The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Khulna Division emerged champions in the four-day version of the Ispahani Mirzapore Tea 9th National Cricket League beating Barisal Division by 63 runs on the final day at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Matiur Rahman Stadium (BSSMRS) in Khulna Monday.

This is for the 2nd time that Khulna Division clinched the four-day league title after winning their first crown in 2002-03.

Newly crowned one-day league champions Rajshahi Division became runners-up in the 4-day league although they conceded a three-wicket defeat against Dhaka Division on the final day at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS).

In the other 4-day match, Chittagong Division outplayed Sylhet Division by seven wickets at the Narayanganj Osmani Stadium (NOS) on the final day on Monday.

After the 10th and final round, champions Khulna Division collected 108 points while Rajshahi Division secured 103 points.

Dhaka Division finished 3rd in the 4-day league with 101 points, while Chittagong Division were placed 4th with 98 points and Barisal Division placed 5th with 80 points. Sylhet Division remained at the bottom of the league table with 61 points.

From the final round, Khulna Division secured 12 points, including four bonus points, Rajshahi Division 8 points, Dhaka Division 14 points with six bonus points, Chittagong Division 15 points with 7 bonus points and Sylhet Division 8 points.

Needing another 282 runs at the BSSMRS, Barisal Division were all out for 238 in 95.1 overs on the final day after resuming with overnight 20 for none in 5 overs.

Opener Nasiruddin Faruque was batting well but had to depart after scoring 60 runs while another opener Hannan Sarker made 18.

Middle order Rokibul Hassan scored 2nd highest 53 runs, Tariqul Islam made 32, Shaheen 29 and Imran Ahmed 23.

Spinner Murad Khan claimed three wickets while Jamaluddin Babu, Aslam and Robiul took two wickets apiece.

Earlier, Barisal Division scored 217 runs for all in their 1st innings after bowling out Khulna Division for 193. Khulna Division made 325 in their 2nd innings giving a 302-run target for Barisal Division.

Jamaluddin Babu of Khulna Division was named the man of the match.

In another match at the SBNS, Dhaka Division spinner Mosharraf Hossain Rubel scalped six wickets for 13 runs in 15.3 overs to wrap up Rajshahi Division's 2nd innings for just 77 runs in 41.3 overs.

Rajshahi vs Dhaka: Rajshahi 365/9 (dec) & 77/10 in 41.5 overs; Jahirul 12, Shakil 0, Rafiqul 17, Farhad 3, Khaled Mashud 2, Mushfiqur 0, Anisur 5, Naeem 15*, Shahzada 6, Alamgir 6, Saqlain 0; Mosharraf 6/13, Sharif 2/24, Rafique 1/12, Mahbubul 1/21

Dhaka 313 & 131/7 in 38.4 overs; Anwar 8, Javed 21, Mahrab jr 39, Mehrab sr 0, Nazmul 3, Mosharraf 2, Rafique 4, Mahmudullah 25*, Sharif 24*; Saqlain 3/62, Shahzada 2/7, Alamgir 2/22

Sylhet vs Chittagong; Sylhet 354 & 201/10 in 73.1 overs; Imtiaz 30, Saif 0, Rezaul 25, Golam Mabud 0, Alok 14, Sharifullah 2, Golam Rahman 5, Ezaz 29, Sadiqur 1, Nabil 37, Rashedur 29*; Kamrul 4/37, Tareq 4/54, Younus 2/41

Chittagong 319 & 239/3 in 50.4 overs; Gazi Salauddin 42, Masumuddowla 32, Nazimuddin 65, Rezaul 54*, Ehsanul 34*; Rezaul 2/43, Nabil 1/50

Khulna vs Barisal: Khulna 193 & 325/10 in 102 overs; Nazmus 32, Imrul 0, Mostafizur 34, Sahagir 8, Jamal Babu 48, Nahidul 52, Ziaur 32, Murad 21, Farid 61, Aslam 3, Robiul 12*; Talha 3/77, Abul Bashar 2/23, Tariqul 2/63, Arafat 1/49, Monir 1/76

Barisal 217 & 238/10 in 95.1 overs; Hannan 18, Nasiruddin 60, Imran 23, Raisul 6, Abul Bashar 3, Raquibul 53, Arafat 14, Shaheen 29, Monir 0, Tarikul 32, Talha 9*; Murad 3/52, Jamal Babu 2/39, Aslam 2/42, Robiul 2/54, Ziaur 1/19.

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Under-19 team play India Under-19 side in the final match of the Triangular One-Day Series today (Tuesday) at the Sinovich Park in Pretoria, South Africa.

Bangladesh booked a seat for the final with one win and an abandoned match against hosts South Africa, which went out of the race without any win.

India moved into the final with all-win run beating Bangladesh twice, both by D/L method in rain-effected matches, apart from beating hosts South Africa twice.

In the last league match on Sunday, India earned an exciting one-run victory over Bangladesh under D/L method in a rain marred match.

Replying to Bangladesh's 219 for 9 in 50 overs, India scored 161 for 5 in 39.3 overs before the match was stopped due to rain.

India was later declared the winners by one-run under the D/L method.

This was the second time that India beat Bangladesh in similar fashion in the meet.

D Shivkumar of India, who scored 18 runs off 16 balls with a six, was adjudged man of the match.

Brief score: Bangladesh Under-19 - 219 for 9 in 50 overs; Rony 1, Mithun 5, Nadimuddin 2, Nasir 61, Marshall 38, Mahmudul 23, Ashraful 2, Sohrawardi 39*, Dollar 16, Rubel 3, Shuvashish 1*; Kohli 3/39, Arif 2/23, Appanna 2/25, Sangwan 1/34

India Under-19 - 161 for 5 in 39.3 overs; Khadiwale 4, Goswami 10, Pandey 51, Jadeja 30, Mukund 1, Kohli 44*, Shivkumar 18*; Mahmudul Hasan 2/13, Dollar Mahmud 2/14, Marshall Ayub 1/36

Results of the league basis One-Day matches:

Bangladesh (159/8 in 47.2 overs) beat South Africa (158 all out in 40.5) by two wickets;

India (265/2 in 50) defeated South Africa (203/9 in 50) by 62 runs;

India (280/6 in 50) beat Bangladesh (150/7 in 33) by 66 runs under D/L method;

The second match between Bangladesh and South Africa was abandoned due to rain;

India (226/4 in 47) beat South Africa (223/9 in 50) by six wickets; and

India 161/5 in 39.3) beat Bangladesh (219/9 in 50) by one run under D/L method.

BBC Online

India have suspended their cricket tour of Australia pending the outcome of an appeal against a three-match ban handed to spin bowler Harbhajan Singh.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has told its players to stay in Sydney rather than travel to Canberra for a tour match on Thursday.

Harbhajan was banned for making a racist remark during their tempestuous defeat to Australia in the second Test.

He was found guilty of breaching the players' code of conduct.

The International Cricket Council held a four-hour hearing after the Test finished on Sunday, finally announcing their verdict deep into the night in Australia.

Australia's players had claimed that Harbhajan called Australia's Andrew Symonds a "monkey" during an on-field incident.

Match referee Mike Procter said he was satisfied Harbhajan had used the word - though neither of the two umpires heard the remarks - and that "he meant it to offend on the basis of Symonds' race or ethnic origin".

All-rounder Symonds, 32, is the only non-white player in the Australian side.

The BCCI's statement said: "The Indian Board realises the game of cricket is paramount but so too is the honour of the Indian team and for that matter every Indian.

"To vindicate its position, the board will fight the blatantly false and unfair slur on an Indian player."

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland, who is expecting the tour to continue as scheduled, has proposed a peace meeting between captains Ricky Ponting and Anil Kumble to try to resolve the escalating crisis.

And BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla said a decision on when the players would leave Sydney and resume training would be made at a meeting on Tuesday at 0700 local time (2000 GMT Monday).

Earlier, India team manager Chetan Chauhan said he believed Harbhajan had been harshly treated.

"I told the match referee this is wrong. There was no conclusive evidence from the Aussie side," he said.

And BCCI spokesman Ratnakar Shetty told BBC Radio 5 Live: "Harbhajan says he did not say what has been alleged.

"The match referee has made his case based on hearsay. I don't understand how he arrived at his conclusion.

"Sachin Tendulkar also refused to accept that [Harbhajan] said that word."

Harbhajan was accompanied at the hearing by Chauhan, assistant manager Dr MV Sridhar, captain Anil Kumble and Tendulkar.

If he was to lose the appeal he would miss the two remaining Tests in Australia, and one further match.

The 27-year-old has played for India since 1998 and has taken a combined total of almost 450 international wickets in all forms of the game.

He was batting with Tendulkar when the incident took place during Friday's play at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

It prompted Australian captain Ricky Ponting to complain to on-field umpires Mark Benson and Steve Bucknor, who subsequently laid a charge under section 3.3 of the code of conduct.

The section refers to the use of "language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person's race, religion, gender, colour, descent, or national or ethic origin".

The ICC says it has a zero-tolerance policy towards racism.

Former England captain Tony Greig said a bitter rivalry between Australia and India had developed over recent series, and that players had been warned to be careful about what they said.

Greig told the BBC: "Australians are no angels - you only have to speak to some Indians and some Sri Lankans to know they have dished out plenty themselves.