The New Nation - Internet Edition

Unofficial ICL begins fresh season with hope

AFP, New Delhi

The rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) enters its second season on Friday hoping to gain recognition from the sport's world governing body and provide more thrills than before.

ICL owner Subhash Chandra met International Cricket Council (ICC) president David Morgan in London on Tuesday to discuss official approval for the league.

"This is a very positive move by the ICC. We hope the ICC, for the sake of young cricketers, will look into the matter," ICL chairman and legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev told local media on Wednesday.

"The Indian cricket board also should consider the matter by having a dialogue with the authorities concerned and that's what we want."

The month-long Twenty20 tournament begins in the southern city of Hyderabad with a match between defending champions Hyderabad Heroes and runners-up Lahore Badshahs.

The nine-team event will be held at four venues-

Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Gurgaon. The best-of-three finals will begin in Ahmedabad on November 13.

A new side this time is Dhaka Warriors from Bangladesh, led by former captain Habibul Bashar and featuring 11 internationals.

The Bangladeshi players have already been banned for 10 years for joining the ICL, but Dev hoped the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) would change its decision.

"It's really unfortunate that the BCB has banned the players for 10 years. I would like to request the BCB to change its decision because this will harm cricket in Bangladesh," said Dev, India's only World Cup-winning captain.

The ICL players have been banned from official matches by the powerful Indian board, which launched its own lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 competition earlier this year.

The Indian board also convinced its counterparts from around the world to shun ICL players amid ICC's stated position that only tournaments okayed by the respective boards would be recognised.

"Cricket is like education and it should be open for all," Dev said.

"I don't understand how ICL will harm world cricket and I would like to request ICC not to make it like apartheid and let the ICL players play for their countries."

Dev also promised more fireworks this season.

"As far as marketing is concerned, you can say IPL was better. But when it comes to the quality of cricket, ICL was far better. Let's see who dishes out better fare this year," he said.

Top stars taking part in the ICL include retired Pakistani captain Inzamam-ul Haq, former Sri Lanka skipper Marvan Atapattu, New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond and Australian batsman Damien Martyn.

Emphatic win over New Zealand a total team effort: Ashraful

UNB, Dhaka

Victorious Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful has said that the reason behind Bangladesh's emphatic victory over New Zealand in the first ODI of the BRAC Bank Series was a total team effort.

"That was a total team effort, at first we won the toss, we did well in batting and fielding, and most importantly Mashrafe's spell and Junaed's spectacular batting set the tone for us," he said at a post-match press conference at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) here Thursday.

Asked how he felt after returning to runs, the 24-year old batsman said that he always tried to play good cricket and hope to continue the day's form in the upcoming matches. Ashraful played an unbeaten 60 off 56 balls with five fours and a six to reach his 15th ODI fifty during the day's match.

Replying to a query, he said that his side is playing as a happy group since the Australia tour.

Asked if he was under pressure before taking on the match, Ashraful said: "Pressure is a thing that always helped us to deliver our best. In the past, we were able to snatch big wins overcoming pressure."

Replying to a query about his part in most of Bangladesh's wins, he said: "When I go to the field, I only focus on playing good innings and every good innings gives me immense pleasure."

Asked if his recent form put any pressure to his captaincy, the youngest test centurion said: "Although I was facing some difficulty in my batting, I enjoyed my captaincy. There was nothing wrong with my field placing, but just a good innings was required to come back in from."

Asked why they were not able to chase 198 in the last ODI during the Australia tour last month, Ashraful admitted that their game plan didn't work in that match, but fortunately they were able to play according to their game plan in the day's match.

Left-handed opener Junaed Siddique, who played a fabulous knock of 85 off 139 balls with 8 fours to be adjudged man of the match, termed the day's innings as his best in ODI career.

"I played the best innings of my ODI career, but the most important thing is that my side has won the match," he said.

Asked what was their plan when he paired with Tamim, the southpaw from Rajshahi Division said: "Our game plan was to stay at the wicket and we were able to do that. We are usually used to play spin better than the Kiwis, and we earlier discussed to stay at the wicket as long as possible."

About his fellow teammate and former national skipper Khaled Mashud Pilot, who retired from international cricket recently, Junaed said: "Pilot is our role model. He has always been a hard worker and he is our asset. It's not the ideal time to say whether I will be able to play like Pilot. Let's wait for the future."

Asked how tough it was for them to face a world class spinner like Daniel Vettori, who proved to be a successful bowler against the Tigers, Junaed said: "We believe to win the match from the very beginning."

Bangladesh goes another step ahead to beating all test playing nations

UNB, Dhaka

With an emphatic seven-wicket win over New Zealand in the first match of the three-match BRAC Bank ODI series Thursday at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS), Bangladesh goes another step ahead to its quest for beating all test playing nations.

Till date, the Tigers have beaten all test playing nations except England and two time World Champions West Indies in the ODIs.

Out of their 188 ODI encounters, Bangladesh registered 41 wins including two against India, and one each against Australia, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka. Bangladesh beat Zimbabwe for the most 15 times.

The glorious journey for the latest test playing nation began in the 1999 World Cup in England where they beat Pakistan by 62 runs at Northampton.

Bangladesh frustrated India twice - first in 2004 in Dhaka where they handed a 15-run defeat to the 1983 World Cup champions. Then in the 2007 World Cup in West Indies, Bangladesh buried the dreams of the strong Indian side with a five-wicket win in the first round.

In the same World Cup, the young Bangladesh side led by Habibul Bashar humiliated the South African side by 67 runs for the first time at Guyana.

Back in 2005 at Cardiff, current captain Ashraful's maiden ODI ton guided Bangladesh to a historic five-wicket win over mighty Australia.

In the next year at Bogra, Bangladesh also earned the rare honour to beat 1996 World Cup champions Sri Lanka by four wickets.

National Cricket League begins today

UNB, Dhaka

The Ispahani Mirzapore Tea 10th National Cricket League begins today (Friday) with three four-day matches scheduled at separate venues.

In the opening match at the Narayanganj Osmani Stadium (NOS) at Fatullah, Dhaka Division will face Chittagong Division. Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) president Maj. Gen. Sina Ibn Jamali and tournament committee chairman Ghulam Mohammed Alomgir will be present at the opening ceremony.

In the Friday's other two matches, champions Khulna Division will meet Sylhet Division at the Bir Shreshtha Matiur Rahman Stadium (BSMRSK) in Khulna while runners-up Rajshahi Division will take on Barisal Division at the Rajshahi Divisional Stadium (RDVS).

The budget of the tournament has been estimated at Tk 4.73 crore, of which sponsors Ispahani Mirzapore Tea will provide around Tk 35-40 lakh.

The four-day champions will receive Tk 10 lakh and the runners-up Tk 5 lakh, while the one-day champions will get Tk 4 lakh and the runners-up Tk 2 lakh.

The BCB will introduce two new prizes for this season. Best wicket-keeper and the double centurion in the one-dayers will receive Tk 30,000 and Tk 20,000 respectively.

Tournament committee chairman Ghulam Mohammad Alomgir disclosed the details at a press conference at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) here Wednesday.

Alomgir also informed that the tournament would be held on home and away basis. Barisal Division will use Narayanganj Osmani Stadium (NOS) and Shaheed Chandu Stadium (SCS) as their home venues.

Cricket Operations Committee chairman Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu, and Ispahani Group of companies chairman Ali Behrouze Ispahani and senior marketing manager SM Showkat Hussain were, among others, present.

Ponting ends India lean trot with crafty century

AFP, Bangalore

Skipper Ricky Ponting ended his run drought on Indian soil with a superb century as Australia came back strongly after a shock start in the first Test on Thursday.

Ponting hit 123 to steer the tourists away from the first- over dismissal of Matthew Hayden to a more comfortable 254-4 by stumps on the opening day at the Chinnaswamy stadium here.

Ponting, who won the toss and elected to take first strike in good batting conditions, put on 166 for the second wicket with Simon Katich after Hayden was caught behind off the third ball of the match.

Left-handed Katich justified his selection ahead of Phil Jaques by following up back-to- back centuries on the preceding tour of the West Indies earlier this year with a dour 66.

Ponting added 60 for the third wicket with Michael Hussey (46 not out) before he was trapped leg-before by Harbhajan Singh in the final session, the ninth time the Australian captain fell to the off-spinner.

Left-arm seamer Zaheer Khan trapped Michael Clarke leg- before in the day's last over, at which time the umpires called off play.

Ponting set aside a disappointing average of 12.27 in eight previous Tests in India to compile his 36th career Test century, just three behind record holder Sachin Tendulkar's tally of 39.

It was the Australian captain's 200th Test innings, making him only the fourth batsman from his country after Allan Border and the Waugh brothers, Steve and Mark, to achieve the feat.

Ponting's 16th century as captain enabled him to stamp his authority at the start of the four- Test series for the Border- Gavaskar Trophy, which Australia won in India in 2004 and again at home this year with identical 2-1 margins.

The only time Ponting looked in trouble was when India appealed for a return catch as the batsman, then on 110, drove a half-volley back to bowler Anil Kumble, the Indian captain.

With no TV review system in place for the series, umpire Rudi Koertzen consulted his colleague Asad Rauf before turning down the appeal, indicating Ponting had played the ball down into the ground.

The highly anticipated series began in dramatic fashion when Zaheer had veteran Hayden caught behind before the 25,000-strong crowd had settled down.

Pakistani umpire Rauf took time to raise his finger as Hayden stood his ground, but TV replays suggested a faint edge before the ball carried to wicket-keeper Mahendra Dhoni.

Katich's vigil ended just before tea when he poked at a ball outside the off-stump from seamer Ishant Sharma and the edge was easily taken by Dhoni.

Ponting, who was on 94 at tea, reached his century in the first over after the break when he took a four and three off the listless Kumble, who conceded 84 runs in 27 wicketless overs.

Australia left out off-spinner Jason Krejza from the 12 announced on Wednesday to give Victorian leg-spinner Cameron White his Test debut.

Scoreboard

Scoreboard at stumps on the opening day of the first cricket Test between India and Australia at the Chinnaswamy stadium here on Thursday:

Australia 1st innings:

M. Hayden c Dhoni b Zaheer 0

S. Katich c Dhoni b Sharma 66

R. Ponting lbw b Harbhajan 123

M. Hussey not out 46

M. Clarke lbw b Zaheer 11

Extras: (lb5, nb2, w1) 8

Total (for four wickets) 254

Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Hayden), 2-166 (Katich), 3-226 (Ponting), 4-254 (Clarke)

Bowling: Zaheer 17.2-4-39-2 (nb1, w1), Sharma 16-3-49-1, Harbhajan 25-6-71-1, Kumble 27-4-84-0, Sehwag 4-0-6-0 (nb1)

Overs: 89.2

Toss: Australia

Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (RSA) and Asad Rauf (PAK)

Third umpire: Amish Saheba (IND)

Match referee: Chris Broad (ENG)

Bangladesh v New Zealand one-day scoreboard

Scoreboard in the first one-day international between Bangladesh and New Zealand at Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Thursday:

New Zealand:

J. Ryder c Riyad b Mortaza 34

B. McCullum c Rasel b Mortaza 14

J. How lbw b Mortaza 7

R. Taylor c Ashraful b Hossain 2

S. Styris lbw b Razzak 4

D. Flynn c Riyad b Razzak 6

J. Oram c Rasel b Razzak 57

D. Vettori c Islam b Hasan 30

K. Mills c Hossain b Mortaza 16

T. Southee not out 19

M. Gillespie not out 2

Extras: (lb5, w5) 10

Total: (for nine wkts) 201

Fall of wickets: 1-47 (McCullum), 2-55 (Ryder), 3-59 (Taylor), 4-62 (How), 5-65 (Styris), 6-79 (Flynn), 7-149 (Vettori), 8-174 (Oram), 9-185 (Mills).

Bowling: Mortaza 10-2-44-4 (2w), Rasel 2-0-18-0,

Hossain 6-0-29-1, Hasan 10-0-30-1 (1w), Razzak 10-0-32-3 (2w), Islam 10-0-35-0, Riyad 2-0-8-0

Overs: 50

Bangladesh:

Tamim Iqbal c Styris b Mills 12

Zunaed Siddique c Oram

b Gillespie 85

Mushfiqur Rahim c Ryder b Styris 30

Mohammad Ashraful not out 60

Shakib Al Hasan not out 5

Extras: (lb6, w4) 10

Total: (for three wkts) 202

Did not bat: Naeem Islam, Mahmudullah Riyad, Mashrafe Mortaza, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain, Syed Rasel.

Fall of wickets: 1-18 (Iqbal), 2-85 (Rahim), 3-194 (Siddique).

Bowling: Mills 7-0-28-1, Gillespie 8.3-1-36-1 (2w),

Southee 9-0-41-0 (2w), Oram 5-0-11-0, Vettori 9-0-48-0,

Styris 6-0-23-1, Ryder 1-0-9-0

Overs: 45.3

Result: Bangladesh won by seven wickets

New PCB chief vows to revive Pakistan cricket

AFP, Karachi

Pakistan's new cricket chief Ejaz Butt Thursday vowed to restore the health of the sport in the nation, plagued by security concerns and disciplinary problems.

Butt, a former secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan, now the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), was appointed as chairman on Tuesday, replacing Nasim Ashraf, who resigned in August.

"I know there are problems which have plagued Pakistan cricket but I will try to do my best to remove these problems," Butt told AFP.

The 70-year-old Butt, a former wicketkeeper-batsman who played eight Tests for Pakistan, said he is confident that Pakistan can turn the corner.

The cricket chief's main problem will be to convince foreign teams that it is safe to tour Pakistan.

Bangladesh contingent leaves for Pune

UNB, Dhaka

An 11-member Bangladesh contingent left here for the Indian town of Pune Thursday morning to take part in the eight-day 3rd Commonwealth Youth Games to be held October 12-18.

Bangladesh will take part in four disciplines of sports -- swimming, weightlifting, shooting and boxing.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA) today announced a cash reward of Tk 50,000 for any gold winning Bangladesh athletes in the 3rd version of the Commonwealth Youth Games in Pune.

Bangladesh contingent will return home on Oct 19.

Pakistan selector quits over team change

AFP, Karachi

Pakistan's chief cricket selector said Thursday he had resigned after administrators changed a member of the squad bound for a Twenty20 tournament in Canada without asking him.

Salahuddin Ahmed said he took the decision after off-spinner Saeed Ajmal was replaced in the 15-man squad that selectors had named to take part in the four-nation event.

"We selected the team on pure merit but after it was released to the media we were shocked to see Ajmal replaced by opener Shoaib Khan. The team already had three openers, so I tendered my resignation," Ahmed told AFP.

The resignation was faxed to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) hours before the team left for Toronto on Wednesday night to compete in the tournament, which takes place October 10-13.

Ahmed, who took over in April 2007 following Pakistan's disastrous first-round exit from the World Cup in the West Indies, said he was hurt by what had happened.

"I am hurt and upset that they made a change in the team we chose without even bothering to inform us about it," said Ahmed, who played five Tests for Pakistan.

"I did my job with honesty and sincerity and there was no compromise on merit (of selected players)," he said.

The PCB last week said that the selected squad would have to be approved by the sports ministry. The PCB said it had received Ahmed's resignation but did not comment on who made the change.

Former Test wicket-keeper Ejaz Butt took over as PCB chairman earlier this week, replacing Nasim Ashraf, who resigned two months ago.

Butt is likely to appoint a new selection panel shortly, officials said.