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Pietersen named England captain

BBC Online

Kevin Pietersen has succeeded Michael Vaughan as England cricket captain.

Following Vaughan's shock resignation on Sunday, the 28-year-old's appointment was confirmed by national selector Geoff Miller at Lord's.

Pietersen will captain both the Test and one-day sides and will lead England in the final Test against South Africa at The Oval on Thursday.

He said: "I'm very thrilled and excited to have been given the opportunity to captain England."

The South Africa-born batsman becomes England's 74th Test captain and had been widely tipped to take over from Vaughan and one-day captain Paul Collingwood, who also stood down on Sunday following England's Test series defeat to South Africa.

Pietersen, who has played 40 Tests for England and burst onto the international stage in the famous Ashes win over Australia in 2005, added: "It's a huge honour and a terrific challenge for me at this stage of my international career.

"I have learned a great deal about leadership from playing under both Michael and Paul and fully appreciate the level of responsibility that comes with the job of captaining your country.

"My immediate priority will be this week's fourth npower Test and I will be devoting all my energies to ensuring that the team are properly prepared and play to their full potential, starting on Thursday."

Pietersen has captained England before, in the recent final one-day match against New Zealand, which England lost.

Miller together with selectors Ashley Giles and James Whittaker and England coach Peter Moores sat down on Sunday to decide on Vaughan's successor.

Other potential captains whose names were in the frame were Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook and Kent skipper Rob Key.

Miller said: "In choosing a new captain, we were keen to identify a player who could lead the team in all three forms of cricket and bring fresh enthusiasm and ideas to the role of captain.

"Kevin is a world-class player who will command the respect of the dressing room and I am sure he will be looking to lead from the front and work closely with both the players and the coaching staff to bring England success in the future."

With Vaughan deciding not to play in the final Test, England have made one change to the squad with Essex's Ravi Bopara replacing him.

England also announced the squad for five one-day internationals with all-rounder Andrew Flintoff returning in place of Hampshire's Dimitri Mascarenhas.

Sussex wicketkeeper-batsman Matt Prior has earned a recall as a replacement for Tim Ambrose while uncapped Nottinghamshire all-rounder Samit Patel is included for the first time.

Pietersen started his tenure as England captain praising his predecessor Vaughan.

"First of all, I'd like to say Michael Vaughantwhat a great man he was as a skipper," he said.

"They are huge boots to fill and I'll try to give it the best possible go I can.

"He was a great leader, he brought me into the side and I always tried to the best I could for a great man."

He admitted to consulting with his wife Jessica, parents and siblings before agreeing to take on the job.

"This was an emotional decision and it was right to speak to my wife Jessica, my mum and dad and my brothers," Pietersen revealed.

"I then went to see the coach (Peter Moores) and we had a really good meeting.

"It's all about looking forward now and making sure we achieve what we want to achieve."

Pietersen said he would look to the senior players for advice but wanted to stamp his own captaincy style on the national team and he did not believe his own form would suffer because of the extra burden.

"I will always respect what has happened in the past and I will always respect what Michael did and what my predecessors did.

"I will always look for advice because I'm new in this job and I've had calls and messages from the senior players in the squad.

"Once you have the support of the lads around you, you can't ask for any more.

"But I'll have my own ways and it's very exciting. It's a brand new test and a bright new challenge for me."

Champions China confident of glory

AFP, Beijing

China's all-conquering table-tennis squad are gunning for total dominance in Beijing, planning to demolish all in their path as they cement their status as the sport's superpower.

With the Olympics to be held on home soil for the first time and table tennis considered China's number one sport, national pride is on the line.

Anything less than gold in all four events will be considered, by millions of frenzied Chinese fans and Beijing officials alike, a failure.

It's a heavy burden for most countries to bear but China, boasting the world's top four competitors in both the men's and women's sides, have every reason to be confident.

Even a new system to be introduced at these Games - replacing the men's and women's doubles with team events - has not dented their resolve.

"I feel that we can perfectly fit into the new system," said world number one Wang Hao at the recent China Open where they whitewashed the competition.

"In fact, our true enemy at the Beijing Olympics is not the new competition system but ourselves," the World Cup champion said.

China's most determined goal will be clinching gold in the men's singles-the only title they failed to win at the Olympics four years ago.

China were stunned in the final at Athens when South Korean young gun Ryu Seung-Min outclassed Wang, then the youngest member of team China at 20.

It was an embarrassing defeat for China, which had been aiming for a third consecutive clean sweep of the golds, after success in Sydney and Atlanta.

Since the sport was introduced to the Olympics in 1988, China has won all but five of the titles up for grabs.

Wang, now 24 and seemingly with nerves of steel, will be relishing the chance to make amends.

And the Asian champion will be backed up by Ma Lin, a four-time World Cup winner, and three-time world champion Wang Liqin.

The trio are considered virtually unbeatable in team play after demolishing arch- rivals South Korea 3-0 at this year's world team championships.

But China head coach Liu Guoliang has issued a note of caution, singling out European power Germany and South Korea as threats in Beijing.

"Germany and South Korea are the strongest opponents of our team at the Olympics, especially in the men's singles," Liu said.

South Korea's Ryu is well aware of the enormity of his task in trying to defend his title.

"I am confident of defending my gold medal but winning an Olympic gold requires more than just confidence or your abilities," he told AFP.

"Obviously China is the nation to beat at table tennis and I am trying to challenge them," added Ryu, ranked eight in the world.

Germany's Timo Boll, the European champion and world number seven, has recovered from a knee injury while Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus is another medal contender.

Samsonov, the world number five, has shown impressive form in the lead-up, downing China's Ma Long and Chen Qi on his way to winning the Kuwait Open, and reaching the final of the Singapore Open before being thwarted by Ma.

On the women's side, China are expected to take a vice-like grip on proceedings, with world number one Zhang Yining defending her Olympic crown.

Compatriot and veteran Wang Nan, the most decorated player in the sport's history with 20 global titles, including two Sydney Olympic golds, will be looking to steal the limelight at her last Games before retirement.

And Guo Yue, the 19-year-old world champion, will be fired up at her second Olympics.

A host of Chinese exports representing other countries will be their biggest rivals, including Li Jiawei who heads the line-up for Singapore as the city-state look for their first ever Olympic gold.

Japan, led by 19-year-old prodigy Ai Fukuhara, will also challenge hard.

Dhaka Abahani play Jatrabari KC in opening match tomorrow

UNB, Dhaka

The maiden professional league (B League) champions Dhaka Abahani Limited will play Jatrabari KC in the opening final round match of the Citycell Federation Cup Football Tournament on Wednesday at 5 pm at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

Two arch rivals of Chittagong football -- Chittagong Mohammedan SC and Chittagong Abahani Limited -- will meet in the other opening day fixture at 7 pm at the same venue.

Two matches will be held every day from group stage (Aug 6-20) to quarterfinals (Aug 22 and 23) at 5pm and 7pm.

Bangladesh Football Federation president and legendary footballer Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin will inaugurate the 16-team meet, the curtain raiser of seasons soccer, at a simple ceremony.

Chief Executive Officer of meet sponsor Citycell Michael Seymour will be present as special guest.

The fixture committee of the Citycell Federation Cup Football Tournament Monday announced the complete fixture of the meet after finalizing the groupings through a ceremonial draw on Sunday amid huge enthusiasm among football lovers.

Famed TV star Sadia Islam Mou and her celebrated actor husband Zahid Hasan and star footballers of yesteryears picked up names of the 16 participating teams at the ceremonial draw.

Four top teams of the maiden Professional League (B League) -holders Dhaka Abahani Limited, runners-up Dhaka Mohammedan SC, Muktijoddha Sangsad KC and Sheikh Russell KC - have been considered as the top seeded teams to lead four groups.

Group A - Muktijoddha Sangsad KC, Farashganj SC, Khulna Abahani KC and Dhaka Wanderers Club;

Group B - Dhaka Abahani Limited, Chittagong Mohammedan SC, Chittagong Abahani Limited and Jatrabari KC;

Group C - Sheikh Russell KC, Brothers Union Club, Victoria SC and BKSP;

Group D - Dhaka Mohammedan SC, Arambagh KS, Rahmatganj MFS and Sunrise SC.

On completion of the group matches on August 20, champions and runners-up of the four groups will play in the quarterfinals on August 22 and 23.

The two semifinals will be held on Aug 25 and 26 while the final match is billed for Aug 28, all at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka.

First week's fixture:

Aug 6 : Dhaka Abahani vs Jatrabari KC (5pm)

: Ctg Mohammedan vs Ctg Abahani (7pm)

Aug 7 : Dhaka Mohammedan vs Sunrise SC (5pm)

Arambagh KS vs Rahmatganj MFS (7pm)

Aug 8 : Muktijoddha SKC vs Wanderers Club (5pm)

: Farashganj SC vs Khulna Abahani (7pm)

Aug 9 : Sk Russell KC vs BKSP (5pm)

: Brothers Union vs Victoria SC (7pm)

Aug 10 : Ctg Mohammedan vs Jatrabari KC (5pm)

: Dhaka Abahani vs Ctg Abahani (7pm)

Aug 11 : Arambagh KS vs Sunrise SC (5pm)

Dhaka Mohammedan vs Rahmatganj MFS (7pm)

Aug 12 : Farashganj SC vs Wanderers Club (5pm)

Muktijoddha SKC vs Khulna Abahani (7pm)

Gilchrist wants Olympic cricket

BBC Online

Former Australia star Adam Gilchrist has called for the sport's Twenty20 format to be adopted as an Olympic event in time for the 2020 Games.

Gilchrist, a multiple World Cup and Ashes winner who scored more Test runs than any other wicketkeeper, is on a mission to spread cricket globally.

He said: "We have a responsibility to grow our game in new territories and amongst the women of the world.

"I believe the Olympic Games is the vehicle the sport should use."

Gilchrist, 38, retired earlier this year after a staggering career, which saw him marked by many as a once in a generation cricketer.

He played in the first season of the new Indian Premier League - a money-spinning Twenty20 tournament - in the spring. And he has now urged the International Cricket Council to "sell the sport" to the International Olympic Committee.

The ICC was supportive of such a move in 2007, when its then chief executive, Malcolm Speed said: "The long-term objective is to have cricket in the Olympics."

Speed also cited Twenty20 as the best format for the Games.

Gilchrist, writing in India's Deccan Chronicle, said: "Cricket was part of the 1900 Olympics, when Great Britain beat France. But with Twenty20 cricket here to stay, now is the time for the 10 full-member nations of the ICC to plan for the development of the sport over the next 100 years.

"Over the next century, the challenge for all of us who love the game is to spread the word of cricket to parts of the globe that have never heard of it and currently don't play our sport."

Gilchrist envisaged the Twenty20 format could become popular in countries such as the US, China, Italy, France and Japan, which could all provide strong men's and women's teams.

Those nations participating in the Olympics could then pave the way for Test cricket to be played in more countries, he said.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said: "Cricket Australia supports cricket being included in the Olympics in future, given that cricket already has a strong global following.

"It would create strong interest in the Olympics in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, a region which is home to more than 20% of the world's population."

The last time cricket was seen at a multi-nation major sports event was the 1998 Commonwealth Games, when South Africa won gold, beating a full-strength Australia side in the final, playing 50-overs-a-side cricket.

But the tournament was not considered a success, and has not been seen at subsequent Commonwealth Games.

GP-BCB Academy team leaves for South Africa

UNB, Dhaka

A 14-member GP-BCB National Cricket Academy team left here for South Africa on Monday morning to play two four-day and three one-day matches.

All-rounder Suhrawardy Shuvo will lead the Bangladesh Academy team during the three-week tour to South Africa, while Sahagir Hossain Pavel will act as vice-captain.

The GP-BCB Academy team will start their campaign in Pretoria with a four-day match against South Africa Academy team on August 8 at Tukkies 1 in Pretoria.

The 2nd four-day match between two teams will be held August 14-18 at Laudiam, Pretoria.

The three one-day matches between the two Academy teams are scheduled for August 20 (Dobsonville, Johannesburg), August 22 (Tukkies, Pretoria) and August 24 (Lenasia, Johannesburg).

The Academy team, which is due to return home on August 25, will later tour Sri Lanka with the current players given priority.

GP-BCB Academy team: Suhrawardy Shuvo (captain), Sahagir Hossain Pavel (vice captain), Farhad Hossain, Shamsur Rahman, Marshall Ayub, Nadif Chowdhury, Imrul Kayes, Jahurul Islam, Nasir Hossain, Raihan Uddin, Mahbubul Alam, Shafaq Al Zabir, Ziaur Rahman and Delwar Hossain.

Beijing won't hurt Tokyo's Olympic chances

AFP, Beijing

The chairman of the Tokyo bid committee to host the 2016 Olympics on Monday dismissed suggestions that having two Olympics in Asia in eight years would hurt their chances.

Ichiro Kono turned the argument on its head.

"There will be two Olympics in Europe and one in North America within four years of each other, so why not two in Asia in eight years," he said, referring to the Games in Vancouver (2110), London (2012) and Sochi (2114).

Kono, whose rival bidders are front runners Chicago, Madrid and Rio de Janiero, said he and his team would be here to learn a lot from Beijing on how to run the games.

Fellow team member Nagatoshi Nakamura said the new logo which is the 'musubi knot' and the mantra 'uniting the world' would reflect what would happen to Tokyo if the bid is successful.

"It would create a new dynamism in the city. Sport and Tokyo will become one. It will unite the city with ocean and nature."

The 2016 Olympic host will be announced in October 2009 in Copenhagen.

Olympics bound swimming team calls on Navy Chief

Sports Reporter

The Beijing Olympics-bound Swimming team paid a courtesy call on the President of Swimming Federation and Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Sarwar Jahan Nizam at Naval Headquarters, Banani, Dhaka on Monday.

The President of the Federation urged the team to maintain discipline and good conduct and upkeep the image of our country through their best performance. Mentioning about the recent divisional level swimming competition that was held for the first time under the initiative and management of Swimming Federation, Navy Chief hoped that it will help produce swimmers of national and international standards in future. Later he wished safe journey to all the participants.

General Secretary of Swimming Federation Commodore M S Kabir (Retd) was also present on the occasion.

Myanmar PM to attend Olympics opening

AFP, Yangon

Myanmar's Prime Minister Thein Sein will attend the opening ceremony of the Olympics, state media announced today, but gave no details on his trip.

The government mouthpiece New Light of Myanmar said that General Thein Sein would leave "in the near future" to attend the opening ceremony Friday.

Myanmar's secretive junta rarely gives any information about the travels of top officials. China is one of the military regime's few allies and a major trading partner.

The opening of the Olympics on August 8 falls on a symbolically important date here, marking the 20th anniversary of a national pro-democracy uprising in Myanmar.

At least 3,000 people were killed as soldiers opened fire to end mass protests against decades of military rule. The military finally reasserted total control weeks later, when the current junta seized power. The uprising also marked the rise of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, whose public speeches during the protests established her as the public face of the democracy movement.

Despite the significance of the anniversary, no public commemorations are planned.

Aung San Suu Kyi and other key democracy leaders have spent most of the years since under house arrest. The junta has violently put down any protests against its rule, including peaceful protests by Buddhist monks last September.

Shooter Sharmin Akhter to attend Beijing Olympic as G4S' brand ambassador

UNB, Dhaka

G4S, a global security solutions group, has selected Sharmin Akhter, a top seed Bangladeshi shooter, as the company's brand ambassador in the coming Beijing Olympic 2008.

G4S has taken the initiative as part of its six-year innovative global sports programme to support the next generation of sports stars.

G4S formally presented Sharmin Akhter as their brand ambassador at a press conference on Monday at a city hotel in the morning.

Sports secretary Dr M Golam Mustafa Talukder addressed the function as the chief guest.

Selim Chowdhury, managing director of G4S, Bangladesh, and its director (operations) Brig. Gen. (retd) Salim Akhtar, among others, were present on the occasion.

Sports secretary Dr Talukder in his address welcomed the G4S initiative in sports and said the government alone can not advance the sports sector of a country.

G4 MD Selim Chowdhury said they are sponsoring shooter Sharmin Akhter (10 M Air Rifle) as a part of their social responsibility towards the nation.

Sharmin is among five other sports personalities who have been selected as brand ambassador of G4S group in the Beijing Olympic. These other brand ambassadors are from Thailand, Kazakhstan, Botswana, Nigeria and Guatemala.

Selim Chowdhury said that apart from the sports sector, G4S group would also expand its social programmes in the education sector.

4 players advance to men's singles semis

UNB, Dhaka

Four players advanced to the semifinals of men's singles event of the Dhaka Open Tennis Competition winning their respective quarterfinal matches at the Ramna National Tennis Court Complex on Monday.

In the day's matches, Amal Roy (NTC) beat Laxman Lal (American Club) 6-2,6-3, Alamgir Hossain (Nordic Club) defeated Prithul Mondal (ZITC) 6-4,6-1, Murad Hossain (Hotel Sarina) outplayed Delwar Hossain (NTC) 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 and Ranjan Ram (NTC) beat Mozammel Hossain (NTC) 6-2, 6-0.

In the women's singles, Sathi Sarker (NTC), (Saima Ilsam (NTC), Kibria Aita Zaman Bhabna (Naogaon) and Sharmin Alam (NTC) reached semifinals winning their respective quarterfinal matches.

In the Boy's Under-14 events, Biplob Ram (NTC) and Sajib Passi ((NTC) moved to the final round eliminating their respective opponents in the semis.

Swadhinata KS emerge Group A champions

UNB, Dhaka

Swadhinata Krira Sangha emerged Group A champions of the Dhaka City Corporation Pioneer Football League beating Golam Mostafa Lane Kishore Sangha in a 2nd round match at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium at Kamalapur on Monday.

After a barren first half, Shakil Alam and Mohammad Sohel scored in the 50th and 52nd minutes respectively.

In the day's other match at the same venue, Tangail Football Club emerged Group B champions after playing to a goalless draw with Arambagh Krira Sangha.

Today's matches: Mansoor SC vs Mugda Samaj Kalyan and Krira Sangha (3pm), and Rampura KC vs Maghbazar KC (4:30 pm), both at the same venue.

Murray beats Djokovic to win first Masters crown

AFP, Cincinnati

Andy Murray lifted his first career Masters title as he beat Novak Djokovic for the second time in as many weeks claiming a 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5) win at the Cincinnati event on Sunday.

The Scot confirmed his rise to the number six world ranking with the win by remaining calm while Djokovic went into a partial meltdown.

But Murray had to work for it as Djokovic broke him while the eighth seed served for the win, saving four match points and pulling to 4-5. The Scott eventually won on his fifth chance in the second tiebreaker after two hour, 22 minutes.

Murray notched his second victory over the world number three after losing his first four meetings until last week's Toronto quarter-final success.

The Scot clocked the first British success at a Masters event since Tim Henman won Paris Bercy five years ago.