The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

One-day league leaders Rajshahi Division also took joint lead with Khulna Division in the four-day Ispahani Mirzapore Tea 9th National Cricket League beating Barisal Division by six wickets in a 7th round match on Saturday.

In the day's other two matches, hosts Chittagong Division settled for draw with 4-day league leaders Khulna Division while holders Dhaka Division also drew with Sylhet Division.

After the 7th round matches, Rajshahi and Khulna share the top slot with 80 points, followed by Chittagong Division (65), holders Dhaka Division (62) and Barisal Division (55). Sylhet Division remained at the bottom with 44 points.

Chasing 148 runs to win against Barisal Division, last time runners-up Rajshahi Division resumed their second innings with overnight 99 for 1 and easily reached the target making 148 for 4 in 54.4 overs at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra

Rajshahi Division, who scored 204 runs in the first innings, dismissed Barisal Division for 182 in the 1st innings and 169 in the 2nd innings to lay the ground for their 4th outright victory.

Night watch opening batsman Jahirul Islam (overnight 65) contributed 111-ball 74 runs with 11 fours and a six while another night watch batsman (19) scored not out 37 off 150 balls with five fours.

Pacer Sajedul Islam claimed three wickets for 28 runs in 16 overs with seven maidens while Talha Jubaer took one wicket for 36 runs.

Alamgir Kabir of Rajshahi was adjudged man of the match.

Barisal vs Rajshahi:

Barisal Division - 182 & 169/10 in 70.4 overs; Hannan 23, Shahriar 65*, Imran 6, Raqibul 8, Tarikul 9, Raisul 27, Kamrul 0, Arafat 5, Shaheen 5, Sajidul 8, Talha 9; Saqlain 4/29, Shahzada 3/45, Mahbub 2/5, Alamgir 1/48

Rajshahi Division 204 & 148/4 in 54.4 overs; Jahirul Islam 74, Farhad Hossain not out 37, Nayeem Islam not out 9, Sajidul Islam 3/28 and Talha Jubear 1/36.

At the Bir Shreshtha Ruhul Amin Stadium in Chittagong, hosts Chittagong Division, having a 77-run first innings lead, resumed their second innings today with overnight 134 for 7 and declared at 229 for 9 in 75.3 overs.

Two down batsman Nazimuddin, who resumed batting with 48 runs, and made the 14th century in the league with not out 121 runs off 193 balls with eleven fours and six sixes.

Pacer Ziaur Rahman claimed three wickets for 74 runs while Murad Khan and Rabiul Islam took two wickets each for 46 and 63 runs.

In reply, Khulna Division (282 in first innings), which opened the second innings today, made 188 for 5 in 59 overs at stumps on the fourth and final day to hold Chittagong to a draw.

Former national skipper Habibul Bashar scored a half-century with just 50 runs off 114 balls that featured three fours.

Yasin Arafat claimed three wickets for 54 runs in 16 overs with two maidens.

Chittagong vs Khulna:

Chittagong Division - 359 & 229/9 (dec) in 75.3 overs; Gazi Salauddin 12, Nafees Iqbal 9, Mahbubul Karim 26, Ehsanul Haque 15, Kamrul Islam 11, Nazimuddin not out 121, Ziaur Rahman 3/74, Murad Khan 2/46, Robiul Islam 2/63.

Khulna Division - 282 & 188/5 in 59 overs; Habibul Bashar 50, Nahidul Haque 37, Nazmus sadat 36, Sanjoy not out 30, Mustafizur rahman 13, Imrul Kayes 10, Yasin Arafat 3/54, Saju Ehsanul Haque 1/31, Dutta 1/39.

Sports Reporter

The Total Victory Day Basketball Tournament begins today at the Mirpur Shaheed Suhrawardy Indoor Stadium. Bangladesh Basketball Federation (BBF) will arrange the basketball meet under auspices of Total Lubricants and Total Gas Company Limited.

Adviser to the Ministry of Youth and Sports Tapan Chowdhury will formally open the basketball tournament.

To mark the ensuing basketball meet, a press conference was held at the conference room of Bangabandhu National Stadium on Saturday. Vice-President of Bangladesh Basketball Federation and Convener of the Total Victory Day Basketball Tournament Committee Mahtabur Rahman Bulbul, Joint-Secretary of BBF and Member Secretary of the Total Victory Day Basketball Tournament Committee Syed Akhlas Hossain, Joint-Secretary of BBF and Convener of Media Committee Masud Mobaraki, Managing Director of Petroleum Products Limited Syed Ruhul Huq, Sales Manager of Total Lubricants Md Mujibur Rahman were present at the conference.

A total of nine teams splitting into two groups will take part in the basketball tournament. Bangladesh Army, Josephites Club, Bangladesh Air Force, Bangladesh Police, Eagles Club have been billed in Group A while Dhumketu Club, Bangladesh Navy, Bangladesh Rifles, BKSP have been placed in Group B.

AP, Bangalore

Yuvraj Singh and Sourav Ganguly slammed aggressive centuries to rescue India from a top-order slump on Saturday in the third and final test match against Pakistan.

Yuvraj hammered a career-best 169 and Ganguly posted an unbeaten 125, his second successive test hundred that bolstered India to 365 for five at stumps on the opening day.

India was tottering at 61 for four before Singh and Ganguly shared a record-shattering stand of 300 for the fifth wicket that kept alive India's dream of winning its first home test series against Pakistan in 28 years.

India last won a home series against Pakistan in 1979, but leads 1-0 in the current series after clinching the opening match by six wickets. The second test ended in a draw in the eastern city of Calcutta.

Singh and Ganguly, both left-handers, cut and drove with aplomb to launch a counter offensive against Pakistan's attack, surcharged by debutante Yasir Arafat's three-wicket burst that destroyed India's top order.

Ganguly's hundred was his 15th from 99 tests and the second against Pakistan in successive matches, while Singh's third century came in his 20th test appearance.

Playing in place for injured Mahendra Dhoni whose sprained ankle needs a week's rest, Singh leapt in joy when he reached his hundred with a cover-driven boundary off Arafat.

Singh's three centuries have all come against the subcontinental rival.

Ganguly's century came after the tea break, smashing part-time leg-spinner Yasir Hameed through the covers. That set the tenor for the evening session which saw the Indian batsmen amass 173 runs.

The Ganguly-Singh stand surpassed India's previous best fifth-wicket partnership of 200 against Pakistan, which was credited to Sandip Patil and Ravi Shastri since 1984.

It also eclipsed the top fifth-wicket partnership in India-Pakistan encounters between Pakistan's Zaheer Abbas and Mudassar Nazar, who put together 213 at Karachi in 1982.

Singh 4-1/4 hour knock contained 28 boundaries and a six off leg-spinner Danish Kaneria over mid-wicket.

Coming in when India was a shaky position, Singh stamped his authority by repeatedly dispatching paceman Mohammad Sami to the fence.

Sami (2-103) got his revenge when he returned to the attack with the second new ball. Singh failed to get hold of a bouncer that he top-edged to Faisal Iqbal at gully.

Ganguly also started scoring mainly with boundaries, 10 of which featured in his first fifty.

India's injury woes saw star batsman Sachin Tendulkar being left out after aggravating a knee injury during the second test.

Tendulkar's slot was filled by Gautam Gambhir, who was drafted into the squad Friday.

Pace bowler Sami induced an edge from opener Gambhir (5) to wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal before debutante pace bowler Yasir Arafat (3-98) wrecked the top order by dismissing Rahul Dravid (19), Wasim Jaffer (17) and V.V.S. Laxman (5) in quick succession.

Dravid perished to a slip catch by Misbah-ul-Haq when he chased an outgoing delivery to give Arafat his maiden test wicket.

Jaffer fell lbw as he shouldered arms to a straight ball from Arafat, while Laxman had his stumps shattered by one that kept low.

Pakistan's pace attack was hampered by the absence of spearhead Shoaib Akhtar, who went out of the ground soon after lunch complaining of back spasms. He was taken to a hospital, where a scan ruled out any serious injury.

Pakistan's team management said he may return to bowl on Sunday.

Sports Reporter

The seventh round of the one-dayer matches of the Ispahani Mirzapur Tea 9th National Cricket League (NCL) will be held today at the different venues of the country.

Dhaka Division will face Sylhet Division at the Narayanganj Osmani Stadium while Rajshahi Division will take on Barisal Division at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra and Khulna Division will meet Chittagong Division at the Bir Sreshtha Shaheed Ruhul Amin Stadium.

League leaders Rajshahi Division led the points table securing 12 points from six matches.

Dhaka Division and Khulna Division jointly took the second spot with six points each from as many outings.

Chittagong Division, Sylhet Division and Barisal Division earned four points each from their respective six matches.

UNB, Dhaka

Holders Dhaka DSA made a flying start in the 2nd Inter-District Women's Football Competition as they crushed Pabna DSA by 9-0 goals in an opening day's match at the Dhanmondi Women's Sports Complex here on Saturday.

Jahanara Akhter Janu of Dhaka DSA was adjudged the best player of the match.

In the day's other match, Rajshahi DSA earned a solitary goal victory over Satkhira DSA, also at the same venue. Nishu scored the all-important goal for the winners.

Jannatul Ferdous of Satkhira DSA was named the best player of the match.

Earlier, Women and Children Affairs Adviser Geeteara Safiya Chowdhury inaugurated the meet as chief guest.

Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) acting secretary general Kutubuddin Ahmed and Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president SA Sultan were, among others, present at the inaugural function.

Twelve teams with 180 women booters are participating in the meet.

Participating district teams: Dhaka, Rangpur, Pabna, Rajshahi, Khagrachhari, Satkhira, Rangamati, Gaibandha, Shariutpur, Narayanganj, Jessore and Sirajganj.