The New Nation - Internet Edition

Bangladesh team reaches Colombo to participate in SAFF Championship

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh National Football team reached Colombo early Saturday by a Thai Airlines flight to participate in the eight-team 5th SAFF Championship to be held on June 3-14 in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

The Bangladesh team is now staying in Pegasus Hotel under their owned arrangement and will be lodged with Galadari Hotel on June 2 under the arrangement of SAFF organizer.

All the members of Bangladesh team are now in sound health and did their practice this afternoon in Colombo, according to a message received here.

Bangladesh have been placed in Group B of the 5th SAFF Championship with Afghanistan, Bhutan and co-hosts Sri Lanka while Group A team comprises holders India, Pakistan, the Maldives and Nepal.

Bangladesh will start their SAFF campaign taking on Bhutan on June 4, play emerging force Afghanistan on June 6 and hosts Sri Lanka on June 8 in the group encounters.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh national football team played a preparatory match in Bangkok enroute to Sri Lanka and drew a goal-less draw with Thai professional football club Bec Tero Sasana on Friday.

Earlier, the first preparatory match of Bangladesh in Thailand against Bangkok Glass Club was washed out on Wednesday within 15 minutes without scoring any goal due to rain.

Ahead of the Sri Lanka tour, the Bangladesh national team also played two preparatory matches in Narsingdi and Dhaka.

The national side played to a goalless draw with All African Eleven in Narsingdi and beat Sporting Independent by 1-0 goal in Dhaka.

Abahani Limited blank Ajax SC

Sports Reporter

Abahani Limited blanked Ajax SC by 7-0 goals in their Super Five clash of the Green Delta Insurance Premier Division Hockey League at the Moulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium on Saturday.

With yesterday's win Abahani Limited secured 28 points from 11 matches while Ajax SC remained with 13 points from as many matches.

Usha KC led the points table securing maximum 33 points from 11 matches.

If Abahani want to be the champions of the league Abahani have to win rest of the two matches.

On the other hand, Usha need just one point to clinch the title of the league.

Abahani totally dominated over their weaker opponents and made it a one-sided affair.

Abahani had a formidable 5-0 lead in the first session.

Jimi opened the flood-gate by a field goal in the 17th minute of the first half.

After two minutes Chayan doubled the margin from a penalty corner.

Kuty made it 3-0 by a field goal in the 21st minute of the play.

Jimi struck again on the board using a penalty corner in the 23rd minute of the game.

After two minutes Kuty increased the tally into 5-0 in the 25th minute of the clash.

After the intermission Jimi scored his third goal in the 49th minute of the match.

Kuty sealed the fate of the match (7-0) by a field goal in the 56th minute of the encounter.

Today Usha KC will face Mohammedan Sporting Club at 4.00 PM at the same venue.

England understudies get a chance to take centre stage

AFP, Trinidad

England's understudies will get a rare chance to take centre stage in Sunday's friendly against Trinidad and Tobago.

Fabio Capello's decision to give an early holiday to seven of the England players who featured in last week's Champions League final between Chelsea and Manchester United has given the Port of Spain clash the air of an audition.

While Wayne Rooney, John Terry, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Ashley Cole, Owen Hargreaves and Wes Brown are packing the sun cream in preparation for a much-needed break, their team-mates are in the Caribbean for a match that is more important for political reasons than anything that happens on the pitch.

The English FA, who are seeking votes to support their bid to stage the 2018 World Cup, hope an appearance in Trinidad will curry favour with FIFA vice-president and Trinidad Football Federation special adviser Jack Warner.

At least Capello has take the opportunity to run the rule over the likes of Gabriel Agbonlahor, Dean Ashton, Theo Walcott, Ashley Young and Joe Hart.

Whether playing a meaningless match in stifling heat is really much of reward for the young pretenders is up for debate, especially with Capello's strict training regime to survive as well.

"The players are learning the manager is very strict and very serious and when you train, you train hard, and when you play, you play hard and when you are with the England team, you concentrate and wear that shirt with pride," midfielder David Beckham said.

"The players know what he wants and are trying to make him happy and at the moment we are working hard and winning games. There is still a lot to learn and a lot of hard work to do but we are happy at the moment."

Capello could also select his fourth England captain in four matches if he opts to hand the armband to Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry.

Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Steven Gerrard have already led England under Capello, who is trying out all his options before deciding on a permanent skipper in time for next season's World Cup qualifiers.

Barry's quietly assured England displays have made him a surprise candidate, although his lack of Champions League experience probably make him the least likely long-term captain.

Beckham wore the armband with pride during Sven Goran Eriksson's reign, so the LA Galaxy midfielder knows how much it will mean to Capello's eventual choice. But even Beckham, publicly at least, is unsure who the best man would be.

"I think Rio Ferdinand has done a great job, Stevie G (Gerrard) has done a great job and obviously JT (Terry). They are all quality captains and all have got the chance of being a captain," he said.

"You have to be a strong character to be a captain of not just your club team but your country, and everyone of those players has a strong character and is passionate about playing for their country."

Trinidad were only narrowly beaten by England at the 2006 World Cup and Francisco Maturana's side are undefeated since the Colombian coach took charge.

It is the kind of fixture that could easily cause England some embarrassment if they aren't switched on.

Trinidad striker Kenwyne Jones, who plays in the Premier League with Sunderland, was quick to warn England not to underestimate his team.

"I think we are going to see a very good game and I know all of Trinidad wants us to beat England this time around because we were seven minutes away from getting a point when we met them in Nuremberg in 2006," Jones said.

"I'm feeling good at the moment and we've come through a good week of preparation for the match. England are coming off a win against the States but I think on Sunday it's going to be a different ball game."

Ponting, Katich earn landmarks as Aussies dominate

AP, Antigua

Simon Katich hit an unbeaten 113 and Ricky Ponting became the seventh player to 10,000 runs as Australia reached 259 for three against the West Indies on Friday.

Left-hander Katich batted the entire day for his third test century, including nine fours off 241 balls.

Ponting hit for 65, reaching the 10,000 plateau just before he was dismissed on day one of the second cricket test at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

He and Katich shared a second-wicket stand of 136 that gave Australia the edge after they won the toss on a placid pitch.

Darren Sammy (one for 31), Jerome Taylor (one for 43) and Dwayne Bravo (one for 56) were the successful home team bowlers.

Ponting joins fellow greats Brian Lara (11,953), Sachin Tendulkar (11,782), Allan Border (11,174), Steve Waugh (10,927), Sunil Gavaskar (10,122) and Rahul Dravid (10,098) in the 10,000-run club.

"The thing I've always said I'm most proud about is probably my longevity in the game," Ponting said after play. "As a top order batsman, I guess if you play that many games, you're expected to get close on 10,000 runs."

"It started in the Caribbean in 1995, so 13 years in international cricket it's taken to get to 10,000 test runs," he said. "I think everyone growing up wishes they that they could do it.

"I've never been one for stats or milestones like that," the 33-year-old Aussie skipper said. "I try to do the best that I can for my team in any situation that I'm confronted with and score as many runs as I can in every game."

Ponting came to the crease when Phil Jaques fell at 36 for one midway through the first session.

Jaques was leg before to Bravo for 17 as he played across an inswinger.

Ponting and Katich, under pressure after a double failure in the first test, took the visitors to lunch at 70 for one.

The partnership blossomed after the interval and both players brought up half centuries as Australia dominated the second session. Ponting reached his 10,000th run just after tea, to the applause of a mainly Australian crowd of about 2,000.

But the West Indies rallied quickly when Taylor earned Ponting's wicket with a slower ball that the batsman sliced to gully.

Ponting faced 122 balls and batted just under three hours. The home team enjoyed their best spell of the day, and Fidel Edwards should have dismissed both Michael Hussey and Katich in successive overs but catches were dropped.

Hussey deflected an unconvincing hook and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin failed to hold on.

Katich was 90 when he swatted to backward point where Runako Morton grassed a simple offering.

Hussey did not push on as he swatted Sammy to midwicket. But Katich soon passed three figures for the first time since March 2005.

He and Michael Clarke consolidated Australia's advantage by adding 60 unbroken for the fourth wicket before close.

Clarke batted beautifully in compiling an undefeated 38 off 50 balls with five fours.

Kuerten backs Nadal for fourth title

AFP, Paris

Former triple champion Gustavo Kuerten believes Rafael Nadal will complete his march on history by wrapping up a fourth successive French Open crown.

Kuerten, the champion in 1997, 2000 and 2001, is convinced the Spaniard will succeed in his task of emulating Bjorn Borg as the only man to win four Roland Garros trophies on the bounce.

"For me Nadal is still the favourite to win," said Kuerten.

"Also, it's difficult to see Federer losing to anybody (before the final). Maybe (Nikolay) Davydenko will have a chance. But I think they're both favourites. For me, to win, I'm still taking Nadal."

But Kuerten, who has now called time on his career following his last appearance here, also believes that Federer shouldn't give up hope of winning a first French Open.

The world number one is still missing a Roland Garros victory from his 12-title Grand Slam collection.

He has been beaten by Nadal in the last three years, including the last two finals.

"Roger doesn't need to play better," said the Brazilian. "Sometimes he's playing enough. He just needs to play better in the crucial points and win those important points.

"The last matches where he's been playing Nadal, he's been having opportunities, but just not managed to win the match. So I don't think it's a matter of playing better.

"I think he has enough of strength and a game to win. But once he plays finals, it's a lot of things together. Maybe if he does these things a little bit better, he can manage to win, even here."

Usha KC-Mohammedan SC super league match today

UNB, Dhaka

League leader Usha KC faces Mohammedan SC in the vital super league match of the Green Delta Insurance Premier Division Hockey League at the Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium today (Sunday).

The match gets underway at 4pm.

Usha KC, which dominating the league table maintaining all-win runs with 33 points from 12 matches, wants to confirm the league title with one match to spare.

Mohammedan SC is in the 3rd position in the point table collecting 23 points from 10 matches.

Mohammedan SC and Usha KC will play their next super league match against Abahani Limited on June 3 and 6 respectively.

Royal Club emerges champion in 2nd National Roller Skating Championship

UNB, Dhaka

Royal Club Limited emerged champions in the 2nd National Roller Skating Championship that concluded at the Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS) Friday.

Royal Club Limited secured 12 gold, 9 silver and 5 bronze medals while Rollers Skating Club became runners up bagging 4 gold and 2 bronze medals.

American Chambers of Commerce President Syed Ershad Ahmed inaugurated the daylong meet Friday morning while ATN Bangla Adviser Nowajesh Ali Khan distributed prizes among the participants later in the afternoon.

Some 100 people representing 21 clubs and four DSAs took part in 23 events of the meet.

Siraj Smriti Sangsad crushes Moghbazar Sabuj Sangha 3-0

UNB, Dhaka

Siraj Smriti Sangsad crushed Moghbazar Sabuj Sangha by 3-0 goals in a North Zone match of the Dhaka City Corporation Pioneer Football League at the T&T ground at city's Mohakhali Saturday.

Momin, Sohel and Ramzan scored one goal each for the winners.

In the Central Zone, Narayanganj Football Academy beat Nandipara Kamalkali Sangsad by 2-0 goals with Jamal and Sohel scoring for the winners.

In another Central Zone match, Samaj Kalyan Krira Sangsad defeated Murapara SC also by 2-0 goals with Milon and Pappu netting one goal apiece for the victorious side.

In the day's other matches, Surya Sena Sporting Club beat Nur Sporting Club by 1-0 while Madrashah SC defeated Shuvadda SC also by the same margin.

Afghanistan,Jersey continue on road to World Cup

AFP, Dubia

Afghanistan and Jersey qualified for the ICC World Cricket League Division five semi-finals on Friday to keep on course for possible qualification for the 2011 World Cup finals, the International Cricket Council announced.

Afghanistan successfully defended a 142-run total to defeat Nepal by 37 runs at the Grainville while hosts Jersey outsmarted the USA by 84 runs at the FB Fields.

Afghanistan and Jersey not only progressed through to Saturday's final but will also join Hong Kong, Fiji, Tanzania and Italy in the six-team Division four set for the Tanzanian capital of Dar Es Salaam from 4 to 11 October.

In turn, the top two teams from that tournament will progress to Division three in Argentina next January and hope to finish in the top two to qualify for the World Cup Qualifier 2009 in the UAE, which incorporates Divisions one and two.

Big serve helps Svetlana Kuznetsova reach 4th round at French Open

AP, Paris

Svetlana Kuznetsova faced only one break point and

beat fellow Russian Nadia Petrova 6-2, 6-1 Saturday in the third round of the French Open.

Kuznetsova, seeded fourth, hit five aces and lost only five points on her first serve. She was the runner-up to Justine Henin at Roland Garros in 2006.

Kuznetsova will next play No. 16 Victoria Azarenka, who beat No. 18 Francesca Schiavone 6-1, 6-1. Azarenka feasted on Schiavone's weak second serve, winning 23 of those 28 points.

Azarenka has lost only six games in three matches this week.

In the completion of a match suspended because of darkness, No. 3 Jelena Jankovic beat No. 28 Dominika Cibulkova 7-5, 6-3. Jankovic led 4-2 in the second set when play was halted Friday.

Russia's Dinara Safina, seeded 13th, defeated Zheng Jie 6-2, 7-5.

On Friday, both Williams sisters were eliminated from the tournament, as Venus lost to Flavia Pennetta, 7-5, 6-3, and Serena was ousted by Katarina Srebotnik 6-4, 6-4.

"It wasn't a good day for our family," Venus said.

It wasn't a good day for U.S. tennis, either. The double defeats meant that for the first time in the Open Era, there will be no American woman in the fourth round at Roland Garros.

Both losses were unsightly. Serena shanked overheads, sprayed volleys and failed to convert six break points. Venus lost serve six times and committed 29 unforced errors, many after being worn down in long rallies by Pennetta.

The Italian closed out the victory with a forehand winner at 9:47 p.m. Williams said she never asked the chair umpire to suspend the match because of darkness.

"I just kept playing," she said.

Why didn't she ask to stop?

"Because I didn't," she said.

Her sister was equally subdued after her loss. Explaining her demeanor at a postmatch news conference, Serena said, "I just don't want to be here."

Among those still hanging around were top-seeded Maria Sharapova and No. 2 Ana Ivanovic, who both won Friday.

Three-time defending champion Rafael Nadal played for the fourth consecutive day in the rain-interrupted tournament and improved to 24-0 at Roland Garros by defeating Jarkko Nieminen 6-1, 6-3, 6-1.

No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic beat Floridian Wayne Odesnik 7-5, 6-4, 6-2, leaving Robby Ginepri as the only American in either singles draw.

Ginepri was to play Florent Serra on Saturday. Top-ranked Roger Federer was to face the last player to beat him at Wimbledon - in 2002 - Mario Ancic.

The women's draw lost plenty of star power with the elimination of the Williams sisters. They have combined to win 14 Grand Slam titles but were beaten by two tour veterans who have yet to reach a major quarterfinal.

"It's never fun," Venus said. "I never get used to losing. I don't think anyone gets used to losing. And if they do, then maybe it's time to retire."

Serena Williams, who played the day's first match on Court Suzanne Lenglen, converted only one of seven break-point chances and was 0-for-5 in the second set. She repeatedly set up points but failed to finish them, losing 14 of 21 at the net.

"There are a lot of things I would try to do different, but you can't rewind time," Williams said.