The New Nation - Internet Edition

17-member contingent to represent Bangladesh in Beijing Olympic Games

UNB, Dhaka

A 17-member contingent will represent Bangladesh in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games to be held August 8-24.

Of the 28 disciplines, Bangladesh will compete in three disciplines --athletics, swimming and shooting.

Some 10,500 athletics from all over the world are expected to compete in the 17-day sports carnival for the 302 gold at stake. A record 20,000 accredited journalists are expected to cover the greatest show on earth.

The first batch of Bangladesh contingent with chef-de-mission Major General Shakil Ahmed and BOA Secretary General Kutubuddin Ahmed will leave here for Beijing on August 4 as an advance party.

The 2nd batch with six sportsmen -- two athletes, two swimmers and two shooters, two team manager-cum-coaches, one general team manager and two participants of youth camp, will leave the city for Beijing on August 6.

The third batch with the Sports Adviser and the BOA Chief will fly on August 7, a day before the mega sports festival starts. Athletics coach Nazrul Islam Rumi will be the last to join the team on August 12.

The six Bangladeshi athletes will take part in one event each.

Athletes Nazmun Nahar Beauty and Mohammad Abu Abdullah will compete in the hot event of 100-meter sprints, swimmer Dolly Akhter will participate in 50m freestyle, another swimmer Mohammad Rubel Rana in 100m backstroke, shooter Sharmin Akhter will try her luck in 10m Air Rifles while another shooter M Imam Hossain in 10m Air Rifles.

Bangladesh contingent:

Officials - Mahbub Jamil (Sports Advisor), General Moeen U Ahmed (BOA President), Kutubuddin Ahmed (BOA Secretary General), Maj Gen Shakil Ahmed (Chef-De-Mission), Col (retd) M Wali Ullah (Administrative Officer), Sadruddin Ahmed (General Team Manager).

Sportsmen - Mohammad Abu Abdullah, Nazmun Nahar Beauty (athletics), Nazmul Islam Rumi (athletics coach); M Rubel Rana, Dolly Akhter (swimming), SM Israfil (swimming coach); M Imam Hossain, Sharmin Akhter (shooting), M Shoyeb Uzzaman (shooting coach).

Participants of Youth Camp - Abu Hena M Kawser and Sharlin Manjoor.

Olympics harder than World Cup, says Dunga

AFP, Singapore

Securing a first Olympic title will be a tougher job than the World Cup, Brazil's coach Dunga said on Sunday, and insisted his young team was up to the task of football gold at the Beijing Games.

While Brazil have held the World Cup five times they have never won at the Olympics, but Dunga said his squad-including Ronaldinho-were coping well with the weight of expectation.

"To win (an) Olympic medal is a bit harder because we don't have much time to prepare," he told reporters in Singapore ahead of an exhibition match here Monday.

"With respect to the World Cup, we have four years to prepare for itt in Olympic Games normally we have 15 days and players are coming back from holidays, from other competition," he said.

The Brazilian team, including two-time World Player of the Year Ronaldinho and 18- year-old sensation Alexandre Pato, have been going through drills and tactics since arriving last week.

"There is a lot of pressure in winningt most of these players, although they are young, they are already playing in big teams in Europe and also in Brazil so they are coping quite well," said Dunga.

He and his team arrived in Singapore last week as part of preparations for the Olympics in August. After Monday's game against Singapore, they will head to Hanoi for a friendly against Vietnam's national side on August 1.

Brazil won the Olympic silver medal in the 1984 and 1988 Games, and bronze in 1996.

The Olympic tournament begins on August 6, with the final on August 23.

Henderson the hero as Middlesex seal Twenty20 triumph

AFP, Southampton

South Africa's Tyron (attn: correct) Henderson held his nerve as Middlesex beat Kent by three runs in the final of English county cricket's Twenty20 Cup at the Rose Bowl here Saturday to set themselves up for a cash bonanza.

Kent needed just four runs off the last two balls with the big-hitting Justin Kemp, previously dropped by Middlesex stand-in captain Ed Joyce, facing.

But seamer Henderson sent down two dot balls to his fellow South African and ran his compatriot out off the last to seal a thrilling victory under the floodlights as Middlesex won their first major trophy for 15 years.

England batsman Owais Shah top-scored with 75 in Middlesex's total of 187 for six from their 20 overs before defending champions Kent, despite 49 from Kemp and 52 from captain Robert Key, the former England international, finished on 184 for five.

By reaching the final, Middlesex and Kent qualified for the Champions League due to be held in India later this year, where the winners will take home 2.5 million pounds (five million dollars) although that event is threatened by a dispute over the involvement of players from the rebel Indian Cricket League.

But winning the showpiece match gained Middlesex the lucrative additional prize of a place in the Super Series - the latest creation of American billionaire Allen Stanford - where they will be up against the England national side, a Caribbean All-Stars team and Trinidad and Tobago.

Kent started the last over needing 16 for victory.

Middlesex looked to have thrown away their chances of victory when an all-run four created by overthrows from Dawid (attn: correct) Malan left Kent needing six off three balls. But Henderson kept his cool when all round him were losing theirs.

"It's been a very interesting day to say the least," said the 33-year-old Henderson, who earlier in the day starred with the bat by making a rapid 59 in Middlesex's eight- wicket semi-final win over Durham.

Middlesex off-spinner Shaun Udal, back on his old home ground, added: "I'd have preferred it not to have gone to the last ball. We were second favourites with a couple of balls to go.

"We're absolutely elated," the former England off-spinner, who took an impressive one for 21 in his maximum four overs in the final, added. "I thought these days were gone but they're back and I'm really pleased."

Kent had beaten Essex by 14 runs in the semi-finals.

Scolari defends Chelsea's Asian tour

AFP, Macau

Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has defended the club's Asian tour after reports emerged of backroom unrest among players unhappy with the rigorous pre-season trip.

The newly installed coach said the three-stop Asian swing, followed by a four-team tournament in Russia, was vital as he builds towards Chelsea's August 17 league opener.

Chelsea strolled to a 7-0 win against hopelessly outclassed Chengdu Blades late on Saturday after thrashing Guangzhou Pharmaceutical in mid-week. They play in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday and then head to Moscow for the Railways Cup.

"This is match training for us," Scolari said.

"I'm building my team for the Russia games and after Russia I will have my team for the first match against Portsmouth."

Scolari was speaking after British media reported several senior players were angry at touring the sweltering and far-flung Asian venues just weeks before the new season.

The two-week tour represented "the worst possible preparations for the season," a source told The Sun.

"Some players have been unable to sleep and don't know if they are coming or going," the source added.

Winger Joe Cole, who struck twice in the rout of Chengdu Blades, admitted the team found conditions difficult but said they owed such trips to their fans.

"It's hot and it's humid but I think for professional players at a club like Chelsea, it's our responsibility to come out and play," Cole said.

"These fans pay a lot of money to come out and buy our shirts and give great support. It's our opportunity to come out and play football and give something back."

Chelsea have been good value with 11 goals in two matches-albeit in front of half- empty stadiums. On Saturday, Cole scored with his first touch and added another with an outrageous inside-heel flick as the team ran riot.

"These trips are very important in two senses to get fitness and to get out and spread the word to fans on the other side of the world," Cole said.

He added that he was happy to compete for his place after another assured performance by newcomer Deco, whose dragbacks and passing tied Chengdu in knots.

"There's a lot of competition for places at Chelsea-there's four or five wingers and three or four strikers. Competition for places pushes you on."

Meanwhile Scolari claimed ignorance that Shaun Wright-Phillips, whose fluke goal rewarded an outstanding performance, had been strongly linked with Portsmouth.

"I haven't asked him about if he wants to go to another team or not," Scolari said.

"He's here with the team and playing for Chelsea. I don't know the news about him changing team.

"It's the first time I hear that Wright-Phillips might want to change. After this press conference I will ask Shaun if he wants to change or not but I don't know."

BKSP blank Tejgaon Nabataranga KSS 6-0

UNB, Dhaka

A brilliant Masud Rana hattrick guided BKSP to a 6-0 win over Tejgaon Nabataranga KSS in a match of the Metropolis Pioneer Football League at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium at Kamalapur on Sunday.

Masud Rana made the hattrick scoring three goals, while Saifuddin, Ariful Haq and Saddam Hossain netted one goal each for the winners after leading the 1st half 4-0.

In the day's other match at the same venue, Nawabpur Krira Chakra got walkover against Mohammadpur Jubo Samaj Kalyan Sangstha.

Today's matches: Swadhinata KC vs Lalbagh Tarun Sangha (3:pm); Jatrabari Jhatika Sangsad vs Dhaka Ekadash (4:30 pm), both at Kamalapur Stadium.

Italy's Pennetta advances to WTA final

AFP, Los Angeles

Italy's Flavia Pennetta, seeking her third WTA title of the year, advanced to the final of a 600,000-dollar WTA hardcourt event by rallying to beat US wild card Bethanie Mattek here Saturday.

Pennetta defeated Mattek 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 and will play Sunday for the 95,500-dollar top prize against either world number two Jelena Jankovic of Serbia or Russian fourth seed Dinara Safina, who meet later Saturday.

Should Jankovic win the tournament, she would move past compatriot Ana Ivanovic, the 2007 Los Angeles winner who is idle this week, and become the 18th player to claim the WTA world number one ranking.

Jankovic, who has been fighting through a knee injury she suffered at Wimbledon, is 2-1 lifetime against ninth-ranked Safina, the French Open runnerup. Jankovic has never reached a Grand Slam final.

Prize giving ceremony of 3rd Greenwich University Open FIDE Rating Chess held

UNB, Dhaka

The Prize giving ceremony of the 3rd Greenwich University Open FIDE Rating Chess Tournament was held at NSC on Saturday.

Secretary of the Sports Ministry Dr. Golam Mostafa Talukder distributed the prize among the winners.

BOA CEO Col. (Retd.) M Wali Ullah and Executive Vice-President and Head of Operations of the Dhaka Bank Limited Sirajul Haque were present as special guests at the function, chaired by president of Overseas School of Chess and representative of the University of Greenwich Musfiqur Rahman Mohan.

Champion FM Mehdi Hasan Porag of Biman received Tk 10,000, runner-up FM Abu Sufian Shakil of Biman got Tk 6,000 and the 3rd national sub-junior champion Abdullah Al Saif got Tk 4,000 as prize money. A total of 176 players participated in the event.

One-minute silence was observed to show respect to the departed soul of renowned sports organiser Lt Col. (Retd.) MA Hamid.

Meanwhile, the 8th United Insurance & United Leasing International Masters Chess Tournament, sponsored by United Insurance Company Limited & United Leasing Company Limited, will begin on Wednesday.

Grandmaster, International Master, players rated over 2150, national women and sub junior champions will participate in the Swiss-League system meet by sending their entry on or before July 28.

Bangladesh A 33 for no loss chasing huge 637 in 2nd innings

UNB, Dhaka

Visiting Bangladesh A team scored 33 for no loss in 7.5 overs in the 2nd innings against South Africa when last report came in on the 3rd and last day of the 5th three-day match at the County Ground, Worcester on Sunday.

Opener Tamim Iqbal and Junaid Siddiqui were at the crease with 24 and 5 runs respectively as they chased a huge target of 637.

Earlier, South Africa declared their 2nd innings at 328 for 4 in 90.2 overs (PJ Peterson 103* and AB Devilliers 100), while Bangladesh A collapsed at 121 for all in their 1st innings.

South Africa also declared their 1st innings at 429 for 3 (dec).

Office Handball: Cute ease past Bangladesh Jail

Sports Reporter

Cute eased past Bangladesh Jail team by 49-11 goals in the day's lone match of the Design Zone Second Office Handball League at the Handball Ground in Paltan Maidan on Sunday.

Before starting the match, the players, the officials and the spectators observed one minute silence for the death of Lieutenant Colonel (Retd) M A Hamid, the former President of Bangladesh Handball Federation.

The winners controlled the first half with a 26-6 goals lead.

Faruque of Cute top-scored with 10 goals and his teammate Saidur netted nine.

On the other hand, Apu of Bangladesh Jail team scored seven goals.

Today Bangladesh Rifles will take on Bangladesh Jail team at 3.00 PM while Bangladesh Police will face Cute at 4.00 PM at the same venue.

Results of Women's Kabaddi

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh Ansar drubbed Jhenaidah District team by 47-3 points with eight lonas in the final round match of the Spectra Group National Women Kabaddi Competition at the Kabbadi Stadium on Sunday.

In the day's second match, Narail District team beat Gaibandha District team by 30-28 points amid one lona at the same venue.

In the day's third match, Bangladesh Ansar defeated Narail District team by 63-13 points including four lonas at the same venue.

In the day's fourth match, Rajshahi District team outplayed Faridpur District team by 37-17 points with two lonas at the same venue.

Earlier, Secretary General of Bangladesh Olympic Association Kutubuddin Ahmed inaugurated the final round of the Kabaddi meet by releasing the balloons as the chief guest while Director and CEO of Bangladesh Olympic Association Colonel (Retd) Md Wali Ullah was along with him as the special guest.

General Secretary of Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation Md Nazrul Islam was present, among others.

DRU Table Tennis Competition begins

Sports Reporter

The Table Tennis Competition of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) began yesterday under auspices of The Blazer BD at the Hall Room adjacent to the DRU canteen.

Vice-President of Bangladesh Olympic Assoication (BOA) Mizanur Rahman Manu inaugurated the table tennis meet as the chief guest. General Secretary of DRU Ilias Khan, General Secretary of Bangladesh Table Tennis Federation Shamsul Alam Anu, Joint-Secretary of the federation Sadee, Member of the Executive Committee of BOA Khondker Hasan Monir, Hasan Ullah Khan Rana, General Secretary of BSJA Syed Mohammad Mamun former general secretary of DRU Motaher Hossain Masum former organising secretary of DRU Mahmudur Rahman Khokon, Sports Secretary of DRU Kamruzzaman Hiru, members of the sports committee Monwar Haque, Rafiqul Islam, Badrul Alam Khokon, Morsalin Ahmed, Md Mijibur Rahman were present at the time, among others.

Syed Mohammad Mamun of BSS, Debashish Chakravarty Uttam of the Janakantha, Motaher Hossain Masum (Free lance) and Hasan Ullah Khan Rana of the Samakal moved into the semifinals.

Today Syed Mohammad Mamun will face Motaher Hossain Masum in the first semifinal while Debashish Chakravarty will meet Hasan Ullah Khan Rana in the second semifinal.