Skies over the national capital lit with multi-colour laser beams and fireworks as part of 160-minute closing ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium filled to capacity of 60,000 cheering sports lovers including vice-president Mohammad Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress President Sonia Gandhi as well as other sundry VIPs.

The ceremony though was not even close to the spectacle witnessed at the opening ceremony.

As at the grand opening ceremony 12 days ago, all the controversies that had dogged the Games — corruption, filth, snakes, mismanagement — were momentarily forgotten because some 5000 athletes from 71 countries had sportingly competed for 826 medals of which India won 101, including 38 gold, its highest ever, to be the second in the tally behind Australia with a total of 177.

Prince Edward, patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation, formally declared the 19th edition closed amid thunderous cheers from the audience.

Reading out the closure statement, the Prince said, “In the name of the Commonwealth Games Federation, I proclaim the XIX Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 closed.

“In accordance with tradition I call upon the sportsmen and sportswomen of the Commonwealth to assemble in four years time in Glasgow, Scotland, there to celebrate the XX Commonwealth Games.”

In true Scottish spirit, Glasgow showcased, at the closing ceremony of the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the enthusiasm with which it is preparing to host the 2014 edition of the event.

The performers unfurled huge lengths of red tartan, creating a Labyrinth. As a second piper appeared on the scene, the lengths were reversed to display green tartans. The pipers begin to walk towards each other on pathways of planks held aloft by the performers.

A giant structure inflated to form the arc over the Clyde river that is also called the “squinty bridge” as it crosses the river at an angle. This then converted into the iconic Clyde Auditorium, fondly referred to as the Armadillo.

And, in an amazing precision display, the 352 performers then spun the Armadillo on its axis.

A celtic knot, especially created for the performance was formed and a Highland dance was staged in front of the Armadillo, even as the music reached a climax.

As the Armadillo dispersed, the arches reformed to represent the Loch Ness monster. The monster, also known as Nessie, then swam out of the stadium, playfully wagging her tail and bobbing her head.

Delivering his address during a spectacular and colourful closing ceremony, Fennell said, “Today, we bring down curtains on 19th CWG Delhi. Delhi, you have delivered a truly exceptional Games.

“Security, transport and other services have been of highest quality. The venues were world class and it was a truly outstanding show by the athletes.”

“The athletes have demonstrated their skills and sporting personalities brought different cultures together. Athletes from 71 countries contested for 826 medals in the true spirit of friendship. Several Commonwealth Games records were broken, including two world records. Some have created new national records,” he added.

Fennell said the “successful” hosting of the Games will leave behind a rich legacy for Delhi.

“The Organising Committee overcame all obstacles and presented a successful Games. Delhi has now a rich legacy, the wold class venues and improved city structure. It has presented itself as a world class city. The world will have a better understanding of this wonderful country and its potential now,” said the Jamaican.

“Now we set our eyes on 2014 Glasgow Games and look forward to athletes participating in all events in large numbers,” said Fennell.

The International Cricket Council board agreed on Wednesday to set up a Test league along with a one-day international league to try and boost interest.

The Test league will start almost immediately and culminate in a four-team playoff in 2013.

Test cricket has world rankings but no definitive championship. Results are therefore often viewed in isolation and without an overall context.

India leads the nine-team rankings, followed by South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Australia, Pakistan, West Indies, New Zealand and Bangladesh. Zimbabwe will return to Test status in May.

Tests are still regarded as the barometer of an international cricketer’s career, but the popularity of the five-day games has dropped with the rise of the hours-long Twenty20 game.

“Restructuring international cricket is a significant strategic challenge and one that must be dealt with,” ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said.

“We have now agreed in principle to exciting and far reaching proposals to tackle this most important issue.”

The ODI league will begin in April 2011 and run through April 2014, leading to a league champion. The ODI league will also provide rankings and automatic qualifiers for the World Cup. The 50-over World Cup will be run separately.

Tendulkar was the highest run-getter with 403 runs in the two-match series, which India won 2-0.

Tendulkar also scored his sixth double hundred and was adjudged Man-of-the-series.

The Indian batting legend has now 891 points, according to the ICC ranking table on its website.

Virender Sehwag is the next best Indian at number three with 819 points, behind Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara (874).

India, which came into the two-match series with 127 rating points, are now sitting pretty at 130 points, 11 clear of second-placed South Africa.

Australia had entered the series on 113 points and ended up conceding three ratings points, slipping to fifth position behind England (112).

Sri Lanka are placed third with 115 points. This is Australia’s lowest ranking since the ICC Test Championship rankings were introduced in 2003.

However, Australia will have a chance to regain its fourth position when it goes head to head with England in a five-Test Ashes series which starts in Brisbane on 23 November.

The ICC launched an investigation last month into the match at The Oval based on information passed on by British tabloid The Sun, which suggested a scoring pattern in Pakistan’s innings was prearranged.

“The Anti-Corruption and Security Unit has verified all the available information and concluded that there was no compelling evidence to suspect individual players or support staff,” the ICC said in a statement. “The investigation is now complete but if new and corroborating evidence comes to light then clearly the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit will reopen the matter.”

The investigation came on the heels of a previous fixing scandal on Pakistan’s tour, when a player agent allegedly received money for organizing players to bowl no-balls at prearranged times during the fourth and final test so as to fix spot-betting markets.

The big-hitting pair were absent from a 14-man squad named for the series, which begins in Kochi on 17th October.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, fast bowler Zaheer Khan and left-arm spinnner Pragyan Ojha are also missing and the Indian board (BCCI) confirmed that Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Ishant Sharma were not in the squad as they are carrying injuries.

Gambhir and Sharma missed the second Test in Bangalore with knee injuries.

The series offers an opportunity for the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Saurabh Tiwary and Ranganath Vinay Kumar to impress in the absence of a number of experienced players.

India ODI squad: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Ravi Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravi Jadeja, Praveen Kumar, Virat Kohli, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Saurabh Tiwary, Murali Vijay, Ranganath Vinay Kumar, Yuvraj Singh

They successfully chased 207 – the highest fourth-innings score to win at the ground – after Australia were bowled out for 223 in their second innings.

And although it was Tendulkar who hit the winning runs to finish unbeaten on 53, having made 214 in India’s first innings of 495, the innings of the final day came from debutant Cheteshwar Pujara, who stroked a stylish 72 to help resurrect the innings following the early dismissal of Virender Sehwag for seven.

Australia began the day on 202 for seven and they could only add 16 runs before they were bowled out, giving India ample time to chase down the runs.

Zaheer Khan struck first to bowl Mitchell Johnson for 11, Ben Hilfenhaus was bowled by Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, failing to score and Peter George edged Zaheer to Mahendra Singh Dhoni, also failing to score.

Zaheer and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha both returned three wickets, the former conceding 41 runs and the latter 57.

Sehwag then went early, caught by Tim Paine off Hilfenhaus but steady batting from Murali VIjay (37) and Pujara, promoted to bat at number three under intense pressure.

He responded with some excellent strokes, hitting seven fours before he was bowled by Hauritz, having already seen Vijay depart when he was trapped in front by Shane Watson.

That left the experienced pair of Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid (21 not out) to steer India to victory, the winning runs coming when Tendulkar flicked Hauritz fine for a couple of runs.

India won the opening match by one wicket in Mohali and India had not won a Test in Bangalore for 15 years previous to this match.

Under pressure to perform or face the ignominy of ouster from the medal round, India stood up and delivered when it mattered most. They did not disappoint the capacity crowd in the high-voltage encounter and completely dominated Pakistan in the first 30 minutes of the match by pumping in as many as four goals.

Drag-flicker Sandeep (3rd, 11th minute) was the star performer for the hosts converting two penalty corners and then setting up another for Shivendra (19th, 59th).

Unlike other days, Sandeep was exemplary in defence too, coming to India`s rescue on numerous occasions.

Sarwanjit Singh (20th), Danish Mujataba (41st) and Dharamvir Singh (45th) too chipped in with a goal each in the high-scoring electrifying encounter.

For Pakistan, Muhammad Imran scored from a penalty stroke while Muhammad Rizwan (29th) and Shakeel Abbasi (68th) reduced the margin through field strikes. Muhammad Irfan (58th) too registered his name in the scoresheet, scoring from a penalty corner.

India will now take on Pool B toppers England in the semifinals on Tuesday while world champions Australia will face New Zealand in the other last-four match.

Needing 27 runs to reach into the landmark, the 37-year-old cut off-spinner Nathan Hauritz through coverpoint for a boundary and accomplish the feat in his 171st Test.

A packed Chinnaswamy Stadium crowd rose and gave the Indian maestro a standing ovation as Australian skipper Ricky Ponting came up to congratulate Tendulkar who is unbeaten on 44.

At 12178, Ponting remains Tendulkar’s nearest rival but the Aussie is still behind by 1839 runs.

Incidentally, it was during Australia’s last tour of India, Tendulkar crossed Brian Lara’s record of most number of runs in Tests.

Lara (11953) occupies the third spot in the elite list of most runs in Test career as his position remains to be in danger with Indian batsman Rahul Dravid (11581) closing in on the gap.

Tendulkar also became the highest Test run-getter at Chinnaswamy Stadium scoring in excess of 600, eclipsing Sunil Gavaskar’s total.

“I have always been focused towards my game. When I started playing cricket, I never had any goals but always wanted to perform for my country and as long as I play for India, my focus will remain so,” Tendulkar told the official broadcasters . He added, “Playing for India for 20 years has been magnificent.”

The batting maestro said he has worked hard along with Gary Kristen for the last couple of years and the team is doing fantastically.

“It has always been a fantastic feeling to be a part of a successful team,” said the batsman who has scored the most number of runs and centuries in Tests and ODIs.

He made 128 and India then closed the day on 128 for two as they began their reply, with Sachin Tendulkar becoming the first man to reach 14,000 Test runs in the final session of play.

Australia resumed on 285 for five with North and Tim Paine (59) at the crease and the pair put on 149 for the sixth wicket to take the score past 400.

North faced 240 balls in his innings, hitting 17 fours and a six during his fifth Test century while Paine faced 133 balls for his second half-century of the series.

That partnership was broken when Paine was stumped off the bowling of Pragyan Ojha, who then had Mitchell Johnson trapped in front without scoring.

North finally fell when he was caught by Shanthakumaran Sreesanth as Harbhajan Singh took his first wicket of the day.

Nathan Hauritz (17), Ben Hilfenhaus (16 not out) and Peter George (2) added some useful runs before Hauritz was run out and George was stumped.

Harbhajan finished witth four for 148 and Ojha three for 120 having bowled 43 and 42 overs respectively.

“The status of all teams is the same. They were all approved. There is no ambiguity as far as that is concerned. The action it totally illegal,” Modi wrote in his favourite medium, Twitter.

“Instead of concentrating on building IPL and BCCI, they have chosen a path of vengeance and in that they will only hurt the game,” he wrote in the micro-blogging website.

Pointing fingers at the Board’s secretary N Srinivasan, Modi said: “All illegal things done by Chennai Super Kings and its owners have been overlooked by BCCI. Why? Who is running the show. What has Srinivasan got om (sic) them?”

He further alleged that anyone who objects to the president-elect has to face the wrath of the BCCI adding that he is glad not to be a part of the current set up.

Modi said the teams make the IPL and the BCCI’s action would harm its own image and that of the successful tournament.

“They are hell bent on destroying something that we as Indians are proud of — the IPL. So as to satisfy there personal agendas,” Modi wrote.

“BCCI’s total disregard for franchisees and there stakeholders only goes to show that BCCI has lost the ability to administer sensibly,” he added.

“It was unanimously decided that the franchise agreements with (Punjab owner) K.P.H. Dream Cricket Pvt. Ltd. and Jaipur IPL Cricket Pvt. Ltd. be terminated forthwith based on the legal opinions obtained by BCCI in the matters,” a statement from BCCI secretary N Srinivasan read.

“It was further unanimously decided to issue a notice to the unincorporated joint venture holding the Kochi franchise calling upon them to resolve all their disputes and form a joint venture company which will hold the IPL franchise rights.”

The moves comes following a BCCI board meeting at which it was agreed that steps were necessary to clean up the Indian Premier League, which is set to begin its fourth season next year, which a player auction in November.

The top seed’s win had local fans on their feet, 24 hours after the despair of seeing Indian glamour girl Sania Mirza lose the women’s singles final in a deciding tie-break to Anastasia Rodionova of Australia.

Devvarman, who has broken into the ATP top 100 this year after a successful US college career, had yet to drop a set all week, but he found fifth seed Jones a handful to start with.

But after pocketing the first set with a single break, he took total command of the second, running off five games games in a row with two breaks of serve to lead 5-0.

He briefly stumbled at match point on his following serve allowing Jones a brief respite, but two games later he completed the rout sparking off noisy celebrations in the stadium..

Tennis was included in the Games for the first time at New Delhi.

Teenager Deepika Kumari and Rahul Banerjee won gold medals in individual recurve events on the last day of the competition to help India end their campaign in archery with three gold, one silver and four bronze medals.

Besides these two titles, India also bagged two bronze medals in archery through senior pros Dola Banerjee and Jayanta Talukdar in the individual recurve event.

World freestyle wrestling champion Sushil Kumar and boxing pin-up boy Vijender Singh came up with thundering displays that fetched them a gold and a spot in the semifinal respectively.