The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bangladesh cricket team return home

UNB, Dhaka

After a disappointing performance in the five-match ODI series and also in the twenty20 International, Bangladesh national cricket team returned home on Monday afternoon from Karachi.

During the Pakistan tour, the Bengal tigers had a scope to bury the recent memory of their wretched performances against the world's top-ranked teams.

But they could not avail the opportunity and were whitewashed in the five-match ODI series and also suffered a huge defeat in the lone twenty20 match.

There was really no contest in the ODIs except the 3rd one, where Bangladesh team made 285 in reply to Pakistan's mammoth total of 309 runs.

Talking to the reporters on arrival at the Zia International Airport, Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful said: "We were not able to cross the 200-mark during the matches against New Zealand and South Africa. But this time, we crossed the 200-mark on three occasions. This is a sign of total team improvement."

Ashraful, who scored a total of 81 runs in five ODIs at an average of 16.20, told a questioner, he made "good start in all the matches, but could not convert those into big ones. Perhaps, luck didn't favour me. I was also run out on one occasion."

Meanwhile, the out-of-form skipper Mohammad Ashraful's men will now get more than a half month before their next assignment in June at home.

A tri-nation ODI tournament will be held in the capital in June involving neighboring India, Pakistan and hosts Bangladesh.

Prior to the tournament, the national players will get the chance to prepare themselves in the Super League matches of the Metropolis Premier Division Cricket League, which is likely to begin in the first week of May.

Squad: Mohammad Ashraful (Captain), Mashrafe Bin Mortaza (Vice Captain), Tamim Iqbal, Zunaed Siddiqui, Aftab Ahmed, Nazim Uddin, Shahriar Nafees, Shakib Al Hasan, Dhiman Ghosh, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain, Mahmudullah Riyad, Farhad Reza, Roqibul Hassan and Syed Rasel.

Usha KC emerge group champions

UNB, Dhaka

Coming from 3-0 down, Usha KC forced Abahani Limited to a 3-3 draw to reach the semi-final of the BRAC Bank Club Cup Hockey tournament with unbeaten run at the Maulana Bhashani National Hockey Stadium on Monday.

With the day's draw, both teams secured 10 points, but the old Dhaka outfit, Usha KC, emerged group champions by virtue of better goal difference.

In the semi-final on Wednesday, Usha KC will take on Group B runners-up Sonali Bank SRC at 4 pm, while Group A champions Dhaka Mohammedan SC will face their traditional rival Abahani Limited at 2:30 pm.

In the day's last league match, national forward Russell Mahmud Jimmy put Abahani ahead in the 10th minute by a field goal, while Moududur Rahman Shuvo scored two more field goals in the 30th and 34th minutes for the "sky-blue" outfit to dominate the first half 3-0.

But the scenario changed totally in the second half as Usha KC stunned the Abahani camp scoring three goals in a row.

Zahidul Islam Rajon pulled one back with a field goal in the 46th minute, while Imran Ahmed Sohel reduced the margin further in the 47th minute, also by a field goal.

Mustafizur Rahman scored the match-equalizer for Usha KC in the 64th minute from a penalty corner silencing the Abahani fans.

Abahani reached the semi-final beating Wari Club

6-1, Bangladesh SC 4-0 and Ajax SC 2-0, while Usha booked a seat for the semis beating Ajax SC 5-0, Wari Club 4-0 and Bangladesh SC 6-1.

Earlier, in the day's match, Wari Club tasted the first victory in the 4th and last match outplaying all-loser Bangladesh SC by 3-0 goals at the same venue in the afternoon.

Rana Das struck twice in the 19th and 63rd minutes, while Mahmudul netted the other goal in the 61st minute for the winners -- all were field goals.

2-week training program for cricketers begins

UNB, Dhaka

A comprehensive two-weeklong rehabilitation training programme for cricketers began Monday at the Indoor Center of the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.

Cricketers of the national team and the GP-BCB National Cricket Academy, not involved competitive cricket at the moment, are taking part in the programme that will run up to May 4.

National players Habibul Bashar, Khaled Mashud, Javed Omer, Rajin Saleh, Tushar Imran, Alok Kapali and the GP-BCB Academy players Musharraf Hossain Rubel, Sahagir Hossain, Jahirul Islam and Nasiruddin Faruk have been called up for the training camp.

The initiative has been taken to give players, who are out of the national team and the Academy team, for providing much-needed practice during their leisure.

Everyday, the players will have around four hours of training that includes net practice, fielding sessions, gym and recovery.

Eves cricket team plays a preparatory match today

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Women's Cricket team, now preparing for the Women's Asia Cup in Sri Lanka, plays a preparatory match against the Private Cricket Academies Mixed XI today (Tuesday) at the Dhanmondi Women's Sports Complex.

The 50-over-a-side match will start at 9:00 am.

Bangladesh women's cricket team will leave here for Sri Lanka on April 26 to participate in their first-ever Women's Asia Cup beginning in the first week of May.

There will be media opportunities like interviews and interaction with players and officials of Bangladesh Women's team during the course of the game, said a press release on Monday.

Kakrail Boys Club earns 5-wicket win over Rayer Bazar AC

UNB, Dhaka

Kakrail Boys Club earned a five-wicket win over Rayer Bazar Athletics Club in a match of the 2nd Division Cricket League at the Dhaka University ground on Monday.

Opting to bat first, Rayer Bazar AC were all out for 112 in 37.5 overs with Alam scoring not out 49 and Shafiqul 13 runs.

Saju captured three wickets for 29 runs and Mamun took two for 20.

In reply, Kakrail Boys Club reached their target making 115 in 31.2 overs for the loss of five wickets with Suman contributing 31 runs and Hakim making 25. Asif grabbed four wickets for 27 runs.

In the day's other matches, Farashganj SC (260/10) defeated Prantik KC (188/10) by 72 runs at the Narayanganj Osmani (Fatullah) Stadium and Green Leaf SC (128/7) outplayed Kalindi KC (125/10) by three wickets at the City Club ground.

Foundation stone laying of GP-BCB National Cricket Academy tomorrow

UNB, Dhaka

The foundation stone laying ceremony of the Academy Building of GP-BCB National Cricket Academy will be held at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNS) at 4pm on Wednesday.

National Sports Council Chairman and Army Chief General Moeen U Ahmed will be the chief guest at the function, said a BCB press release.

Sonali Bank blank Wari Club by 3-0 sets

UNB, Dhaka

Sonali Bank Club beat Wari Club by straight 3-0 sets (25-23, 25-22, 25-20) in a match of the Metropolis Premier Division Volleyball League at the Volleyball Stadium here Monday.

In the day's other match at the same venue, Titas Club overpowered Water Development Board by 3-1 sets (14-25, 25-19, 26-24, 25-23).

Today's match: Power Development Board vs Fire Service.

Zonal round of National Women Handball Championship begins Apr 25 in Bagerhat

UNB, Dhaka

The Kha zone matches of the Exim Bank National Women's Handball Championship, organized by Bangladesh Handball Federation, will begin on April 25 in Bagerhat.

Ten teams so far confirmed their participation in the zonal phase, a federation official said on Monday.

The Ga zone matches will be held in Panchagarh on Apr 30-May 2 and the Gha zone matches in Bandarban on May 8-10.

The final round of the championship will begin on June 11 at the Mirpur Indoor Stadium in Dhaka.

Australia to tour Pakistan in 2009, 2010

AFP, Sydney

Australia will visit Pakistan twice in the next two years to replace a March-April tour that was axed over security concerns, Cricket Australia and the Pakistan Cricket Board said Monday.

The two governing bodies said Australia will tour Pakistan in April-May 2009 and again in 2010.

This year's tour was postponed last month amid Australian security concerns following twin bomb blasts in the eastern city of Lahore, where Australia were due to play a Test and one limited-overs international.

The PCB has also confirmed it will go ahead with its tour to Australia in 2009-10 for three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international.

"The PCB is very pleased that the Australian team will come to play in Pakistan twice, in 2009 and again in 2010," PCB Chairman Nasim Ashraf said in the joint statement.

"Our discussions with Cricket Australia showed both countries' strong desire to ensure the postponed matches were played in Pakistan.

"As well as the two tours at home, the PCB has also confirmed the Pakistan team's tour of Australia for the 2009-10 season."

The 2009 tour of Pakistan will consist of five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 international following the Australian team's commitments in South Africa.

Australia will then return to Pakistan in August-September 2010 to play three Test matches, with final dates and venues to be agreed depending on each nation's Future Tours Program (FTP) obligations with the International Cricket Council.

"Today's announcement demonstrates Cricket Australia's commitment to fulfilling its obligations under the Future Tours Program and also to Pakistan cricket," CA Chairman Creagh O'Connor said in the statement.

"We're pleased to have reached agreement to travel to Pakistan to complete the postponed matches and to play in them in Australia as agreed under the FTP."

Estoril title hands Federer French Open boost

AFP, Portugal

Roger Federer's clay-court intelligence- gathering exercise, which resulted in Sunday's Estoril Open title, has also given the Swiss a timely French Open boost.

The world number one broke his 2008 title drought and earned a significant claycourt advantage over triple Roland Garros winner Rafael Nadal, the world number two, and Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic, the world number three.

Now Federer, and interim coach Jose Higueras, head for the Monte Carlo Masters with a major psychological edge after the win here over Nikolay Davydenko.

The Russian world number four quit with a leg injury while trailing in the final 7-6 (7/5), 1-2.

"I got a lot of information about my game this week, it feels great to win the title. I have a tournament victory and guys like Nadal and Djokovic haven't yet played on clay," said Federer who earned his seventh title on the surface and 54th overall.

"I already have five matches on the surface - this a good start for me."

Twelve-time Grand Slam title winner Federer, who suffered with glandular fever before January's Australian Open where Djokovic relieved him of his title, broke his duck as he notched a 12th win against no defeats in his career the series with Davydenko.

Federer had won the last of his titles in November at the Masters Cup in Shanghai.

"It's great to win a title, fantastic," said Federer. "This will give me great confidence for the rest of the season."

Federer said that starting with an extra claycourt event in 2008 was the right move and gives him confidence looking forward to Paris, where he has come up short to Nadal in the last two finals.

"I have time ahead of the French Open. I'm happy things have paid off already," he said.

"I don't need to be running after matches like two months ago when I didn't have enough of them. I have bounced back and I'm playing well again considering my tough start to season."

Davydenko, who took the Masters title in Miami last month, says trainers believe he can be fit for a Wednesday start in the second round at Monte Carlo after a bye.

"When I ran to the left, I felt pain," said the Russian. "I tried to fight but I knew there was not much that I could do."