Sport Line News

Former Australian cricket test captain Greg Chappell has been appointed as the new head coach of Australian cricket's Centre of Excellence.

Chappell will oversee the development of Australia's next generation of players after being hired to replace Tim Nielsen who has taken over as coach of the Australian national side.

Chappell, who also served a two-year stint as India coach, signed a three-year deal with Cricket Australia in what is regarded as one of the most important cricket jobs in the country.

Manchester City signed Brazil forward Robinho for what reports said was a British record fee after Thaksin Shinawatra agreed to sell the Premier League soccer team to an Abu Dhabi investment company on transfer deadline day.

Robinho, 24, joined on a four-year contract, City said on its Web site without disclosing the fee, a day after he held a press conference stating his desire to join Chelsea. City paid Real Madrid 42 million euros ($61.2 million) for Robinho, who will receive 6 million euros a year after tax, Sky Sports said.

``In order to compete with the best teams in the Premier League we have to be in the market for players of this caliber, and Robinho is undoubtedly one of the best players in the world,'' City manager Mark Hughes told his club's Web site.

City's prospective owners -- Abu Dhabi United Group for Development and Investment -- fulfilled their promise of purchasing a ``high profile'' player minutes before the trade period closed yesterday at midnight London time. City had earlier agreed to a fee for Dimitar Berbatov before the Tottenham striker instead joined cross-town rival Manchester United.

The Premier League champion will pay 30.75 million pounds ($55 million) for Berbatov, Tottenham said on its Web site.

News Courtsey: bloomberg.com

Serena Williams will face sister Venus Williams at the US Open quarterfinals after she brought down Severine Bremond's run to a halt with a 6-2, 6-2 victory.

Serena and Venus have met 16 times previously with both winning eight matches, but this will be the first time they have met in the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam tournament.

Venus Williams, who eliminated Polish Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 6-3 on Monday, said life on the court would be easier if she didn't have a superstar sister.

In the other women's fourth-round matches Monday, Russian sixth seed Dinara Safina beat Anna-Lena Groenefeld 7-5, 6-0 and Flavia Pennetta of Italy trounced France's Amelie Mauresmo 6-3, 6-0.

Wednesday's US Open quarterfinal match will be a repeat of this year's Wimbledon final, which Venus won 7-5, 6-4.