The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bangladesh women's team whitewash HongKong women's team

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh National Women team whitewashed HongKong National Women's team when the Tigresses outplayed the visitors by 115 runs in the fourth and last one-dayer match at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur on Saturday.

Electing to bat first, Bangladesh made 211 for the loss of nine wickets in the regulation 50 overs and then they bundled out HongKong for a fragile 96 of 42.3 overs.

Salma Khatun hit a captain's knock of 63 using 96 deliveries including five fours.

Panna Ghosh notched up a polished 40 off 61 balls amid three boundaries.

Connie Wong got three wickets conceding 47 runs while Betty Chan bagged two wickts for 35 runs.

Later, Connie Wong was the only run getter for Hong Kong who reached the double-digit figure making 14 off 49 balls.

Jahanara Alam and Romana Ahmed grabbed altogether six wickets sharing three wickets each giving away five and 16 runs respectively.

Besides, Sathira Zakir, Tithy Rani Sarker and Shamima Akter took one wicket each in exchange of 16, 17 and 19 runs respectively.

Serena launches defense in decisive style

AFP, Miami

Serena Williams launched her WTA title defense at the Sony Ericsson Open Friday with a confident victory over unseeded Romanian Edina Gallovits.

Williams, seeded eighth, needed just 54 minutes to dismiss Gallovits 6-1, 6-2 to reach the third round of the tournament, which also features an ATP Masters Series tournament.

Like all 32 seeded players, Williams enjoyed a first-round bye. Her victory took her record in Miami to 42-5, including her victory over world number one Justine Henin in last year's final.

Williams, 26, also won three straight titles here from 2002-04 and was a runner-up to older sister Venus Williams in 1999.

The former world number one and eight-time Grand Slam champion never faced a break point against Gallovits as she booked a third-round meeting with 27th-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta, a 6-4, 6-2 winner against Anastasia Rodionova.

Henin opened with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Angelique Kerber of Germany. The Belgian is back in action for the first time since a surprising loss to Italy's Francesca Schiavone in the quarter-finals at Dubai in February.

The 25-year-old, who has already captured titles this year in Sydney and her Belgium, improved to 13-2 this season.

She will face Italy's Sara Errani, who defeated 26th-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/2).

Venus Williams, the sixth seed, also advanced, beating Poland's Marta Domachowska 6-4, 6-3.

Like her sister, Venus also has been a force at this event, capturing three titles between 1998 and 2001. She made a rare early exit last year, falling to Russian Maria Sharapova in the third round.

Third-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova, a runner-up to Ana Ivanovic in Sunday's Indian Wells final, needed three sets to down Chan Jan-Yung 6-1, 3-6, 6-0.

Unseeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark ousted ninth-seeded Marion Bartoli of France 6-3, 6-1.

First-ever Beach Kabaddi Tournament began in Cox's Bazar

UNB, Dhaka

Hundreds of people heartily enjoyed the first ever men and women's beach Kabaddi tournament that began today at Cox's Bazar sea beach.

Four matches were decided on the opening day of the tournament organized by NAF Corporation.

Bangladesh Police beat Bangladesh Navy by 48-31 points while Bangladesh Jail team defeated Fire Service and Civil Defense team by 38-34 points in two men's group matches held in the morning.

In women's group, Jatrabari KC beat Jurain Janata Club by 30-28 points while Mutail Milan Smriti Sangsad outplayed Cox's Bazar DSA by 37-14 points in the afternoon.

Earlier, Deputy Commissioner of Cox's Bazar Sajjadul Hasan inaugurated the three-day meet. Managing Director of tournament sponsor NAF Corporation Shahnewaz Chowdhury Swapon was present as special guest.

Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation (BKF) arranged the meet in preparation of taking a national team to the Beach Asian Games to be held in the Bali Island in Indonesia.

Six teams split into two will compete in the women's group. Later, top two teams from each group will play in the semi-finals on Monday (March 31) morning and the final in the afternoon.

Five teams will contest in the men's group on straight league basis and the highest point holder team will be the champions.

Men's team: Bangladesh Rifles, Bangladesh Police, Bangladesh Navy Fire Service and Bangladesh Jail Directorate.

Women's team: Group A - Jatrabari KC, Jurain Janata Club and Azad SC.

Group B - Bangladesh Ansar, Matuail Milan Smriti Sangsad and Cox's Bazar DSA.

Hammam wants to see football in Bangladesh on its peak

UNB, Dhaka

Visiting Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed Bin Hammam Saturday said he wants to see football in Bangladesh on its peak and sought cooperation of the National Sports Council and the authorities concerned in this connection.

"I'm very glad to visit this lovely country, this time I saw a lot of discipline here and hoped that it will also be found in your football field. Discipline and stability are the main two things to develop football," the AFC boss told a press conference at the conference room of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).

Asked if his organisation has any plan for the development of Bangladesh football, he said, "I would like to show my love for Bangladesh. Development is an effort that depends lots on stakeholders. FIFA, AFC, sports organisers and political parties will have to play a role for development of football."

Asked about his meeting with NSC chairman and Army chief General Moeen U Ahmed, he quoted the Army Chief as saying, "Football has to be played down to the villages, not only in Dhaka."

The AFC chief told a questioner that the previous statutes of BFF were not helpful for football. "These (current) statutes represent the stakeholders."

Responding to a query, he said the AFC's approach is actually to develop clubs. "This country needs to undertake programmes for youths and build club structures. And only after that there will be different football in Bangladesh within the next 4-5 years."

Hammam said he might come here again later this year with FIFA president Joseph H Blatter to inaugurate an artificial turf.

The AFC president laid the foundation of the artificial turf under FIFA goal project 2 at the Arambagh Balurmath (ground) beside the BFF Bhaban this afternoon.

AFC general secretary Dato Paul Mony Samuel, also in Bangladesh now, laid the foundation stone of a Football Training Center in Barisal this (Saturday) morning. The center will be built with financial assistance from FIFA.

BFF president SA Sultan, who was also present at the briefing, said, "In the past, he (Hammam) did a lot of favours to Bangladesh. He, especially, chose Bangladesh as one of the nations of Vision Asia."

Meanwhile, the BFF boss informed that they have officially requested the AFC to give their consent for hosting the group stage matches of the AFC President's Cup in May after neighboring Nepal expressed their inability.

BFF senior vice president Abdur Rahim, vice president Sirajul Islam Bachchu and general secretary Manzoor Hossain Malu were, among others, present on the occasion.

Pakistan relent on Naved, Mushtaq county participation

AFP, Karachi

Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed Saturday it had cleared former Test players Rana Naved and Mushtaq Ahmed to play in English county cricket, despite them featuring in an unauthorised Indian league.

Mushtaq will play for Sussex and Naved for Yorkshire after the PCB gave them the go-ahead after initial reluctance following the duo's appearance in the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL).

The ICL, bankrolled by country's largest media group last year, is not recognised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or the International Cricket Council.

Shafqat Naghmi, chief operating officer for the PCB, confirmed the move.

"PCB's policy on the ICL players remains the same as it has always been, which is that these players cannot play in any domestic and international event in Pakistan.

"But the board also felt that there is no legal or moral reason in stopping ICL players from featuring in events in any other country. So on this basis, we have responded to the counties for Naved and Mushtaq," Naghmi told AFP.

"We will not stop them from playing in counties because they are no more under PCB's contract and our point of view with the counties is that if you want to play them it's your will."

Naved, who was a big success for Surrey before moving to Headingley for the coming season, said he was relieved at being allowed to play in the English season.

"I have maintained throughout the last few weeks that I would be allowed to play cricket for Yorkshire and that my participation in the ICL would not get in the way," Naved said in a statement released by Yorkshire on Friday.

He added: "I am not contracted to the PCB and could not see why they should wish to prevent me from playing the game I love in Yorkshire.

The PCB last year banned all ICL contracted players-including former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq-from featuring in domestic and international events.

Former openers Imran Farhat and Taufiq Umer had threatened to sue the PCB on stopping them from earning their livelihood, but could not start the proceedings as they are currently featuring in the second edition of the ICL.

Naghmi denied the PCB has received any official complaint from the BCCI on allowing Naved and Mushtaq to feature in the English season.

The BCCI, which initiated its own multi-million dollar Indian Premier League to counter the ICL threat, is reportedly lodging a complaint with the England and Wales Cricket Board on clearing Mushtaq and Naved.

Dravid joins 10,000-run club

AFP, Chennai

Rahul Dravid of India on Saturday became the sixth batsman in history to score 10,000 Test runs when he reached 80 in the first Test against South Africa here.

The 35-year-old former captain chalked up an innings of 111, his 25th Test century, before he was caught in the slips by Jacques Kallis off Makhaya Ntini after lunch on the fourth day.

Dravid, playing his 120th Test, averages 55.41 with a personal best of 270 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi in 2004.

Of the six batsmen in the exclusive club, only Dravid, Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar have scored more than 10,000 runs in both Test and one-day cricket.

Amol Roy reaches men's singles final

UNB, Dhaka

Amol Roy reached the men's singles final of the Independence Day Tennis tournament eliminating Ranjan Ram 6-4, 7-5 games in the first semifinal at the Ramna National Tennis Complex on Saturday.

He will play the final today (Sunday) afternoon against the winners of Shibu Lal and Mofazzel Hossain.

In the boys' singles 14-year age group, Rustam Ali booked a seat for the final beating Sajib Passi 5-4 (retired) to play the final against the winners of Aquib Monir and Ranjit Passi, also on Sunday afternoon.

President of Bangladesh Tennis Federation AMM Nasiruddin will be the chief guest at the closing function today (Sunday) and will distribute the prizes.

Owen focus on Newcastle despite Capello row

AFP, London

Michael Owen's preparations for a crucial Premier League game against Tottenham on Sunday have been overshadowed by a bitter row over comments made about England head coach Fabio Capello.

The striker, who scored in Newcastle's 2-0 win over Fulham last weekend, has defended himself amid accusations he made a scathing attack on Capello after England's defeat against France in Paris.

Owen immediately launched a defence of his comments and claimed his words were misconstrued and he was full of admiration for the Italian.

He said: "I was asked what I thought my role was in the team after two England games and my response was that you'll have to ask the manager. However in the papers that's been misconstrued and presented as an answer to the question 'what did you think your role was when you came on'.

"Headlines using words like 'clueless' are just words which I didn't use and mean nothing. I was answering a different question. I haven't been critical of the new management team. I've got lots of positive things to say about them.

"I've seen quotes attributed to me that relate to a question I was asked three months ago and they've been used to respond to something I was never asked. It looks like I've answered a question the night before when in fact it was weeks ago.

"Football is a team game and nobody knows that better than me. I'm a team player and I can only answer the questions as I see them.

"If I was asked the same question again - what is your role under the new manager in the future - I would say again that you're best asking him. Only he knows the formations and personnel he wants to use. All I can do is my best for Newcastle and, if I am selected, for England."

Owen returns to club duty on Sunday when Newcastle will look to take another step in securing their Premiership status.

Their manager, Kevin Keegan, was visibly overjoyed at recording his first win during his second tenure at St James' Park; however, an away match at White Hart Land could prove tricky.

Narinda School emerges champion in boys' section of Bata School Handball

UNB, Dhaka

Narinda Govt. High School emerged champions in the boys' section of the Bata School Handball Tournament for the 3rd consecutive time outplaying Shaheed Abdur Jabbar Ansar & VDP by 28-15 goals in the final at the Outer Stadium Handball Ground here Saturday.

Narinda Govt. High School enjoyed a 12-7 first-half lead.

In the girls' section, Sunny Dale School clinched the title for the first time beating Viqarunnisa Noon School & College by 7-4 goals in the final trailing by 2-3 goals in the first half.

Anik of Narinda Govt. High School was adjudged the best player in the boys' section while Ridwana of Sunny Dale School was named the best player in the girls' section.

Meanwhile, in the boys' section, BIS placed 3rd beating Banani Bidya Niketon School by 10-4 goals while Scholastica also became 3rd defeating Maple Leaf International School by 7-3 goals.

Later, Bangladesh Handball Federation President and Industries Secretary Mohammad Nurul Amin distributed prizes among the winners. Federation general secretary Asaduzzaman Kohinoor and Rural Sales Programme manager of Bata Shoe Ltd Iqramuzzaman were also present on the occasion.

Zia maintains his joint lead

UNB, Dhaka

Zaiur Rahman of Bangladesh maintained joint lead in the 3rd Kolkata Open Grandmaster Chess Tournament along with four other players securing five points after the 6th round at Gorky Sadan Kolkata on Friday.

The other four players are GM Krishnan Sasikiran of India, GM Viktor Laznicka of Checz Republic, GM Nguyen Anh Dung of Vietnam and IM Saptarshi Roy of India.

Another Bangladeshi GM Abdullah Al Rakib bagged 4 points followed by GM Niaz Morshed and IM Enamul Hossain Razib with 3.5 points each. Mohammad Javed earned 3 points.

In the 6th round matches, Zia drew with GM Nguyen Anh Dung of Vietnam, Rakib drew with Himansu Sharma (India), Niaz beat Arun Karthik (India), Razib defeated KK Chatterjee (India), Parag drew with Prince Bajaj (India), Ali beat Kavan Shah, Javed lost to IM Vikramaditya Kamble (India), Nasir lost to IWM Nadig Kruttika (India), Sagar lost to Swayams Mishra (India) and Taibur lost to Ananda Kumar Ghosh (India).

China announces new tough security ahead of Olympics

AFP, Beijing

Beijing police will be authorised to make random checks on Tiananmen Square and at transport hubs as part of new security regulations ahead of the August Olympic Games, state press reported on Saturday.

Police will check for "knives, flammable and other hazardous tools or materials" at their discretion to ensure a safe Olympics, the Xinhua news agency report said.

Meanwhile Chinese fans coming to Beijing must seek approval first from their local police, register and could be accompanied by officers when coming to the capital, the Beijing News reported.

Their local police will run checks for "those who have a history of being detained for disturbing sports match order," the report said.

Anyone found to have committed any such previous offences would be banned from coming to the capital, the report said, citing Hu Haiyuan, head of big event coordination for the Beijing police.

Hu further said that a group of 1,000 fans from central Henan province arrived this month for a sports event in Beijing accompanied by eight local policemen.

China has already stepped up airport security ahead of the Games after an alleged Muslim terrorist tried to blow up a plane with soft drink cans containing petrol earlier this month.

Beijing has expressed concerns over unrest during the Games, especially following riots in Lhasa over China's rule of the Himalayan territory erupted on March 14 and spread to Tibetan areas around the nation.

Officials have expressed concerns that such unrest could spill over into wider parts of society that are disgruntled over rising prices, government corruption and a widening wealth gap between the rich and poor.