The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh National Cricket Academy team begins their Australia tour with the Institute Challenge one-day competition as they play Western Australia in their first match today (Monday) at the Marrara Cricket Ground 2.

The visiting Academy team will face New South Wales in the 2nd one-day match on Aug 28 (Tuesday) at Palmerston, meet Queensland Academy of Sports in the 3rd match on Aug 30 at Kahlin and the Australian Cricket Academy team in the 4th match on Aug 31 at Marrara Cricket Ground 1.

Then in the Crocodile Cup, the Academy team will play a three-day match against Tasmania on September 2-4 at the University Ground while they will play the 5th and last one-day match against Northern Territory Strike at the Marrara Cricket Ground on Sept 7.

The National Cricket Academy team will round off their tour with a four-day fixture against Northern Territory Strike at the University Ground on Sept 10-13.

Earlier, the Academy squad led by opener Mehrab Hossain Jr. left for Australia on August 23 after undergoing eight-week preparations in three phases-fitness training, skill development and match practices.

As part of the preparations, the Academy side played two twenty20 practice matches and a 40-over-a-side match against the South Africa-bound national team and conceded defeat on all three occasions.

The national side won the first match by 60 runs, the 2nd by five wickets and the 3rd match by 16 runs.

BCB Academy team: Mehrab Hossain Jr. (captain), Nasiruddin Faruk (vice captain), Naim Islam, Sahagir Hossain Pavel, Dhiman Ghosh, Dollar Mahmud, Suhrawardi Shuvo, Jahirul Islam Omi, Talha Jubair, Nazmul Hossain, Raqibul Hasan, Musharraf Hossain Rubel, Mahbubul Alam Robin and Imrul Kayes.

Officials: Khaled Mahmud Sujon (manager cum coach), Minhazul Abedin Nannu (bating coach), Wahidul Gani (bowling coach), Shane McDermot (trainer) and Bayazid Islam Khan (physio).

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh Green team led by Mashrafee Bin Mortaza beat Bangladesh Red team led by Mohammad Ashraful by nine runs in the third practice Twenty20 match at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Sunday.

Earlier, Bangladesh Red team tasted two defeats in the two practice Twenty20 match by Bangladesh Green team at the same venue.

Electing to bat first, Bangladesh Green team made 134 runs for the loss fo six wickets in the stipulated 20 overs and then they restricted Bangladesh Red team to 125 for the loss of six wickets off 20 overs.

Junaed Siddiqui of Bangladesh Green team to-scored with 36 runs while Tamim Iqbal and Aftab Ahmed made 27 runs each.

Later, opener of Bangladesh Red team Alok Kapali notched up a remarkable 68 off 64 but his teammates failed to use that advantage.

Farhad Reza of Bangladesh Red team was the other remarkable scorer who cracked 26 off 18 balls.

Later, another practice Twenty20 match between Bangladesh Red and Bangladesh Green was washed out due to heavy rainfall.

Bangladesh Red scored 54 for the loss of four wickets off nien overs before rain washed out the match.

Nazmimuddin of Bangladesh Red remained undefeated with 28 before it started to rain.

Mohammad Ashraful failed again scoring just five runs.

Mashrafee Bin Mortaza removed Mohammad Ashraful's wicket

Ashraful scored just three run's in the day's first Twenty20 match.

UNB, Dhaka

An 18-member Bangladesh national Hockey team, led by Issa Miah, leaves for India today (Monday) to take part in the 7th Men's Asia Cup Hockey to be held in Chennai from August 31 to September 9.

Bangladesh will play their first group match against Thailand on Aug 31, the 2nd against China on September 1, the 3rd against Sri Lanka on Sept 3, the 4th against India on Sept 4, and the 5th and last group match against Korea on Sept 6.

The final match of the competition will be held on Sept 9.

Bangladesh have been placed in Pool B of the 11-team Asia Cup along with Korea, India, China, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The other five teams, grouped in Pool A, are Pakistan, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and hosts Malaysia.

"We want to win at least two matches against Thailand and Sri Lanka," national hockey coach Mahbub Harun said while talking to UNB at the practice ground on Sunday.

He further said that they want to finish 6th in the meet as against the 8th in the last Asia Cup.

Bangladesh will play only one practice match against Pakistan on Tuesday (Aug 28) before the tournament starts.

Bangladesh national team made their final practice under the supervision of coach Mahbub Harun at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium this (Sunday) afternoon.

Squad: Issa Miah (captain), Zahid Hossain (vice captain), Mahbub Ullah Shakil, Mamunur Rahman Chayan, Yamin Hossain, Shamsuddin Tuhin, Mustafizur Rahman Dinar, Imran Hossain Pintu, Tabib A Noor, Khandaker Hasan Ahmed, Shahidullah Titu, Qamruzzaman Rana, Rahul Kanti Roy, Mosharraf Hossain Kuti, Russell Mahmud Jimmy, Zahidul Islam Rajon, Zahid Bin Talib Shuvo and Iqbal Nader Prince.

Sports Reporter

Mr. P N Iyer, M D of Holcim (Bangladesh) Ltd is seen receiving crest from Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury, ndc,psc, Principal Stuff Offices, Armed Forces Division on the occasion of" Holcim and Golf Members Tournament - 2007". Major General Abdul Wadud, Commandant, MIST and other high officials of Bangladesh Army are also seen in the picture.

The two day long "Holcim & Golf Member Tournament-2007" has just been completed with due enthusiastic and exciting manner. Major General Abudul Wadud, Commandant, Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) has inaugurated this golf tournament at Army Golf Club, Dhaka by flying balloons on 17th August 2007. About 225 golfers both from army and civil have participated this tournament

Holcim, having presence over 70 countries in all continents throughout the world has long tradition of encouraging game and sports wherever it operates business. With this view in mind, Holcim organised the first Golf Tournament at Bogra Golf Club in 2005. After that the second tournament was just held at Army Golf Club in Dhaka.

The programme was ended by celebrating a grand Prize Distribution Ceremony at Kurmitola Golf Club, Dhaka Cantonment' on 18th August 2007. Lieutenant General Masud Uddin Chowdhury, ndc, psc, Principal Staff officer, Armed Forces Division atend the prize distribution ceremony as the Chief Guest and gave away the prizes among the winners. General Masud in his Chief Guest's address welcomed all the participants of the event and congratulated the winners and thanked Holcim for sponsoring such large Golf Event

Mr. P N Iyer, Managing Director of Holcim (Bangladesh) Ltd in his speech congratulated all the winners of the tournament and expressed gratitude to the authority of Army Golf Club for giving opportunity to organise this tournament Mr Iyer also announced sponsoring for two best Bangladeshi golfers to take part "Holcim Regional Golf Tournament" in Bangkok in November 2007. "The Grand Prize Distribution Ceremony was supposed to be ended with cultural show, but considering the devastating flood, the proposed cultural show was cancelled and equivalent money to be spent for cultural show, was donated for the flood victim of the country", a high official of Holcim expressed.

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has named Shah Sports & Co. as the new clothing sponsor of the Bangladesh national cricket team for the ensuing ICC twenty20 World Championship in South Africa.

The Board recently went through a tendering process to select the new clothing sponsor after the previous contract with the Ihsan Sports had expired.

But there was no response to the tender and the Board had to find the sponsor through negotiations.

According to a BCB source, Shah Sports & Co., an ICC approved manufacturer, have landed the rights after fruitful discussion with the Board.

UNB, Dhaka

Orissa women's football team drubbed BFF Women XI by 4-0 goals in the third exhibition match at the Narayanganj Khan Saheb Osman Ali Stadium on Sunday.

The 4th and last exhibition match between the two teams will be held today (Monday) at the Bangabandhu National Stadium at 5 pm. Sports Adviser Tapan Chowdhury will be the chief guest at the closing ceremony and distribute the prizes.

Earlier, in the opening match on August 21, the hosts forced the tourists to a goalless draw at the Dhanmondi Women Sports Complex on Friday, but lost 0-2 in the second exhibition match at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chitagong on Saturday.

UNB, Dhaka

National Sports Council (NSC) chairman and Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed has deeply condoled the death of country's renowned sports personality Kazi Abdul Aleem.

Aleem, a renowned athlete, trainer and organiser, breathed his last on Saturday at the age of 78.

In a condolence message, the NSC chairman said that a large vacuum has been created in the country's sports arena with the sad demise of Kazi Abdul Aleem.

In his long career, late Aleem received the National Sports Award in 1977, the Independence Day Award in 1993 and the UNESCO Award in 2004.

Aleem also acted as general secretary of Bangladesh Sports Control Board, principal of the Physical Training College and as the founding publisher and editor of national sports magazine 'Krirajagat'.