The New Nation - Internet Edition

Sri Lankan spinners crush India

AP, Colombo

India slumped to its heaviest innings defeat in 34 years Saturday as Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan and his new spin partner Ajantha Mendis shared 19 wickets to claim a crushing win in the first test.

In response to Sri Lanka's 600-6 declared, India was bowled out for 223 and 138 to lose by an innings and 239 runs. It was the biggest innings margin against India since it lost by an innings and 285 runs against England in 1974 and its third worst ever.

The win was also Sri Lanka's third biggest ever innings win, with the other two coming against minnow Zimbabwe.

India began Saturday at 158-6 in its first innings, facing a difficult task merely to avoid the follow-on, and its famed batting line-up could find no answer to Sri Lanka's spin pair, losing 14 wickets in just over two sessions.

Muralitharan (5-84 and 6-26) recorded the 21st 10-wicket haul of his career, and Sri Lanka appears to have unearthed a short-term spin partner and longer-term potential replacement in Mendis (4-72 and 4-60) who impressed on debut.

Sri Lanka's innings included a national record-equaling four centuries, as captain Mahela Jayawardene (136), Malinda Warnapura (115), Thilan Samaraweera (127) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (125 not out) all prospered on a benign pitch.

By contrast, the shortcomings of India's high-profile batsmen were stark.

V.V.S Laxman (56) and No. 11 Ishant Sharma held out for 108 balls for the last wicket of the first innings, but that effort came in marked contrast to their teammates, and Sri Lanka duly enforced the follow on.

Virender Sehwag (13) was first to go in the second innings after misreading and leaving a Muralitharan delivery that pitched on leg stump and went straight on to hit his back leg. Field umpire Mark Benson ruled him not out, but host captain Mahela Jayawardene successfully challenged the decision under trial laws used for the first time in this test, and he was given out by the third umpire after a video review.

Laxman (21) was trapped lbw after lunch, soon followed by Sachin Tendulkar (12), who made little headway in his quest to overtake Brian Lara as test cricket's highest run scorer. He top-edged a sweep and was caught by Tillakaratne Dilshan running from leg slip.

Initially given not out, he was another batsman to suffer the consequences of the trial laws, as he was given out after a challenge. The remaining seven wickets tumbled for a mere 56 runs.

ICC powerless to prevent Pakistan boycott, says Lorgat

AFP, Karachi

International cricket chiefs admitted on Friday that they would be powerless to prevent any mass pullout from September's Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

Responding to suggestions that players and even teams may skip the event because of security fears, International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat said: "We cannot force players to attend. All we can do is make them confident about the measures taken in regard to safety and security and on that basis hope they participate."

Holders Australia, who are also world champions, and other key nations could refuse to play in the tournament after the ICC decided Thursday to go ahead with the event in Pakistan.

The Australian and New Zealand players' associations have called on their country's governing bodies not to send teams, while England players will be asked if they want to travel.

The ICC will appoint a commission to look into ensuring security at the September 11-28 showpiece, but it was not enough to ease fears about the threat of Islamic militant attacks.

Lorgat said the objective of setting up a task force was to ensure the interests of all the stakeholders involved.

"That is the reason we are putting together a task team inviting all the main stakeholders including FICA (Federation of International Cricketers' Associations), so the process is inclusive," said Lorgat.

"We won't speculate on teams not taking part or any action if that did occur. There was no indication that would happen during the telephone hook-up of ICC Directors on Thursday."

Iran eyes historic athletics medal in discus

AFP, Tehran

Twelve years ago, an Iranian schoolboy named Ehsan Hadadi took aim at goal in a school handball match and threw the ball with such power it broke the goalpost.

His stunned sports teacher, Mr Garshasbi, was suitably impressed. "You must take part in a throwing sport," he advised.

Hadadi turned to the most ancient throwing discipline-the discus-and after years of hard work to perfect his extraordinary talent, he is one of the favourites to win gold at the Beijing Olympics.

Iran has never come close to winning a medal of any colour in athletics since the country's first appearance in the Olympics of 1948 in London and the responsibility resting on Hadadi's broad shoulders is huge.

"Mr Garshasbi trained me and in the fifth grade I came fifth in the Tehran schools tournament," Hadadi told AFP in an interview before the Beijing Olympics.

"I've always loved throwing ever since I was a child. Even when we went to the Caspian Sea, I threw rocks into the sea," he said as he took a break from one of his training sessions at Tehran's Azadi stadium.

Hadadi has already made history by becoming the first Iranian to win a medal at global athletics championships when he took gold at the 2004 World Junior Championships. He then won gold in the 2006 Asian Games.

The Iranian has already been in top form this year, throwing a season's best of 69.12 metres in June in Berlin, just 20 centimeters short of his personal best. Only Germany's Gerd Kanter, with 71.88 meters, and the Lithuanian Virgilijus Alenka, with 71.25 meters, have thrown further this year.

Hadadi-who is sponsored by US giant Nike-trains for 10 sessions a week.

Rajshahi Champs of Dhaka Zone of National Women Kabaddi

Sports Reporter

Rajshahi District team emerged as the champions of Dhaka Zone of Spectra Group National Women Kabaddi when they outplayed the runners-up Gaibandha District team by 59-17 points amid four lonas in the zone final at the Dhanmondi Women Sports Complex on Saturday.

Rajshahi and Gaibandha get tickets of the final round scheduled to be held from today at the same venue.

Earlier, Gaibandha District team beat Dhaka District team by 35-18 points with one lona in the first semifinal at the same venue.

In the day's second seminfinal, Rajshahi District team defeated Rangamati District team by 51-9 points including six lonas at the same venue.

Fatema Akhter Shila of Rajshahi was adjudged the best player of Dhaka Zone. Star Sports awarded her for her outstanding performance.

After the final match President of Bangladesh District and Divisional Sports Organisers Council Yousuf Jamil Babu distributed the prizes among the winners as the chief guest.

Today the final round of Spectra Group National Women Kabaddi Competition strats at 3.30 PM at the same venue.

Secretary General of Bangladesh Oplympic Association Kutubuddin Ahmed will formally open the final round as the chief guest.

Pioneer Football: Rampura blank Mugdapara

Sports Reporter

Rampura KC blanked Mugdapara Samaj Kalyan and Krira Sangsad 3-0 in the day's second match of the Dhaka City Corporation Pioneer Football League at the Kamalapur Bir Sreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium on Saturday.

Rampura led the first half 1-0.

Khaled of Rampura scored two goals and his teammate Babor netted one.

Meanwhile, Tangail Football Club got walk over from Madrasapara SC in the day's first match at the same venue.

Today Tejgaon Nabataranga Krira Sangsad will face BKSP while Nababpur KC will meet Mohammadpur Jubo Samaj Kalyan Sangsad at the same venue.

Fed Cup Football Good start for Jatrabari

Sports Reporter

Jatrabari KC made an auspicious start in the CITYCELL Federation Cup Football when they defeated Rajshahi Diganto Prashari in the qualifying round of Group-A match at the Bangladesh National Stadium on Saturday.

The first half ended in a goalless draw.

After a barren first half Shariful of Jatrabari KC put his team ahead in the 63rd minute of the play.

Sohel Rana confirmed the victory of Jatrabari KC by scoring in the 76th minute of the game.

Today BKSP will face Bangladesh Police in the second Group-A match at the Banani Army Stadium.

Security review will decide England's ICC Trophy participation

AFP, London

England's participation in September's Champions Trophy will hinge on a review of Pakistan's security plan for the tournament, according to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

The International Cricket Council's decision to allow the tournament to go ahead despite security fears has forced the ECB to consider withdrawing from the event.

Senior players in the England squad will be consulted and shown all three security reports carried out in Pakistan over the past few months ahead of an ECB meeting on August 4.

But it is the ICC's specialist task team, who will oversee Pakistan security plans in the next three weeks, that could decide whether England's stars will make the trip.

"We will want to have a very robust review of that (security) plan," ECB chief executive David Collier said. "We're in very close touch, not only with the Professional Cricketers Association, but directly with all the players.

"It's very important that we are in very, very close contact over this period and clearly other boards around the world are in the same position.

"The safety of the players is of absolutely paramount importance and we just won't compromise on that."

In the aftermath of Thursday's announcement that tournament, which runs from September 11-28 in Karachi, Rawalpinidi and Lahore, would go ahead as planned, several of England's players are believed to have expressed doubts about travelling.

They may not have to worry about that if the current Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice which warns of a substantial terrorist threat to westerners in Pakistan is maintained.

England batsman Kevin Pietersen admitted he would be loath to take part if the security risk is still high.

"For sure, I have reservations about going. Everybody has reservations about Pakistan. I have spoken to a players from South Africa and West Indies and we all feel the same way," he said.

"I don't think pressure should be put on any individual, especially when you realise your life could be at risk.

"It's only a game, it's sport, it's my job and I am not going to risk my life for the job that I do.

"I will be waiting until the meeting, looking at everything, and I will make a decision after that if the ECB haven't already made one."

Jankovic books semi-final berth

AFP, Los Angeles

Jelena Jankovic booked her semi-final berth at the 600,000-dollar WTA hardcourt tournament here Friday, continuing her progress toward the world No.1 ranking.

The top-seeded Serb, who can overtake countrywoman Ana Ivanovic atop the WTA world rankings by lifting the trophy here, passed her toughest test so far this week with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over ninth-seeded Russian Nadia Petrova.

Although Petrova had lost four of six prior career meetings with Jankovic, she was runner-up to Ivanovic last year on the courts of the Home Depot Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson.

While Jankovic doesn't have to contend this week with Ivanovic, who didn't return to defend her title, Jankovic has been dealing with a nagging knee injury she suffered at Wimbledon.

In the semi-finals, the 23-year-old will face fourth-seeded Russian Dinara Safina, who beat eighth seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-3, 6-1.

Safina, ranked ninth in the world, is enjoying a breakout season, with a triumph in Berlin and a run to the French Open final, where she lost to Ivanovic. Also a finalist recently at 's-Hertogenbosch, the 22-year-old Safina now is 20-3 since the start of May and has beaten the likes of former No. 1 Justine Henin, Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams in that span.

Azarenka, 18, has yet to win a WTA singles title, but has reached two finals this year and ascended to a career-high ranking of 16th prior to her loss on Friday.

With second-seeded Williams joining elder sister Venus and Lindsay Davenport as top Americans pulling out of this event because of injury, fans were pinning their hopes on wild card Bethanie Mattek.

Mattek ousted Czech Nicole Vaidisova en route to the quarter-finals, and reached the semi-finals with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over China's Yuan Meng.

Mattek moved within one victory of reaching her first WTA Tour final.

She'll have to get past Italian veteran Flavia Pennetta in the semis. Pennetta defeated Austrian Sybille Bammer 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 6-1 in the quarter-finals.

Pennetta, 26, improved to 32-13 for the year, which has included titles in Vina del Mar and Acapulco.