The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bangladesh U-19 team beat WIndies U-19

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Under-19 team leveled the four-match one-day series 1-1 beating visiting West Indies Under-19 team by four wickets in the 3rd one-day match at Narayanganj Osmani Stadium in Fatullah on Monday.

Bangladesh U-19 team, which conceded a 73-run defeat against the visitors in the 2nd match at BKSP in Savar, will play the 4th and final match on February 6, also at the Narayanganj Osmani Stadium in Fatullah.

The first one-day match between the two teams was abandoned due to wet outfield at BKSP.

Winning the toss in the day's match, the tourists batted first and were all out for 154 in 42 overs with opener Kieron Powell making team highest 44 off 40 balls that featured nine fours.

Bangladesh skipper Suhrawardy Shuvo bowled devastatingly to grab three wickets for four runs in eight overs including five maidens and was adjudged man of the match.

Nasir Hossain also claimed three wickets for 30 runs in 10 overs while Rubel Hossain took two for 34 runs.

In reply, Bangladesh youth team, riding on unbeaten 53 runs by one down Nadimuddin Mintu, reached their target of 155 runs in 38.2 overs for the loss of six wickets.

Nadimuddin's 109-ball innings was decorated with six boundaries. Two down Nasir Hossain contributed 57-ball 33 runs with five fours.

S Brooks captured three wickets for 30 runs.

Brief score: West Indies - 154 for all in 42 overs; Kieron Powell 44, Adrain Barath 26, S Brooks not out 22, S Jacobs 18, N Banner 10, extras 27, Suhrawardy Shuvo 3/4, Nasir Hossain 3/30, Rubel Hossain 2/34.

West Indies - 155 for 6 in 38.2 overs; Nadimuddin not out 53, Nasir Hossain 33, Mithun 20, Mahmudul Hasan 20, extras 24,S Brooks 3/30.

Badda Jagarani reach semi-final beating Dhaka Wanderers 4-1

UNB, Dhaka

Badda Jagarani Sangsad is the first to reach the semi-final of the Protiti Pharma Victory Day Club Cup Football Tournament outplaying Dhaka Wanderers Club by 4-1 goals in a Group B match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here on Monday.

The winners led the first half 1-0.

Mintu, Rana, Nasir and Komal scored one goal each for Badda Jagarani while substitute Ashraful netted the consolation goal for Dhaka Wanderers.

Senior Division club side Badda Jagarani, which came to the limelight beating B League champions Abahani Limited in the meet opener, reached the semi-final from Group B securing six points while Dhaka Wanderers quit from the race with one point.

Mintu opened the Badda account in the 26th minute by close range header utilizing a right wing cross from Rana (1-0).

Rana doubled the Badda margin in the 50th minute by a good shot from inside the danger zone (2-0).

Ashraful Islam, a substitute player of Dhaka Wanderers, pulled one back in the 70th minute by a nice header off a left wing cross from Jahangir (2-1).

In the 84th minute, Nasir sounded the Badda margin scoring the third goal, capitalizing on lapses by an opponent defender (3-1).

Komal sealed the fate of the match scoring one more goal for Bada during the injury time from an inside box shot off a Rana pass (4-1).

Yellow Card: Shuvro, Manik (Wanderers), Rana (Badda)

Badda Jagarani - Nehal, Russell Jr, Rashed, Russell Sr, Hafiz, Komal, Nasir (Belal), Mintu, Imon (Sohag), Milon (Al Amin) and Rana.

Dhaka Wanderers - Niloy (Khokon), Apu (Saikat), Jahangir, Shuvro, Monir, Aminul (Ashraful), Sohag, Pintu, Manik, Arif and Hirok.

Referee: Nurul Amin Chowdhury

Today's matches: Victoria SC vs Youngmen's Club Fakirerpool (3pm), Mohammedan SC vs Arambagh KS (5pm), both at BNS.

Abahani confirms semis beating Muktijoddha 2-0

UNB, Dhaka

Popular Abahani Limited confirmed their semi-final berth in the Protiti Pharma V-Day Club Cup Football Tournament eliminating Muktijoddha Sangsad KC by 2-0 goals in a keenly contested match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Monday.

With this credible win, Abahani Limited finished group B runners-up securing six points from three matches.

Muktijoddha Sangsad KC remained at previous four points from three matches to be eliminated in the group stage.

Badda Jagarani Sangsad also secured six points from three matches, but emerged group B champions scoring more goals than Abahani Limited.

In the day's match, Zahid Pervez Chowdhury and striker Zahid Hasan Emily scored for the winners.

Zahid scored first in the 44th minute with a placing shot from inside the D box off Uzzal back pass (1-0), while Emily doubled the margin in the 77th minute with a header from inside the D-box off a Zahid Pervez right wing cross (2-0).

Abahani Limited launched several attacks and missed some scoring chances while Muktijoddha Sangsad KC was off-color during the entire match barring one real attack.

Muktijoddha Sangsad KC got the only scoring chance in the 25th minute when veteran striker Alfaz unleashed a powerful shot from inside the danger zone off a Maruf pass, but the ball return to play after hitting the crossbar.

Yellow cards: Abul (Abahani), Arman (Muktijoddha)

Abahani Limited - Biplob, Prodip, Nazrul, Uzzal (Robin), Emily, Zahid, Siraji, Joy, Abul, Faisal and Tipu (Prantosh)

Muktijoddha Sangsad - Aminul, Mamun, Rajani, Din Mohammad, Mostafa, Arman Mia, Arman Aziz, Maruf (Monju), Saif (Titu), Alfaz and Kanchan

Referee - Ram Krishna

Today's matches: Victoria SC vs Youngmen's Club Fakirerpool (3 pm), Mohammedan SC vs Arambagh KS (5 pm)

Annul sports and cultural competition of Monipur High School inaugurated

UNB, Dhaka

The annul sports and cultural competition '08 of Monipur High School in the city's Mirpur area was inaugurated on Monday.

Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Kamal Uddin, who is also the president of the school managing committee, inaugurated the competition at about 9.30am.

School managing committee member Abdul Latif Mia, Khadija Akhter Shilpi, MA Hamid, Shahiduzzaman and headmaster of the school M Ahad Ali were, among others, present at the function.

Located at Mirpur section-2, Monipur High School is a reputed educational institution from where 314 students got GPA A+ in the SSC examination 2007.

Two Bangladeshi players share lead in International Chess Festival

UNB, Dhaka

Two Bangladeshi players -- GM Abdullah Al Rakib and IM Enamul Hossain Rajib -- shared the lead on point table in the International Chess Festival of Moscow Open 08 after the 2nd-round matches held in the Russian capital of Moscow on Monday.

In the 2nd-round matches, GM Abdullah Al Rakib (rating 2506) beat Bayaesaihan Gundavva (2310) of Mongolia and IM Enamul Hossain Rajib (2522) defeated IM Mikhail Krylov (2371) of Russia.

But, FM Sk. Nasir Ahmed (2379) lost to Vasili Zhadanov (2165) of Russia.

A total of 274 players, including 80 GM, from different countries are participating in the tournament.

Sunnydale Handball advances onto semi-final stage

UNB, Dhaka

Scholastica, BIS, Play Pen and Banani Bidya Niketan moved into the semi-finals of the Sunnydale 5th Mini Handball (Boys) Tournament eliminating their rivals at Dhanmondi Women's Sports Complex on Monday.

In the semi-finals on Tuesday, Scholastica will play BIS at 10:am while Play Pen meet Banani Bidya Niketan at 10:30 am. The final match and the third place-deciding match will be held today (Tuesday) afternoon.

In the day's matches, Scholastica beat Loreto 10-2, Play Pen defeated East Khilgaon Primary 9-3, BIS beat Siddique's International School 4-0, Banani Bidya Niketan outplayed Canadian International School 17-1, Play Pen beat South Breeze 9-7, Scholastica defeated South Point, Sunnydale beat Siddique's International School 9-4 and Loreto beat Mary Curie by 10-2 goals.

Team A beat Team B by 5 wickets

UNB, Dhaka

National skipper Mohammad Ashraful-led Team A beat vice-captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza-led Team B by five wickets in the 4th practice match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur today (Monday), ahead of Bangladesh's home series against South Africa.

Batting first after winning the toss, Team B scored 199 for 9 in stipulated 45 overs with two down Nazimuddin hammering 52 runs off 48 balls that featured one four and four sixes.

Opener Imrul Kayes (41), one down Nazmus Sadat (28), opener Shahriar Nafees (17), Alok Kapali (14), skipper Mashrafee (not out 14) and Mahmudullah Riyad (12) were the other notable scorers for Team B.

Sajedul Islam grabbed three wickets for 46 runs while Mehrab Hossain and Forhad Reza took two wickets apiece

In reply, riding on skipper Mohammad Ashraful's unbeaten 88 runs, Team A reached their target of 200 runs for the loss of five wickets in 43.1 overs.

Ashraful's 103-ball innings was decorated with seven fours and one six while number five Rakibul Hasan added another useful 36 runs off 41 balls with two fours.

Sprinter Greene forced to retire

BBC Online

The 33-year-old American sprint star has been plagued by injury in the last two years and has now decided to pursue coaching and business interests.

"It's a little sad for me but I've had a great career. Because of my injuries, it's better to call it quits," he said.

Greene had been expected to compete in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m races at this year's summer Olympics in Beijing.

But he said: "I don't think I can have that mental battle with myself coming back from injury any more. It takes a lot out of you mentally t you start getting down and then you get depressed.

"This is Olympic year, something I wanted to do so bad. So I just decided to call it quits t I want other people in the sport to shine."

The Kansas native has been one of the sport's dominant figures over the past decade, winning the 100m world championship in 1997, 1999 and 2001.

He also took gold in the 4x200m and 4x100m relay in 1999, placing him alongside Tyson Gay and Carl Lewis as one of only three men to win triple gold.

Greene triumphed in the 100m at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he also anchored the victorious men's 100m relay team and he still holds the indoor 60m world record of 6.39 seconds.

However, his last wins on tour came in the 2004 season, with the likes of Asafa Powell and Gay dominating the sport in recent years.

"It's a shocker to me," Gay told reporters. "Not having Maurice Greene around in track and field any more is just like Michael Jordan retiring from basketball, or Tiger Woods retiring.

"He's the greatest."