The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Sydney

Andrew Symonds smashed a breathtaking century in a record partnership with Brad Hogg to put Australia in control of the second test against India on Wednesday.

The powerful all-rounder demolished India's bowling attack with an unbeaten 137 after Hogg made a vital 79 to steer Australia out of danger to 376 for seven at stumps on the first day at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

India appeared to have the Australians in trouble when Rudra Pratap Singh (4-108) and Harbhajan Singh (2-88) ripped through the top-order in the first half of the day but Symonds and Hogg put the home team back in control with a brilliant display of big-hitting.

The pair came together after lunch with Australia reeling at 134-6 but proceeded to pile on 173 runs in better than even time, setting a new record for the highest seventh-wicket partnership at Sydney.

Symonds, 32, was especially brutal against the Indian bowlers, smacking 17 boundaries and two massive sixes as he raced to his second test hundred, while Hogg clubbed 10 fours to post his highest test score.

Hogg missed his chance for a maiden test century when he was caught by Rahul Dravid at slip off Indian skipper Anil Kumble in the final session, leaving Brett Lee (31 not out) to share an unbroken stand of 69 with Symonds as Australia pressed ahead with their bid to equal their world record of 16 consecutive test wins.

Symonds was twice given the benefit of the doubt to loud appeals from the Indians before he had reached 50 but hardly played another false shot as the tourists failed to capitalise on their great start.

EARLY WICKETS

RP Singh captured four early wickets with his deceptive left-arm seamers while Harbhajan bagged two with his wily off-spin and Sachin Tendulkar showed a safe pair of hands by holding three sharp catches at first slip.

RP Singh dismissed openers Phil Jaques for a duck and Matthew Hayden for 13 in the first hour of play to reduce Australia to 27-2 after they had won toss and elected to bat on a glorious day.

The 22-year-old then snared the scalps of Mike Hussey for 41 and Adam Gilchrist for seven in the middle session after Harbhajan picked up the prized wickets of Ricky Ponting for 55 and Michael Clarke for one, both lbw.

Ponting and Hussey added 92 for the third wicket but departed in the space of three balls after lunch as India captured 4-15 in five overs.

Ponting was unlucky to be given out after television replays showed he made contact with the ball before it struck his pads.

However, Symonds had better fortune when he was given not out when he appeared to edge a catch behind on 30 then given the benefit of the doubt on a close stumping chance on 48.

Symonds made the Indians pay by scoring 98 in the extended last session as Australia passed their first and second innings scores from last week's first test in Melbourne, which they won by 337 runs.

UNB, Dhaka

Touring Bangladesh Under-19 team made a good start in the triangular one-day series beating hosts South Africa Under-19 side by two wickets in the opening match at the Sinovich Park in Pretoria on Tuesday, according to reports reaching here in the evening.

Favored by coin South Africa batted first and were all out for 158 in 40.5 overs with Vallie scoring 24, Pienaar 22 and Swanepoel 20 runs.

KM Shakil of Bangladesh picked up three wickets, Nasir Hossain and Rubel Hossein claimed two each while Mahmudul Hasan and Shuvashish Roy each took one wicket.

In reply, Bangladesh reached their target making 159 runs for the loss of eight wickets in 47.3 overs.

Mahmudul Hasan of Bangladesh was adjudged man of the match for his all-round performance. He grabbed one wicket and contributed unconquered 47 runs to earn the honour.

Besides, Nasir Hossain scored 41 and Rony Talukder 20 for the Junior Tigers.

Vallie claimed three wickets.

Bangladesh will play their next match against India on Thursday at the same venue.

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh Army and BKSP won their respective matches of the Dhaka Bank Victory Day Hockey Competition on Wednesday.

In the day's first match, Bangladesh Army blanked Barnak Samaj by 19-0 goals at the Moulana Bhasami National Hockey Stadium.

Army dominated over their weaker opponents by 9-0 goals lead in the first session.

Skipper Sirajul and Didar of Army scored five goals each while Shahadat netted three, Malek scored two goals and Jamal, Hamidul, Hadiuzzaman, Enamul struck one time each on the board.

In the day's second match, BKSP defeated Bangladesh Air Force by 4-1 goals at the same venue.

BKSP led the first half 4-1.

Masum of BKSP scored two goals while Mostafa, Jamil netted one each.

On the other hand, Mamun of Bangladesh Air Force returned one.

Today Sonali Bank SRC will take on Barnak Samaj at 1.15 PM while Bangladesh Navy will face Bangladesh Air Force at 3.00 PM at the same venue.

Sports Reporter

Victoria SC made a goalless draw with City Club in the day's lone match of the Senior Division Football League at the Bir Sreshtha Shaheed Mohammad Mostafa Stadium in Kanlapur on Wednesday.

Today Dhaka Wanderers Club will meet Purbachal Parishad at 3.00 PM at the same venue.

Women's Kabaddi from January 10

Sports Reporter

The Exim Bank Women's Kabaddi League begins on January 10. Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation will arrange the kabaddi meet for women.

Marking the upcoming kabaddi competition the players' transfer programme will held at the office room of Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation on January 6 at 3.30 PM to 5.00 PM.

Interested club officials and players have been requested to take part in the players' transfer programme on due time.

UNB, Dhaka

Ma Hai Ching emerged champion in the girls' Under-16 singles event of the Prestige Bengal Victory Day Tennis Competition crushing Sharda 6-1, 6-1 in the final at the National Tennis Complex on Wednesday.

In the men's singles event, four players -- Amal Roy (Engineers Club), Prithul (BKSP), Dipu Lal and Ranchan Ram (NTC) -- moved to the semis after beating their opponents in the quarterfinals.

On way to the semis, Amal outplayed Omar Faruque (BKSP) 6-2, 6-3, Prithul blanked Delwar Hossain (NTC) 6-0, 6-1, Dipu Lal beat Tajmul (BKSP) 6-4, 6-3 and Ranchan Ram defeated Anwar Hossain (British High Commission Club) 6-4, 6-4.

In the boy's singles Under-16 event, Mofazzel Hossain, Hanif Munna, Raisul and Omar Faruque confirmed their semifinal berths winning the respective quarterfinal matches.

In the boy's Under-13 event, Biplob, Sajib and Hasibul reached into the semis while Engineers Club move to the final beating Gulshan Club 2-1 in the team event.

Engineers Club faces Customs Club in the final of the team event Thursday evening.

AP, Adelaide

Australian wild card Joseph Sirianni advanced to his first ATP quarterfinal after beating American Sam Querrey 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-3 Wednesday at the Australian men's

hardcourt championships.

Sirianni, 32, broke Querrey's serve to go ahead 4-2 in the deciding set. Serving for the match, he fell behind 0-40 before recovering to win in just under two hours.

The 195th-ranked Sirianni won a wild-card playoff to get into the tournament, then won his first-round match when No. 5 seed Radek Stepanek retired with a heel injury with the Australian leading 7-6 (3), 4-3 and up a service break.

"Its a mental battle out there and I came out with the win today and well just see what happens," Sirianni said Wednesday.

"I'm just going along with this wave, you never know what is going to happen t Im just riding it and enjoying myself. "

Sirianni won two Challenger events in the last six weeks and also won an Australian Open wild-card playoff at Melbourne Park last month.

Later Wednesday, second-seeded Paul-Henri Mathieu of France beat Australian Chris Guccione 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Benjamin Becker of Germany beat American Michael Russell 6-4, 6-4 and Michael Llodra of France defeated Evgeny Korolev of Russia 7-6 (3), 6-3.

Top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt of Australia plays his second-round match against Jose Acasuso of Argentina on Thursday.

UNB, Dhaka

Four national players -- Javed Omar Belim, Tushar Imran, Mehrab Hossain Jr and Nazmul Hossain -- returned home Wednesday from Auckland on completion of a three-match one day series against New Zealand.

As their replacement, another three players -- Habibul Bashar, Shahriar Nafees Ahmed and Enamul Haque Jr -- reached New Zealand Monday to join the Test team for a two-match series starting in Dunedin on January 4.

Before that Rajin Saleh also joined the test squad while promising left-arm pacer Sajidul Islam went to New Zealand to replace injured left-arm medium pacer Syed Rasel.