The New Nation - Internet Edition

Abahani play Pakistan WAPDA in their last group match of AFC President's Cup today

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh champions Abahani limited will play Pakistan WAPDA today (Thursday) in their last group match of the AFC President's Cup Football at the MPPJ Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.

Bangladesh's professional league (B League) champions Abahani, which made their early exit from the four-team Group A after suffering two consecutive defeats, will play their Pakistani rivals for a face-saving victory.

Abahani yet to open the account as they suffered a shocking 0-4 defeat against last time runners-up Nepal Police Club in the first match on Sunday and conceded 1-2 defeat against former champions Regar-Tadaz Club of Tajikistan in the 2nd match on Tuesday.

The sky-blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani scored only one goal and conceded five goals in two group engagements to remain at the bottom.

On the other hand, Pakistan WAPDA managed only one point from two group engagement after making one-all draw with Nepal Police Club in the 2nd match after conceding 1-2 defeat against Regar-Tadaz Club of Tajikistan.

Former champions Regar-Tadaz of Tajikistan dominating the group table with all-win run securing full six points. Last time runners-up Nepal Police Club followed them with four points while Pakistan WAPDA is in the 3rd slot one lone point, playing two matches each.

Standings of Group A: (Tabulated under match played, win, draw, loss, goal for, goal against, goal difference and points)

Teams M W D L GF GA GDPts

Regar-Tadaz 2 2 0 0 4 2 +2 6

Nepal Police 2 1 1 0 5 1 +4 4

Pakistan WAPDA 2 0 1 1 2 3 -1 1

Abahani Ltd 2 0 0 2 1 6 -5 0

Bangladesh hockey team returns

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh hockey team that became champion in the just concluded AHF Cup Hockey played in Singapore returned home Tuesday midnight to a heroes welcome.

Talking to the UNB today captain Maksud Alam Habub said he was highly satisfied at the team's performance. "I feel very happy."

Habul gave all credits to his teammates for the great achievement saying, "It was the fruit of the planned efforts of our coach, manager and players."

"We played very well in Singapore and we have to keep up the winning trend for the future international meets -- Juniors Asia Cup Hockey in July and Senior Asia Cup Hockey next year," said the beaming captain.

He viewed that due patronization will be needed for the development of country's hockey.

"The players should be given payment regular as well as ensure financial support so that they get more incentive and dedicate to the play," he said.

He emphasized the need for regular camping at U-16 and U-18 level. From them, players for the national team can be chosen.

Australia beat West Indies in first ODI

AFP, Kingstown

Australia completed an 84-run victory in the first one-day international against the West Indies at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex here on Tuesday.

Australia take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The second ODI will be contested on Friday at the Queen's Park Stadium in the Grenada capital of St. George's.

Scores: Australia 273 for eight off 50 overs. West Indies 189 off 39.5 overs.

Malaysia offers million-ringgit bonus for Olympics gold

AFP, Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia, which has never won an Olympic gold medal, is offering a bonus of one million ringgit (307,000 dollars) to any athlete who can bring home the top prize from this year's Beijing Games.

Deputy prime minister Najib Razak said the offer, substantially higher than the 160,000 ringgit offered at previous Olympics, reflected rising standards in world sports.

"To win a gold medal is not easy because the competition is getting tougher. We can see that from one Olympics to another, the standard is increasing," he was quoted as saying by the state Bernama news agency late Tuesday.

"We should therefore set a higher target, and provide a more attractive incentive," he said. Najib said silver medallists would win 300,000 ringgit, and 100,000 ringgit for bronze. Members of gold medal-winning teams would receive at least 150,000 ringgit.

Incentives for Paralympic athletes have also been lifted to 300,000 ringgit for a gold medal, 200,000 for silver and 100,000 for bronze.

BFF president leaves for Malaysia on June 28

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Kazi Salahuddin will lave for Malaysia on June 28 to attend the meting of the AFC Internal audit committee.

He will join there as a member of the committee, said a BFF official to UNB

B League Committee meeting today

UNB, Dhaka

The B League Committee meeting meets today (Thursday) at the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Bhaban at 4 pm.

Committee sources said they would discuss matters relating to the ensuing Professional Football League.

England cut Zimbabwe cricket ties

BBC Online

The England and Wales Cricket Board has cancelled Zimbabwe's 2009 tour because of continued political unrest.

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham sent a letter to the ECB clarifying Prime Minister Gordon Brown's views on the sanctions to be placed on Zimbabwe.

"All bilateral arrangements are suspended with Zimbabwe Cricket with immediate effect," said the ECB.

Zimbabwe were set to play two Tests and three one-dayers in England next year, as well as the World Twenty20 in June.

The ECB's stance follows the decision of Cricket South Africa (CSA) - traditionally one of Zimbabwe's supporters in cricket - to sever its bilateral links on Tuesday in the wake of the country's deepening political and economic turmoil.

"The ECB deplores the position in Zimbabwe and, like CSA, finds this untenable," added the statement.

"We welcome the government's decision and share the government's concerns about the deteriorating situation and lack of human rights in Zimbabwe."

The Prime Minister told the House of Commons on Wednesday afternoon he wanted other cricket-playing countries to join the sporting boycott of Zimbabwe.

"We want to ensure that Zimbabwe do not tour England next year," Brown said during Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday.

"We will call on other countries to join us in banning Zimbabwe."

But the withdrawal of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai from the second round of Zimbabwe's general election amid reports of violence and intimidation by supporters of Robert Mugabe's regime appears to have spurred the British government into action.

The British government had been involved in discussions with the ECB over the situation in Zimbabwe for the past 18 months.

"The only 'acceptable non-compliance', as it's called, is a clear instruction from government or a security situation," ECB chief executive David Collier told the BBC.

"The secretary of State (Burnham) made it clear there was a clear instruction and we have acted to it straight away."

England batsman Andrew Strauss recently said his team-mates would consider boycotting matches against Zimbabwe if Mugabe stayed on as president.

But Burnham said the government's stance had removed the pressure from the players.

"It was quite unfair to leave individual players in the position of having to make a moral judgement in the context of an awkward and uncomfortable position," Burnham told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"The right thing to do was to provide clarity. We made the decision after giving it the longest possible time for the situation to change in Zimbabwe.

"I hope the cricketing community in this country and the wider world will understand the reasons why I have done that."

The ECB also confirmed it is in "detailed discussions" to find a replacement for the early part of next summer before the 2009 Ashes series.

"We do have contingency plans in case any tour is cancelled," said Collier.

"We are already in consultation with other boards about the possibility of another country coming in to play two Tests and three one-day internationals at the start of next year to replace exactly the programme Zimbabwe would have undertaken."

The BBC's cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew said the government's stance is a "serious shift" from three years ago.

"The ECB looked for this sort of reaction from the government to stop them going on tour to Zimbabwe in 2004," he said.

"But the government didn't give them that and they had to go - and felt very uncomfortable about it."

CSA's suspension of Zimbabwe ties prompted the International Cricket Council to discuss a possible world ban next week at its headquarters in Dubai on Wednesday, 2 July.

However, as long as Zimbabwe is a member of the ICC, the team cannot be stopped by the ECB from competing in the ICC World Twenty20 tournament, to be held in England after the planned Tests and one-day internationals.

But if England bar Zimbabwe from touring, the ICC could prevent England from hosting the tournament, which Collier said the ECB and government were well aware of.

"That is part of the hosting agreement for any major world event, but we can't second guess on how the (ICC) meeting will progress next week," said Collier.

Controversies made me grow up, says Mirza

AFP, London

India's Sania Mirza believes the controversies that have plagued her career have been a blessing because they have made her grow up.

Most tennis players outside the top 10 live in relative anonymity but Mirza, who set up a Wimbledon second round clash with Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez by beating Catalina Castano on Tuesday, carries the hopes and expectations of a sports-mad nation.

In just the first four years of her career, the 21-year-old has found herself in trouble time and again.

A fatwa was once issued against her by extremists angry over the short skirts she wears on court.

Then her decision to play doubles with Israel's Shahar Peer last year was met with more furious protests from religious fantatics who believed a Muslim should not partner a Jew.

That wasn't the end of her troubles after she was photographed with her feet resting on a table near the Indian flag following a Hopman Cup match in Australia.

A complaint was filed in an Indian court demanding action be taken under laws preventing insults to national honour, but Mirza strenuously denied she meant any offence.

"I just think they've made me grow up a lot more, but I don't think they've left any scars," said Mirza of her various troubles.

"I think it's all been an experience, some good, some bad. But I've come through it and I think that's the most important thing.

"Today I'm here, and I think there's nothing more I want to ask for, just to be healthy. And yeah, stay out of controversies! That's happening.

"But I think it's all been an experience, and, as funny as that sounds, I've enjoyed everything, because if I stop living my life and stop enjoying it, then I probably would have quit a long time ago."

Mirza is adamant she has no qualms about living her life in the fierce Indian spotlight.

"That's something that's been there for a while now and it's become a part of my life. It's not coping anymore. I think it's just I've accepted that that's how it is," she said.

"If you asked me the question four years ago, maybe I would have still been coping with it. But it's become a part of my life and I enjoy it.

"I love living in India and I love going back home and all those things."

Mirza is continuing her recovery from surgery on her right wrist, but she admitted she might not have come back from the operation so soon if it wasn't for the Beijing Olympics.

"My expectation of myself when I went into that surgery was that I want to be fit for Olympics," she said.

"I had a choice to sit out for four weeks and try and come back to French Open but it's not a solution.

"I just had to make a decision whether it was important for me to play the Olympics this year. Probably if it was not an Olympic year, I would have probably stayed out."

Mirza plays Spanish qualifier Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez on Wednesday for a place in the last 32.

National Table Tennis: Ansar champs in women's team event

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh Ansar emerged as the champions of the Women's team event of the AB Bank 29th National Table Tennis Championship when they beat Biman Bangladesh Airlines by 3-1 sets in the final at the National Sports Council Gymnasium on Wednesday.

In the Boy's Group-A team event final, Dhaka District team edged past Narail District team by 3-2 sets at the same venue on the same day.

In the Boy's Group-B team event final, Chittagong District team defeated Biman Bangladesh Airlines by 3-1 sets at the same venue on the same day.

In the Men's team events, Bangladesh Ansar and Biman Bangladesh Airlines got wins in their respective matches at the same venue on the same day.

Div 1 Kabaddi final today

Sports Reporter

Srijoni Sangsad defeated Dhalpur KC by 46-22 points with two lonas in the day's first match of the First Division Kabadi: League at the Dhaka Kabaddi Stadium on Wednesday.

The winners had a 22-12 points lead in the first session.

In the day's second match, Ali Sporting Club eased past Maniknagar Kabaddi Club by 73-39 point amid three lonas at the same venue on the same day.

The victorious team led the first half with 37-15 points.

In the day's last match, Singna Sangha outplayed Manik Nagar Unnayan Shamiti by 53-31 points including four lonas at the same venue on the same day.

The pre-lemons session saw a 36-12 points lead for the winners.

Today Dhaka Wanderers Club will take on Matuail Milon Smriti Sangsad in the final at 4.00 PM at the same venue.

Secretary of the National Sports Council Muhammad Akbar Hussain distributed the prizes among the winners as the chief guest.

Pioneer Football: Moghbazar beat Siraj Smriti Sangsad

Sports Reporter

Moghbazar KC beat Siraj Smriti Sangsad by a solitary goal in the play-off match of the Dhaka City Corporation Pioneer Football League at the Bir Sreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium on Wednesday.

Munna secored the match-winning goal in the 27th minute of the game for the winners.

Bangladesh A Tam declares first innings for 265/9

UNB, Dhaka

Riding on Naeem Islam's 125 runs, Bangladesh A team declared the first innings for 265 runs for 9 in 83.3 overs against hosts Ireland A team on the third and last day at College Park in Dublin on Wednesday.

The second string Bangladesh team resumed the first innings today with the rain-marred overnight total of 193 for 7 and declared the innings taking 106 runs first innings lead.

Number five batsman Naeem, who was in batting with just 100 runs, contributed 125 runs to carry Bangladesh total in a respectable position before he was caught by Poynter off a P Connell delivery.

Another night-watch batsman Nazmul Hossain (2) added another useful 27 runs apart from Suhrawardy Shuvo's 38.

Hosts Ireland A team, which was forced to fold their first innings at 159 runs in 55.3 overs against devastating bowling by pacer Mahbubul Alam Robin (5/57), today opened the second innings and scored 65 for no loss in 30 overs till last report received.