The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Holders Dhaka Division need 242 runs with eight wickets in hand for victory in the 1st round four-day match of the Ispahani Mirzapore Tea 9th National Cricket League against Khulna Division on the 4th day today (Monday) at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

Chasing a target of 314 runs, the reigning champions were 72 for 2 in 30 overs in their 2nd innings when the bails were drawn for the 3rd day on Sunday. Opener Javed Omar and skipper Mohammad Ashraful were batting on 29 and 3 runs respectively.

Left-arm national spinner Abdur Razzak and medium pacer Syed Rasel shared the two wickets for Khulna Division.

Earlier, in the morning, Khulna Division resumed their 2nd innings with overnight 58 for 2 in 26 overs and were dismissed for 184 in 75.3 overs when the tea break was called.

Former national skipper Habibul Bashar, who was batting on 22 Saturday, contributed innings highest 67 runs off 166 balls with five fours while another overnight batsman Tushar Imran scored 2nd highest 43 off 111 balls that featured four fours.

Right-arm pacer Mohammad Sharif claimed four wickets for 38 runs in 20 overs while spinner Mosharraf Hossain Rubel grabbed three wickets for 32 runs. Veteran Mohammad Rafique took two wickets for 26 runs.

In another match at the Rajshahi Divisional Stadium, the hosts were in formidable position scoring 301 for all in 128.5 overs in their first innings today with skipper Khaled Mashud Pilot topscoring 82 runs off 241 balls that featured six fours.

Overnight batsman Pilot added another 32 runs today while another overnight batsman Delwar Hossain made 40 off 96 balls with four fours.

Rezaul Huq, pacer Tapash Baishya and left-arm spinner Enamul Huq Jr. took two wickets each while Alok Kapali and Nabil Samad took one wicket apiece.

Trailing by 160 runs in the first innings, visiting Sylhet Division started their 2nd innings to finish the 3rd day on 167 for 4 in 63 overs to take an overall lead of seven runs.

Skipper Rajin Saleh remained unbeaten scoring his first half- century (53 runs off 130 balls with nine fours) while wicket keeper Mushfiqur Rahim made not out 22.

Medium pacer Farhad Reza, Delwar Hossain and Mohammad Shahzada shared the three wickets for the runners-up team.

In another match at the Bogra Shaheed Chandu Stadium, two useful fifties from opener Tamim Iqbal and number five Nazimuddin enabled Chittagong Division to take overall 209-run lead against Barisal Division.

Chittagong Division finished the 3rd day scoring 307 for 9 in 106 overs in their 2nd innings after resuming the day with overnight 34 for no loss in 16 overs.

Number five Nazimuddin topscored 79 runs off 129 balls with 11 fours and two sixes while overnight batsman Tamim made 2nd highest 60 off 134 balls with eight fours.

There were also some handy contributions from number three Nafees Iqbal 34, skipper Ehsanul Huq Shezan 28, Gazi Salahuddin 26 and Aftab Ahmed 22.

Sajedul Islam and Talha Jubair scalped three wickets each for 61 and 76 runs respectively while Tariqul Islam took two wickets.

Earlier, Barisal Division scored 274 runs in their first innings replying to Chittagong Division's 1st innings total of 176.

Khulna Vs Dhaka:

Khulna - 303/9 (dec) & 184/10 in 75.3 overs; Nazmus 3, Imrul 0, Tushar 42, Habibul 67, Shakib 2, Sahagir 15, Jamal Babu 0, Mashrafe 31, Razzak 4, Dollar 9, Rasel 3*; Sharif 4/38, Mosharraf 3/32, Rafique 2/26, Shahadat 1/49

Dhaka - 174 & 72/2 in 30 overs; Anwar 4, Al Shahriar 24, Javed 29*, Ashraful 3*; Razzak 1/12, Rasel 1/20

Chittagong Vs Barisal:

Chittagong 176/10 & 307/9 in 106 overs; Nazimuddin 79, Tamim 60, Nafees 34, Saju 0*, Ashiqur 0*; Talha 3/76, Sajidul 3/61, Tarikul 2/88

Barisal 1st innings 274/10 in 92 overs; Shahriar 79, Sajidul 64*, Talha 31; Tarek Aziz 5/80, Ashiqur 2/63

Sylhet Vs Rajshahi:

Sylhet 141/10 & 167/4 in 63 overs; Imtiaz 23, Golam Rahman 15, Golam Mabud 12, Alok 35, Rajin 53*, Mushfiqur 22*; Farhad 1/14, Delwar 1/35

Rajshahi 1st innings - 301/10 in 128 overs; Khaled Mashud 82, Johirul 67, Delwar 40; Rezaul 2/38, Tapash 2/53, Enamul 2/82

AFP, Tokyo

Gamba Osaka trounced Ventforet Kofu 5-0 on Sunday to reduce defending champions Urawa Red Diamonds' lead at the top to six points in the J-League with five games to go.

Takahiro Futagawa produced a pin-point pass for Shinichi Terada to open the scoring in the fourth minute.

Six minutes later Futagawa again sent a floating ball to Brazilian striker Magno Alves, who shook off a defender to strike home a right-footer for a 2-0 lead.

Futagawa went from provider to scorer in the 38th minute when he exchanged passes with Terada before firing home.

Terada and Masafumi Maeda wrapped up a comfortable victory with goals in the 73rd and 84th minutes.

"I think we controlled the game pretty well. Hopefully, we can play a game like this in the remaining five games and continue to put pressure on Urawa," said Osaka coach Akira Nishino.

In the only other game on Sunday, Brazilian Lucas netted a 57th-minute goal from close range to give FC Tokyo a 1-0 win over Nagoya Grampus Eight.

Urawa beat JEF United Chiba 4-2 on Saturday to keep a safe distance between themselves and Osaka.

Also on Saturday, third-placed Kashima Antlers beat Iwata 3-1, Shimizu S-Pulse downed Yokohama Marinos 2-0, Niigata lost to Kawasaki Frontale 4-3 and Kashiwa lost 2-1 to Oita Trinita.

Yokohama FC became the first team to be relegated this season after they crashed to a 3-0 defeat to Vissel Kobe.

AFP, Perth

Fiery Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela will head his country's bid to win the Hopman Cup in December here.

Chela, who is mainly remembered in Australia for a spiteful exchange with local star Lleyton Hewitt at the 2005 Australian Open, will team up with the glamorous Gisela Dulko to represent Argentina at the mixed teams event, which starts on December 29 at Burswood Dome.

It will be Dulko's third Hopman Cup appearance, while Chela will be making his debut at the event.

Chela has enjoyed a solid 2007, climbing back to 16th in the world rankings, just one place below his career-high achieved in 2004.

Tournament director Paul McNamee said it was important to have a South American presence in the event.

"The Hyundai Hopman Cup is the ITF International Mixed Teams Championship so it is a goal to have all the continents represented," he said.

"So few events exist where men and women can play side by side.

"South America has a number of great male players and a fantastic tennis tradition but the women are not so common-

Gisela Dulko is the only South American woman in the top 50.

"Juan is having a fantastic year and hasn't been to Perth before so he gives us the opportunity to showcase another top-20 player."

Dulko has won just one of her six singles matches in Perth, but she teamed up with Guillermo Coria to reach the 2005 final, where they were beaten by the Slovakian pairing of Daniela Hantuchova and Dominik Hrbaty.

The 22-year-old Dulko is ranked 37 in the world.

AFP, Colombo

Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene said on Sunday that winning the Test series in Australia mattered more than ace spinner Muttiah Muralitharan going for the world record.

Off-spinner Muralitharan needs just nine more wickets in next month's two Tests in Australia to break the retired leg-spinner Shane Warne's world mark of 708 wickets.

"I've spoken to Murali and his sentiments are that he will break the record whether it will be in Australia or elsewhere," Jayawardene told the Colombo-based Nation newspaper.

"For him, the Australian tour is about performing well and winning. Down the line, if he can break the record it will be great, but even if he doesn't break it, it is not an issue for us."

Muralitharan will have three more Tests against England at home in December to achieve the feat in 2007 if he fails to set the record in Australia.

Sri Lanka may not have won a Test match in Australia but Jayawardene said his side had the bowlers to end the drought.

"The best chance we have got would be right now because we have a good bowling attack," he said. "We feel that with the attack we've got, we can take 20 wickets. That's the most important thing in winning a Test match.

"The last time (in 2004) we were there, we drew a Test match. I think we are getting closer and closer. Mentally, we are a very strong unit and the guys have developed themselves very well."

Jayawardene said his team was better-prepared to test top-ranked Australia since they had tasted successes in away matches in recent years.

"We've done that in England and New Zealand. Our next goal would be to do that in Australia," he said.

"We have given responsibility to individuals and over a period of time they've realised that they are responsible for their performances.

"It is not just oriented around a few players, everyone has to contribute.

"We've given them that confidence. That's why we've started performing well overseas on a consistent basis. If we can keep that mentality and a strong mind frame, our chances are very good."

The Sri Lankan captain said Australia would still be formidable despite the absence of their match-winning bowling duo of Glenn McGrath and Warne, who quit Test cricket early this year.

"The bowlers they have are a good unit but not as experienced as when they had McGrath and Warne. They are still a very good all-round side. We have to respect that and challenge them in all departments," said Jayawardene.

Sri Lanka leave for Australia on Tuesday with the first Test starting in Brisbane on November 8. The second Test will be played in Hobart from November 16.