Melbourne, Dec. 14: Cricket Australia is expecting to turnover more than a billion dollars in the next four years, but added that player pay rises would not be automatic.

New Cricket Australia chairman Jack Clarke said payments to Australia''s elite players had to be weighed against the cost of many other areas that promote, sustain and develop the game.

He also suggested a major push to recruit indigenous players - to develop role models such as Maurice Rioli, Michael Long and Andrew McLeod in the AFL - would be a priority investment.

Perth, Dec. 14 : Former West Indian pace bowler Michael Holding believes that the present South African pace attack is the most ferocious to arrive Down Under in almost 20 years.

The Sunday herald Sun quoted Holding as saying that quicks Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini, Morne Morkel and Monde Zondeki could expose Australia to the express speed generated by the feared Windies outfits of the 1980s and ''90s.

Australia has not lost a Test series at home since 1992-93, when West Indies trio Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh and Ian Bishop terrorised the home team with their cocktail of raw pace and steepling bounce.

Mannheim, Germany  - Wladimir Klitschko used his height and reach advantage to score a seventh-round technical knockout of former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman.

The referee ended the bout as Klitschko had the smaller Rahman trapped in a corner, as the Ukrainian-born IBF and WBO heavyweight title holder delivered brutal combinations to the US fighter.

After completing his sixth title defence, Klitschko, 32, is now 52-3.

Madrid  - Barcelona scored an important 2-0 home win Saturday over historic rivals Real Madrid, with late goals from star strikers Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi.

The win leaves Barca way out atop La Liga, eight points above second-place Valencia, who came from behind earlier Saturday to beat Espanyol 2-1.

Villarreal, who play Sunday at fourth-placed Sevilla, are nine points behind Barca.

Real, who have lost four of their last six games, are now fifth, no less than 12 points behind Barca - and practically out of the title race.

"We are now a considerable distance from them," said Real captain Raul. "But we shouldn't throw in the towel. We must keep on fighting."

Los Angeles  - The Philadelphia 76ers fired coach Maurice Cheeks on Saturday, one day after the team continued its slide with a season-worst offensive effort.

Expected by many to be one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, the 76ers have opened 9-14 with eight losses in their last 10 games, including Friday's dispirited 88-72 setback at Cleveland.

Val d'Isere, France - Carlo Janka of Switzerland claimed his first career victory in alpine skiing on Saturday when he dominated a giant slalom in which local hope Gauthier de Tessieres shot from 30th to third place.

Janka, 22, registered a combined total of 2 minutes 22.73 seconds for his two runs on the hill where the world championship medals will decided in February.

Massimiliano Blardone of Italy was second in 2:22.93 minute while the 27-year-old Frenchman de Tessieres made the most of starting the second run in perfect piste conditions for his first podium in 2:23.17.

Janka is enjoying his best season and managed his first podium two weeks ago when he came second in a downhill in Lake Louise, Canada.