Karachi, Feb. 27: The first Test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka may have ended in a tame draw after batsmen of both teams plundered over1500 runs, but the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has ruled out launching a enquiry into why a flat pitch was prepared.

PCB chief Ijaz Butt said he had consulted chief pitch curator Agha Zahid, but denied ordering an enquiry into the issue.

"Soon after returning to Lahore, I had a heart-to-heart with him. He has given me a detailed explanation and has assured that there will be a better wicket for the next match," The News quoted Butt, as saying.

Liberec, Czech Republic - France led the way after ski-jumping in the world championship Nordic combined team event on Thursday in which the fancied United States met disaster and title holders Finland had to swallow a major handicap.

The first US jumper, normal hill bronze medallist Bill Demong, was disqualified as he forgot his bib. As a result, the team led by double world champion Todd Lodwick was out of contention in 12th and last place ahead of the afternoon 4x5-kilometres cross-country relay.

The US team trails France by 3 minutes 4 seconds into the pursuit race as the French won the jumping with 470.6 points. Jason Lamy Chappuis and Francois Braud sailed
127m each, Maxime Laheurte had 120.5m and Sebastien Lacroix 116.5m.

Dubai, Feb 26 : Pakistan skipper Younus Khan has jumped six places to overtake S. Chanderpaul at the top of the ICC Test Player Rankings.

A triple-century from Pakistan's new captain Younus Khan has earned him six places and put him on top of the Reliance Mobile ICC Player Rankings for Test batsmen for the first time in his career.

Karachi, Feb. 26 : The Test match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka may have inked its name in the game's history books for the huge number of runs scored, but several former Pakistan cricket players have expressed their annoyance over the lifeless track.

London, Feb. 26 : Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has ridiculed suggestions that he is about to leave the club following the collapse of its Premiership title challenge.

Bookies even stopped taking bets on his potential departure because of the weight of money on such a prospect, but a comprehensive win at the Bernabeu silenced the talk, The Mirror reports.

Benitez was visibly moved by the defeat of his former club and home town team Real Madrid, after he comfortably won the tactical battle with the Spanish club's coach Juande Ramos, and afterwards he insisted he is going nowhere.

Even before the kick off Benitez had told close friends that the idea of him walking out or being sacked were "utterly ridiculous".

Washington, Feb. 26 : Golfing champion Tiger Woods, who spent eight months recovering from knee surgery, has declared it is business as usual.

Woods, up against Australia's Brendan Jones, was playing for the first time since last June when he won the US Open before needing reconstructive knee surgery.

And despite a front-nine wobble that included bogeys at the third, fifth and seventh holes, world No 1 Woods roared to a 3 and 2 victory - thanks in part to an eagle at the par-five 13th.

Woods, 33, said: "I got off to a great start but there were some loose shots that followed in the middle of the round before I got it back on the 13th.