MULTI-TALENTED: New Zealand cricket's star allrounder and captain Daniel Vettori is also now a team selector and coach follow the departure of Andy Moles.

CHAMP AGAIN: Mahe Drysdale of New Zealand celebrates his gold medal win during the medal ceremony for the men's single sculls final at the World Rowing Championships in Poznan.

LEAGUE SCANDALS: In the last of a long list of scandals to hit rugby league in 2009, Newcastle Knights player, Danny Wicks, is led from Belmont Police Station to Newcastle Local Court to face drugs charges.

HANDBALL: Ireland's goalkeeper Shay Given (left) reacts after France's William Gallas (right) scored after captain Thierry Henry had used his hand to control the ball in the build to the goal during their World Cup qualifying playoff match at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis near Paris.

FETED: Confetti and ticker tape rains down on the New York Yankees they ride on trucks during their World Series victory parade through the Canyon of Heroes along Broadway in New York. The Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies to win the World Series.

BLOODGATE: Dean Richards resigned as director of rugby at English club Harlequins and was suspended from world rugby for three years for his role in a fake blood injury to winger Tom Williams during a 2009 Heineken Cup game against Leinster.

CRICKET TERROR ATTACK: Thilan Samaraweera, a member of the Sri Lankan cricket team, who was injured during the attack against his team in Pakistan.

BEACHED: Super swim fish Michael Phelps may have won eight gold medals in Beijing in 2008 to go with six golds from Athens but he was in trouble after a picture was published of him using a cannabis bong in January. He was given a three-month ban from swimming.

RULING THE WAVES: Australia's Steph Gilmore clinched her third straight world surfing title in 2009 while fellow Australian, Mick Fanning, won his second straight men's title.

GREAT MUM: Kim Clijsters carries her daughter Jada while holding the trophy after defeating Caroline Wozniacki to complete a fairytale comeback to tennis in the women's singles final at the US Open tournament in New York.

LYING BASTAREAUD: French rugby player Mathieu Bastareaud apologises for lying about how he received injuries sustained in Wellington after a test against the All Blacks.

STEWART SINKS KEY PUTTS: Stewart Cink holds the Claret Jug as he stands with runner-up Tom Watson after winning the 2009 British Open Golf Championship at the Turnberry Golf Club in Scotland.

HEAVY PENALTY: Renault F1 team boss Flavio Briatore is flanked by drivers Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet. Briatore was banned for life from F1 after his role in the fixing of the Singapore GP, won by Alonso after Piquet deliberately crashed.

GOLD MEDAL SELECTION: Residents celebrate on Copacabana beach after Rio de Janeiro won the bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.

TRAGIC: Rising New Zealand Warrors star Sonny Fai who drowned at beach off Auckland.

COMEBACK PLANNED: Belgium's seven-times grand slam winner Justine Henin addresses a news conference to announce that she was coming out of retirement to compete again in professional tennis.

GENDER TEST: South African Caster Semenya's win in the women's 800m final at the world athletic championships has been shrouded ever since in a "gender testing" controversy which has yet to be clarified.

SMASHED HIM BRO: Code-switching rugby player Sonny Bill Williams made his professional boxing debut with a second round knockout over Garry ''The Baboon" Gurr in Brisbane.

PASSED: Former England football manager Bobby Robson died during 2009.

RULING THE TENNIS ROOST: Serena Williams ended the decade as she began it - number one in women's tennis with victories in 2009 that included Wimbledon and the Australia Open plus the season-ending WTA championships. Williams was also heavily fined and sanctioned for a tirade at lineswoman during the US Open.

THE MASTER: Argentina's Angel Cabrera celebrates a putt on his way to winning the US Masters golf title at Augusta.

TOP DRIVERS: World rally champ Sebastien Loeb (left) with world F1 champ Jenson Button with their trophies at a FIA gala awards night.

REMEMBERED: Brumbies celebrate the life of late team mate Shawn Mackay who died in Durban after being hit by a car in April.

SURPRISE PACKAGE: Auckland City's Adam Dickinson celebrates his goal with teammate Jason Hayne during their Fifa Club World Cup football match against Al Ahli at Mohammad Bin Zayed stadium in Abu Dhabi. Auckland City won two games at the tournament to finish fifth and win over NZ$2m.

HAPPIER TIMES: Tiger Woods with his wife Elin Nordegren earlier this year before claims of his extramarital affairs were revealed.

HOW IT ALL STARTED: A Florida Highway Patrol photo of damage to Tiger Woods' Cadillac SUV which was the catalyst to exposing the world's number one golfer's ''infidelities".

GAME FACES: A tense All Whites team before their World Cup playoff decider agains Bahrain in Wellington.

YOU BEAUTY... AGAIN: Mark Paston makes the penalty save that will go down in history as the All Whites beat Bahrain 1-0 to advance to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

TIME TO CELEBRATE: All Whites players and team staff pile on goalkeeper Mark Paston, celebrating qualifying for the 2010 World Cup after their 1-0 win over Bahrain.

BODY CHECK: New Zealand's Casey Williams keeps Jamaica's Simone Forbes away from the ball during the final of the world Fastnet tournament in Manchester.

WINNERS ARE GRINNERS: Silver Ferns squad members celebrate their victory in the final of the inaugural world Fastnet tournament in Manchester.

NOT THIS TIME: New Zealand's James Franklin makes an unsuccessful lbw appeal on Australia's Shane Watson during the Champions Trophy final in South Africa.

PUMPED: Australia's Brett Lee, watched by Kyle Mills, celebrates bowling New Zealand's James Franklin during the Champions Trophy cricket final in South Africa.

SIX AND OVER: Shane Watson celebrates his match-winning six which also brought up his century as Australia beat New Zealand by six wickets in the Champions Trophy final.

TROPHY TIME: Brett Finch and Billy Slater take the NRL Trophy to the people after their 23-16 NRL grand final win over Parramatta.

ICY COOL: Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy gets a Gatorade shower from his players after a 23-16 win over the Parramatta Eels in the NRL grand final.

LIGHTS OU: Shane Cameron cops a knock out punch from David Tua seven seconds into the second round of their bout in Hamilton.

OUT FOR THE COUNT: David Tua knocks down Shane Cameron in the first round.

ALL OVER: David Tua beats Shane Cameron in their heavyweight bout in Hamilton.

SHOCKING WIN: Shocking, in orange, wins the Melbourne Cup.

BACK TO SCALE: Shocking the winner of the Melbourne Cup ridden by Corey Brown returns to scale.

RANFURLY RAPTURE: The Stags defeated Canterbury 9-3 to claim the Ranfurly Shield for the first time in 50 years.

DAYLIGHT SECOND: Usain Bolt cruises home to win the 200m title at the World Athletic Championships and set yet another world record.

GOT TIME: Usain Bolt shows off his time after his record-breaking 19.19sec run in the men's 200 metres final at the World Athletics Championships.

CUP CHAMPS: The Brazil squad celebrates beating the USA in the Confederations Cup final.

ON TOP: New Zealand players celebrate their victory in the final of IRB Junior World Rugby Championship with a haka.

SIXTH TO SLAM: With his French Open triumph, Roger Federer became the sixth male player to win all four grand slam tournaments.

BEST ALL-TIME?: Roger Federer surpassed Pete Sampras for most grand slam titles with 15 at Wimbledon.

GOOD SPORTS: Juan Martin del Potro after preventing Roger Federer from winning his sixth straight US Open.

LE TOUR: Team Saxo Bank rider Andy Schleck and Astana rider and leader's yellow jersey Alberto Contador cycle up Mont Ventoux.

CHAMPION: US Open winner Juan Martin del Potro.

YELLOW GOLD: Astana rider and leader's yellow jersey Alberto Contador of Spain (centre) celebrates his overall victory on the podium after the final 21st stage of the 96th Tour de France.

IF THE GLOVER FITS: American Lucas Glover, holding the trophy aloft, is joined by members of the grounds crew after winning the US Open golf championship on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, New York.