The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

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

Sushi and Ito pair will play Jain and Ifte in the opening match of the men's doubles in the afternoon.

Chairman of the tournament's sponsors Bangla Perfumes Distributors Limited (BPDL) Faridul Hasan Chowdhury will inaugurate the 13-day meet at 5:15 pm while BPDL Chief Executive Officer Khandokar Nazrul Islam will also be present.

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.

The BPDL, the sole distributors of renowned French perfume brand 'Lacoste' is sponsoring the meet bearing all the expenses under arrangement with the Gulshan-based Club Amazon.

UNB, Sylhet

National University clinched double crown in the men's and women's events of the Inter-University Handball Competition winning their respective final matches at the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology here on Sunday.

National University beat Islamic University by 21-15 goals to emerge champions in the men's event after leading the first half 9-6.

In the women's event final, National University crushed Dhaka University by 16-2 goals after a 7-2 first half lead.

After the final matches, National University Vice Chancellor Waqil Ahmed distributed the prizes among the winners as chief guest. Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Vice Chancellor Dr. M Aminul Islam was, among others, present on the occasion.

UNB, Dhaka

League leaders Team North, with seven wickets in hand, need another 123 runs on the last day today (Monday) to win against Team East in the final round of the four-day Challengers Cup at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium.

Team East (309 for 9 (dec) in 1st innings, who resumed their second innings with overnight 78 for 4, were all out for 154 in 57.3 overs giving a challenging target of 356 runs for Team North in the second innings.

Mohammad Younus caused the major damage to the Team East innings grabbing six wickets for 34 runs while Mohammad Mamun took two for 42.

Team North, which were dismissed for paltry 108 runs in the first innings, opened their second innings today and staged a brilliant comeback scoring 233 for 3 in 63.4 overs at stumps on the third day on Sunday.

Openers Robin and Amit Majumder gave a solid start to the Team North innings putting up 161 runs in the first wicket.

Robin played the anchor role contributing unbeaten 110 runs facing 184 balls that featured 13 boundaries while Amit scored 76 runs off 142 balls with 13 fours and a six.

Brief score:

Team East- 309/9 (Dec) & 154/10 in 57,3 overs; Nazim 35, Rezaul 29, Prosenjit 21; Monjurul 19, Sakil 10, extras 14, Younus 6/34, Mamun 2/42, Fariduddin 1/27, Gazi Alamgir 1/32

Team North - 108/9 (dec) & 233/3 in 63.4 overs; Robin batting 110, Amit 76, Arman 23, Fariduddin 17, extras 7; Rezaul 2/59, Raihan 1/60.

In the day's other match at the BKSP in Savar, Team South were in commanding position against Team West taking an overall 271-run lead on the third day of the four-day affairs.

Team South (355 for 9 (dec) in 1st innings, opened their second innings today and were dismissed cheaply for 122 in 43 overs, but the huge first innings total still gave them a comfortable lead.

Earlier, replying to the Team South's huge first innings total, Team West resumed their first innings today with overnight 93 for 2 and were bundled out for 148 runs.

Team West opened their second innings in the afternoon and scored 58 for 5 in 20.3 overs at stumps on the third day yesterday.

Team South- 355 & 122/10 in 43 overs; Sumon 43*, Moniruzzaman 24; Muktar 5/32

Team West - 148 & 58/5 in 20.3 overs; Zubaer 19, Humayun 2/1, Giasuddin 2/13.

Team North leads the points table securing 28 points, followed by Team East (24 pts), Team West (10 pts) and Team South (8 pts), playing two matches each.

UNB, Dhaka

Abu Sufian Shakil of Biman emerged champion in the Prime Bank 10th International Rating Chess Tournament at the Bangladesh Chess Federation on Sunday.

Mohammad Ali of Leonine became second. Shakil and Ali each secured 8 points and later their position was decided by tie breaking system.

FM Mehdi Hasan Porag of Biman became 3rd with 7.5 points.

In the day's last round matches, Ali beat Porag, Shakil defeated Javed, Sagar beat Shamsul, Jamal outplayed Sohel while Robin beat Nahid.

Later, Prime Bank Limited chairman Azam J Chowdhury distributed prizes among the winners as chief guest.

Deputy Managing Director of Prime Bank Limited Nasiruddin Ahmed and former Bangladesh Chess Federation president Syed Sujauddin Ahmed were present at the function.

Some 122 players participated in the nine-round Swiss-League system meet.

Standings: Five players jointly secured 7 points each and placed Mahtabuddin Ahmed Robin fourth, Delwar Hossain fifth, Anuchuzzaman Jewel sixth, Minhazuddin Ahmed Sagar seventh and Jamal Ahmed eighth.

Reuters, New Delhi

India's Sachin Tendulkar became the second highest test run-scorer during the first test against Pakistan on Sunday.

Tendulkar, playing in his 142nd match, surpassed former Australian skipper Allan Border's aggregate of 11,174 runs when he reached 24 in the second innings on the fourth evening.

The batsman struck paceman Mohammad Sami for two fours in one over to reach 27 as India closed in on victory chasing a fourth innings target of 203.

Retired West Indies batsman Brian Lara heads the list with 11,953 runs from 131 matches.

Tendulkar holds the record for most test hundreds with 37.

UNB, Dhaka

After making a draw in the four-day tour opener, the Bangladesh U-19 team play the first one-day match against Pakistan U-19 team today (Monday) at the Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad.

The 2nd one-day match will be also held at the same venue on Wednesday (Nov 28).

After traveling back to Karachi, the two youth teams will play the 3rd one-day match on Dec 2 at the DHA Ground. The 4th one-day match will be held at the Quaid-e-Azam Park (Steel Mills Karachi) on Dec 5 and the 5th and last one-day match on Dec 7 at the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) ground.

UNB, Dhaka

Newly appointed national cricket coach Jamie Siddons arrived here Sunday from Australia to prepare the Bangladesh side ahead of their upcoming tour to New Zealand.

Siddons, who left here for Australia on October 30 after signing a two-year deal with the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), is expected to supervise the national camp from the 1st week of December.

Prior to the national camp, the former assistant coach of Australia will see the cricketers in action in the 6th round of the National Cricket League.

In the 6th round matches beginning on Tuesday, 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.

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Sunday formed a 21-member organising committee to conduct the three exhibition matches as well as a charity concert to raise funds for the cyclone-affected people.

The committee is headed by BFF president SA Sultan as chairman with Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan and Kazi Nabil Ahmed as co-chairmen, Manjoor Hossain Malu as member secretary and Col (retd) M Wali Ullah and Akbar Hossain as coordinators.

Other committee members are Monir Ahmed, Abdur Rahim, Sirajul Islam Bachchu, Shah Alam Chowdhury, Anwar Hossain Ujjal, Sayed Hasan Kanon, Amirul Islam Babu, Mozammel Haq Mukta, Golam Rasul Mollah, Golam Rabbani Helal, Azfar-uz-Zaman Suhrab, Alhaj Mokbul Hossain, Asaduzzaman Khasru, AKM Shafiqul Islam, and Arshad Ali.

The three exhibition matches, all featuring Abahani Limited and Mohammedan SC, will be held on December 3, 5 and 7 while the charity concert to be participated by leading singers of the country will be held on December 8 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

Reuters, Sydney

Former England captain David Beckham arrived in Australia on Sunday to join his LA Galaxy team preparing for the friendly match against A-League side Sydney FC on Tuesday.

Beckham, a second-half substitute in England's 3-2 Euro 2008 qualifying loss to Croatia in London on Wednesday, flew in by private jet.

"I'm very happy to be here. I've never been to this country before and it's somewhere I've wanted to visit for a long time," the 32-year-old Beckham told a news conference.

Beckham and the Galaxy squad are due to be presented to the crowd during halftime of Sunday evening's A-League match between Sydney and Queensland Roar.

Galaxy's new coach Ruud Gullit, U.S. international Landon Donovan, Sydney coach John Kosmina, captain Tony Popovic and the Australian team's Brazilian midfielder Juninho also attended the news conference.

The match on Tuesday at Sydney's Olympic Stadium will be Gullit's first in charge of the Major League Soccer team since being appointed this month. A crowd of 80,000 is expected to attend the game

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court Sunday stayed for two months further activities over the upcoming Premier Division Cricket League 2007-08 scheduled to begin in next January.

A Division Bench comprising Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice Farid Ahmed passed the stay order following a writ petition filed by Brothers Union Club.

The court also issued a Rule upon the Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM) to explain why its action relegating Brothers Union Club should not be declared without lawful authority.

Adv. Shamsuddin Babul appeared for Brothers Union Club.