The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bangladesh-Pakistan 5th ODI today: Malik eyes record-breaking 11th straight win for Pakistan in ODI

AP, Karachi

Captain Shoaib Malik is relishing Pakistan's chance to notch a record-breaking 11th successive victory in one-day internationals, no matter that nine of its past 10 wins

came against world cricket's weakest opponents.

"Winning is winning, it's not in our hands who our opponents are," Malik said Friday - a day before Pakistan takes on Bangladesh in the fifth and final one-day international in the southern port city of Karachi.

Pakistan's 18-year-old record of 10 consecutive wins in one dayers looks likely to fall.

The current winning streak started against India at Jaipur last year before it blanked strugglers Zimbabwe 5-0 in the home series in February and has now recorded four victories in a row against modest Bangladesh.

"The credit goes to all players and people of Pakistan, who prayed for us," Malik said.

Australia canceled its scheduled March-April tour of Pakistan at short notice on security grounds, prompting the hasty invitation of Bangladesh to fill its place with five 50-over games and a Twenty20 international.

"It's better to play some international cricket instead of not playing it at all," Malik said.

Bangladesh - currently placed at number 9 in world rankings - went down without a fight in three of the previous four games.

The visitors brief spark of competitiveness came at Lahore in the third match when it chased a victory target of 309 runs but finished on 285-7.

"If we bat first and put up a total something like we posted in third game then we have a chance in the last match," Bangladesh's Australian coach Jamie Siddons said ahead of Saturday's final game.

Touring captain Mohammad Ashraful has scores of 9, 22, 4 and 16 in the past four matches and only Shakib Al Hasan has scored a century for Bangladesh.

"He (Ashraful) is hitting the ball well in the nets, in fact better than anbody else and I hope he does bat well tomorrow," Siddons said.

Bangladesh face Holland today

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh face Holland in a opening day's knockout phase match of the CLICO International U/15 Challenge Competitions today (Saturday) in Barbados, West Indies.

In the day's other match, hosts West Indies will meet Zimbabwe, also in Barbados.

The eight-team tournament from April 19-May 4, organised by All Sports Promotions, will see West Indies, Pakistan, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Holland, Bangladesh and the International Cricket Council (ICC) Americas team comprising players from Bermuda, Canada, Cayman Islands and The Bahamas in action.

The matches will be played in Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Guyana, Barbados, and St Kitts.

The championship has been split into two phases -knockout and league - the knockout phase from April 19-24 and the league from April 26-May 4.

Bangladesh Under-15 squad: Iktedar Nazeef Ahmed (captain), Litton Kumer Das (vice captain), Mohammad Anisur Rahman, Mehedi Hasan Anik, SM Ahamedul Kabir (Rudro), Khaza Khairuddin (Jesan), Rakin Ahmed, Ratnak Saha, Shihab Uddin Ahmed Arpon, Shahariar Islam (Sumon), Mohammad Didar Hossain (Imran), Nasum Ahmed, Mohammad Jashim Uddin and Mohammad Asif Hasan (Mitul).

Team Management: Waheedul Ghani (head coach cum manager), Md. Abdul Hadi Ratan (coach) and Sharif Mahmud Palash (operations manager).

Good start for Rifles in Premier Volleyball

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh Rifles made an auspicious start in the Dhaka Metropolis Premier Division Volleyball League when they defeated East End Boys Club by 3-0 sets in the inaugural match at the Dhaka Volleyball Stadium on Friday.

Vice-President of Bangladesh Volleyball Federation Morshed A Chowdhury was introduced with the participants as the chief guest while Chairman of the Tournament Committee Md Monirul Haque was present as the special guest.

Today Bangladesh Water Development Board will face Fire Service and Civil Defence at 5:30 PM while Bangladesh Power Development Board will meet Wari Club at 5:30 PM and Titas Club will take on Sonali Bank SRC at 4:00 PM.

National Carrom: Shilpi-Priti duo champs in women's doubles

Sports Reporter

Farhana Banu Shilip and Farhana Priti duo of Friends Dramatic Club emerged as the champions of the women's doubles of the Fifth National Carrom Championship when they beat runners-up Farzana Akhtar and Afsana Nasrin duo of Eden Girls College in the final at the National Sports Council on Friday.

In the mixed doubles, Md Monirul Haque and Shamsun Nahar Maksuda duo of Dhaka-District Sports Association clinched the championship title when they defeated runners-up Salahuddin and Farhana Nasrin Lipi duo of Sports and Welfare Association CAO at the same venue on the same day.

Club Cup Hockey: Mohammedans beat Sonali Bank

Sports Reporter

Mohammedan Sporting Club defeated Sonali Bank SRC by two goals to nil in the BRAC Bank Club Cup Hockey Tournament at the Moulana Bhansani National Hockey Stadium on Friday.

The first half was locked 0-0.

Masum and Zahid scored one goal each for the winners.

Meanwhile, th match between Dhaka Mariner Youngs Club and Sadharan Bima KS ended in a goalless draw at the same venue on the same day.

Mirpur Cricket Club beat Al Rashid Cricket Club

UNB, Dhaka

Mirpur Cricket Club earned a 47-run victory over Al Rashid Cricket Club in a match of the Metropolis Second Division Cricket League at the Dhaka University Ground (DUG) on Friday.

Batting first after winning the toss, Mirpur Cricket Club scored 186 for 7 in 35 overs (curtailed over match) with number three MH Orin top scoring 37 runs that featured five fours. Middle order Asadur Rahman 31, opener Mohammad Morshed 30, Saiful Islam 28 and Shamim not out 27 were the other notable scorers.

MZ Palash and Mohammad Liton grabbed two wickets each for 32 and 34 runs respectively.

In reply, Al Rashid Cricket Club was all out for 139 in 31 overs with Palash scoring team highest 36 runs. Asadur Rahman captured four wickets for 22 runs while Taizul took three for 16.

In the day's other match at the City Club Ground (CCG), Dhanmondi Cricket Academy beat Kalabagan Cricket Academy by 40 runs.

Dhanmondi Cricket Academy batted first to be all out for 147 in 39.3 overs with Mohsin Ali contributing 28 runs while Mohibul made 18.

Shahriar Hassan claimed three wickets for 17 runs, while Golam Rabbani, Ariful Hasan and Sajedul Karim took two wickets apiece.

Chasing the target, Kalabagan KC folded their innings at 107 for all in 38.2 overs with number four Mahmudul Hasan managing 27 runs.

Mohsin Ali grabbed three wickets for 12 runs, while Rezaul Bashar and Mohibul Islam took two wickets each.

Sharapova books quarter-final clash with Serena Williams

AFP, South Carolina

Maria Sharapova, enjoying a sparkling season so far, will test herself against an old foe in Serena Williams in the quarter-finals of the Family Circle Cup.

Sharapova, ranked No.4 in the world and seeded second, defeated unseeded Tatiana Perebiynis 7-5, 6-2.

Williams, the fifth seed, defeated Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

Sharapova has stormed through the early stages of 2008, going 23-1 with three titles, including the Australian Open.

However, the Russian has struggled against Williams, losing each of the last three meetings and four of six overall.

Williams claimed both matchups last year, including a showdown in the championship match in Melbourne.

Yet, Sharapova has shown that she has grown as a player, picking up her first clay title at Amelia Island on Sunday.

She also started strong at this green clay event on Wednesday, crushing American Bethanie Mattek 6-0, 6-0.

Sharapova also could benefit from the fact that Williams may be hurting for the quarter-finals. The American tumbled to the clay court after turning her right ankle in the second set against Srebotnik.

"I just hope it's nothing that bothers me tomorrow," Williams said. "When the adrenaline is going sometimes you don't realize how bad something hurts until the next day."

On the other side of the draw, top seed and defending champion Jelena Jankovic needed just 52 minutes to defeat Russian Anastasia Rodionova 6-0, 6-2.

Seeking her first title of the season, Jankovic will face ninth seed Vera Zvonareva of Russia in the quarter-finals. Zvonareva advanced with 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 victory over sixth-seeded Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli.

Fourth-seeded Elena Dementieva of Russia beat Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 7-5 and will meet seventh seed Patty Schnyder a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska.

Hungary's Agnes Szavay and Alize Cornet of France complete the quarter-final lineup.