The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Barisal Division outplayed holders Dhaka Division by eight wickets to notch their 4th victory in the 8th round one-day match of the Ispahani Mirzapore Tea 9th National Cricket League at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) Tuesday.

After the 8th round, Barisal Division improved their tally to eight points while Dhaka Division remained at previous eight points.

Batting first after winning the toss, Dhaka Division scored moderate 196 for all in 49.2 overs with the help of two half-centuries by all-rounder Mahmudullah Riyadh and Nadif Chowdhury.

Nadif remained unbeaten on 51 facing 53 balls that featured a six. Riyadh scored 50 runs off 78 balls with one four and a six, while left-handed opener Mehrab Hossain Jr. made 44 and middle order Shamsur Rahman Shuvo 20 runs. Arafat Salahuddin and Sumon Kumar claimed three wickets each for 38 and 39 runs respectively.

In reply, skipper Shahriar Nafees and opener Nasiruddin Faruque also scored half centuries to enable Barisal to reach the target of 197 runs in 47.2 overs losing two wickets.

Nafees top scored 61 runs off 99 balls with eight fours while Faruque contributed 55 runs facing 77 balls that featured seven fours.

Number three Imran Ahmed (not out 36) and Rokibul Hasan (not out 21) did the rest to see their side notch an emphatic victory.

Dhaka Division spinner Mosharraf Hossain Rubel and pacer Mohammad Sharif took one wicket each.

Shahriar Nafees of Barisal Division was later adjudged man of the match.

Dhaka vs Barisal: Dhaka 196/10 in 49.2 overs; Mehrab sr 44, Anwar 8,

Mosharraf 0, Al Shahriar 4, Shamsur 20, Mahmudullah 50, Nadif 51*,

Nazmul 8, Sharif 2, Mahbubul 2, Niaz 0; Arafat 3/38, Sumon 3/39,

tarikul 2/45, Monir 1/28, Abul Bashar 1/44

Barisal 197/2 in 47.2 overs, Shahriar 61, Nasiruddin 55, Imran 36*,

Raquibul 21*; Mosharraf 1/32, Sharif 1/45.

Internet

Brazil midfielder Kaka completed a virtual sweep of annual awards Monday by winning FIFA's World Player of the Year.

The Milan playmaker received 1,047 points, ahead of with Messi with 504 and Cristiano Ronaldo with 426 in a vote by national team captains and managers. The three were picked as finalists from a list of 30 candidates.

On the women's side, Marta of Brazil captured the award with 988 points, ahead of Birgit Prinz of Germany with 507 and Cristiane of Brazil with 150.

For Kaka, it is the third accolade this year. He also won European soccer's Golden Ball and World Soccer magazine's player of the year award.

"Tonight is a really special night for me," Kaka said after being handed the trophy.

He is the fifth Brazilian to win the title joining Ronaldo -- who has won the trophy three times, Ronaldinho (2), Romario (1) and Rivaldo (1).

"When I was young, I dreamed of becoming a professional player for Sao Paulo and playing one game for the national team," Kaka said.

Before the award ceremony at Zurich's opera house, Kaka owed his success this year to his club. Kaka led Milan to a 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Champions League final last season. On Sunday, he scored one goal and set up two for Filippo Inzaghi as Milan won its record fourth world club title by beating Argentina's Boca Juniors 4-2.

Marta was the top scorer of the 2007 Women's World Cup in China, with seven goals. The 21-year-old lead Brazil to the finals, where they were beaten 2-0 by Germany.

"I'm very happy to be here once more, and you can be sure I am going to give my best to be here on other occasions," said Marta, who won the award last year after three consecutive wins by Prinz.

Pele won the President's Award. The Fair Play prize went to FC Barcelona for donating space on its jersey to advertise the U.N. children's fund UNICEF.

Messi, who tore a thigh muscle over the weekend when Barcelona beat Valencia 3-0, memorably showed his skills when he scored against Getafe in April after picking up the ball in his own half and going past four opposition players before sliding the ball past the goalkeeper.

The feat drew comparisons with Diego Maradona's second goal in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal match against England, voted the best the greatest goal in FIFA World Cup history in 2002.

Asked about being compared with the Argentine legend, Messi said, "I just want to t become a better player and hope to win a couple of titles with a good team, and that's about it."

Cristiano Ronaldo would have been the first winner from an English club. The Manchester United player is currently tied at the top of the Premier League's scoring list (9 goals) with Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor and Everton's Ayegbeni Yakubu.

The 22-year-old Portuguese was Manchester United's top scorer last season, helping the club win its first Premier League title in four years.

AP, Galle

Pace bowler Steve Harmison picked up three wickets for England to restrict Sri Lanka to 147-4 at stumps Tuesday on the opening day of the third cricket test, despite a threatening partnership between captain Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara.

Jayawardene was batting on 51 when bad light stopped play, his 31st test half-century, with Tillakaratne Dilshan on seven.

After England's captain Michael Vaughan won the toss and put Sri Lanka to bat, his pace bowlers exploited the newly relaid pitch at Galle International Stadium and grabbed two early wickets.

Left-arm seam bowler Ryan Sidebottom trapped Michael Vandort lbw for 18 runs with the total at 34.

Paul Collingwood dropped Upul Tharanga at slip on 15 but the batsman failed to take advantage of the second chance when Harmison trapped him lbw on 16.

Tharanga's dismissal left Sri Lanka at 44-2 before Sangakkara and Jayawardene began the repair work.

The pair added 88 runs for the third wicket before Sangakkara was out soon after tea break caught by Monty Panesar in the deep off Harmison.

Chamara Silva struggled for 26 balls for a single run before Harmison induced an edge of him to Ian Bell at second slip. Harmison went 3-28 off 13 overs.

This is the first international fixture at the Galle stadium after the 2004 tsunami destroyed the ground. The match started 1{ hours after schedule because of a wet field. Sri Lanka dropped struggling Jehan Mubarak for the test and recalled experienced Dilshan, while handing left-arm seam bowler Chanaka Welegedara his maiden test cap in place of injured Dilhara Fernando.

England called back pace bowler Matthew Hoggard who was sidelined for the second test because of injury. Stuard Broad, who made his debut in the second match, was left out.

UNB, Dhaka

After clinching the five-match one-day series 3-1, hosts Bangladesh Under-19 team faces visiting Sri Lanka Under-19 team in the 5th and final one-dayer at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) today.

Earlier on Monday, the young Bangladesh side won the series as they beat the tourists by 49 runs in the 4th one-day match at the Narayanganj Osmani Stadium (NOS). Earlier, the hosts made a good start in the series beating Sri Lanka Under-19 side by 13 runs in the first one-day match. Then the tourists staged a comeback winning the 2nd by 14 runs, both played at Shahid Chandu Stadium (SCS).

Bangladesh Under-19 cricket team then took a 2-1 lead beating the visitors by 44 runs in the 3rd match.

AP, Melbourne

A test series win over Australia on home soil is the top prize in world cricket and one which is highly coveted by India's veteran players on perhaps their final tour Down Under, says India captain Anil Kumble.

Kumble acknowledged the enormity of the task facing his 16-man Indian squad, which arrived in Melbourne on Tuesday to prepare for a four-test series starting on Dec. 26. India has never beaten Australia in a test series in Australia and that prize remains a major inducement to players such as Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, who are likely touring Australia for the last time."It means a lot, we came pretty close to (winning) the last time we came here," Kumble said of the 2004-2004 series.

"Leading up to the (final) Sydney test match it was 1-1 and we did extremely well in the last test series (to draw), so it's going to be very crucial for all of us.

"Most of the senior cricketers are here on their last tour of Australia, so it's very important we go back victorious," he added. Kumble said it would mean a great deal to Indian cricket to be able to win a series in Australia.

"Not many teams have come here and gone home victorious, so it's a great opportunity for all of us and we look forward to that," he said.

Asked to identify any weakness in the Australian team, Kumble pointed to spin bowling in the absence of Shane Warne. "They miss Warnie, somebody like him, so that's something, an area, we can (exploit)," he said.

India opens its tour with a three-day warmup match against Victoria state starting Thursday, its only match ahead of the Dec. 26 test.

A wrist injury to legspinner Stuart MacGill, which he requires surgery injury, has forced some changes to the Australian side which beat Sri Lanka 2-0 in a test series last month. Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said Tuesday that spinner Brad Hogg and fast bowler Shaun Tait have been called up for the Melbourne test, while swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus has been omitted. "Brad Hogg replaces MacGill in the squad of 12, based on his Pura Cup performance to date and his consistent performance for the one-day international team in that form of the game," Hilditch said. "Brad deserves the opportunity to once again represent Australia in test cricket."

Hilditch said Hilfenhaus came into the Australian squad for the first test against Sri Lanka in Brisbane in place of Tait, who was injured.

"Shaun regains his place in the Australian squad, having been our initial selection in Brisbane," Hilditch said. "The final makeup of the starting XI will be determined once we've inspected the conditions at the MCG."