1.   And yet ... hope flickers.

2.   Unit survives, Junior is near and hope flickers.

3.   When he walked to the mound our hopes flickered.

4.   With each purchase, hope flickered briefly, only to be extinguished by the leaden, potato-stuffed football in my hand.

5.   Australian hopes flickered briefly on Monday morning when Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie took three quick wickets, leaving New Zealand in danger of having to follow on.