The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sports Reporter

The second round matches of the Ispahani Mirzapur Tea 9th National Cricket League (NCL) begin today at the different venues across the country.

Dhaka Division team will take on Sylhet Division team in a four-dayer match at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra while Rajshahi Division will face Barisal Division in a four-dayer match at the Rajshahi Divisional Stadium and Khulna Division will meet Chittagong Division in a four-dayer match at the Bir Sreshtha Matiur Rahman Stadium in Khulna.

The same sides will face each other in the one-dayer matches scheduled to be held on October 30.

Earlier, Dhaka Division drew with Khulna Division in the four-dayer match at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on October 22 while Barisal Division defeated.

Chittagong Division by five wickets in the four-dayer match at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra on October 22 and Rajshahi Division beat Sylhet Division by eight wickets in the four-dayer match at the Rajshahi Division Stadium on October 22.

Khulna Division gave upset to the holders Dhaka Division in the one-dayer match when Khulna Division beat Dhaka Division by 39 runs on October 23 while Chittagong Division defeated Barisal Division by eight wickets in the one-dayer match on October 23 and Rajshahi Division beat Sylhet Division by two wickets in the one-dayer match on the same day.

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh National Football team, which left here Wednesday, reached the Uzbekistan capital Tashkent early Thursday on way to Dushanbe, the Tajikistan capital.

Bangladesh will play their away match of the 2010 World Cup Pre-Qualifiers against hosts Tajikistan in Dushanbe on Sunday (Oct 28).

Bangladesh team, which played to a 1-1 draw against Tajikistan in their home match in Dhaka on October 8, needs at least a 2-2 draw in their away match to qualify for the next round.

On arrival in Tashkent, Bangladesh Ambassador Mohammad Hasib Aziz received the Bangladesh team at the airport. Bangladesh team spent the entire morning at the residence of Bangladesh Ambassador before leaving for Tajik border by road at 1pm.

The team is expected to reach Dushanbe at 5pm local time, said a BFF press release on Thursday.

Earlier, Bangladesh played four matches against Tajikistan where they managed only one draw (1-1 goals) in their home match in Dhaka on October 8.

The Bangladesh team suffered an identical 0-2 goals defeat in the prior home and away basis Pre World Cup qualifier matches and conceded a humiliating 1-6 goals defeat in the AFC Challenge Cup in Dhaka last year.

Bangladesh team comprises 16 booters and two officials.

Bangladesh team: Players - Biplob Battachariya, Mazharul Islam Himel, Wali Faisal, Rajani Kanta Barman, Hasan Al Mamun, Ariful Islam, Mahmudul Hasan, Amit Khan Shuvro, Arman Aziz, Abul Hossain, Zumratul Hossain Mithu, Zahid Hossain, Enamul Haque Sharif, Mohammad Robin, Zahid Hossain Emily and Saifur Rahman Moni.

Officials- Amirul Islam Babu (coordinator) and Syed Nayeemuddin (coach).

UNB, Dhaka

A seven-member Bangladesh cricket team, led by national skipper Mohammad Ashraful, left here for Hong Kong Thursday afternoon to take part in the two-day Hong Kong Cricket Sixes tourney that begins on Saturday (Oct 27).

Bangladesh, placed in Sobers Group of the 10-team meet with Australia, South Africa and All Stars team, will play their 1st match against Australia, 2nd match against South Africa and the 3rd match against All Stars team, all on Saturday.

Apart from Australia and South Africa teams, the All Stars team includes celebrated players like Anil Kumble (India), Shane Warne and McGrath (Australia), Brian Lara (West Indies), Heath Streak (Zimbabwe), Craig MacMillan (New Zealand) and Shahid Afridi (Pakistan).

For participation in the Hong Kong six-a-side meet, seven key players of Bangladesh team will miss the 2nd round four-day matches of the Ispahani Mirzapore Tea 9th National Cricket League, the country's lone first class cricket meet, slated for Oct 26-29.

Bangladesh team will return home on October 29.

Bangladesh team: Players- Mohammad Ashraful (captain), Aftab Ahmed Chowdhury, Abdur Razzak Raj, Dollar Mahmud, Mahmudullah Riyad, Nazmul Hossain Milon and Zunaed Siddiqui Imroze.

BCB member Lt Col (retd) MA Latif Khan accompanied the team as official.

Sports Reporter

SA Zaman Mukta, the renowned footballer of Azad Sporting Club has been admitted at the Dhaka Renal Centre and General Hospital (Cabin No-204) after being attacked by severe kidney disease. He is now under supervision of Dr Mohammad Rafiqul Alam.

SA Zaman Mukta was the founding member of Azad Sporting Club. He took part in the Dhaka First Division Football League in the fifties and sixties. He was also a prominent cricket player and eminent athlete. Mukta was the former General Secretary of Bangladesh Athletics Federation. He was awarded government sports award for his contribution of Bangladesh's sports.

The officials of Azad Sporting Club requested the citizens of Bangladesh for his early recovery from the disease.

The officials of Azad Sporting Club is seeking financial support from Ministry of Sports and National Sports Council to bear the expenditure of his treatment.

UNB, Dhaka

Tokai Stadium team and Tokai Mirpur team reached the final of the Orient Bread Tokai Kabaddi Tournament beating their respective rivals at the Outer Stadium Kabaddi court on Thursday.

The two teams will play the final today (Friday) at 3:30 pm. Managing Director of tournament sponsors Orient Bread Mahbubuzzaman will be the chief guest in the final and distribute the prizes.

In the day's matches, Tokai Stadium team outplayed Tokai Khilgaon team by 60-35 points with five creditable lonas while Tokai Mirpur team defeated Tokai Gulistan team by 45-30 points with three lonas, both in the afternoon.

Earlier, in the morning, Tokai Gulistan team beat Tokai Syedabad Terminal team by 55-24 points with six lonas while Tokai Khilgaon team crushed Tokai Paltan team by 63-30 points with four lonas.

AFP, Hong Kong

Cricket legend Shane Warne will play this weekend's Hong Kong Sixes as planned despite the death of a close friend, organisers said on Thursday.

Warne cancelled pre-tournament engagements here and delayed his arrival to attend the funeral of multi-millionaire entrepreneur John Ilhan, one of Australia's richest men.

"Shane was expected at a kids' cricket training clinic here today (Thursday), but he has delayed travelling to Hong Kong after this personal matter," a spokesman for the organisers said.

"We are 100 percent assured that Shane will be able to take full part in the weekend's games," he added.

At the event Warne will captain an all-star side consisting of Brian Lara, Glenn McGrath, Craig McMillan, Geraint Jones, Anil Kumble and Heath Streak.

Ilhan, the 42-year-old founder of a successful mobile phone franchise, died of a heart attack in Melbourne on Tuesday. He was a major supporter of Warne's charity work and a close personal friend. It was unconfirmed when Warne would travel to Hong Kong.

AP, Multan

South Africa's chances of clinching a one-day and test series double against Pakistan will be decided when they play a fourth one-day international on Friday.

South Africa trails 2-1 in the five-match series, having already won the test series, and must win Friday to keep the series alive.

"We really want to go home with the ODI series as well," coach Mickey Arthur told reporters Thursday. "It's a final for us, a do or die game."

"We've set our team big goals on this trip and we've ticked the box in terms of the test (matches)."

South Africa has lost successive matches to a rejuvenated Pakistan.

The visitors struggled to form strong partnerships in the middle overs of the past two games. Experienced batsman Jacques Kallis, who scored 421 runs in two tests, has made only 21 runs in the series so far.

"Hats off to Pakistan for bowling well in the middle overs and that's where they have won the games," Arthur said.

"Jacques is a fantastic player, we are backing him to come out and score tomorrow."

South Africa has struggled to cope with Pakistan spinners on slow wickets at Lahore and Faisalabad. Captain Graeme Smith is the top-scorer for them in the last two matches - but his dogged 65 off 96 balls in the second game came only after three dropped chances.

"It's up to us to counter the pitches," Arthur said. "They (Pakistan) realized their strengths were in the spin department and it was one area they felt they could take advantage.

"They've prepared wickets according to that." The Pakistan Cricket Board has shifted the fifth and final one-day international (Oct. 29) from Karachi to Lahore after South

Africa expressed security concerns following a suicide bombing that killed at least 139 people in the port city last Thursday.

"It has not distracted the players at all. Pakistan played better than we have in the last two games," Arthur said.

"That's (security) been dealt with really well by the management. Players and myself are really satisfied that the correct procedures were followed."

Pakistan has injury worries over his two key bowlers: paceman Mohammad Asif (elbow) and left-arm spinner Abdul Rehman (groin).

"We are not overconfident," Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik said. "All the players are backing each other and I hope we can beat them," he added.

Asif is yet to bowl in the one-day series since injuring his bowling elbow during the second test at Lahore earlier this month while Rehman picked up groin injury during Pakistan's 25-run win at Faisalabad on Tuesday.

"They will go through a fitness test before the match tomorrow," Malik said.