London/Chennai, Dec. 16 : Can batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar be regarded as a unifying factor In India. Most certainly yes, if you ask John Etheridge of the Sun.

According to Etheridge, Tendulkar has always been able to unite India and bring joy to its billion inhabitants.

But he says that what he did in Chennai on Monday was extraordinary even by his exalted standards.

"He is the Mother Teresa of cricket, a great little person, and his century helped ease the pain and suffering (of the Mumbai terror attacks).

Los Angeles  - When the Utah Jazz visited the red-hot Boston Celtics, they were concerned with Boston's "Big Three." Instead, they were victimized by "The Other One."

Rajon Rondo had a career-high 25 points, nine rebounds and eight assists Monday night as the Celtics won their 15th-straight game, a 100-91 victory over the Jazz.

Melbourne, Australia  - Jelena Dokic will have to fight to keep her tennis dream alive after losing to a Brisbane teenager Tuesday in the wild card playoffs for next month's Australian Open.

Former world number four Dokic lost on the second day of play at Melbourne Park, falling to Monica Wejnert 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

"She's probably the highest ranked I've beaten so far in my career, so it's great," the winner said. "I was a bit nervous coming in, but then I stabilized and it was good."

Sydney  - Lleyton Hewitt and wife Bec Cartwright have taken a page from the idea books of Davis and Victoria Beckham by naming their newborn son Cruz.

Wellington, Dec. 16 : New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram has been ruled out of the second cricket Test against the West Indies starting Friday due to a calf strain.

Oram, who reported his latest injury two days before the drawn first Test started in Dunedin on Thursday, will focus on returning for the Twenty20 and one-day international legs of the West Indies'' visit.

The first Twenty20 international is in Auckland at Eden Park on Boxing Day.

The second is at Hamilton two days later before the five-match one-day series starts in Queenstown on New Year''s Eve.

Kyle Mills replaced Oram in Dunedin and is a possibility to play again after bowling impressively at University Oval.