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Chelsea begin defence at home

Author: Lynda Collins
Date: 30/11/2009
Football betting

Chelsea's FA Cup defence will begin with a home tie against Championship side Watford following the draw for the third round of this year's competition.

Elsewhere, Arsenal have been handed an all-Premier League tie against London rivals West Ham United.

Aston Villa host Blackburn Rovers and Hull City travel to Wigan Athletic in two more all top-flight clashes.

Sportsbook second favourites Manchester United lie in wait for the victor of the Leeds United versus non-league Kettering Town replay following Sunday's 1-1 second-round draw between the two sides.

Will Chelsea mount a successful FA Cup defence this season? - Latest Football Betting

Premier League trio Wayne Rooney, Didier Drogba and Steven Gerrard have all been shortlisted for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award.

Manchester United forward Rooney, Chelsea striker Drogba and Liverpool skipper Gerrard have been named on the 10-man shortlist in the race to be named the 2009 European Football of the Year.

However, joining them on the elite list are four players from reigning European champions Barcelona.

Their Argentina star Lionel Messi is the frontrunner for this year's accolade and has been nominated alongside midfield team-mates Xavi and Andres Iniesta, plus summer signing from Internazionale Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Skipper Andrew Strauss described England's bowling as 'brilliant' after their seven-wicket victory over South Africa saw them take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match one-day series.

England bounced back from Friday's heavy defeat in Cape Town with an impressive display at Port Elizabeth in which James Anderson was the stand out performer.

Anderson was the pick of the bunch as he took 5-23 - his first five-wicket haul in one-day international cricket - to limit South Africa to 119 all-out.

New Zealand captain Richie McCaw has become the first two-time recipient of the International Rugby Board Player of the Year award.

The 28-year-old flanker has followed up his success in 2006 with a second honour which was confirmed shortly after he led the All Blacks to a 39-12 victory over France in Marseille.

In golf, Edoardo and Francesco Molinari guided Italy to a maiden victory in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup after edging out Ireland and Sweden on a dramatic final day in China.

The brothers had moved themselves into contention with a sensational third round of 61 in fourballs play on Saturday before holding off charges from overnight leaders Ireland and defending champions Sweden to win the title by one shot.

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