Dubai, Dec.2 (ANI): Some of world cricket's biggest names, including South Africa's Graeme Smith, Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, Australia's Nathan Bracken and Brit Indian woman crickter Isa Guha on Monday used the occasion of World AIDS Day to urge continued support and awareness for the ICC's role in raising awareness of the issue of HIV/AIDS.

World AIDS Day is marked annually on 1 December and this year's theme is leadership. And on that theme those top players want cricket to show how sport can be used for social good in the fight against HIV.

Graeme Smith, an active supporter of cricket's partnership with various agencies including UNAIDS, UNICEF and the Global Media AIDS, was quoted by an ICC press release as saying: "As South African cricket captain, I feel a responsibility to raise awareness to people not only in my country, but across the cricketing world, of how they can protect themselves against HIV infection.

"Whether it is delivering messages to young people through public service announcements or when I meet individuals at community projects, I want to make a difference to a social problem which has had such devastating effects in my country."

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has been working on raising awareness of HIV/AIDS prevention for the past five years and has seen a variety of activities delivered at major ICC events, including the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 and the ICC World Twenty20 2007.

Sri Lanka vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara said: "The ICC has played an important role in the first five years of its partnership with UNAIDS to raise awareness and reduce stigma around HIV.

"But I think that by working with partners such as UNICEF and the Global Media AIDS Initiative and using the high profile support of some of the game's leading players we can achieve even more in the future.

"With the eyes of the sporting world on cricket in 2009, with events such as the ICC World Twenty20 2009 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2009, as well as important bilateral series, there has never been a better time for cricket to use its profile to deliver messages on social issues like HIV/AIDS.

"If the game can unite administrators, players, broadcasters and sponsors on HIV/AIDS we can all work together to achieve excellent results," he added.

One of the most visible signs of support for people living with HIV/AIDS has been the wearing of red ribbons by international players at major international matches at ICC events or key bilateral series.

Nathan Bracken, who visited projects in South Africa and the West Indies in the past 18 months, and who has been ranked the number one bowler in the Reliance Mobile ICC ODI Player Rankings during the past year said: "As a professional cricketer, we are in a position where people across the world are fascinated by everything that we say.

"If we can use our high profile position in society to deliver messages to vulnerable people, who may not have had educational opportunities available to them, then that is a positive thing to do and something we can do even more of in the future."

England women's bowler Isa Guha, currently ranked number one in the Reliance Mobile ICC Women's ODI Rankings, went with team-mates to an HIV drop-in centre for women in November in Bangalore, India, and she admitted it was a moving experience.

Guha said: "Seeing for myself the challenges that people living with HIV face in their daily lives really brought home the importance of using our profile to make a difference in reducing stigma around the disease.

"As the profile of women's cricket grows, hopefully we can also use our increased popularity to have a positive impact on the lives of women across the world."

The ICC's HIV/AIDS partnership with UNAIDS, UNICEF and the Global Media AIDS Initiative will be a focal part of the ICC's centenary celebrations in 2009. (ANI)

London, Dec.2 (ANI): Brazilian footballer Robinho has described his Manchester City teammates as a bunch of losers, and added that when he was playing for the Spanish football club Real Madrid, he learnt the art of winning.

"City have good players but the mentality of a small side. What they lack is the mentality of champions. At Real Madrid, I learned a will to win," The Sun quoted Robinho, as saying. "Here they have a good team but are content with just finishing fifth or sixth. For me you can only be content when you're champions, with winning away. You need to want to beat Chelsea at their home, beat Manchester United, beat Liverpool. They are content with little, just a draw might be good enough," he added. City are now just two points above the drop zone after Sunday's home defeat by United.

"The mentality has to change now City have a project to become big. I want to inspire a winning mentality. I've learned being second is worthless. I played at Santos, where the supporters want to win every tournament we play in. The same was true at Real Madrid and with Brazil. If we think bigger, we can be there too," Robinho said. Robinho was speaking exclusively to Football Matters on Setanta Sports 1 last night. (ANI)

London, Dec.2 (ANI): Portuguese and Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo has said that the level of scrutiny he is often subjected to, can get irritating at times.

"I have come to understand that every movement I make, on or off the pitch, is analysed to death. If I don't celebrate goals, it is because I am sad. If I talk to the public, it is because I have lost my humility. My slightest gesture gets every type of criticism," the Sun quoted Ronaldo, as saying.

"People are always waiting for me to do something and they just pick on what are absolutely normal and unimportant things to criticise. They analyse things that have nothing unusual about them through a magnifying glass," he added. Ronaldo also described himself as "humble, respectful, a man who works hard, is ambitious and is a perfectionist". "Cristiano Ronaldo will continue to be the same as he always was, regardless of what happens on and off the pitch. But as my friends say, and as people who know me well say, they only criticise the best. So what else can I say? Just that I am damned if I do and damned if I don't," he said. (ANI)

London, Dec.2 (ANI): Manchester United coach-cum manager Alex Ferguson is nowadays plotting to snare his eleventh title in football.

He believes that in the New Year, his team will be perfectly poised to strike.

"You look at the first half of the season and we'll have played away to almost every team who finished in the top 10 last season. That's incredible. I have to say having home advantage against those teams at the end of the season should help us," he was quoted by the Sun, as saying. Of the top 10 finishers last season United have only to play at West Ham.

Ferguson has given his team the target of being within three points of the top by the turn of the year. They have four games before that - but miss the home game to Wigan for their trip to the World Club Championship in Japan.

That is reward for winning the Champions League.

"Traditionally we are always better second half of the season," he said. (ANI)