The New Nation - Internet Edition

Citycell B League begins today

UNB, Dhaka

The Citycell 2nd B. League begins today (Saturday) with a match between holders Dhaka Abahani Limited and Rahamatganj MFS at the Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS).

BFF president Kazi Salahuddin will formally inaugurate the league as chief guest at 3:30 pm.

The league committee initially released fixtures for the three rounds with date and time due to the holy month of Ramadan. The schedule of the remaining rounds will be announced later.

The rates of ticket have been fixed at Tk 20 for galley and Tk 50 for VIP gates 1 and 2. Tickets will be available at the Stadium ticket counters on the match day.

Meanwhile, Dhaka Abahani declared free treats for school students for their first home match tomorrow (Saturday). Students in school uniform and carrying ID cards can witness the match from the eastern gallery.

Eleven teams will take part in the home and away basis mega league at three grounds. Besides the BNS, the other two venues are Chittagong Stadium and Khulna Stadium.

Participating teams:

Dhaka Abahani, Dhaka Mohammedan, Muktijoddha Sangsad, Brothers Union, Sheikh Russell KC, Khulna Abahani, Chittagong Abahani, Chittagong Mohammedan, Rahmatganj MFS, Farashganj SC and Arambagh KS.

Partial fixture:

1st round

Sept 14 - Dhaka Mohammedan vs Ctg Abahani (BNS 3:30 pm)

Sept 15 - Muktijoddha SKC vs Khulna Abahani (BNS 3:30 pm)

Sept 16 - Sk Russell KC vs Farashganj SC (BNS 3:30 pm)

Sept 17 - Brothers Union vs Ctg Mohammedan (BNS 3:30 pm)

2nd round

Sept 18 - Arambagh KS vs Dhaka Mohammedan(BNS 3:30 pm)

Sept 19 - Farashganj SC vs Dhaka Abahani (BNS 3:30 pm)

Sept 20 - Ctg Abahani vs Muktijoddha SKC (Ctg Stadium)

Sept 21 - Ctg Mohammedan vs Sk Russell KC (Ctg Stadium)

Sept 22 - Khulna Abahani vs Brothers Union (Khulna Stadium)

Open FIDE Rating Chess Tournament begins today

UNB, Dhaka

The 3rd Destiny 2000 Limited Open FIDE Rating Chess tournament, organised by Bangladesh Chess Federation, begins today (Saturday) at the Chess Federation hall room.

This is an open event for all chess players. Interested players can enroll their names with entry fee by 1:00 pm on the match day at the Chess Federation office.

The tournament, to be held in nine Swiss-League system, carries cash prizes of Tk 50,000.

Div II Football: Sadharan Bima beat Matuail

Sports Reporter

Sadharan Bima KS beat Matuail Udayan Sangsad by one goal to nil in the day's first match of the Second Division Football League at the Kamalapur Bir Sreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium on Friday.

Biplob of Sadharan Bima scored the all-important goal in the 30th minute of the play.

In the day's other match, Gazir Chat SC made a 1-1 draw with Friends Social Welfare Organisation at the same venue.

Mithu of Friends Social scored one goal while Zahid of Gazir Chat netted one each.

Today Little Friends Club will meet Euro Famous Club while Dhanmondi Club will face Uttar Baridhara Club at the same venue.

Postponed Champions Trophy 'to be held next year'

AP, Dubai

The International Cricket Council will stage 2008's postponed Champions Trophy in either September or October next year, ICC President David Morgan said today.

India, cricket's financial powerhouse, has objected to rescheduling the tournament in October because it already has a one-day series with Australia scheduled for that month.

"There are a few issues yet to be resolved but we are committed to having the tournament in Pakistan next year," Morgan said at a press conference following a two-day meeting of cricket's governing body in Dubai.

"We have a contractual obligation to the sponsors and our broadcasting partners to reschedule a postponed ICC event within 13 months," he added.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat will be consulting with several countries' cricket boards next week, Morgan said.

Pakistan was scheduled to host the Champions Trophy this September but the ICC postponed it until October the following year after several teams refused to participate due to security concerns. South Africa officially pulled out of the tournament.

Morgan said today that the ICC did not seek an alternative host to Pakistan during the council's meeting in Dubai this week.

Davydenko cleared in tennis betting probe

AP, London

Russian tennis player Nikolay Davydenko was cleared by the ATP after a year-long betting investigation.

The ATP says it found no evidence of wrongdoing by Davydenko or Argentine player Martin Vassallo Arguello at their match in Poland in August 2007. The ATP says the case is now closed.

The probe centered on suspicious betting patterns during the match. Davydenko, then ranked No. 5, pulled out against his lowly ranked opponent in the third set citing a foot injury.

An online betting agency voided all wagers, citing an inordinate amount of money put on the match. Many bets came in for Arguello, even after he lost the first set.

New Zealand recall 'wild child' Ryder for Bangladesh tour

AFP, Wellington

Big-hitting Jesse Ryder has been recalled to the New Zealand squad for next month's tour of Bangladesh, seven months after the cricketer with the "wild child" image injured a hand in a bar incident.

Ryder, 24, was included in the 17-member squad for the two Test and three one-day series. Selector Dion Nash said Ryder had showed good recent form.

"Jesse performed well on the emerging players tour in Australia in July," Nash said.

Ryder made an impressive start to international one-day cricket, averaging 49 at a rapid strike rate of 91.

But his career came to a sudden halt in February when he injured himself in a bar when he broke a window while trying to get into a locked toilet during celebrations following New Zealand's home one- day series win over England.

He needed surgery to his damaged right hand and a period of rehabilitation meant he missed the tour of England.

Test new-ball bowler Chris Martin has been recalled to the New Zealand one-day squad for the Bangladesh tour, while fellow seamer Iain O'Brien and opening batsman Aaron Redmond will join the tour party for the two Tests.

New Zealand squad:

Daniel Vettori (captain), Grant Elliott, Daniel Flynn, Gareth Hopkins, Jamie How, Chris Martin, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jeetan Patel, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor. Aaron Redmond (tests only), Iain O'Brien (tests only), Scott Styris (ODIs only), Mark Gillespie (ODIs only).

Tour itinerary:

October 7:

One-day warm-up match, venue and opposition TBC

October 9:

1st ODI, Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur

October 11: 2nd ODI, Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur

October 14: 3rd ODI, Bir Shrestha Shahid Ruhul Amin Stadium,

Chittagong

October 17: 1st Test, Bir Shrestha Shahid Ruhul Amin

Stadium, Chittagong

October 25: 2nd Test, Shere Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur

T20 cricket hits new high with 900-million dollar TV deal

AFP, New Delhi

Twenty20 cricket's brand value rose to new heights on Thursday after pan-Asian ESPN-STAR network agreed to pay 900 million dollars for the proposed T20 Champions League.

The network was awarded the global commercial rights of the inter-club tournament for the next 10 years with the inaugural event set to be played from December 3-10 at venues yet to be decided.

The deal makes the tournament the highest valued cricket event on a per-game basis, according to a statement from the organisers that comprise the Australian, Indian and South African cricket boards.

ESPN-STAR, owned jointly by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp and Walt Disney, were awarded the rights after bids were opened in Dubai late Wednesday on the sidelines of the International Cricket Council's annual awards night.

"We have what we believe to be the best commercial deal for the inaugural Champions League Twenty20 season and for cricket fans across the world," said Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi.

ESPN-STAR, which also holds the rights for all ICC events including the World Cup, Champions Trophy and the T20 Worlds, said they were delighted to add the Champions League to their line-up.

"This is a testament to our commitment to the game of cricket and fans as we cement our relationship with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa," said ESPN-STAR managing director Manu Sawhney.

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said the Champions League will enhance the game's popularity at the grassroots level.

"The Champions League Twenty20 will build on the success of domestic Twenty20 leagues in Australia and elsewhere in a manner which accelerates the development of cricket globally," said Sutherland.

"The benefits of this global event will greatly enhance cricket at the grassroots level, particularly for state-level players who get the chance to pit their skills against players from around the world."

The inaugural Champions League in December will feature eight domestic teams, with two each from Australia, India and South Africa and one each from England and Pakistan.

The organisers have set September 25-October 10, 2009 as the dates for the League's second edition which will be expanded to 12 teams.

The recent boom in Twenty20 cricket, sparked by the lucrative Indian Premier League this year, has led to growing concerns about the future of traditional Test and one-day cricket.

West Ham face sponsor cash blow

BBC Online

West Ham could face a £5m shortfall after their shirt sponsor went into administration on Friday.

The Hammers have only received £2.5m from a three-year deal with travel company XL, BBC Sport understands.

A £7.5m deal, worth £2.5m a year, was signed with the Sussex-based company in February 2007 but only one year of the contract has been paid so far.

Hammers chairman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson is also one of the guarantors of a 207 million Euros bank loan given to XL.

Gudmundsson and his son Bjorgolfur Thor Bjorgolfsson, who is also a billionaire, became guarantors of the bank loan on Wednesday.

The guarantee was originally provided by Icelandic shipping company Eimskip, in which Gudmundsson has an interest.

West Ham will now start the search for another shirt sponsor and wait, along with XL's other creditors, to see what administrator Kroll does with the company.

A contingency plan had been built into the deal in the event of the club being relegated, with the annual payment being reduced from £2.5m if the Hammers did drop down a division.

A West Ham statement said: "XL Holidays remains the club's principal partner and we await further information from the administrator before ascertaining the impact of these events.

"We are of course saddened for the customers of XL Holidays that they have been affected and hope that a speedy and satisfactory solution is found."

XL Leisure Group, which is based in Crawley, is Britain's third largest package holiday group.

Symonds left behind as Aussies choose new spinners for India

AFP, Sydney

Australia on Friday left out all- rounder Andrew Symonds for disciplinary reasons and chose 36- year- old leg-spinner Bryce McGain for next month's four-Test tour of India.

Symonds is considering his future in international cricket after being axed from the Australian squad for this month's one- day series against Bangladesh in Darwin after opting to go fishing rather than attend a compulsory team meeting.

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said Symonds, who has played 22 Tests and 193 one-day internationals, will be left behind to give the 33-year-old time to consider his playing future.

"Andrew Symonds was stood down for disciplinary reasons in Darwin and is now going through a process managed by Cricket Australia designed to give him time to assess whether he is fully committed to all of the things needed to be a member of the world's number one team," Hilditch said.

"Cricket Australia has told us that selectors will be advised once Andrew can be considered again for selection and we hope we can look forward to that advice in due course because as we all know a fit and fully committed Andrew Symonds can be a world- beater.

"In the meantime, our advice was that he was not available to be considered for selection this time."

Australia selected Victorian McGain and Tasmanian Jason Krejza as their spinners in the 15-man party for the spin- friendly Indian wickets, and also included fast bowlers Doug Bollinger and Peter Siddle.

Hilditch said he expected McGain to be well suited to the Indian conditions and he had been selected subject to a fitness test on an injured right shoulder.

"Bryce McGain was the standout leg-spinner at interstate level last year and we think he is really well suited to the Indian conditions and bowling plans," he said.

Hilditch said finger-spinner Krejza was another selection with an eye on the Indian conditions.

"Jason had a good season for Tasmania last year and the selectors felt right-arm finger spinners would perform well in India, and Jason now has a chance to prove himself at the international level."

Hilditch said Bollinger and Siddle had been included to gain valuable international experience, adding veteran opening batsman Matthew Hayden was selected subject to fitness on an Achilles injury.

"The tour of India is an icon series for the Australian team and the selection process has been a highly detailed exercise," Hilditch said.

"A lot of planning has gone in to how we want to play against the Indian team and how we go about that in Indian conditions."

Australia's opening Test of the series against India starts in Bangalore on October 9.

Scolari turned down Man City job

BBC Online

Luiz Felipe Scolari says he turned down an offer to become Manchester City boss before taking over as Chelsea manager.

City, who face Scolari's side on Saturday, were looking for a successor to Sven-Goran Eriksson in the summer and eventually appointed Mark Hughes.

"Yes, they offered it to me. It was a good offer but I was with Portugal and needed time to think," said Scolari.

"They came to Portugal and they talked to me about their ideas for the team in the next three or four years."

Scolari replaced Avram Grant at the Chelsea managerial helm and his appointment was announced while he was in charge of Portugal during Euro 2008.

City were owned by Thaksin Shinawatra at the time but have since been bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group.

They wealth of the new City owners resulted in them audaciously beat Chelsea to the signing of Robinho for £32.4m on transfer deadline day.

Scolari played down losing out on the Brazil forward and warned City that becoming one of the world's leading club's will be a long-term process.

"He is one more player for Manchester City, nothing different," added Scolari. "Robinho is one player who I said was very good.

"He was in Brazil, then with Real Madrid and now Manchester City. He is a player for Manchester City - it's finished."

Brazilian Scolari also believes that buying the top players will not automatically guarantee success. He stated: "It is not just about buying one or two players to become the best club in England and the world, you need to win.

"It is a project that is not for one or two years but maybe 10 or 15 but it is very good for England and for football that more clubs have projects to get bigger and get into the top 10 in the world.

"Manchester are starting to move towards this."

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech echoed his manager's thoughts over whether Manchester City can buy their way to glory.

"City can buy whoever they want but it doesn't mean they will have a good team," he commented.

"You need all things together, the alchemy of the team and everything together to become a good team, to win the title and just buying players doesn't guarantee anything."

Chelsea reject Clarke resignation

BBC Online

Chelsea have turned down Steve Clarke's resignation as assistant first-team coach following an approach by West Ham to take him to Upton Park.

The Hammers appointed Gianfranco Zola as manager on Thursday and appear to want Clarke, 45, to be his number two.

But a Chelsea statement said: "West Ham have made an approach with regards to talking to Steve Clarke.

"They have not been given permission to talk to him. We have not accepted his resignation. Talks are continuing."

Clarke joined the Stamford Bridge outfit as a player in January 1987 and the defender helped the club win the FA Cup, League Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup before retiring in September 1998.

He went on to join Ruud Gullit as his assistant at Newcastle and had a brief spell as caretaker manager at the Tyneside club after the Dutchman's exit in August 1999 before working under Sir Bobby Robson at St James' Park.

The Scot returned to Chelsea - where Zola enjoyed a successful stint between 1996-2003 - and has assisted recent Chelsea managers Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant as well as Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Scolari held talks with Clarke on Wednesday and said he would give him more responsibility.

"On Thursday I invited Steve to my house and we discussed this situation with West Ham, Chelsea and the life of Steve - his project," said Scolari.

"Steve is very important for me and Chelsea. He is a man that is a point between me and the players and me and the staff. He knows very well Chelsea, the England players and clubs.

"All people have projects in life. Steve wants to fly it alone in the future. For me, I understand because I am a professional for football."

He added: "We try to say no, look maybe you follow this, but Steve is thinking this way. I don't agree, but I am happy with Steve, as a person and a coach. I wish him all the best.

"I don't know what happened in the night but when I came here in the morning I heard he had resigned."

Clarke has two years left of his current deal at Chelsea after signing a new contract after Mourinho left the club in September 2007.

Scolari expects him to go and re-join Zola and said: "Now I have been told he is going I am sad but I understand Steve.

"All people have projects in their life. I don't agree with his decision but I am happy for him because I like Stevie.

"I like him as a person and as a coach and I wish him all the best."