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Sports Briefs

■ Australia
Warne may make line-up
Banned legspinner Shane Warne could return to the Australian lineup less than a month after serving a one-year ban for taking a banned diuretic, chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said yesterday. Warne, 34, completes the ban on Feb. 10, 10 days before Australia is due to tour Sri Lanka for five one-day internationals and three tests. Hohns told Channel Nine television that Warne will not be available for the one-day series starting on Feb. 10, but would be considered for test side that would be picked later for the first test on March 8 in Galle.

■ Golf
Watson voted top player
Tom Watson capped an emotional season Sunday when he was voted Champions Tour player of the year, giving him a sweep of the major awards for the 50-and-older circuit. Watson won two of the five major championships on the Champions Tour, but his year is remembered equally for the support he gave his caddie, Bruce Edwards, who has Lou Gehrig's disease. "As great as Tom's achievements were on the golf course, he outdid himself off it, displaying dedication and compassion for a very good friend who happens to be his caddie," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem said. "He is a shining example of what is truly good about our sport."

■ Soccer
Cup draws Arsenal, Leeds
FA Cup defending champion Arsenal was Sunday drawn to play at Leeds in the third round, one of five all-Premier League ties in the world's oldest knockout competition. Manchester United will travel to Aston Villa. The Red Devils comfortably beat Villa 4-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday. Blackburn will relish returning to Birmingham after winning 4-0 at St. Andrews in the league on Saturday. The 20 Premier League clubs were only entered in the competition after the second round was completed Sunday. The matches will be played on Jan. 3-Jan. 4. The other all-Premier League matchups were Manchester City vs. Leicester and Southampton vs. Newcastle.

■ Cricket
India draws with Australia
India forced a draw yesterday in the rain-hit first cricket test after Australia set the tourists 199 runs to win in 23 overs at the Gabba. Australia, trailing by 86 runs in the first innings, declared on 284 for three with skipper Steve Waugh scoring an unbeaten 56 in his farewell appearance in a test here. Left-arm fast bowler Nathan Bracken dismissed openers Virender Sehwag and Akash Chopra with successive balls as India slid to six runs for two wickets in the second over. But Venkatsai Laxman, who survived the hat-trick delivery, was 24 not out, and Rahul Dravid, 43 not out -- his highest score in Australia in eight innings -- took India to 73 for two in 16 overs.

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