The New Nation - Internet Edition

We try our level best to improve our Test performances: Ashraful

AFP, Chittagong

Daniel Vettori faces a double challenge, both as skipper and spin bowler, as New Zealand come back from a long break to take on Bangladesh in the first of two Tests here from Friday.

The 29-year-old left-armer knows that different sub-continent conditions-the slow pitches and sweltering heat-mean spinners see far more action than fast bowlers.

"It will be our first Test in a long time so it is an exciting challenge and we are geared up for that," said Vettori, whose team's last Test was in England five months ago.

It was Vettori who took six wickets in each innings of the Chittagong Test at the M. A. Aziz Stadium when New Zealand mauled the hapless Bangladesh by an innings exactly four years ago.

Vettori said he was looking forward to the action during this week's test at the Divisional Stadium.

"That was a different ground, but we know spinners would bowl more overs in such conditions, so Jeetan (Patel) and I will be ready," he said.

The Black Caps recovered well from the shock of suffering their first-ever one-day defeat against Bangladesh in the opening game by winning the next two to wrap up the limited overs series 2-1 on Tuesday.

Vettori said he hoped to take that momentum into the Test.

"The first game was disappointing but there has been gradual improvement since," he said, adding that he thought New Zealand would be up to the challenge of taking on Bangladesh on their home turf.

The visitors are a frontline bowler short, with the experienced paceman Chris Martin left out of the Test squad through a hamstring strain. He has been replaced by Mark Gillespie.

Bangladesh too have problems of their own. They have won just one of their 53 Tests so far, losing 47 with five draws.

To add to their woes, 14 frontline players, including their most experienced Test player Habibul Bashar, joined the unrecognised Indian Cricket League last month, badly depleting the strength of the team.

Captain Mohammad Ashraful said he still hoped his team would prove they were capable of competing in Tests.

"I hope we try our level best to improve our Test performances," said Ashraful, who took over as captain from Bashar last year.

"We look forward to the Test series and realise that batsmen will have to put up a good fight against quality New Zealand bowling," said Ashraful, whose own Test form is also a major concern.

Bangladesh have recalled experienced batsman Rajin Saleh in a squad of 13 which includes three left-arm spinners in Abdur Razzak, Mehrab Hossain and Shakib Al Hasan.

The squad also includes off-spinning all-rounder Naeem Islam and paceman Mahbubul Hossain, both of whom have yet to play in a Test.

The second Test will be played in Dhaka from October 25.

Teams

Bangladesh: Mohammad Ashraful (capt), Mashrafe Mortaza, Tamim Iqbal, Zunaed Siddique, Rajin Saleh, Shakib Al Hasan, Mehrab Hossain, Naeem Islam, Mushfiqur Rahim, Abdur Razzak, Syed Rasel, Shahadat Hossain, Mahbubul Hossain.

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (captain), Grant Elliott, Daniel Flynn, Gareth Hopkins, Jamie How, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Jacob Oram, Jeetan Patel, Jesse Ryder, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Aaron Redmond, Iain O'Brien, Mark Gillespie.

Umpires: Daryl Harper (AUS), Asoka de Silva (SRI)

Tv umpire: Enamul Hoque (BAN)

Match referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)

Bangladesh contingent leaves for Bali today to participate in Asian Beach Games

UNB, Dhaka

A 12-member Bangladesh contingent leaves here for Indonesian tourist town of Bali today (Thursday) night to participate in the first-ever Asian Beach Games, scheduled for October 18-26.

Chef de Mission of Bangladesh contingent and General Secretary of Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation M Nazrul Islam reached the games venue on Wednesday afternoon as an advanced party.

Bangladesh will compete in two disciplines of sports-- Beach Volleyball (men's and women's) and Beach Kabaddi.

Bangladesh contingent comprises 10 athletes, two team officials and the mission leader.

Member of Bangladesh contingent: Men's Beach Kabaddi team - Ziaur Rahman, Al Mamun, Kamal Hossain, Sadequl Islam,Maftun Haque and Jayed Hossain.

Men's Beach Volleyball team- Al Mamun Sheikh and Moshiur Rahman and Women's Beach Volleyball team- Farhana Akther and Aleya Khatun.

Officials- Chef De Mission- M Nazrul Islam, Kabaddi team official-Abdul Jalil and Volleyball team Official- Tariqul Anwar Khan

Kabaddi Team will return home on Oct 23 while Volleyball team on Oct 27.

Pakistan to host Champions Trophy in 2009 if security improves by February

AP, Dubai

Pakistan will host the delayed Champions Trophy next year if it passes a security assessment in February.

The International Cricket Council said Wednesday that the tournament will be staged from Sept. 24 to Oct. 4 in 2009 pending a favorable report from the ICC's security experts after India's tour of Pakistan ends in February.

A reserve day has been allocated for the final on Oct. 5.

At the end of the two-day ICC board meeting in Dubai, Sri Lanka was retained as the event's alternate host.

Kumble form the focus for second Australia test

Reuters, Mohali

The fitness and form of skipper Anil Kumble is India's main concern ahead of the second test against Australia starting on Friday.

Kumble, test cricket's third-highest wicket-taker, failed to take a wicket and suffered a shoulder strain as his team scrambled a draw in the first test in Bangalore.

The leg spinner, who turns 38 on Friday, said after the game he hoped to be 100 percent fit to team up with off spinner Harbhajan Singh on a bouncier Mohali pitch that should suit him.

"I definitely didn't have a good game as a player, having my third test in about 130 with no wickets and 100 runs given, but then again I'm the only player in current cricket to have over 100 Australian scalps," he wrote in Wednesday's Hindustan Times.

Kumble, who has taken 616 wickets from 131 tests, hit back at talk about his possible retirement. Several senior batsmen are rumoured to be set to retire while Saurav Ganguly has said he would quit after the current four-test series.

"And for those who are wondering, I'm feeling good. I'm hopeful the shoulder injury I picked up during the match (after bowling 40 overs in the first innings) should be fine by the second test and that it will be business as usual thereafter."

DISCOMFORT

India fans will also be hoping Sachin Tendulkar knocks off the 15 runs he needs to surpass Brian Lara's world runs record.

Australia will relish the home team's discomfort.

Ricky Ponting, who averaged less than 13 in India before the series, ended his poor record by hitting 123 for his 35th test hundred. However, the skipper was frustrated after his pace bowlers failed to skittle India out on an uneven fifth day pitch.

Pace spearhead Brett Lee was below his hostile best and took just one wicket in each innings, while Stuart Clark complained of elbow soreness in Bangalore.

Team physio Alex Kountouris told Australian media Clark would not bowl at Wednesday's training in order to help him recover for the match.

Merdeka Cup Football: Bangladesh take on Mozambique today

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh national football team will start their Merdeka Cup Football campaign taking on strong Mozambique today (Thursday) at 6:45 pm(Bangladesh Time) at the Shah Alam Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.

Bangladesh has been placed in strong Group B with Mozambique, Myanmar, Vietnam, while Group A comprises of Sierra Leone, Nepal, Afghanistan and hosts Malaysia.

Led by veteran medio Motiur Munna, Bangladesh will play Myanmar on Oct 18 at 6:45 pm (BST) and Vietnam on Oct 20 at 4:40 pm (BST) in their remaining group match at the same venue.

Earlier, Bangladesh team reached the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur Tuesday morning to participate in the Merdeka Cup Football Tournament slated for October 15-25.

Bangladesh team, which staying at Hotel Grand Blue Wave Shah Alam, practised at the game venue Tuesday afternoon.

Bangladesh Manager Badal Roy and coach Shafiqul Islam Manik watched the practice session of Mozambique Under-23 team today (Wednesday) morning.

All the players of Bangladesh are fully fit, according to a message received here by Bangladesh Football Federation.

In the last year's Merdeka Cup, Bangladesh lost all their three matches against Singapore, Indonesia and Zimbabwe.

The game began today (Wednesday) with hosts Malaysia taking on Nepal in the opening match at MBPJ Stadium in Kula Lumpur.

Bangladesh team comprises of 20 booters and seven officials.

Bangladesh Team - Aminul, Biplob, Hasan Al Mamun, Rajani, Sujon (vice-captain), Shuvro, Wali Faisal, Nazrul, Ariful, Saikat, Arman Aziz, Prantosh, Sharif, Motiur Munna (captain), Abul, Mamun, Zahid, Emily, Robin and Enamul.

Officials - Badal Roy, Shawkat Ali Khan Jahangir, Mokbul Hossain, Shafiqul Islam Manik (coach), Golam Rabbani Chhotan (assistant coach), Dr Mahfuzullah Chisty (physio) and Mohammad Mohsin (coaching staff).

Tendulkar eyes milestone against Australia

AFP, Mohali

Sachin Tendulkar will resume his quest to become the world's most prolific batsman when India take on Australia in the second Test starting here on Friday.

Tendulkar needs just 15 runs to overtake West Indian Brian Lara's Test match tally of 11,953 runs and establish a fourth world record in his illustrious career. The 35-year-old is already the world's top-scorer in one-day internationals (16,361) and has the most centuries in Test matches (39) and one-dayers (42).

The master batsman came close to surpassing Lara's milestone in the second innings of the drawn first Test in Bangalore where his gritty 49 helped steer the hosts to a draw.

The other senior batsmen, including Venkatsai Laxman, Rahul Dravid and the retiring Sourav Ganguly, also hit valuable innings to rescue India from defeat.

However, skipper Anil Kumble left many questions hanging over his form and fitness with the injured 37-year-old veteran leg-spinner wicketless for only the third time in his Test career, the first time ever in front of a home crowd.

The captain also dropped two catches off his own bowling to cap a miserable outing.

Kumble will assess his fitness before deciding on his availability for Mohali, where the wicket is known for being lively and may tempt India to use an extra fast bowler at his or Harbhajan Singh's expense.

Singh took just one wicket in Bangalore but hit a handy 54.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting's spin options include

specialist Cameron White, who claimed Tendulkar as his maiden Test scalp in Bangalore.

Part-time spinner Michael Clarke contained the Indian batsmen and took two wickets despite the track providing little assistance to the slow bowlers.

Off-spinner Jason Krejza is also available, although he failed to shine in a warm-up game in Hyderabad before the first Test.

The action off the field has heated up ahead of the Test, with Indian paceman Zaheer Khan doubting Australia's bowling ability and Ponting retorting by saying only his team played aggressive cricket throughout.

Pakistan coach Lawson keen to extend contract

Reuters, Karachi

Under fire Pakistan coach Geoff Lawson has no intention of quitting and is keen to extend his contract with the team until the 2011 World Cup.

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Ejaz Butt has said he was not impressed with the team's performance over the last year, while former players have called for Australian Lawson to step down.

Lawson was appointed Pakistan coach last year after the death of Bob Woolmer during the World Cup and his two-year contract expires in July 2009.

Results of Open Table Tennis

Sports Reporter

Abahani Limited and Dhaka District team won their respective matches of the team event (women) of the National Lubricants Open Table Tennis Competition at the Engineers Recreation Centre on Wednesday.

In the team event (men), Rangpur Eleven Star, Palolick Developers, Wari Club, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, TT Academy, Solar and Armanitola Friends registered wins at the same venue on the same day.

In the women's singles, Jorina of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Rahima of Dhaka District team, Akhi of Biman Bangladesh Airlines posted wins at the same venue on the same day.

In the boys' singles, Antu of Palolick Developers, Polash, Javed of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Jubaer of Dhaka District team and Navid (Individual) got wins at the same venue on the same day.