone unnoticed by Flower.

"He was out there exposed to crowds of 30, 40 and 50 thousand people and a lot of noise and excitement," said the England coach.

"When he makes his debut for England it won't be as much of a shock or surprise as it might have been."

However, Lumb's debut in Rajasthan colours did not quite go according to plan.

He was stumped charging down the wicket to Anil Kumble for 10 as Bangalore Royal Challengers thumped the Royals by 10 wickets at a packed Chinnaswamy Stadium.

"I was terrified. You have never heard noise like it, I don't know how to describe it," added Lumb, who joined the Jaipur-based team for $50,000 (£32,349).

"We were in Bangalore and Dale Steyn was bowling quite quick. I was really nervous.

"But as the tournament progressed it felt more normal and I thought 'I could get used to this'."

Expect similar things in the West Indies.

READ MORE - Mystery man catapults Lumb to World Twenty20

Louis van Gaal returns to form at Bayern Munich

It is 15 years since Bayern Munich manager Louis van Gaal got his hands on the Champions League trophy for the first and so far only time.

That golden moment came when Ajax, the team he led to both European and domestic glory during a heady seven-year tenure, beat AC Milan 1-0 thanks to an 85th-minute goal from Patrick Kluivert.

On Tuesday, the 58-year-old Van Gaal will move a step closer to reliving those glory years of the 1990s if his Bundesliga leaders see off Lyon in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.

Bayern - or FC Hollywood as the club is sometimes known due to their habit of dominating the back as well the front pages of German newspapers - have made no secret of their desire to to become kings of Europe for the fifth time since 1974.

The club could win silverware on two other fronts as they head the Bundesliga and have a date with Werder Bremen in the German Cup final on 15 May, but winning European football's showpiece event a week later is the primary goal.

"General manager Uli Hoeness makes no secret in saying that Bayern want to win the Champions League," former England and Arsenal striker Tony Woodcock told BBC Sport.

"He's not concerned if they win the Bundesliga 10 times on the trot. He wants to be successful in Europe. That's what he wants, for them to be top of the tree."

Woodcock, a veteran observer of German football since breaking transfer records when he signed for Cologne for £500,000 in 1979, believes that, in Van Gaal, Bayern have the man to achieve that goal.

"Bayern are a top European club, one of the best run clubs on and off the field that I've seen in professional football," he said. "And you need a big-time manager who can handle big-time players."

That ability to handle star players was displayed in the first leg victory against Lyon after the architect of their run, Arjen Robben, stormed off after being substituted. Rather than trying to placate his countryman, Van Gaal let him know in no uncertain terms that his behaviour was unacceptable.

"He's come here with a very good reputation and he's doing it his way," added Woodcock. "The players can see that and feel that, and the players have to keep themselves in line."

Should Van Gaal guide Bayern to a second Champions League success - they won the competition in 2001 after clinching the European Cup in 1974, 1975 and 1976 - it would spell a remarkable turnaround for a manager whose best times looked behind him just two years ago.

By then he had spent two spells in charge of Barcelona, winning two La Liga titles, and failed to guide the Netherlands to the 2002 World Cup finals in South Korea and Japan.

It was after a second troubled stint at the Nou Camp and a brief but unsuccessful spell as Ajax technical director that he became manager of AZ Alkmaar in 2007, guiding the unfashionable Dutch club to an underwhelming 11th place in the Eredivisie.

Urged to stay on by AZ's players after offering his resignation, the former Sparta Rotterdam player bounced back in stunning style, winning the championship for the first time since 1981.

Bayern Munich then came calling in July 2009 and their faith has been amply repaid.

They now stand a game away from a place in the Champions League final, holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg at the Allianz Arena, and Woodcock insists the big time is coming.

"If they do go on to win it, then I'm sure they're going to be in the market for some top-class international players over the next couple of years," said the former striker, who won the European Cup with Nottingham Forest in 1979.

"The Premier League, Italy and Spain have been getting the main crop of the world's best players over the last few years, but if Bayern get the little bit of success they've been wanting then they'll be in the market as much as your bigger clubs like Real Madrid, Manchester United, Arsenal."

It has not been all plain sailing for Van Gaal, though.

Bayern were initially off the pace in the Bundesliga before a key win over Eintracht Frankfurt in October - defender Daniel van Buyten scored the winner after being pushed into attack by Van Gaal - kickstarted their title push.

Bayern also made hard work of escaping their Champions League group after losing twice to Bordeaux, with Van Gaal's side only qualifying for the knockout stages by beating Juventus 4-1 in Turin.

And after going 3-0 down in the first half of their second-leg quarter-final tie against Manchester United they looked to be on their way out, before an Ivica Olic strike and stunning volley by Robben sealed their progress to the last four.

Woodcock points out that Bayern, despite the FC Hollywood moniker, are that rarity in modern football in that the club's powerbrokers are ex-footballers rather than businessmen.

"Their strength is that they have people from a football background - [Germany internationals] Franz Beckenbauer, Uli Hoeness, Gerd Muller and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge - who've played the game at the highest level and know what they want.

"They really want to push the history of Bayern Munich to the public, to Europe, to the world. They want success and they want to be top of the tree."

First, they must see off Lyon - and they must do that without Ribery, who is suspended after being red-carded during the first leg for a foul on defender Cris.

Woodcock insists Franck Ribery's absence should not be a telling factor.

"Bayern have got a good squad," said the ex-England international.

"I'm sure they're going to compensate for Ribery in some form. Of course, it would be great to have Ribery, but if that's not the case they are still going to go out there and give it their all."

READ MORE - Louis van Gaal returns to form at Bayern Munich

Tough twosome

Then there's the Warrior: Micah Christenson.

The argument for one or the other as the potential Star-Bulletin boys basketball all-state player of the year is compelling. Put to a vote, a panel of coaches and media surely could find some minute differences in their personal criteria.

Surely wasn't enough. The voters, for the first time in nine years, were split evenly down the middle, leaving 'Iolani's Chu and Kamehameha's Christenson as co-players of the year.

It's the first time in at least 50 all-state selections by the Star-Bulletin for various sports that voting for the top player ended in a stalemate.

This time, the process reflected what observers couldn't deny: Both Chu and Christenson played beyond expectations, especially when stakes were the highest.

A Chu-Chu train to the title

HONORABLE MENTION Player School Isaiah Ekau Pahoa Micah Dunhour AOP Kristian Manuel Campbell Gabriel Stietzel Kaimuki Hassan Richardson Mililani Lancelot Williams Farrington Josiah Kauhola Moanalua Taylor Crabb Punahou Jordan DeCorte Kailua Marcus Umu Saint Louis Thomas Fairman St. Joseph Andrew Swanson Mid-Pacific Corey Lau Kailua Christian Storment Campbell Brandon Bautista Kohala Scotty Wong Hilo Jacob Andrade St. Joseph Richard Handy Keaau Jarrett Arakawa 'Iolani Reece Racoma Moanalua Terani Richmond KS-Maui Michael Palmer Seabury Hall Will Scanlan-Leite St. Joseph Matt Feldman Punahou

Mr. Clutch was Chu, a relentless, perpetual body in motion, both a decoy and a cog in 'Iolani's motion offenses. When the Raiders needed points, they set up their senior guard with double screens and backdoor plays.

But when defenses knew exactly how to defend the Raiders — as Kamehameha did in the state final — it took another gear, a boost to another level, for 'Iolani to win its first state title since 2006. Chu scored all 11 of his team's fourth-quarter points on the big stage, including a game-winning 3-point shot before the final buzzer as the Raiders prevailed 46-43.

Chu finished that battle with 27 points on 7-for-11 shooting, including 5-for-7 from the arc. He sank eight of his 10 free-throw attempts and didn't commit a single turnover for good measure.

After averaging 15 points per game during the regular season, his 23-point average in three state-tourney games was crucial. Perhaps most importantly, when defenses tightened up, Chu was always willing to attack the basket, take the punishment and put points on the scoreboard for his team — even as nagging knee and finger injuries continued through the season.

"He was biggest in the biggest games," Raiders coach Dean Shimamoto said.

Micah the Machine

Christenson, a 6-foot-5 junior, was as smooth a shooter as there was statewide, but he added more to his arsenal this season. His rebounding was almost otherworldly thanks to an improved vertical leap — he plays on the junior national volleyball team — that resulted in a multitude of double-double performances.

No other baller could do what Christenson did with regularity, blocking shots from the weak side, stealing passes on the perimeter and in the post, and hitting spot-up jumpers from any distance within 22 feet. He added to his repertoire in the state final against 'Iolani, using his size advantage to post up effectively; he finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds.

"Micah does everything. Every time you game-plan for Kamehameha, you game-plan for Micah. He gets 'em all every possible way," Shimamoto said, recalling a sequence in the final minutes of the state final when Christenson tipped in a putback, hit a mid-post jumper and swished a 3-point shot.

Shimamoto honored

By a solid margin, panelists voted Shimamoto coach of the year. Moanalua's Greg Tacon, Kamehameha's Jesse Nakanishi and Pahoa's Eric Yoshimura were among the top four vote-getters.

READ MORE - Tough twosome

Pearl City charges back for Red title

Chace Numata closed out a frantic seventh inning, striking out Avery Marquez with the bases loaded as Pearl City rallied past Campbell 4-3 in the final of the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference playoffs.

Pearl City improved to 15-0 in OIA play and 28-0-1 overall. Ranked No. 1 in the Star-Bulletin Baseball Top 10, the Chargers sealed a first-round bye for the state tournament.

Campbell (15-6, 10-5 OIA), No. 10 in the state, already secured a state berth.

Kawika Pruett, who pitched a scoreless sixth inning in relief of starter Royce Murai, picked up the victory, and Numata got the save.

"I felt loose. I was ready," Pruett said. "It was the kind of position you want to be in. I just stayed calm, worked my spots, didn't try to do too much with a tough 'D' behind me."

Numata kept the drama going in the wild seventh.

"My adrenaline was pumping. I stepped back, looked at my team and calmed myself down," he said. "It's about the team and Coach Gary (Nakamoto) and all our coaches."

A crowd of about 200 at chilly Patsy Mink Central Oahu Regional Park watched as Numata moved from shortstop to the mound in the top of the seventh. The fireballing right-hander walked the bases loaded, but came through with the key strikeout to end Campbell's upset hopes.

Chadwick Kaalekahi allowed four runs, but only one was earned.

"He did real good and kept us off balance," Pearl City third baseman Kahana Neal said.

Three unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth inning turned the game around. Neal and Reid Ramos reached base with singles, and Pruett's grounder brought Neal in to cut Campbell's lead to 3-2.

With two outs, Murai's grounder to third was botched by Cole Nagamine, permitting Ramos to score the tying run.

Kale Kaalekahi then took the mound in relief of his brother, Chadwick, but misfired with three wild pitches, and Murai scored the go-ahead run for Pearl City.

The Sabers, who lost twice to the Chargers during the regular season, made their final threat in the top of the seventh as Paul Arakaki, Chadwick Kaalekahi and Kale Kaalekahi walked to load the bases.

A heater down the middle got Marquez for the final strike.

Pearl City won two regular-season games with Campbell 9-0 and 13-2, plus a preseason game, 10-2.

At Central Oahu Regional Park

CAMPBELL (10-5)	100	200	0	—	3	7	1
PEARL CITY (15-0)	001	003	x	—	4	7	1

Chadwick Kaalekahi, Kale Kaalekahi (6) and Robert Kahana, Chad. Kaalekahi (6). Royce Murai, Kawika Pruett (6), Chace Numata (7) and Isaac Shim, Murai (6). W—Pruett. L—Chad. Kaalekahi. S—Numata.
Leading hitters—Camp: Kahana 2-2; PC: Jordan Oshiro 2-3, 2B, run; Reid Ramos 2-2, run.

OIA RED THIRD PLACE GAME
No. 5 Kailua 8, Mililani 7
OIA RED FIFTH PLACE GAME
Moanalua 7, Kaiser 4

READ MORE - Pearl City charges back for Red title

Correa relishes Saturdays

Sure, Correa relishes each of the weekday practices that make up the bulk of Hawaii's spring schedule. But Saturday — and the weekly live scrimmage — well, that's what really gets his pulse pumping.

"I love Saturdays because during the week (in scrimmage periods) all we do is take our five steps and then we stop," Correa said. "On Saturdays I get to go all out and hit people, that's what I like.

"After Wednesday's practice I'm bummed out because we have nothing to do for two days. All we do is lift, and I'm just getting anxious for Saturday."

The Warriors held their third Saturday scrimmage of spring practice yesterday afternoon and gave the first unit more snaps than the previous two weeks.

Correa, a sophomore, has maintained his spot at defensive tackle alongside Vaughn Meatoga so far this spring, though Arizona transfer Kaniela Tuipulotu is making a strong run for the job as well.

"It's still ongoing," defensive coordinator Dave Aranda said of the competition. "Every day they come out and battle for that thing. Haku's really consistent making plays. Kaniela's an explosive player. It's a contest and it's every day and that's the way you want it."

Said Correa: "Kani's always right there to push me. I want to get to the top and he wants to get to the top, so it's good competition."

Correa earned a prominent role in the tackle rotation as a redshirt freshman, backing up Tuika Tufaga, and entered the spring atop the depth chart. He saw action in all 13 games and made two tackles for losses in his introduction to Division I.

"Last year I was learning my plays; now it's all second nature for me," said Correa. "I know what I have to do — everything's better, everything's faster."

Correa also has the perspective of an older brother who toiled on the Warriors defensive line.

Haku said the main point Laanui Correa, who played for UH from 2000 to 2002, drills into him is "staying low and consistency."

"I just try to give him any knowledge I've learned through the years," said Laanui, who attended yesterday's practice at Ching Field. "It's not really any secrets, just try to guide him the right way and he works hard himself."

Heavy hitting

The Warriors took full advantage of their weekly dose of live hitting yesterday. Early in the scrimmage linebacker Corey Paredes flattened running back Chizzy Dimude, who later took a big hit from cornerback Lametrius Davis.

Dimude bounced back with a 25-yard gain on a swing pass to help set up a touchdown. The drive, directed by freshman quarterback David Graves, ended in another big blow, this one delivered by slotback Kealoha Pilares as he crossed the goal line on a 4-yard run.

"When you lower the shoulder and you want the end zone, that's having heart," said Graves.

The defense opened the scrimmage period by forcing a punt, then coming up with interceptions by Davis and Steve Stepter. Graves then drove the offense 70 yards for a touchdown and used his scrambling ability to spark a scoring drive during the overtime drill to close practice.

"I like the way he acts on the football field. That's probably his strongest characteristic," offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich said. "It means a lot to him, very vocal, he's positive, competitive."

Brent Rausch had a brief turn at quarterback in the overtime period. He hit slotback Dustin Blount across the middle for a touchdown on his lone snap.

One more week

The Warriors have practices tomorrow and Thursday before closing the spring with the Warrior Bowl on Friday.

"I'm pleased with how we're coming along," head coach Greg McMackin said. "We only have two more practices and a scrimmage, so we have to get the most out of this next week. We have to try to come out of this spring better than we were when we ended last year, and we're gaining on it."

Campaign trail

Receiver Jett Jasper's bid for the ASUH presidency fell short last week, but he was upbeat about the experience a day after learning the results.

"I was upset (Friday), but a day later you think about it and me and my sister (running mate Jori Jasper) ran a really good campaign. We broke records in voter turnout," Jasper said. "I feel like the athletic department really came together and we just came about a couple hundred votes short."

Jasper said he'll remain active with the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and there are plans to develop a park on the lower campus.

Short yardage

McMackin said about 150 coaches attended yesterday's Warrior Football Coaching Clinic that preceded practice. Mouse Davis and Pete Jenkins were the featured speakers.

READ MORE - Correa relishes Saturdays

Bulls hang on to beat Cavaliers 108-106

CHICAGO (AP) — Derrick Rose heard the "MVP! MVP!" chants and thought he would faint, the loud chorus rattling the All-Star point guard.

Funny thing, though.

Being guarded by LeBron James late in the game didn't faze him. And now, the Cleveland Cavaliers can forget about sweeping the Bulls out of the playoffs.

Rose scored 31 points, Kirk Hinrich added 27 and Chicago hung to beat the top-seeded Cavaliers 108-106 Thursday night in Game 3 of a first-round series after its 21-point lead dwindled to one.

"We stayed strong," said Chicago's Joakim Noah, who fought through foul trouble to finish with 15 rebounds. "D-Rose played huge for us. It just feels really good to come out with a win right now."

James scored 13 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter but also committed some turnovers down the stretch. Even so, the Cavaliers were within 107-106 after Mo Williams nailed a 3-pointer with 3.8 seconds left. They immediately fouled Luol Deng, who hit the first free throw but missed the second.

Cleveland's Anthony Parker got the rebound and raced up the right side but missed a 3 at the buzzer, and the Bulls escaped with the win despite some shaky foul shooting late in the game.

They will try to tie the best-of-seven series on Sunday.

Hinrich, a career 80.9 percent foul shooter, missed two with 26 seconds left and the Bulls up 104-99.

James then buried a 3-pointer with 11 seconds remaining to make it a two-point game. The Cavaliers immediately fouled Rose, who missed the first free throw before converting the second to make it 105-102 with 10.1 seconds left.

Chicago fouled Anderson Varejao to prevent a 3-point attempt, and he made the first but missed the second. Brad Miller got the rebound and converted both foul shots to make it a four-point game, and the Bulls hung on for a wild win.

"They kept us on our heels and we can ill afford to let that happen," said Antawn Jamison, who scored 19.

Rose was serenaded by that "MVP!" chant late in the third quarter and was guarded down the stretch by the player who figures to win the award. That didn't shake him, but the chorus did, though.

"I almost passed out," Rose said. "Hopefully one day, but I'm just worried about winning games right now."

So is James, who said he made the call to take Rose down the stretch.

The Bulls appeared to be in good shape up 21 in the third, only to see the Cavaliers cut it all the way to 94-92 on a pair of free throws and a layup by Jamison with 4:10 remaining in the game.

Deng, who scored 20, then made a jumper and Noah stole a pass from James. That led to a jumper by Rose, who then buried a fadeaway as the crowd chanted "Let's go Bulls!" to make it 100-92 with 2:42 remaining.

James charged into Deng with 1:18 remaining and the Bulls up by six, then got stripped by Noah. Deng picked up the loose ball and Hinrich hit two free throws to make it 104-96 with 38 seconds remaining.

About that charge, James didn't agree with the call.

"I saw him backpedaling," James said. "Me as a driver, I'm watching the defender's feet. I'm seeing if he's stationed or is still moving. To me, I felt like he was still backpedaling, and as soon as I saw him backpedaling, that's when I decided to take off. They called a charge. I haven't seen the replay, but I know exactly what I've seen on the court with the defender right in front of me."

Noah said he was particularly concerned Deng would get whistled after seeing James' shot go in.

"I think one of the refs was about to call a block and then he looked at the other ref because he wasn't sure, and the other ref — thank God — called a charge," Noah said. "That was a huge play for us. I'm really happy that play went our way. I think I'm kind of biased, but to me, I thought it was a charge the whole time."

As for his five fouls?

"Stupid, stupid fouls," said Noah, who collected several going for offensive rebounds.

Still, at times the Bulls looked as if they might run away with this one.

They were leading 39-23 early in the second after a three-point play by Deng, and they finished the half with a flourish after Cleveland pulled within seven.

Miller hit a 19-footer with a minute left and Hinrich nailed 20-footer from the wing to make it 56-45 before Noah blocked a driving layup by James in the closing seconds. The Bulls continued to pour it on in the third.

Taj Gibson started it with a jumper and capped the run with another one, making it 68-47 with 7:37 left in the third, before the Cavaliers scored 13 straight.

"I believe we're going to be fine," Varejao said. "We just have to play the way we did in the second half."

NOTES: Cavaliers G Delonte West's trial on weapons charges has been postponed until July 21, meaning he won't miss any playoff time. Authorities say West was carrying two loaded handguns, a loaded shotgun and an 8 1/2-inch Bowie knife while riding a three-wheel motorcycle on the Capital Beltway in Maryland in September. Police say he was pulled over after cutting off an officer. ... Ron Howard got a loud ovation when he was shown midway through the second quarter.

READ MORE - Bulls hang on to beat Cavaliers 108-106

Durant's surge lifts Thunder in home playoff debut

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Scuffling through a rough shooting night, Kevin Durant wanted to do anything he could to keep the Oklahoma City Thunder from falling hopelessly behind the Los Angeles Lakers.

So, why not take on the task of defending Kobe Bryant?

Durant had 29 points and 19 rebounds, and snapped out of a shooting funk while guarding Bryant to lead the decisive run, lifting the Thunder to a 101-96 victory in Game 3 on Thursday night in the first playoff game in Oklahoma City.

"Scoring's a big part of my game. It kind of overshadows the other parts of my game," said Durant, who at 21 became the youngest player to lead the NBA in scoring. "But if I continue to play hard on both ends, it's going to come around for me. I was able to get free and make a couple shots, and that's what got us going."

Durant and Russell Westbrook scored 22 of the final 23 for the Thunder, including every point during a 10-2 surge that put Oklahoma City ahead to stay.

The top-seeded Lakers got back within 98-96 on Bryant's driving layup with 13.5 seconds left, but the Thunder closed it out from the foul line to pull within 2-1 in the seven-game series.

Game 4 is Saturday night in Oklahoma City.

Durant celebrated by thumping his chest and popping his jersey to show off the "Thunder" printed on the front while Westbrook, who scored 27 points, flapped his arms to egg on the screaming crowd.

"It feels good. Playing against the reigning champs makes it even better. But we have a long ways to go," said Durant, who missed his first seven shots and 15 of his first 19. "It does feel good to get our first win. It feels even better to bring the first win in the playoffs here to Oklahoma City. That's what I'm most excited about."

Bryant scored 24 points to surpass Jerry West's franchise record for playoff scoring, and Pau Gasol had 17 points and 15 rebounds for Los Angeles.

But when it came down to crunch time, Bryant couldn't deliver as he did in scoring 15 fourth-quarter points to seal the Lakers' 95-92 victory in Game 2. He went 2 for 10 in the final 12 minutes, with Durant stopping between free throws at one point to motion to the bench that he wanted to guard the former MVP.

"It was a matchup that caught me by surprise," said Bryant, who's nearly half a foot shorter than Durant. "I think he did a great job."

Undaunted by a raucous sellout crowd, the Lakers scored the first 10 points of the game and were in control until the Thunder roared back with an electrifying run of eight straight points late in the third quarter.

The fans reached a deafening pitch as the Thunder completed their charge back from an 11-point deficit set off by Westbrook's right-handed tomahawk dunk. James Harden and Durant followed with back-to-back 3-pointers to tie it at 74, and Oklahoma City finally took its first lead of the game on its opening possession of the fourth quarter.

"That was the loudest I've ever heard a crowd get," said Harden, a rookie reserve who scored 18 points after going scoreless in Games 1 and 2. "That Russell dunk was just amazing and the back-to-back 3s, it just rattled the place."

Nick Collison, the only player left from the franchise's last playoff appearance five years ago in Seattle, said, "It was so loud, it was almost quiet. It's a weird feeling."

Andrew Bynum pulled Los Angeles even for the final time by powering through Collison's hard foul for a right-handed dunk, then hitting the ensuing free throw to tie it at 80.

Durant answered at the other end with a jumper from the right side with 8:41 left to give Oklahoma City the lead for good, then converted Bryant's turnover into a two-handed jam on a fast break.

His 19-foot jumper from the right wing put Oklahoma City up 90-82 with 4:28 remaining, and that lead was just big enough for the Thunder to hang on down the stretch.

"We just fell asleep. We probably thought we had it in the bag," said Ron Artest, charged with defending Durant most of the game. "In this game, especially, you've got to respect the possessions. ... You really can't take it for granted."

Fans wearing free blue "Rise Together" T-shirts were standing even 15 minutes before the game to chant "Beat L.A.!" and rose to their feet again when the Thunder brought out a new pregame video that showed key moments from Oklahoma City's time in the NBA.

It was billed as the biggest sports day in the city's history, with three Oklahoma players taken among the top four picks in the NFL draft on the same night as the first home playoff game for the Thunder or the New Orleans Hornets — who were displaced to the Ford Center for two seasons following Hurricane Katrina.

And it came on the 121st anniversary of the date the state, which was formerly American Indian territory, was first settled in a land run.

All that didn't seem to bother the defending NBA champions.

They kept the fans standing — and waiting for the Thunder's first basket — until coach Scott Brooks burned a timeout 2:34 into the game with his team already down 10-0. Los Angeles made its first seven shots, taking advantage of three early Thunder turnovers and the 7-foot Bynum's size advantage inside with a series of lobs.

"I was actually disappointed in the crowd because all year long I thought they were the best crowd. They just gave us so much energy and were so loud throughout the year," Brooks said. "But now, I realize they were sandbagging."

NOTES: Durant tied for second in voting for the NBA's most improved player, behind Houston's Aaron Brooks, after finishing third in the voting last season. "I think I made a bigger leap last year, being more comfortable. As far as me going out on the floor and producing and being more consistent, I did that last year. This year, I just gained more and more confidence, got a little bigger and a little stronger and was able to help my team out." ... Harden, the Thunder's top-scoring reserve with 9.9 points per game, hit his first three shots and scored a team-high 15 points in the first half after going 0-for-5 shooting in the first two games of the series. ... A reporter mentioned to Brooks, who was presented his coach of the year award before the game, that he used to give free basketball clinics. "I guess now I can charge, huh?" he quipped.

READ MORE - Durant's surge lifts Thunder in home playoff debut

Bradford goes first to Rams in NFL draft

From an early Oklahoma party to the Big 12's dominance to Tim Tebow stealing the spotlight from overall top pick Sam Bradford, the NFL's first prime-time draft was worthy of its Radio City Music Hall location.

Starting with quarterback Bradford going to the St. Louis Rams on Thursday night, five of the top six picks were from the Big 12 — three of them Sooners. In all, nine first-rounders came from the conference.

"That's pretty cool because I know the Big 12 has been getting a lot of slack lately," said Bradford, the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner. "People for some reason didn't think that we played much football in the Big 12 and sure didn't think we played much defense, so for two defensive tackles to go in the first three picks is a credit to the Big 12."

Give Denver credit for gambling on Tebow, the mystery man of this draft. When the Broncos took the Florida quarterback at No. 25, it drew the loudest reaction — a mix of cheers and boos — from the audience.

Tebow was the third Florida player chosen — and by far the most controversial selection Thursday night. A winner for four years with the Gators, including two national championships and the 2007 Heisman, his unorthodox style and strange throwing motion made for widely divided opinions on him.

Not, apparently, for Broncos coach Josh McDaniels, who hopes he found the long-term replacement for Jay Cutler. In his rookie season as a head coach, McDaniels feuded with Cutler a year ago and traded him to Chicago.

"I enjoyed the working process and all the critics and the negativity," Tebow said. "It only pushed me that much more and only made me work that much harder. I can honestly say that I think that made me better."

Bradford could be a slight gamble, as well. The Oklahoma junior who became the eighth quarterback since 2001 taken atop the draft, appeared in only three games in 2009, his junior year, before undergoing right shoulder surgery. His recovery has been so complete that the Rams didn't hesitate to make him the future face of the franchise.

Bradford joins a Rams team that was 1-15 last season and scored a league-low 175 points. The Rams cut incumbent Marc Bulger in the offseason.

Bradford was immediately followed Thursday night by defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska, the AP Player of the Year; DT Gerald McCoy and OT Trent Williams, Bradford's teammates with the Sooners.

And what about the Sooners' run at the top of the festivities?

"It's insane isn't it?" McCoy said with a huge smile. "We can't play football in the Big 12, but the first four picks went out the Big 12? Mmmmm — three of 'em from Oklahoma, by the way."

Suh is considered the best defensive tackle prospect in more than a decade. He won the Lombardi, Bednarik and Nagurski trophies in 2009 and comes off a dominant Big 12 title game in which he had 12 tackles with 4½ sacks.

"He made it an easy pick for us," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "He's not just a one-year wonder. He's strong. He's good versus the run. He's good versus the pass. He's very intelligent."

McCoy should boost a Tampa defense that once was feared but flopped last season when it yielded 400 points. He displayed his Buccaneers jersey to the crowd and pumped his fist high in the air as "Pirates of the Caribbean" played on the loudspeakers.

The Big 12 bonanza kept rolling when Washington took Williams, an All-America, to fill a huge hole at tackle left by the retirement of Chris Samuels. Williams engulfed commissioner Roger Goodell in a hefty bear hug onstage.

Tennessee safety Eric Berry, also an All-American, went fifth to Kansas City, breaking the Big 12 stranglehold. Berry, noted for his versatility, also has the potential to play cornerback.

Then it was back to the Big 12 for Oklahoma State OT Russell Okung, who went to Seattle, where perennial Pro Bowl blocker Walter Jones might retire.

Florida cornerback Joe Haden was chosen by Cleveland, followed by Alabama inside linebacker Rolando McClain to Oakland. Both were All-Americans last season.

That also gave the Southeastern Conference three picks in the first eight, showing how highly the NFL regarded those two conferences.

Clemson running back C.J. Spiller went ninth to Buffalo, prompting plenty of "Oh, no" responses from Giants fans in the packed theater. McClain and Spiller were considered main targets for the Giants.

The surprises and the swaps then began.

Jacksonville took California DT Tyson Alualu, projected as a second-rounder by many. San Francisco then moved up two spots, dealing for Denver's pick to get Rutgers OT Anthony Davis. San Diego, desperate for a running back after cutting LaDainian Tomlinson, jumped from 28th overall to 12th in a trade with Miami. The Chargers took Fresno State's Ryan Mathews, the nation's leading rusher at 150.7 yards per game.

The Broncos then sent the 13th overall choice they got from the 49ers to Philadelphia, which grabbed Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham.

That made four trades involving three consecutive picks.

Seattle added Texas safety Earl Thomas to Okung. Jason Pierre-Paul, who played just one season at South Florida after two years at a junior college, went to the Giants — a choice that generally drew cheers from the blue-clad New York fans in the crowd.

Georgia Tech DE Derrick Morgan went to the Titans, the 49ers added Idaho guard Mike Iupati to Davis in a strong effort to solidify their offensive line, and Pittsburgh went for center Maurkice Pouncey of Florida.

Missouri linebacker Sean Weatherspoon went to Atlanta, followed by Alabama cornerback Kareem Jackson to Houston and tight end Jermaine Gresham of, — guess where — Oklahoma, who was selected by Cincinnati.

Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees announced the champion Saints' pick to finish off the showcase, Florida State cornerback Patrick Robinson. The swift round lasted 3 hours, 28 minutes.

St. Louis has the opening pick of the second round Friday night, but there could be plenty of bartering ahead as teams ponder all the talent left, including Texas DE/LB Sergio Kindle, Southern Cal safety Taylor Mays and Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen.

The SEC was almost as popular as the Big 12 with seven players chosen, three from Florida. Tennessee, Oklahoma State, Alabama, California, Georgia Tech and Rutgers each had two players chosen.

READ MORE - Bradford goes first to Rams in NFL draft