The New Nation - Internet Edition

Abahani plays Mohammedan in a vital match today:Sonali Bank beat Ajax SC by 7-2 goals

UNB, Dhaka

The Club Cup finalists Sonali Bank SRC tasted the first win in their third super league match of the Green Delta Premier Division Hockey League beating Ajax SC by 7-2 goals at Maulana Bhashani Hockey Stadium on Monday.

With the maiden victory the bankers' team improved their position in the league securing 22 points from 12 matches while Ajax SC remained at 13 points, losing all the four encounters.

Krishna Kumar, who was called for national team recently, struck three goals while his colleague Iqbal Nader scored twice.

Sheikh Mohammad Nannu and Asaduzzaman Chandan netted the remaining goals for the bankers' team, which dominated the first half by 4-2 goals.

Imtiaz Ahmed Rubel and Nurunnabi Rupom scored one each for the Ajax SC, both in the first half.

Sheikh Mohamad Nannu opened the floodgate for Sonali Bank in the 14th minute by a field goal (1-0) while Nurunnabi Rupom restored the parity for Ajax in the 17th minute from a penalty corner (1-1).

Krishna Kumar and Iqbal Nader scored one goal each in quick succession in the 20th and 22nd minutes enabling the bankers to take a 3-1 lead.

Imtiaz Ahmed Rubel reduced the Ajax margin in the 25th minute converting a penalty corner (3-2) while Krishna Kumar sounded the bankers' margin again scoring a field goal just three minutes later to dominate the first half by 4-2 goals.

Krishna Kumar, Asaduzzaman Chandan and Iqbal Nader scored one each for Sonali Bank in the second half to earn a comfortable 7-2 goals victory.

Meanwhile, joint league champions Abahani Limited faces their traditional rivals Mohammedan SC in a key match at 4 pm today to keep their title hope alive.

The popular Sky-Blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani, which shared the league crown with Usha KC last year, have a tough task to regain the title this time. They have to beat two hockey giants Mohammedan SC and league leader Usha KC to win the title.

But, Usha KC is still enjoying upper hand advantage to clinch the league crown.

Draw or loss of Abahani against Mohammedan in tomorrow's (Tuesday) match will confirm Usha's league title. Otherwise, they are to wait for draw in the last league match against Abahani to assure the crown.

Taking to UNB, Abahani coach Mahbub Harun said, "we have no other alternative but to win. So, tomorrow we will play for win to keep our title hope alive."

Mohammedan captain Prince said his team will also play for a win to finish runners-up in the league.

The first league match between Abahani and Mohammedan was locked in 3-3 goals in the third week of last month.

Bangladesh A team likely to leave for Ireland on June 19

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh A team is likely to leave here for Ireland on June 19 to play one three-day and two one day matches against Ireland.

They then leave Ireland for England on July 3 to play five three-day and three one-day matches against their English counterparts before returning home.

Bangladesh A team will begin their tour with the three-day match against Ireland, beginning on June 23. The three one-day matches are scheduled to be held on June 28, 30 and July 2.

In England, the Bangladesh A team will play five three-day matches in a row, which will be followed by three one-day matches.

Bangladesh A will play the first three-day match against England U-19 team on July 6-8, the 2nd three-day match against Warwickshire on July 11-13, the 3rd three-day match against Leicestershire on July 16-18, the 4th three-day match against Derbyshire on July 21-23 and the 5th three-day match against South Africans on July 25-27.

After the three dayers, Bangladesh A will face Lancashire in the 1st one-day match on July 30, the 2nd one-day match against Marylebone on August 1 and the 3rd and last one-day match against Durham on August 3.

Meanwhile, all-rounder Farhad Hossain will replace batsman Jahurul Islam Omi in the Bangladesh A team's tour to Ireland while another batsman Rajin Saleh will replace Alok Kapali as Kapali has been recently included in the national squad.

Bangladesh A Team for Tour of Ireland Zunaed Siddiqui, Imrul Kayes, Shamsur Rahman Shuvo, Rajin Saleh, Farhad Hossain, Nadif Chowdhury, Nayeem Islam, Dhiman Ghosh, Rubel Hossain, Syed Rasel, Suhrawardi Shuvo, Mahbubul Alam Robin, Arafat Sunny and Nazmul Hossain.

Bangladesh A Team for Tour of England: Zunaed Siddiqui, Tamim Iqbal, Nazim Uddin, Roqibul Hassan, Nayeem Islam, Mushfiqur Rahim, Rajin Saleh, Mosharraf Hossain Rubel, Sajedul Islam, Dollar Mahmud, Nazmul Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Syed Rasel and Shakib Al Hasan.

Sylhet make 159 in 1st innings against Khulna

UNB, Dhaka

A six-wicket haul by Khaleed enabled hosts Khulna Division to dismiss Sylhet Division for 159 in the 1st innings on the first day of the three-day final of the U-16 Young Tigers Elite National Competition among divisional teams at the Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman Stadium (BSMRS) Monday.

Shahnaz scored highest 76 runs for Sylhet Division, while AM Rupu made 30 and Moinul 26.

Khaleed was the star of the day claiming six wickets for 22 runs while Joyanta bagged two wickets for 11 runs.

In reply, Khulna Division were 19 for no loss when the bails were drawn for the first day with Joyanta and Raju batting with 14 and 5 runs respectively.

Zonal phase of National TT Championship begins today in Rajshahi

UNB, Dhaka

The Zonal phase matches of the AB Bank 29th National Table Tennis Championship begins Tuesday in Rajshahi.

In the zonal phases, some 39 teams including 38 DSAs and Jahangirnagar University will compete in four zones.

Later, top three men's and boys' teams from each zone will qualify for the final round.

However, nine women DSA teams and Bangladesh Biman and Bangladesh Ansar will directly play in the final round.

Four more booters sign for Arambagh KS

UNB, Dhaka

Four more booters signed for Arambagh KS in the inter-club players transfer for B. League at the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) on Monday.

Defender Sirajul Karim, Tabid Awal and Moloy Barman of Arambagh KS remained for the same club, while Khalid Hossain of Farashganj SC enrolled his name for Arambagh KS.

With this, ten booters signed for Arambagh KS. Earlier, six Aranbagh KS booters completed transfer formalities.

Spirited welcome for Afghan team after ICC success

AFP, Kabul

President Hamid Karzai added his voice to those of exuberant cricket fans welcoming Afghanistan's young team home Monday after they stayed on course for possible qualification for the 2011 World Cup.

The team was met at the airport in Kabul by sporting officials and a small throng of supporters who presented them with garlands before leading them through the city in a noisy, flag-waving cavalcade.

More fans waited at the stadium, famous for its Taliban-era executions, but the numbers were limited for security reasons, one cricketing official said, with the threat of extremist attacks ever-present in Afghanistan.

In a statement, Karzai described the team and their achievement in winning the final of the International Cricket Council World Cricket League division five in the British crown dependency of Jersey at the weekend as "a source of pride and honour for Afghanistan."

"With this victory, the national cricket team of Afghanistan showed that despite years-long war and financial problems, Afghans can achieve many glories," he said.

Karzai's government is battling to rebuild Afghanistan after decades of war but faces a growing Taliban-led insurgency, booming narcotics trade and corruption undermining morale.

Success at the tournament means Afghanistan, along with Jersey, will compete in the ICC World Cricket League division four in October, taking them one step further along the road to possible World Cup qualification.

Curtain rises on 5th SAFF Championship today

UNB, Dhaka

The curtain rises on the 5th SAFF Championship today (Tuesday) at the Maldives capital of Male with defending champion India taking on Nepal in one of the opening day matches.

The match gets underway at 5pm (Bangladesh time).

In the day's another match, hosts Maldives will meet strong Pakistan at 9pm (Bangladesh time).

The eight-team SAFF Championship matches are arranged jointly by Maldives and Sri Lanka that will continue till June 14.

Bangladesh will begin SAFF campaign Wednesday taking on Bhutan. It will play emerging force Afghanistan on June 6 and hosts Sri Lanka on June 8 in the group encounters, all in Sri Lankan capital of Colombo.

Private satellite channel ATN Bangla is likely telecast live all three matches of Bangladesh as well as the semifinal and the final (in case Bangladesh qualifies).

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

Abdul Hannan Miron acts as match referee for SAFF championship

UNB, Dhaka

Abdul Hannan Miron, one of AFC elite pool of referees, will conduct the matches of the 5th SAFF Championship beginning tomorrow in Maldives.

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) media manager Ahmed Syed Al Fatah said that Miron would act as the main referee in the championship except three matches of Bangladesh.

Miron has already left for Maldives.

West Indies v Australia second Test scoreboard

AFP, Antigua

Scoreboard at stumps on the third day of the second Test between West Indies and Australia at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground here today:

Australia 1st Innings 479 for seven declared (S. Katich 113, M. Clarke 110)

West Indies 1st Innings (overnight 125 for three)

D. Smith c Symonds b Johnson 16

X. Marshall lbw b Clarke 53

R. Sarwan c Clarke b MacGill 65

R. Morton c Katich b Clarke 2

S. Chanderpaul not out 55

D. Bravo not out 29

Extras (b9, lb13, w2, nb11) 35

Total (4 wkts) 255

To bat: D. Ramdin, D. Sammy, J. Taylor, D. Powell, F.

Edwards

Fall of wickets: 1-55 (D.S. Smith), 2-103 (Marshall), 3-105 (Morton), 4-182 (Sarwan)

Bowling: Lee 15-5-48-0 (nb3, w1); Johnson 28-6-98-1; Clark

14-0-39-0; MacGill 16-1- 82-1 (nb8, w1); Clarke 8-4-8-2; Symonds 2-1-2-0

Overs: 71

Position: West Indies trail by 224 runs with six first innings wickets standing.

Match Referee: R. Mahanama.

Pakistan rely on pace for Bangladesh tri-series

AFP, Pakistan

Pakistan cricket selectors Monday included five fast bowlers in a 16-man squad to take part in next week's one-day tri-series in Bangladesh.

Fit-again Mohammad Asif leads the strong pace attack, which also includes Umar Gul, Sohail Tanveer, Rao Iftikhar and rookie left-arm paceman Wahab Riaz. But suspended paceman Shoaib Akhtar was not considered.

"Akhtar was not considered as he was suspended and the team is a balanced one which we hope can do well in the tri-series," said chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed.

The squad for the Asia Cup, which Pakistan will host from June 24 to July 6, will be announced later, Ahmed said.

The 25-year-old Asif suffered a hand injury while playing in a domestic cricket tournament in India but has since recovered well for Pakistan's hectic season ahead.

He has played in only four one-day matches for Pakistan this year after undergoing elbow surgery in Australia late last year.

The 32-year-old Akhtar was banned for five years on charges of indiscipline in April this year-a ban suspended for one month to allow him to feature in the Indian event.

His appeal against the ban will resume next week.

The tri-series, also featuring India, will be held in Dhaka from June 8-14, with each side playing the other once in a league before the June 14 final.

Pakistan will play Bangladesh in the opening match on June 8 and then come face to face with archrivals India two days later.

India meet Bangladesh on June 12.

Squad: Shoaib Malik (captain), Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Misbah-ul Haq, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Asif, Sohail Tanveer, Umar Gul, Rao Iftikhar, Wahab Riaz, Fawad Alam, Bazid Khan, Naumanullah Khan .

National team meets A Team in 1st d/n practice match today

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh national team meets Bangladesh A team in the first day/night practice match Tuesday at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS).

The match will commence at 3:00 pm.

After a one-day recess, the two sides will again face each other in the 2nd day/night practice match on June 5, also at the same venue.

The practice matches have been arranged to accustom the tigers with floodlights, installed recently at the SBNS ahead of the tri-series involving India and Pakistan.

Squads for Tuesday:

Bangladesh: Mohammad Ashraful (Captain), Tamim Iqbal, Shahriar Nafees, Roqibul Hassan, Mehrab Hossain Jr., Mushfiqur Rahim (Wicketkeeper), Mahmudullah Riyad, Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain Razib, Dollar Mahmud, Sajedul Islam and Arafat Sunny.

Bangladesh A: Zunaed Siddiqui (Captain), Nazim Uddin, Shamsur Rahman Shuvo, Alok Kapali, Naeem Islam, Dhiman Ghosh (Wicketkeeper), Nadif Chowdhury, Musharraf Hossain Rubel, Mahbubul Alam Robin, Rubel Hossain, Farhad Reza, Suhrawardi Shuvo and Farhad Hossain.

It may be mentioned that the Bangladesh A Team players have been requested to report to coach Osman Khan at the SBNS.

Squads for June 5:

Squads for Thursday:

Bangladesh: Mohammad Ashraful (Captain), Tamim Iqbal, Shahriar Nafees, Roqibul Hassan, Alok Kapali, Mushfiqur Rahim (Wicketkeeper), Mahmudullah Riyad, Mashrafe bin Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain Razib, Farhad Reza, Sajedul Islam and Arafat Sunny.

Bangladesh A: Zunaed Siddiqui (Captain), Nazim Uddin, Shamsur Rahman Shuvo, Mehrab Hossain Jr., Naeem Islam, Dhiman Ghosh (Wicketkeeper), Nadif Chowdhury, Musharraf Hossain Rubel, Mahbubul Alam Robin, Rubel Hossain, Dollar Mahmud, Suhrawardi Shuvo and Farhad Hossain.