Didn't want to miss important names in farewell speech: Sachin

He delivered his farewell speech with such emotional conviction that many were left wiping tears but retired batting legend Sachin Tendulkar on Sunday said his only preparation for the stirring address was to remember the "important" names he wanted to mention.

The 20-minute speech, which Tendulkar delivered after his final Test in Mumbai last year, was lauded by one and all for its emotional clarity so much so that the spectators at the Wankhede Stadium and the millions glued to TV sets were left teary-eyed.

Reflecting on it, Tendulkar revealed that he planned on delivering a speech after his penultimate Test on a flight from Kolkata to Mumbai.

Sublime Suarez fires Liverpool to second

Liverpool's title challenge is gaining increasing momentum, with Luis Suarez inspiring them to a victory at Southampton that moves them second in the BPL.

A tilt at the crown had never been part of Brendan Rodgers' plan this season, but their recent form has given them a real chance of a first championship since 1990.

The latest victory came at Southampton - the only side to have won at Anfield this season - with goals from Suarez, Raheem Sterling and Steven Gerrard earning the Reds a 3-0 which sees them climb above Manchester City and Arsenal.

It was the ideal start to a run of three successive away matches, with Suarez marking his 100th league appearance for the Reds by ending his an unusual barren run after just 16 minutes.

Saints did not wilt, though, with Adam Lallana hitting the post after a Rickie Lambert flick-on, before Luke Shaw, impressing in front of watching England manager Roy Hodgson, went on a marauding run which ended with Jay Rodriguez forcing Simon Mignolet into a fine save.

Federer subdues Berdych to win sixth Dubai title

Roger Federer roared back from a set and a break down to subdue Tomas Berdych 3-6 6-4 6-3 in the Dubai Championships final on Saturday as the Swiss maestro sealed a 78th singles title.

Federer had recovered from a similar position to stun world number two Novak Djokovic in Friday's semi-final and the 32-year-old again struggled early on before he dug deep to claim a sixth Dubai crown.

"It was a tough match," fourth seed Federer said in a courtside interview. "Tomas had the advantage and could have, should have, brought it home, but maybe I got a little lucky."

Campbell kicks up row, claims FA racist for not giving him England captaincy

Former England defender Sol Campbell believes he would have been national team captain for more than 10 years if he was white, according to extracts from his new biography that is being serialised by The Sunday Times newspaper.

Campbell, 39, who was born in east London to Jamaican parents, claimed the FA decided it could not have a black face leading the England side on a regular basis.

Stoke defeat a Major blow admits Arsene Wenger

Stoke stunned Arsenal 1-0.

Arsene Wenger conceded Arsenal's stuttering Premier League title bid had suffered a "major setback" after they lost ground at the top with a shock 1-0 defeat at Stoke.

Jon Walters' second-half penalty handed Stoke a famous win at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday and left the Gunners four points behind Premier League leaders Chelsea in third place.

The north Londoners have now won just once in their last eight trips to Stoke and Wenger admitted it was the worst possible start to what he had branded a season-defining month.

Spain call up Costa, snub Torres and Villa for Italy friendly

Brazilian-born forward Diego Costa was called up by Spain on Friday for next week's friendly against Italy, and veteran strikers David Villa and Fernando Torres were not wanted.

Dropping Villa and Torres for Wednesday's match at Vicente Calderon Stadium in Madrid does not mean they will not make the squad for the World Cup, coach Vicente del Bosque said.

"This list is exclusively for the game against Italy," Del Bosque said after announcing his 22 players. "There are three months left of competition, and many things can happen to convince us to bring other players. We don't close the door to anything."

Diego Costa, a naturalized Spanish citizen, was summoned for a pair of November friendlies, but injury kept the Atletico Madrid striker sidelined.

"I'm very happy to have been called up," Diego Costa said. "Besides, it will be very special to play Italy in our stadium, the Vicente Calderon."

He has been at the center of a few ill-tempered encounters with Real Madrid players, soon to be his new teammates in the national side.

Del Bosque said he wasn't concerned, adding that the latest run-ins were not as serious as the tension between Barcelona and Madrid players from recent years that didn't stop Spain from winning the World Cup and two European Championships.

"We don't make a big deal of it," the former Madrid manager said. "We know that there are conflicts, but I don't think it is the same case (as Barcelona and Madrid). There was a recent match between Madrid and Atletico and no incidents occurred."

Del Bosque said Italy was Spain's "last great test" before he names his final 23-man World Cup squad on May 25.

Spain will play Bolivia in a friendly on May 30 and then take on El Salvador on June 7 in the United States before it faces the Netherlands in its opening World Cup match on June 13.

While Del Bosque was adamant that he has yet to pick his final squad, the group he has chosen to face Italy appears to indicate he may opt to rejuvenate a side that lost handily to Brazil in the final of last year's Confederations Cup.

Even so, the squad is still loaded with midfielders, meaning Spain's control-based passing style won't change.

Besides Diego Costa, Del Bosque will have only Alvaro Negredo and Pedro Rodriguez as traditional forwards with Villa, Spain's all-time leading scorer, and Torres left at home.

Del Bosque summoned the young Bayern Munich pair of Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez, while Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta returned for the first time since the Confederations Cup.

Juan Mata and Alvaro Arbeloa were also dropped. Gerard Pique was unavailable due to injury, while Barcelona teammate Carles Puyol was left out as he struggles to return from nagging injuries.

Spain:

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Victor Valdes (Barcelona), Pepe Reina (Napoli)

Defenders: Juanfran Torres (Atletico Madrid), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Raul Albiol (Napoli)

Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona), Jorge "Koke" Resurreccion (Atletico Madrid), Thiago Alcantara (Bayern Munich), Jesus Navas (Manchester City), Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), David Silva (Manchester City), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal)

Forwards: Pedro Rodriguez (Barcelona), Alvaro Negredo (Manchester City), Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid)

Jermain Defoe leaves Tottenham Hotspurs and the Barclays Premier League

Jermain Defoe said farewell to Tottenham Hotspur and to the Barclays Premier League this week as he heads off to play for Toronto FC in the MLS and begin a new chapter to his stellar career. Looking back on his 13 years in the Barclays Premier League the England striker talked exclusively to premierleague.com about his success on the pitch and off it with various good causes.

Defoe made his Barclays Premier League debut as an 18-year-old on 19 May 2001, coming on as a substitute for West Ham United away to Middlesbrough.

"I was at Bournemouth on loan having made my debut in the cup for West Ham and at Bournemouth I had scored a number of goals so I was looking forward to coming back to West Ham and playing that in the Premier League," he says. "It was like a dream come true to come on in the Premier League at such a young age for a good club. It was a special day."