The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bangladesh start U/19 World Cup campaign today taking on Bermuda

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Under-19 team starts their ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup campaign today (Monday) taking on Bermuda at Bayueams Oval in Kuala Lumpur, initially aiming to win all three Group D matches.

The 16-team Youth World Cup Cricket already began in Malaysia on Sunday.

Bangladesh will play Ireland on Feb 20 at the same venue and meet England on Feb 22 at the Royal Selangor Club ground in their remaining Group D matches.

The Young Tigers, led by Suhrawardy Shuvo, is considered as the best ever youth side for their recent excellent show in the last few months featuring a brilliant 3-2 series victory over holders Pakistan at the latter's home soil.

Bangladesh Under-19 team also passed good days winning all their series against Sri Lanka, West Indies, South Africa and Nepal.

In two official warm-up matches, Bangladesh got off to a flying start beating hosts Malaysia Under-19 side by huge 165 runs in the first match, but capitulated to two-time champions Pakistan by five wickets in the second match.

Ahead of the meet's start, Bangladesh skipper was highly optimistic to do well in the ongoing U/19 World Cup following their recent performances and said their first target is to win all the group matches.

In the last U/19 World Cup, Bangladesh had to quit before reaching the semi-final losing to England in quarterfinal although they won the group matches.

Four matches of the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup were held on the opening day, Sunday, without any major upset.

Holders Pakistan beat hosts Malaysia by 8 wickets in a Group A match, India outplayed Papua New Guinea by 195 runs in Group B match, Australia crushed Namibia by 149 runs in Group C match while England outplayed Ireland by 10 wickets in Group D match.

Hashim Amla hits ton: South Africa make 329 for 8

Sports Reporter

Hashim Amla's superb 103 guided South Africa to post 329 for the loss of eight wickets in the first innings against Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) XI on the first day of the three-dayer warm-up match at the Narayanganj Osmani Stadium on Sunday.

South Africa lost their early two wickets for 35 runs.

Later, Hashim Amla and Jaques Kallis contributed 124 runs in the third wicket stand before Jaques Kallis was caught by Farhad Reza off Enamul Haque (Junior) making 36 off 88 balls when the board was giving a reading of 159 for the loss of three wickets. Enamul Haque (Junior) struck again and removed Hasim Amla, who was caught by Junaed Siddiqui when the tourists total was 169 for the loss of four wickets. Jaques Kallis hit six strokes beyond the ropes.

Hashim Amla smashed 18 boundaries in his 120-ball knock. His dashing innings took 156 minutes.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Mark Boucher remained undefeated with 64. He used 107 balls in his unfinished 129-minute innings, which was decorated with eight fours and a six.

AB De Villiers and Ashwell Prince were the other two notable run getters for the visiting side scoring 39 and 32 runs repectively.

AB De Villiers cracked six fours and a six in his 87-ball knock.

Left-arm pacer Syed Russel gave his team early breakthrough. He dismissed opener Graeme Smith for just two runs and then removed the other operner JP Duminy for 17 runs.

Dale Steyn was at the stumps on 19 off 26 balls.

Farhad Reza harpooned three wickets giving away 52 runs while Enamul Haque (Junior) and Syed Russel bagged a pair of wickets each conceding 71 and 86 runs respectively.

Besides, Aftab Ahmed took one wicket for 20 runs.

Senior Div Football Jahir does it for Victoria

Sports Reporter

Jahir's lone goal helped Victoria SC to earn a 1-0 victory over Arambagh KS in the day's first match of the Senior Division Football League at the Kamalapur Bir Sreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium on Sunday.

After a barren first half Jahir scored the all-important goal in the 52nd minute of the play.

Meanwhile, Badda Jagarani Sangsad made a goalless draw with Sunrise SC in the day's other match at the same venue.

Today Deepali Jubo Sangha will take on City Club at 1.30 PM while Wari Club will face Agrani Bank Limited SC at 3.30 PM.

Abahani Ltd records 3rd consecutive win

UNB, Dhaka

Dhaka Abahani Limited registered third consecutive win while holders Dhaka Mohammedan SC suffered their third defeat in a row in the Dhaka Metropolis Premier Division Twenty20 Cricket League here on Sunday.

Abahani Limited maintained their all-win record in the league beating lowly City Club by four wickets at the BKSP ground-1 in Savar.

Earlier, in the two previous matches, Abahani Limited beat Kalabagan KC by six wickets and defeated Bangladesh Biman by two wickets.

Sent into bat first in the day's match, City Club were all out for 76 in 19.1 overs. In reply, Abahani Limited reached their target scoring 78 runs for 6 in 17.3 overs.

Abahani pacer Ziaur Rahman, who grabbed five wickets for 12 runs and scored unbeaten 15 runs, was adjudged man of the match.

In another match, Bangladesh Biman beat Mohammedan SC by five wickets at the BKSP ground-2 in Savar forcing the traditional black and white team to third successive defeat.

Sent into bat first, Mohammedan SC scored 131 for 9 in 20 overs. In reply, Bangladesh Biman reached their target of 132 runs for the loss of five wickets in 19.5 overs.

Mosharraf Hossain Rubel of Biman, who claimed four wickets for 20 runs, was adjudged man of the match.

In the day's other matches, Victoria SC beat Partex SC by six wickets at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium, Surjotarun Club beat Sonargoan Cricketers by seven wickets at the BKSP ground-1 while Old DOHS SC defeated Young Pegasus Club by 53 runs at the BKSP ground-2 in Savar.

Next Round matches on February 19: Mohammedan SC vs City Club (BKSP-2), Biman Bangladesh vs BKSP at DCS, City Club vs Kalabagan KC at BKSP-1, all at 9:30pm; Old DOHS vs Victoria SC at BKSP-2, Young Pegasus vs Surjotarun Club at BKSP-1 and Partex SC vs Sonargaon Cricketers at DCS, all at 1:10pm.

Defending champ Pakistan thrash Malaysia on opening day of U19 World Cup

AP, Kuala Lumpur

Defending champion Pakistan thrashed hosts Malaysia by eight wickets with 40 overs to spare while Australia, India and England also posted easy victories on Sunday's opening day of the Under-19 World Cup.

Pakistan, placed in Group A, won the toss and elected to bowl, dismissing Malaysia for 75 in just 24.4 overs, with right-arm seamer Adil Raza taking 6-29 and Mohammad Amir 3-11.

Nik Azril top scored for Malaysia with 28, but nine of the 11 batsmen failed to reach double figures.

Pakistan had no trouble reaching the target in only 9.3 overs, with Umar Amin making 31 and Ahmed Shahzad scoring an unbeaten 27.

In Group B, India, runner-up in the 2006 edition of the biennial tournament, defeated Papua New Guinea by 195 runs.

Put in to bat first, India piled up 280-5 from its 50 overs with Tanmay Srivastava making an unbeaten 83 from 76 balls and captain Virat Kohli scoring 40. In reply, Papua New Guinea was all out for 85 in 27.5 overs. Sayeed Abdullah Iqbal took 3-2 in three overs.

In Group C, Namibia struggled to bowl out Australia for 312 in 48 overs, after captain Michael Hill made 124 in 71 balls with the help of 12 sixes and seven fours. In reply Namibia mustered only 163 before it was all out in the 31st over.

Australia, which was 276-4 in the 40th over, looked set for a giant total, but lost its last six wickets for only 36 runs in eight overs.

Ashley van Rooi of Namibia took 3-25, with Ya France getting 3-31.

England crushed Ireland by 10 wickets in Group D, scoring the target of 110 runs in 15.5 overs with opener James Taylor making an unbeaten 51 in 63 balls. His partner, Billy Godleman, made 38 not out in 36 balls.

A total of 16 teams are taking part in the tournament, being played at seven venues around Kuala Lumpur, Klan, Johor and Penang.

The top two teams from each of the four groups will progress to the quarterfinals. The final is on March 2.

Top-seeded Pakistan is the only team to have won back-to-back titles at this level, having triumphed in 2004 and 2006.

The 2000 winner India, is seeded second, with Australia - winner in the inaugural event in 1988 and also in 2002 - seeded third.

England, which won the 1999 edition, is seeded fourth.

Mirpur Academy beat Chayabithi H/School 2-1

UNB, Dhaka

Mirpur Hockey Training Academy earned a narrow 2-1 goals victory over Chayabithi Society High School in the Dhaka Bank Shaheed Smriti School Hockey Tournament at the Maulana Bhasani National Stadium on Sunday.

Russell Ali and KH Tushar scored for the winners, one in either half, while Touqir Ahmed netted the lone goal for the losers during the second half.

Armanitola Govt. Boys High School will play Keraniganj Shubhadya High School in Monday's lone match at the same venue.

Australia beat India

AP, Adelaide

Mitchell Johnson took 3-42 and Australia overcame a lackluster batting performance to beat India by 50 runs in a limited-overs tri-series match Sunday at the Adelaide Oval.

India was bowled out for 153 chasing Australia's 203-9.

The win, with a bonus point, moved Australia to 17 points in the tri-series standings ahead of India's eight. Sri Lanka, which has six points, plays India on Tuesday in Adelaide.

None of the India batsmen passed 50, and all struggled to assert themselves on a slowing pitch against strong bowling by Johnson (3-42), Nathan Bracken (2-21) and James Hopes (2-16).

Fast bowler Brett Lee was given the night off but was hardly missed.

Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni top-scored for India with 37, but was among the casualties as the tourists lost their last five wickets for 19 runs.

Earlier, left-armer Irfan Pathan took four wickets and Ishant Sharma added two to put India into a strong winning position.

Slumping to 73-5 in the 24th over, Australia's only resistance came from Michael Clarke's 79 from a costly 108 balls.

Retiring wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, who scored a century in his final appearance at his home WACA Ground on Friday night against Sri Lanka, was out for 15 off Sharma's bowling.

But he more than made up the his substandard offensive performance to be involved in five dismissals in the India innings - four catches and a stumping.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who won the toss and elected to bat first, continued his slump at the crease, out for 10 when he tried to force Patel off the back foot and sliced a catch to backward point.

Two runs later Matthew Hayden feathered an attempt to cut Pathan and Andrew Symonds also continued his form slump by dabbing Sharma straight to gully, reducing the home side to 50-4, a start from which they never recovered.

Brad Hogg added 32 but a run out ended his innings as Australia lost three wickets for three runs.

Rothlin wins Tokyo marathon

AFP, Tokyo

World bronze medallist Victor Rothlin of Switzerland set his personal best time and a new meet record to win the Tokyo marathon on Sunday.

Rothlin, who expects to compete in the Beijing Olympics, clocked two hours seven minutes 23 seconds to win the men's race, beating his previous best of 2:08:20 when winning the Zurich marathon last year.

It was also a new Tokyo marathon record beating Daniel Njenga of Kenya, who won here in 2:09:45 last year.

Japan's Arata Fujiwara came in second in 2:08:40, followed by last year's Hokkaido marathon winner Julius Gitahi of Kenya third in 2:08:57.

"What a great story. It's unbelievable. It's a dream come true. I was third last year in Osaka (world championships) and now coming back to Japan, a country of marathon running, to win Tokyo is unbelievable," said Rothlin.

"After this, the game starts again in Beijing. I have to do my best, I have to be ready for that. I think I'm on the right way to Beijing," he added.

Njenga, also the winner here in 2004, finished at 13th place in 2:14:11.