The New Nation - Internet Edition

Arambagh register first win beating Muktijoddha

UNB, Dhaka

Arambagh KS came from behind to beat Muktijoddha Sangsad KC by 2-1 goals in the only match of the Citycell 2nd B. League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS) on Friday.

This was the first win for Arambagh KS after a 3-0 defeat to Dhaka Mohammedan SC in their opening match, while Muktijoddha Sangsad lost all their three matches.

In the day's match, Imrul Hossain Emu and Sirajul Karim scored one goal each for the winners who trailed the first half 1-0. Almol Hossain Bidyut scored for the losers.

Bidyut put Muktijoddha Sangsad KC ahead from penalty in the 28th minute (1-0). The freedom fighters' team got the spot kick as Arambagh skipper Akram fouled Kanchan in the danger zone.

Arambagh KS, which dominated the second half, got several scoring chances and scored two goals within seven minutes.

Referee Azad Rahman had to stop the match twice, for a total of 30 minutes, during the second half due to heavy shower.

Emu restored the parity for Arambagh KS in the 86th minute with a left-footer from inside the danger zone off a Nayan pass (1-1).

Karim scored the match-winner for Arambagh with a powerful box shot off a Turza close pass (2-1).

Arambagh KS earlier came close to score in the 52nd minute, but Jerry's feeble shot from vantage position narrowly went out of play beside the side bar.

Arambagh again got a real scoring chance in the 64th minute, when their foreign recruit Nicodemus took a shot three yards from the goalpost off a Jerry pass, but substitute Ronny made the clearance from the D-box.

Yellow cards: Ratan and Nayan (Arambagh); Rahman, Bipul, Arman, Ronny and Tajul (Muktijoddha)

Arambagh KS -- Piru, Monu, Ratan, Kaba, Akram, Karim, Molay, Emu, Nayan, Anwar (Jerry) (Turzo) and Nicodemus

Muktijoddha SKC - Masudur, Biplob, Bipul, Arman (Ronny), Titu, Bidyut, Tajul, Sentu, Kanchan, Milon (Walid) and Rana.

Referee - Azad Rahman

Today's match - Sheikh Russell KC vs Khulna Abahani (BNS 3:30 pm).

Tamim named cricketer of the year 2007-08, Shakib for 2006-07

UNB, Dhaka

Cricket fan club 'Bengal Tigers' named left-handed national opener Tamim Iqbal as the Aramex-Bengal Tigers cricketer of the year 2007-08 at a function at Hotel Imperial in the city Friday afternoon.

All rounder Shakib Al Hasan was named the cricketer of the year 2006-07, while Salma Khatun for the first time named the female cricketer of the year 2007-08.

The short-listed male cricketers for the year 2006-07 were Mohammad Ashraful, Mashrafee Bin Mortaza, Abdur Razzak and Shakib Al Hasan. Shakib won the award securing 264 votes followed by Mashrafe in the 2nd position with 209 votes.

For the year 2007-08, Tamim was given the award as he received 312 votes to leave Shakib in the 2nd slot with 265 votes. The other nominees were Mashrafee Bin Mortaza, Mohammad Ashraful and Shahadat Hossain Razib.

In the female category, the national eves team skipper Salma Khatun took the award securing 250 votes, well ahead of her lone competitor Panna Ghosh who bagged 105 votes.

Shakib and Tamim each received Tk 20,000 and a crest, while Salma received Tk 10,000 and a crest.

In an instant reaction, Tamim said: "I would like to thank them (Bengal Tigers) for giving me this award and hope to deliver my best in the coming days."

Talented all rounder Shakib said: "This award will definitely inspire me to do my best in future."

Managing Director of Aramex International and former BCB general secretary Mahbubul Anam was present at the function as chief guest while former BCB vice-president Aziz Al Kaiser Tito was the special guest. They distributed the crests to the winners.

The Bengal Tigers selected the best cricketers for the last two years by direct voting of its members and cricket personalities from a short list considering the performance of the nominees in international cricket.

Bengal Tigers general secretary Kazi Tabarakul Islam Arif presided over the function, with its president Quazi Aziz Ahmed and BCB member Shafiqur Rahman Munna, among others, present.

Bangladesh Green defeat Bangladesh Red

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh Green defeated Bangladesh Red by seven wickets in their practice limited-over match at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Friday. The match was fixed 30-over-a-side affair.

Electing to bat first, Bangladesh Red scored 103 for the loss of nine wickets in 28.4 overs.

In reply, Bangladesh Green reached the winning spot making 155 off 29.3 overs for the loss of one wicket.

Nafis Iqbal of Bangladesh Green struck the day's highest of 57(not out) playing 55 deliveries amid nine fours while Junaed Siddique hit an undefeated 51off 54 balls including six fours.

Shakib Al Hasan remained unbeaten with 21off 34 balls.

Left-arn spinner Abdur Razzak Raj of Bangladesh Red got one wicket conceding 37 runs.

Earlier, Ashraful Islam of Bangladesh Red notched up 35 (not out) off 60 balls with three fours and one six.

Nazmul Hossain of Bangladesh Green grabbed three wickets giving away 21 runs while Mahmudullah Riyad chipped in with two wickets at the cost of 17 runs.

Besides, Enamul haque (Junior), Shakib Al Hasan, Mashrafee Bin Mortaza took one wicket each.

Sportswear brand Puma to begin operation in city today

UNB, Dhaka

Puma, a leading sportswear brand, will begin its journey in the country from Saturday through a franchise at the FR Tower at city's Banani.

National cricketer Javed Omar Belim is the franchise owner of Puma who will make available its sports gears as well as formal shirts, T-shirts, pants and trousers.

The inauguration ceremony of the franchise will be held on Saturday at 2:30 pm. Some current and former national cricketers of the country are expected to be present at the function.

Blackburn lose Robinson for two weeks

AFP, Blackburn

Paul Robinson's bid to rebuild his career at Blackburn has suffered a setback after the former England number one was ruled out of action for at least two weeks with a calf injury.

Robinson, who has been displaced as England's first choice goalkeeper by David James, suffered the injury in the midweek League Cup win over Everton and must now be doubtful for England's World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan at Wembley on October 11 and the trip to Belarus four days later.

Discarded by Tottenham in the close season, Robinson has bounced back with some impressive displays for Blackburn this season and Rovers boss Paul Ince admitted he would be missed.

"Paul was fantastic against Fulham last Saturday and made some world class saves. He is a man's man and wants to prove a point. So when he came off so early in the game on Wednesday you knew something wasn't right."

The timing could not have been worse for Robinson with his chances of regaining the England gloves having risen recently in light of his own strong form and some shaky performances by James for Portsmouth, who have conceded ten goals in their last two outings.

Euro championships to expand to 24 teams

AFP, France

The European football championships in 2016 will be expanded from 16 teams to 24, UEFA announced here on Friday.

The 13-man executive committee of European football's governing body voted unanimously for the expansion.

India will not tour Pakistan

AP, Islamabad

A former head of the Pakistan Cricket Board says he expects India to pull out of next year's tour due to security concerns.

"I don't think India will come because the (security) conditions are not good for international cricket (in Pakistan)," Tauqir Zia said Friday on private Geo Television.

"It will be a big setback for Pakistan cricket, but they should be prepared for this."

India is scheduled to tour Pakistan from Jan. 4 for three tests and five one-day internationals.

Zia also said he doubts that Pakistan will host the already postponed Champions Trophy limited-overs tournament next year.

"What (is there) to talk about the Champions Trophy? I doubt even India will come," he said.

Rawalpindi - which was ruled out as a Champions Trophy venue this year for security reasons - was named as the host of one of the tests and a one-day international against India.

A powerful bomb blast left 53 dead and hundreds injured Saturday at the Marriott Hotel in the capital Islamabad, which is adjacent to Rawalpindi.

The PCB has admitted that the itinerary for the India tour was finalized before the blast at the Marriott, where teams normally stay during international matches. The Indian team stayed at the Marriott Hotel during its previous visit to Pakistan in 2004.

Top international teams have avoided touring Pakistan this year with Australia postponing its scheduled visit until 2009.

The International Cricket Council postponed the biennial Champions Trophy until Sept.-Oct. 2009 after England, New Zealand, South Africa and defending champion Australia refused to participate due to security concerns.

Pakistan has not played a test match this year, but has invited the West Indies for two tests in November - shortly after both teams play three one-day internationals at Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates. The West Indies has not confirmed it will play the test matches against Pakistan.

Zheng dumps Ivanovic out of China Open

AFP, Beijing

Former world number one Ana Ivanovic crashed out of the China Open Friday, beaten by home favourite Zheng Jie in a marathon quarter-final clash.

Ivanovic, the second seed here, lost 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-4 to her Wimbledon conqueror in a match lasting almost three hours.

The French Open champion had fought her way back into the match, taking the second set despite an error-strewn display, but she could not establish control.

China's world number 30 was quickly into her stride in the third set, breaking the Ivanovic serve in the first game. Despite further breaks for both players, the tenacious Zheng held her nerve to take the decider. Earlier, the Serbian world number four had wasted two chances to serve for the first set at 5- 4 and 6-5.

Ivanovic said Zheng was a tough opponent, but she was upbeat about her own game and said she could now give "100 percent" after recovering from injury.

"She was playing really well. My first serve wasn't going as well as I'd hoped for. I think that was the biggest difference," Ivanovic said, adding she had not been aggressive enough with her returns.

"I feel this tournament, yesterday and today, I played probably some of my best matches since the French Open and that's definitely a positive sign for me," she said.

Zheng shocked Ivanovic at Wimbledon, beating the then top seed in the third round before going on to reach the semi-finals.

Ivanovic is part of a group of players behind current number one Serena Williams chasing the top ranking, which also includes the top seed here, Jelena Jankovic.

But she has had a poor run, including her early exit at Wimbledon and a second round defeat at the US Open, and has also been hit by injuries.

Zheng's win means she has matched the best- ever performance by a Chinese player at this tournament: Peng Shuai also reached the semi- final in 2006.

Elsewhere on quarter-finals day in Beijing, men's sixth seed Tommy Robredo was beaten convincingly 6-4, 6-1 by Israel's world number 92 Dudi Sela, who put out top seed David Ferrer in the previous round.

In other matches, Russia's Vera Zvonareva beat Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain, 6-0, 6-1 in just 51 minutes and Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-4.

Jankovic plays Daniela Hantuchova in an evening match here, followed by men's second seed Andy Roddick against Spain's former world number one, Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Haddin to rely on Healy's tips for India series

AFP, India

Resilient Australian wicket-keeper Brad Haddin said Friday he would bank on former great Ian Healy's tips to achieve success in the upcoming Test series in India.

Haddin, who played his maiden Test series against the West Indies this year with a broken finger, said he consulted Healy who had experience of playing in Indian conditions.

"His (Healy's) tips will help me a lot," Haddin told reporters here ahead of the four- Test series starting in Bangalore on October 9.

Healy toured India with Mark Taylor's side in 1996 and 1998, scoring 194 runs and taking seven catches in four Tests.

Haddin said he did not believe the home advantage would help India as the tourists had also been training in these conditions for nearly a week.

"We are now prepared for the challenge," he said. "We were lucky to have a practice session for a week in Jaipur where there are excellent facilities. The training here will help us adapt to the conditions when the series starts."

Haddin caught the eye as a gutsy lower- order batsman on his previous visit to India in 2007 when he scored 200 runs in four one-day internationals with two half-centuries.

He first came to India in 2001 as cover for wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist, but returned without playing a Test. He then had to wait for seven years to play his first Test despite making his one-day debut in 2001.

Haddin got the Test opportunity only after Gilchirst's retirement early this year.

"I really enjoyed the atmosphere over here last time. It was different with the crowd and the heat, but it was something you don't often experience," said the 30- year-old.

Australia arrived here on Monday, but the official part of the tour starts with a four-day practice game in Hyderabad from October 2.

The Bangalore Test will be followed by back-to-back matches in Mohali, New Delhi and Nagpur.

Tendulkar boost for Aussie Tests

BBC Online

India batsman Sachin Tendulkar has won his fitness battle for the forthcoming Test series against Australia after recovering from an elbow injury.

The 35-year-old will join the India training camp next week for the series beginning on 9 October, following tests with physiotherapist Paul Close.

Tendulkar was injured during the final Test against Sri Lanka in August.

The Indian Cricket Board had earlier restrained the batsman from playing as Close said Tendulkar needed more rest.

Tendulkar's fitness is a major boost for India as they consider their batting line-up.

He holds the record for the most centuries in Tests, with 39 in 150 matches, and is only 77 short of beating Brian Lara's record for the most runs in Test cricket, the former West Indies captain having retired with a total of 11,953.

Tendulkar has had a number of injury problems in recent years and missed the first two matches against Australia four years ago because he was suffering from tennis elbow.

He underwent corrective surgery on his left elbow in May 2005, but jarred the joint while attempting to take a catch during the third Test against Sri Lanka in August.

Although he was ruled out of the one-day series which followed, team officials insisted the injury would only put him out of action for two to three weeks.

With Tendulkar, former captains Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman all in their mid-30s, there have been calls for the introduction of some younger talent.

But with Australia having named two uncapped spin bowlers, Bryce McGain and Jason Krejza, in their squad for the tour, the expectation was that India would name their strongest possible top six in order to try and capitalise on that potential weakness.

Speaking on Thursday, Tendulkar said Tests against Australia were now even bigger than those against regional rivals Pakistan for the Indian team.

"All the series we have played in the recent past, from 2001, have all been close ones," he commented.

"As we all know, (Australia) is the number one team in the world. They will come here with serious force. They still have a lot of experienced players in the team. It is not that it is a completely transformed side with no senior players in the team."