The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Team East took an overall 279-run lead over Team North on the 2nd day of the final round four-day Challenger's Cup at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium (DCS) here Saturday.

After declaring the 1st innings at 309 for 9 in 112.3 overs, Team East scored 78 for 4 in 31 overs in their 2nd innings at stumps after Team North managed 108 for 9 in 34.4 overs in the 1st innings.

Reazul Islam batting on 8 and Debabrato Pal batting on 0 will resumed the 2nd innings of Team East today (Sunday).

Fariduddin Hasan, Gazi Alamgir, Mohammad Yunus and Mohammad Mamun took one wicket each.

Responding to Team East's 1st innings total of 309, Team North collapsed totally in their 1st innings as only two of their batsmen were able to reach the double figures.

Number three Arman Hossain remained not out with 71 facing 104 balls that featured 12 fours while opener Amit Majumder made 10.

Debabrato claimed four wickets for 28 runs while Raihanuddin took two for 17.

Earlier, Team East resumed their 1st innings with overnight 259 for 5 in 95 overs. Overnight batsman Salahuddin Ahmed scored 40 off 114 balls with five boundaries while Rezaul Islam made 26.

Pacer Gazi Alamgir grabbed four wickets for 55 runs in 20 overs while Mohammad Yunus took three wickets for 63 runs.

In the day's other match at the BKSP in Savar, Team South were in commanding position against Team West on the 2nd day as they declared their 1st innings at 355 for 9 in 141.5 overs.

In reply, Team West were trailing by 262 runs in the 1st innings scoring 93 for 2 in 38 overs at stumps on the 2nd day.

Opener Sanjay Chakraborty was batting on 52 scored off 107 with six fours while wicket keeper Kuntal Chandra was the other not out batsman with 8.

Ahsanullah Hasan took both the wickets for 11 runs.

Earlier, in the morning, Team South resumed their 1st innings with overnight 201 for 3 in 91 overs as Sumon Saha and Moniruzzaman took the field.

Sumon, who remained unbeaten on 53 on the 1st day, contributed 93 runs off 235 balls with eight fours while Moniruzzaman made 56 off 159 balls with six boundaries.

Number nine Rubaiyat Huq also came up with a handy 66 runs in the later part of the innings facing 88 balls that included five fours and a six.

Mohammad Akash and pacer Hasibul Hossain Shanto took three wickets apiece for 62 and 86 runs respectively.

Brief score:

Team East 1st innings - 309 for 9 in 112.3 overs, Shakil 130, Mominul 51, Proshenjit 11, Salahuddin 40, Rezaul 26, extras 16, Alamgir 4/55, Yunus 3/63, Fariduddin 2/38.

2nd innings - 78 for 4 in 31 overs, Prashenjit 21, Monirul 19, Rezaul batting 8, Debabrato batting 0, extras 11, Fariduddin 1/10, Alamgir 1/15.

Team North 1st innings - 108 for 9 in 34.4 overs, Arman batting 71, Amit 10, extras 5, Debabrato 4/28, Raihanuddin 2/17.

Team South 1st innings - 355 for 9 in 141.5 overs (dec.), Sumon 93, Moniruzzaman 56, Rubaiyat 66, Ashiqur 62, Wasiur 35, extras 36, Akash 3/62, Shanto 3/86, Rashedul 2/48.

Team West 1st innings - 93 for 2 in 38 overs, Sanjay batting 52, Kuntal batting 8, Rashidul 26, extras 3, Ahsanullah 2/11.

Sports Reporter

Inter-Club Tennis Tournament begins at the Club Amazon premises in Gulshan tomorrow (Monday).

Bangla Perfumes Distributors Limited, the sole local distributors of the renowned French perfume brand 'Lacoste', is sponsoring the meet bearing all the expenses under arrangement with the Gulshan-based Club Amazon.

A total of 12 Clubs including 6 foreign clubs participating in this tournament.

Six foreign clubs -- American Club, British High Commission Club, Nordic Club, Dutch Club, Australian Club and Bagha Club -- along with six local clubs -- Club Amazon, Old Cadet College Club, Gulshan Club, Officers Club, Gulshan Youth Club and Narayanganj Club -- will take part in the 13-day meet.

A total of 80 players, including 35 foreign nationals residing in Bangladesh, are expected to compete in the meet's five events -- men's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, mixed doubles and a special event for veterans above 55 years.

Chief Executive Officer of Bangla Perfumes Distributors Limited (BPDL) Khandokar Nazrul Islam disclosed the details of at a press conference at the VIP lounge of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) on Saturday. BPDL chairman Faridul Hasan Chowdhury also spoke on the occasion.

Replying to a question, the sponsors said they would try their best to continue the sponsorship in future as well.

The final match will be played on December 8 as scheduled.

Final fixture of the tournament will be announced tomorrow.

UNB, Dhaka

The cricketers, to be selected for Bangladesh national team's tour to New Zealand, will be able to play in the 6th round matches of the four-day Ispahani Mirzapore Tea 9th National Cricket League that begins Tuesday (Nov 27).

Bangladesh team for New Zealand tour is expected to be announced on Monday (Nov 26).

Newly appointed national cricket coach Jamie Siddons, who is due to arrive here today (Sunday), is scheduled to watch the cricketers in action during the 6th round matches of the four-day national league.

The training camp of the national team for the tour of New Zealand is now expected to begin in the first week of December next.

In the 6th round matches, league leaders Khulna Division (62 points) will play holders Dhaka Division (47) at the Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman Stadium in Khulna, Rajshahi Division (55) face lowly Sylhet Division (25) at the Narayanganj Osmani Stadium in Fatullah, while Chittagong Division (37) meet Barisal Division (46) at the BKSP ground in Savar.

AFP, New Delhi

Anil Kumble led a disciplined spin attack to keep India's hopes alive in an evenly poised opening Test against Pakistan at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground here on Saturday.

The new captain dismissed the top three batsmen to restrict Pakistan to 212-5 in the second innings. The tourists are now 167 ahead with five wickets in hand after conceding a 45-run lead.

Misbah-ul-Haq (29) and wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal (21), the last pair of specialist batsmen, were at the crease when bad light stopped play on the third day.

Pakistan will expect more from this duo to boost their chances of setting a challenging fourth-innings total on a wearing pitch. The pair have so far added 51 for the unbroken sixth wicket.

Misbah tried to ease the pressure with his bold hitting, striking two sixes in an over from off-spinner Harbhajan Singh. He was lucky to survive on one when Wasim Jaffer failed to hold a sharp chance at short-leg off Kumble.

Leg-spinner Kumble was brilliantly backed by Harbhajan, who took two wickets to help his team reduce Pakistan from a comfortable 114-1 to 161-5.

Pakistani leg-spinner Danish Kaneria earlier denied India a big lead with three wickets in 15 balls to finish with 4-59.

India were bowled out for 276 in reply to Pakistan's 231 after resuming at 228-6, with middle-order batsman Venkatsai Laxman remaining unbeaten with 72 off 135 balls with eight fours.

Pakistan neutralised India's slender advantage when left- handed Salman Butt (67) and Yasir Hameed (36) put on 71 for the opening wicket.

But Kumble restored India's fortunes when he had Hameed caught by a diving Laxman at silly mid-off in his opening spell before accounting for Younis Khan (23) and a well-set Butt.

The Indian captain, who finished with four wickets in the first innings, continued to trouble the Pakistani batsmen with clever variations on a slow turning track.

Kumble trapped Younis leg-before and then had Butt caught driving by Rahul Dravid at lone slip.

Butt was the most impressive Pakistani batsman as he dominated the Indian attack with rich strokeplay for more than a session, hitting 11 fours in his fifth half-century.

Harbhajan also kept pressure on the Pakistani batsmen as he held a return catch to dismiss Mohammad Yosuf (18) and then removed skipper Shoaib Malik (11).

Laxman, 57 overnight, and Kumble defied the Pakistani attack for more than an hour in the morning session before Kaneria struck in quick succession.

Kaneria broke a 54-run stand for the seventh wicket when he had Kumble (24) caught by Younis at first slip. The Indian skipper added 17 to his overnight score of seven.

India lost their last three wickets for 14 runs, with debutant seamer Sohail Tanvir dismissing Harbhajan (one), and Kaneria removing Zaheer Khan (nine) and Munaf Patel (nought) off successive deliveries.

Zaheer lofted Kaneria over long-on for the day's first six before falling off the next delivery, caught by Shoaib Akhtar at mid-on while attempting another big shot.

AFP, Johannesburg

Shaun Pollock took three wickets on his return to international cricket as South Africa beat New Zealand by three wickets in a Twenty20 international at the Wanderers Stadium Friday.

Veteran all-rounder Pollock, who was not selected for the Test series against the Black Caps, took three for 28 as New Zealand struggled to 129 for seven in their 20 overs.

AB de Villiers hit the only half-century of the match as South Africa made hard work of their reply before tailender Johan Botha hit a boundary off Kyle Mills to seal victory with one ball to spare.

De Villiers finished with 52 not out off 45 balls but South Africa got into a tangle against some accurate bowling by New Zealand spinners Daniel Vettori and Jeetan Patel towards the end of the match.

Pollock was quickly into the action after South Africa sent New Zealand in to bat. He took the first two wickets of Brendon McCullum and Jamie How and followed up by dismissing New Zealand captain Vettori in his second spell.

McCullum hooked a short ball for six in the third over but then slammed a fierce drive to JP Duminy at cover off the next delivery.

Scott Styris was the only New Zealand top order batsman to prosper, making 30 off 27 balls before being caught at mid-off by South African captain Graeme Smith off fast bowler Dale Steyn, who was selected for his 20-overs international debut after taking 20 wickets in two matches in the Test series.

All-rounder Mills gave the New Zealand innings some late sparkle with a hard-hit unbeaten 33 off 24 balls which included two straight sixes off Charl Langeveldt in the last three overs.

Jacques Kallis, who was controversially left out of South Africa's team for the World Twenty20 in September, returned to the South African team and opened the batting but made only four before being caught at fine leg.

Left-hander Duminy made a fluent 33 and South Africa seemed on course for an easy win before Duminy was deceived by Vettori and stumped by McCullum.

De Villiers survived a dropped catch by Mills at long-off against Vettori when he had five and the lapse proved costly for the tourists.

New Zealand were without all-rounder Jacob Oram and fast bowler Chris Martin, recovering from injury and illness respectively, were not included in the New Zealand team. It is hoped both will be fit for a three-match one-day international series starting in Durban Sunday.

AFP, Macau

Pete Sampras fired off his trademark powerful serve in a shock upset of world number one Roger Federer in Macau on Saturday to post his first win in their three-game Asian exhibition series.

The former US world champion came back strongly after defeats in Seoul and Kuala Lumpur, forcing the first break of the match in the ninth game of the second set and serving out for victory to win 7-6 (10-8), 6-4 in 70 minutes.

He won the first set on a tie-break after a tight affair that had gone with serve on a lightning-quick court.

Sampras, 36, said the level of play in the final match was high.

"It was very fast out there, very quick conditions. It was helping out my service games. I got going a little bit today and it could have gone either way in the first set."

The 26-year-old Federer praised his opponent's serve, saying he still could compete at the top five level in the world.

"We delivered a great level of play. Unfortunately I didn't win today but the surface was really quick and Pete was playing really well and hardly making any mistakes," he said.

Sampras, who won a record 14 Grand Slams, started the match strongly with his heavy serve, hitting two aces in the first game and never letting up.

He impressed at the net with his serve-volley game as the match continued to go with serve. Federer, currently on 12 Grand Slams, had two set points in the first set tie- break, but Sampras escaped and made his second set point count.

Serve continued to dominate at the start of the second set, with neither player looking likely to force the vital break. Federer pushed Sampras to deuce in game eight but the American produced an ace to get out of trouble and level it up at 4-4 before he broke Federer.

Both players hit 14 aces during the match. Sampras made 15 unforced errors to Federer's 13, while Sampras won 14 points at the net to Federer's six.

Their clash in the packed arena at Macau's Venetian resort was their third match in just five days, following the meetings in Seoul and Malaysia.

Federer won the first match in Seoul on Tuesday 6-4, 6-3 in 61 minutes.

The second clash, in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, was a closer affair over 90 minutes, with Federer emerging victorious after winning both sets on tie- breaks.

The two met only once on the ATP Tour, in the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2001, when Federer defeated the American in five sets.

The loss ended Sampras' remarkable reign at the All England Club. Sampras retired from professional tennis in 2002.

Reuters, Monaco

American sprinter Marion Jones was stripped of all her results since Sept 1. 2000 on Friday after admitting last month that she had taken banned drugs before winning five medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

The International Association of Athletics Federations' (IAAF) governing council ruled that all Jones's results since Sept. 1 2000 should be annulled and all her prize money returned.

"The IAAF Council further recommends to the IOC (International Olympic Committee) Executive Board to disqualify Ms Jones and the USA women's 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams from the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 and to insist on the return of all medals and diplomas," an IAAF statement said.

Jones, 32, won gold medals in the 100, 200 and 4x400 metres relay and bronze medals in the 4x100 and long jump in Sydney.

AFP, Sao Paulo

Luiz Felipe Scolari insisted Friday that he intends to see out his contract as Portugal coach despite being linked with the vacant England manager's job.

The former Brazil coach said that he had not been in contact with the Football Association (FA) and had not received an offer after the sacking of Steve McClaren following England's failure to qualify for the Euro 2008 finals.

"My contract with the Portugal Football Federation runs out in July 2008. I am very happy in Portugal," he said, after a meeting with Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. "I am very satisfied that, once again, Portugal have qualified for the Euro 2008."

Scolari met with Lula to discuss the setting up of a commission aimed at stemming the exodus of Brazilian footballers to foreign clubs.

The 2002 World Cup-winning coach has been personally invited by Lula to contribute to the commission which will hold its first meeting next year.

"The commission will meet for the first time at the beginning of next year to discuss ideas suggested by the president and clubs to stem the flight of the stars," said Scolari.