The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Canberra

India resumed its troubled cricket tour of Australia on Wednesday, arriving in Canberra two days behind schedule after the International Cricket Council brokered a temporary peace deal.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India gave its team approval to check out of the Sydney hotel which had been its refuge since a storm broke over umpiring, sportsmanship and racial abuse during the second test at Sydney.

India is to play a tour match in the national capital Canberra against a representative side of the Australian Capital Territory.

However India captain Anil Kumble did not rule out another suspension of the tour if the three-test ban imposed on India spinner Harbhajan Singh for making racist comments to Australia's Andrew Symonds was not overturned on appeal.

Harbhajan is allowed to play in the third test starting in Perth next Wednesday while his suspension is under appeal.

The ICC's senior counsel, Urvasi Naidoo, on Wednesday appointed New Zealand High Court judge John Hansen to hear the appeal, but no date or venue was set for the hearing.

"The process indicates that the appeal should be heard within seven days of the commissioner being appointed," the ICC said in a statement. "However, this time period may be extended if circumstances dictate."

Kumble, who accused the Australians of not playing in the spirit of cricket in the second test in Sydney, said he asked rival captain Ricky Ponting to handle the racism allegations informally but a formal complaint had already been lodged with the match referee.

"Having played cricket for this long, (I knew) such an allegation would definitely spiral into what it has now. I anticipated that it would spiral into a larger issue," Kumble said.

"There is an appeal that has been made so we are hopeful we get the right decision."

Harbhajan was charged with allegedly calling Symonds, who has Caribbean heritage, a monkey on the third day of the test which Australia won to take a 2-0 series lead.

Kumble said Harbhajan and Sachin Tendulkar, who was batting at the time of the comment, told him that the taunt was never made.

"It has been tough. It has been very difficult because it's a very serious issue," Kumble said. "The entire team is together on this and has really backed him."

Ill feeling between the Australia and India teams was simmering before the ICC broke an impasse by ordering umpire Steve Bucknor be replaced for the Perth test by New Zealander Billy Bowden.

India team manager Chetan Chauhan said the team had "left behind" the bitter fall-out from the Sydney test.

"They (the Indian team) can play thanks to the efforts of the BCCI and also it's very nice to have the ICC to come together and hopefully everything will be settled and we will play good cricket," Chauhan said.

"We have certain issues which we brought to the notice of the BCCI and those issues have been taken up with the ICC and some positions have been taken."

ICC chief Malcolm Speed said the decision to remove Bucknor, who made a series of errors during the second test at Sydney, had avoided an "international crisis."

"We could have gone in banging the table and playing 'who blinks first', we could have turned what is already an international incident into an international crisis," Speed said.

"What we have elected to do, and we've given some serious thought about this, is to take one of the issues out of play.

"There was unhappiness about the umpiring, we put a new umpiring team in place, and we start again from the umpiring perspective in Perth and hopefully focus on the matters on the pitch rather than exacerbating the crisis."

ICC chief referee Ranjan Madugalle will hold talks with Ponting and Kumble in Perth next week in an attempt to clear the air ahead of the third test.

UNB, Dhaka

The just concluded Ispahani Mirzapore Tea 9th National Cricket League witnessed a total of 27 centuries -22 in the four-day version and five in the one-day version.

Four-day champions Khulna Division opener Imrul Kayes was in superb form throughout the League and emerged as the lone player to score four centuries -- two in the four-dayers and two in the one-dayers.

The dashing left-handed opener scored both his four-day centuries against Suylhet Division, the first (127) in the first phase and the 2nd (138) in the 2nd phase.

Then in the one-dayers, he also found Sylhet Division an easy prey to make his inaugural one-day century of 121 runs. The promising opener then finished the season on a high note with another unbeaten 133 in the last round match against Barisal Division.

Three other players, who scored two centuries each in the four dayers are national all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan (Khulna Division), and discard national all-rounder Alok Kapali and opener Imtiaz Hossain of Sylhet Division.

Left-handed middle order batsman Shakib, who is currently with the national team for the remaining 2nd test of the two-match series against New Zealand, scored the league's first century (108) against Chittagong Division and then another unbeaten 103 against Dhaka Division.

Sylhet Division all-rounder Alok Kapali's 168 against Barisal Division is the highest individual score in both versions of the league while his 2nd three-figure knock (111) was against Khulna Division.

Another young Sylhet Division opener Imtiaz Hossain also showed his talent as he scored two centuries, the first against Dhaka Division (148) and the 2nd against Chittagong Division (130).

The 9th version of the country's lone first class cricket meet also witnessed its first hattrick when national Under-19 pacer Dollar Mahmud made a seven-wicket haul against Rajshahi Division. This was the first hattrick in the 9-year history of NCL.

Khulna Division emerged as the four-day champions while Rajshahi Division became runners up. In the one-day form, Rajshahi Division clinched the title while Dhaka Division became runners-up.

NCL centuries: Four-day - Shakib Al Hasan (Khulna, 108) vs Chittagong, Imrul Kayes (Khulna, 127) vs Sylhet, Alok Kapali (Sylhet, 168) vs Barisal, Javed Omar (Dhaka, 101) vs Chittagong, Gazi Salahuddin (Chittagong, 138) vs Sylhet, Tushar Imran (Khulna, 165) against Barisal, Golam Mabud (Sylhet, 110) vs Chittagong, Farhad Hossain (Rajshahi, 106) vs Sylhet, Anisur Rahman (Rajshahi,102) vs Sylhet, Shahriar Nafees (Barisal, 108) vs Chittagong, Nafees Iqbal (Chittagong, 153) vs Barisal, Shakib (Khulna, 103*) vs Dhaka, Imtiaz Hossain (Sylhet, 148) vs Dhaka, Nazimuddin (Chittagong, 121) vs Khulna, Imrul (Khulna, 138) vs Sylhet, Rajin (Sylhet, 131*) vs Khulna, Kapali (Sylhet, 111) vs Khulna, Masumddowla (Chittagong, 118) vs Dhaka, Ehsanul Haque Shezan (Chittagong, 117) vs Dhaka, Imtiaz Hossain (Sylhet, 130) vs Chittagong, Nayeem Islam (Rajshahi, 104) vs Dhaka, Mohammad Shahjada (Rajshahi, 109) vs Dhaka.

NCL centuries: One-day - Tamim Iqbal (Chittagong Division, 133) vs Barisal, Kayes (Khulna, 121) vs Sylhet, Junaed Siddiqui (Rajshahi, 120) vs Barisal, Rokibul Hasan (Barisal, 133) vs Khulna, Kayes (Khulna, 133*) vs Barisal.

Senior Div Football League

Agrani Bank, Jatrabari record wins

Sports Reporter

Agrani Bank SC and Jatrabari KC won their respective matches of the Senior Division Football League on Wednesday.

In the day's first match, Agrani Bank SC beat Dhaka Wanderers Club by two goals to one at the Bir Sreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium in Kamlapur.

The bankers led the first half 1-0.

Pashbon put Agrani Bank ahead in the 45th minute of the first half.

Pashbon made it 2-0 in the 67th minute of the game.

Monir of Dhaka Wanderers Club returned one in the 78th minute of the play.

In the day's other match, Jatrabari KC edged past Wari Club 1-0 at the same venue.

After a barren first half Sohel of Jatrabari KC scored the all-important goal in the 85th minute of the match.

Today Arambagh KS will take on City Club at 3.00 PM at the same venue.

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh Army reached the final of the Dhaka Bank Victory Day Hockey Competition when they defeated Bangladesh Air Force by 2-0 goals in their last league match at the Moulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium on Wednesday.

Earlier, Sonali Bank SRC confirmed their final.

Army led the first half 1-0.

Thuinu of Army put his team ahead using a penalty corner in the 18th minute of the first half.

After the breather Abu Saeed confirmed the victory by a field goal in the 46th minute of the play.

In the day's other match, Bangladesh Navy beat Barnak Samaj by two goals to nil at the same venue.

Navy had a 1-0 goals lead in the first session.

Mortuza gave his team early lead in the 10th minute of the match.

After the lemon-break Mortuza sealed the fate of the match by a field goal just three minutes before the long whistle.

Sports Reporter

The Exim Bank Women's Kabaddi League starts today at the Kabaddi Stadium.

Victoria Sporting Club will face Dhaka Wanderers Club in the day's first match while Jatrabari KC will meet Azad Sporting Club in the day's second match.

Sponsor of the Exim Bank Limited Md Nazrul Islam Shawpan will formally open the kabaddi meet for women today at 3.30 PM as the chief guest while Managing Director of the Exim Bank Kazi Moshiur Rahman, former star footballer and Deputy Secretary General of Bangladesh Olympic Association Ashraf Uddin Ahmed Chunnu will be present with him as special guests.

A total of six teams splitting into two groups are taking part in the kabaddi competition.

Jatrabari KC, Azad Sporting Club, Matuail Milon Smriti Sangsad have been billed in Group A while Victoria Sporting Club, Dhaka Wanderers Club, Jurain Janata Club have been placed in Group B.

The champions of Group A will take on the runners-up of Group B in the first semi-final on January 13 while the champions of Group B will face the runners-up of Group A in the second semi-final on the same day.

The winners of the two semi-finals will get the tickets of the final, which will be taken place on January 14.

UNB, Dhaka

The Protiti Pharmaceutical Victory Day Club Cup Football Tournament, organised by Dhaka Mohammedan SC, will begin on January 26 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS).

"We've finalized the date after getting verbal assurance from the National Sports Council (NSC) about the availability of the ground," Mohammedan SC additional general secretary Mostaqur Rahman told UNB on Wednesday.

He said: "We are expecting an official confirmation letter in this regard from the NSC in a day or two."

The tournament was earlier scheduled to begin on January 11, but deferred by two weeks due to the renovation work at the BNS.

Replying to a question, Mostaq said they are negotiating with Bangladesh Television (BTV) as well as other private satellite channels to telecast the matches live.

"Although the fixture of the tournament is yet to be finalized, but we are trying to arrange the inaugural match between Mohammedan SC and Abahani Limited," he added.

Eight Metropolis clubs will take part in the tournament. They are Dhaka Mohammedan SC, Dhaka Abahani Limited, Muktijoddha Sangsad KC, Arambagh KS, Victoria SC, Youngmen's Club Fakirerpool, Dhaka Wanderers Club and Badda Jagarani Sangsad.

UNB, Dhaka

Indian Under-19 team emerged unbeaten champions in the triangular one-day series in South Africa crushing Bangladesh Under-19 team by 137 runs in the final at the Sinovich Park in Pretoria on Tuesday.

Batting first after winning the toss, the Indian U-19 team posted 260 for 8 in stipulated 50 overs.

Middle-order batsman S Tiwary contributed 74 runs off 88 balls featuring three fours and two sixes while M Panday scored 72 runs off 77 balls with five fours.

Mahmudul Hasan claimed three wickets for 29 runs while Subashish Roy bagged two for 55.

In reply, Bangladesh were dismissed for 123 runs in 23.3 overs with Mahmudul Hasan contributing the team-highest 30 off 63 balls, hitting a boundary.

Ronny Talukder added another 28 runs off 36 balls with two fours and a six while opener Mithun Ali made 27 runs off 37 runs, including four fours.

Hamidul Islam (11) and Mohammad Shakil (7) were the other notable scorers for Bangladesh.

RA Jadeja, V Kholi and D Shivkumar downed two wickets each conceding 9, 12 and 19 runs respectively.

UNB, Dhaka

A 20-member Bangladesh National Under-16 Football team will receive intensive training at the Tata Academy in Jamshedpur (India) from January 10-26.

The training of the Bangladesh Under-16 team will be held under the supervision of Bangladesh Olympic Association as per invitation from the famous Tata Academy.

Bangladesh Under-16 team: Nurul Karim, Kamal Hossain, Shahidul Alam, Saidur Rahman Sujon, Mamun Hossain, Amjad Hossain, Rashed Khan Milan, Naimur Rahman Shahed, Ariful Haque Saikat, Mohammad Saifuddin, Salahuddin Ahmed Nadim, Saddam Hossain, Jamal Hossain, Rana Miah, Habibur Rahman Sohag, Mohammad Sohel, Arif Hossain, Lemon Chowdhury, Jewel Hossain and Shakil Alam.

Selected players have been asked to report to football coach BA Jubair Nipu at the BFF Bhaban today (Thursday) at 12:00 noon with their kits.