The New Nation - Internet Edition

An ecstatic media revelled Tuesday in India's surprise triumph in the first World Twenty20 Championship, predicting the start of a golden era for the cricket-crazed nation.

"We are the world", "Top of the world", "Superpower: India 2020" screamed the headlines on India's five-run win Monday night against Pakistan.

The Hindustan Times devoted its entire front page to a huge photo of the Indian players celebrating the historic victory in Johannesburg.

A blow-by-blow account followed on page after page interspersed with huge photos of the key moments of the thriller watched by millions of Indians on television.

"Pakistunned" said The Times of India, lavishing praise on the high-octaine brand of cricket played by new, one-day skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his young team.

"It was a fiting finale to a tournament that has been high on thrills, and a fiting triumph for a team that believed in itself when hardly anybody else did," the popular daily said.

Even the leading economic daily "The Economic Times" splashed the story on its front page and praised Dhoni and "Incredible India."

"Young India is playing with a straight bat t young blood, young resilience and the young at heart never-say-die atitude," it gushed.

The Indian Express drew parallels from India's only World Cup victory in 1983.

"Like 24 years ago, no one expected India to win this trophy. This team has virtually done the impossible," it said.

Dhoni, in his first stint as Indian captain, took applause from veteran stars Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly.

"Dhoni led the team to a fabulous victory and I can say Indian cricket is in safe hands," Tendulkar told reporters.

"Dhoni is special. We needed a leader like Dhoni," said former skipper Ganguly.

The spoils of victory added up to a whopping seven million dollars for India, but broadcaster ESPN hit the real jackpot

"ESPN-Star Sports which gambled with an astonishing 1.1 billion dollar bid last year to win the ICC rights for the next eight years, has earned Rs 200 crore (50 million dollars) from the Twenty20," said The Economic Times.

Sports Reporter

The National Cricket League will be held from October 5. Earlier the league was scheduled to be held from October 3.

National Cricket League, the country's lone first class cricket meet will be held on four-dayer match basis followed by one-dayer matches.

The champions of the league will awarded Tk 10 lakh while the runners-up will be given Tk five lakh and the third place winner will get Tk three lakh.

The participant player of each team will get Tk ten thousand for every match. Besides, Man of the Match player of the Tournament and more other prizes will be given to the players of the league.

A total of six divisions will take part in the National Cricket League, the prestigious cricket meet of the country. They are: Rajshahi Division, Dhaka Division, Chitagong Division, Barisal Division, Khulna Division and Sylhet Division.

Khaled Mashud will lead Rajshahi Division, Mohammad Ashraful will lead Dhaka Division, Ehsanul Haque will lead Chitagong Division, Shahriar Nafees will lead Barisal Division, Habibul Bashar will lead Khulna Division and Rajin Saleh will lead Sylhet Division.

The budget of the league has been estimated at Tk five crore. Ispahani Mirzapur Tea Company will sponsor the meet The sponsor organisation has given Tk Thirty five lakh to Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) as the company will sponsor the league. BCB will bear rest of the expenditure from own resources.

UNB, Dhaka

The national booters will return here Wednesday night from Cox's Bazar after taking part a practice camp under the supervision of Indian coach Syed Nayeemuddin.

They are likely to go for the second phase practice camp on Sept 29 at BKSP, Savar.

Bangladesh will play a world cup pre-qualifying round home and away basis matches against strong Tajikistan on October 8 and 28 respectively.

After the engagements, the booters will take part in the two international soccer meets -- Grand Royal Challenge cup and SAFF championship -- in Myanmar and Sri Lanka in November and December.

UNB, Dhaka

Chitagong Division drubbed Jhenidah DSA by 14-0 goals in the Araf Apparels 21st National Youth Hockey Competition at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium here on Tuesday. The winners led the first half 7-0.

Mohammad Azimuddin and Nizamuddin scored four goals each for the winners. Yasin Kamal struck thrice while Ashiqur Rahman, Mohammad Mahfuzur Rahman and Shawkat Hossain neted one goal apiece in the one-sided match.

In another match, Joypurhat DSA crushed Rangpur DSA by 8-0 goals after enjoying a 4-0 lead in the first half.

Skipper Taufiqul Islam, Ariful Islam and Ibne Halaku scored two goals each for Joypurhat DSA while Nazmul Hasan and Mohammad Sohel Rana shared the other two goals.

In another match, Chitagong DSA posted a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Gazipur DSA after leading the first half 2-0.

ATM Kawsar struck twice while Uzzal Das neted the other for Chitagong DSA. Shanto and Tushar neted for Gazipur DSA.

The day's other match between Tangail DSA and Gaibandha DSA ended in a goal-less draw.

Sports Reporter

Notre Dame College emerged as the champions of the Foamex Foam First College Rugdy Competition as they defeated Imperial College by 18-3 points in their last Super League clash at the Paltan Maidan on Tuesday.

The winners led the first half 5-0.

Nuel of Notre Dame College top-scored with 10 points.

Teachers Training College became runners-up while Imperial College finished third in the rugby meet

After the match CEO of Bangladesh Olympic Association Colonel (Retd) Md Wali Ullah distributed the prizes among the winners as the chief guest while Managing Director of Tajin Group Nazmul Hasan Chowdhury Pintoo was along with him as the special guest President of Bangladesh Rugby Association Khondker Jamil Uddin, General Secretary of the association Md Moushum Ali, Secretary of the Tournament Commitee Md Sirajul Islam were present at the time.

Sports Reporter

The relegation league of the Premier Division Cricket League begins on October 4. Indira Road KC will face Brothers Union at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in the first match of the league. The other team of the league is City Club.

It may be mentioned that the officials of Indira Road KC, Brothers Union, City Club sent their leters to Cricket Commitee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM). In those leters the officials of the three clubs informed CCDM that their teams are not prepared to take part in the relegation league. Thus it is uncertain that the relegation league will be started in scheduled time.

AFP, Hangzhou

From bodyguarding Russell Crowe to working for David Beckham, most of the players at the women's World Cup have day jobs to pay the bills.

Women footballers don't pull in big money like their male counterparts and while representing their countries at the World Cup here is what they strive for, the reality is that many will return to mundane jobs.

Some deliver mail, others teach at schools or work in supermarkets.

Australia's rising star Thea Slatyer though can claim to have more exotic employment-bodyguard to the stars.

The 24-year-old works as a minder to household names when they visit Sydney.

According to the Sun-Herald, she holds a firearms licence and is a martial-arts expert and has kept close check on Crowe, American actress Mischa Barton and Australian models Elle Macpherson and Megan Gale.

"You do need to be able to take care of yourself as a bodyguard and I think that a lot of what I do, and my atitude towards the job, comes from playing soccer," she told the paper.

"Having instincts and reflexes that I've developed playing at an international level has helped me a lot as a bodyguard."

She is also a DJ and is working towards her pilot's licence.

England's Casey Stoney can also claim a celebrity connection

she is employed as a coach at the David Beckham Academy in London, honing the skills of teenage girls who possess the same dream as her - to play at the World Cup.

Norway's Ragnhild Gulbrandsen usually writes headlines but has been creating them herself here, helping her team into the semi-finals against Germany.

The striker is a journalist back home.

Among her colleagues in the Norway squad, Bente Nordby, Camilla Huse and Lene Storlokken are all school teachers, while Marit Fiane Christensen is a lawyer. England's Vicky Exley is more active, being a postwoman by trade, with her trawls through the streets to deliver mail helping build up her stamina.

Other occupations listed by players include zoo keeper and customs officer.

Japanese striker Eriko Arakawa has a more regular position -

a checkout girl in a supermarket in Tokyo.

"For every three days I work, I have six days off for football. The company has helped me to concentrate on football more than ever and I'm really happy with the arrangement," she told Fifa.com.

But not all the players at the World Cup have to leave football behind to earn a living.

Some of the biggest names in the game are involved year- round, including England's outstanding playmaker Kelly Smith who works for the club she represents-Arsenal.

"I'm lucky enough to work and play for Arsenal, so I get the best of both worlds," she said.

"I get to coach the youngsters, but I also get the time to train and get into the best possible shape for my club and for my country."