Melbourne, Jan 17 : Australian skipper Ricky Ponting believes that a new rule favouring the batting team could be a major tactical advancement in one-day cricket.

The first ODI game between Australia and South Africa at the MCG was the first international Down Under where batting sides could nominate a five-over power play, where only three fielders are permitted outside the infield.

London, Jan 17 : Brazilian striker Kaka, who has been given the green signal to join Manchester City after the club increased their offer to a phenomenal 243 million pounds, has already issued a snub to the City by revealing that he prefers rivals Manchester United and Arsenal.

Ac Milan's star said Premier League sides are too predictable apart from United and the Gunners, who are the most "agile" in England.

Melbourne  - Serena Williams Saturday said she plans to spend plenty of time alone in her hotel room, downloading films and TV shows and making her own entertainment in between matches at the Australian Open.

Calling herself "terrible" for Hollywood balance sheets, the three-time champion has become a huge fan of on-demand entertainment.

"I love to watch TV, I've gotten into iTunes," she said. "I'm terrible for the whole music industry and movie industry because I download movies and music and TV shows.

Melbourne  - Roger Federer has told officials at the AAMI Classic not to panic over reports that Middle Eastern money will swamp the traditional Australian Open tune-up events.

"I told him not to be concerned," said the Swiss number two, who has again perfected his game at the eight-man special event at Kooyong club, the former home of the Open until two decades ago.

Melbourne  - Italian number 109 Filippo Volandri will miss the Australian Open after being slapped with a ban for using an asthma medicine containing a proscribed stimulant to excess.

The sanction handed down by the International Tennis Federation means that a new name will be inserted into the draw for the Open starting on Monday to face Mario Ancic, Volandri's original first- round opponent.

Whistler, Canada - Emil Joensson of Sweden and Slovakia's Alena Prochazkova on Friday won cross-country ski sprint races on the slopes to be used at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Joensson dominated the 1.6-kilometre race in the classic style in 3 minutes 37.4 seconds for his second career victory. Three-time season winner Ola Vigen Hattestad of Norway had to settle for second and Ivan Ivanov of Russia was third.

Prochazkova got her first career World Cup in the women's race over 1.3km in 3:13.9 minutes from Justyna Kowalczyk of Poland and Sweden's Anna Olsson.