The New Nation - Internet Edition

Australians flayed over humbling loss to India

AFP, Sydney

Australia's cricketers were under fire from local media Wednesday who said the humiliating loss to India in the second Test in Mohali signalled the end of the world champions' control of the game.

Under the headline "Era of domination at an end", The Australian newspaper flayed the tourists for what it described as an "insipid 320-run loss" which follows a draw in the first Test of the four-match series.

"India has turned world cricket upside down by bullying Australia into submission," it said.

"Australia has been seriously outplayed," it continued, adding that the team had been brutally exposed without the retired greats Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.

As talkback radio questioned whether the end of Australia's dominance had begun, debates Down Under pondered the depleted stocks of spin bowlers in the face of the success of India's Harbhajan Singh and debutant Amit Mishra.

Noted in the coverage was the manner of the defeat at Mohali in which some members of the ascendant Indian team confronted the Australians-with several on-field spats between players and Zaheer Khan fined for celebrating Matthew Hayden's dismissal.

The "verbal lip directed at the Australians has made even the hard-nosed world champions question whether a line has been crossed," Sydney's Daily Telegraph said.

But ultimately, the Australians underperformed on the field and lost the mental battle, The Sydney Morning Herald said in a piece by commentator Peter Roebuck.

"Australia have lost before but it's been a long time since they were so comprehensively taken apart," it said in a front-page article.

"Everyone knew they could be beaten but not broken. No one expected the visitors to cave in or to depart with their tails hanging between their legs.

"The Australians were humbled. Ricky Ponting's team was outbatted, outbowled, outfielded, out-thought, outrun, outcaptained and outclassed."

As star paceman Brett Lee battled poor form, and Australia's spinners were unable to turn the ball away from the bat, none of the antipodean bowlers would have made it into the Indian squad, let alone team, Roebuck said.

Commentators have called for troubled allrounder Andrew Symonds to rejoin the team after he was axed from the India tour for going fishing instead of attending a compulsory team meeting during a one-day series against Bangladesh.

But if Australia is to regain its previously formidable form, it must work to bring back some of the class lost with the retirement of Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist, they said.

"It is not possible to replace great cricketers with good cricketers and retain the same standard," Roebuck wrote. "Nothing lasts forever."

Controversial Miandad set to join PCB

PTI, Karachi

Former captain Javed Miandad is all set to join Pakistan Cricket Board as governing board member, PCB sources said on Wednesday.

Officials in the board confirmed that Miandad has agreed to become a governing body member in place of Ejaz Butt who is now the Chairman of the PCB.

"Miandad will return to the board since he was forced to step down as coach in 2004 following Pakistan's loss in a home series against India," one official said.

He said chairman Butt had been very keen to have Miandad on board and use his expertise. Miandad has been a critic of the former PCB chief Nasim Ashraf who resigned in August.

"I have never had problems giving my service to Pakistan cricket and I will like to help out the board in any capacity as long as my role is a productive one," Miandad said.

The governing body is due to meet in the third week of November under the chairmanship of Butt.

Butt has also indicated that he would be introducing new faces as part of his team in next couple of days.

Four former Test players, Saleem Altaf, Majid Khan, Wasim Bari and Aamir Sohail are said to be in line to get important positions in the new set-up.

Since taking over as PCB chief, Butt has started making changes in the board as well as taking steps to curb unnecessary expenditures.

"Whenever Pakistan won something, the board will give bonuses not only to players but also to all employees of the board and this meant extra bucks and waste of money," one source said.

He said there were around 700 people employed by the board and some of them were ghost employees who were being paid for doing nothing.

SK Russell blank Muktijoddha SKC

UNB, Dhaka

Sheikh Russell KC maintained solo lead in the point table of the ongoing Citycell 2nd B. League beating all-losers Muktijoddha Sangsad KC by 3-0 goals in the lone match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Wednesday.

With the day's feat, Sheikh Russell KC dominated the point table to consolidate their position securing 14 points while the 'freedom fighters' Muktijoddha Sangsad KC were yet to open their account, although both played five matches.

In the day's match, veteran striker Alfaz Ahmed and Moroccan recruits Touati Youness and Igir Mohamed scored one goal each for the winners. Al the goals came in the second half.

After the barren first half, Sheikh Russell found the net as onrushing Alfaz pushed the balls two yards from the first bar after receiving Mobarak's right-wing cross in the 52nd minute (1-0).

Skipper Youness doubled the winners' margin in the 70th minute with a header from inside the danger zone off his fellow mate Igir pass giving no chance to opponent custodian Nizam (2-0).

Igir completed the winners' tally scoring the 3rd goal for the team with a placing-shot from inside the danger zone after taking a close-minus from Alfaz at right flak (3-0).

Earlier, Sheikh Russell came close to scoring in the 29th minute, but onrushing Alfaz failed to push the ball to home off Mobarak right-wing cross.

Youness also got a scoring chance in the 43rd minute when his header from vantage position was saved by custodian Nizam at the cost of a corner.

Sheikh Russell KC dominated the entire proceeding, while the 'freedom fighters' was totally off-colored and failed to produce any single attack.

Yellow Cards: Bipul (Muktijoddha SKC)

Teams:

Sheikh Russell KC - Titu, Pervez, Aminul, Zahirul, Igir, Tanveer (Proshanto), Monwar, Mobarak, Alfaz and Youness.

Muktijoddha SKC - Nizam, Rezaul, Biplob, Bipul (Bappi), Ronny, Firoj (Masud), Tajul, Sento, Kanchan, Milon (Rana), and Majemu.

Referee - Azad Rahman

Thursday's matches: Rahmatganj MFS vs Arambagk KS (BNS 5pm); Farashgasnj SC vs Chittagong Abahani (3:30 pm Narsingdi Stadium).

Woods confident of Masters start but no timetable for return

AFP, New York

Top-ranked Tiger Woods is very confident he will play next year's Masters but still has no timetable for his return after left knee surgery, he told ESPN in an interview aired Tuesday.

Woods has not taken a full swing at a golf ball since his final playoff hole at last June's US Open, where he won his 14th major title despite leg pain to move within four of matching Jack Nicklaus' all-time career record.

"Next year," Woods said when asked when he will be swinging a club again. "Whenever my surgeons say."

Woods said he was "very confident" in playing at next April's Masters but has made no firm plans for a return, a situation complicated by his wife expecting their second child in "late winter", usually seen as mid-March.

"If I have six months off from surgery, that puts me into January, and another four months, that puts me at pretty much 10 months," he said. "That's a long time. I figure I can come back after 10 months.

"Generally it's between six-to-nine months and (American football players) are able to come back and compete and play. And if they can do it at that level, I hope I can do it in golf."

But Woods, a four-time Masters winner, has to be cautious. While that means handling normal actions with no pain, he has been careful not to put the stress of golf swing rotations on his body just yet.

"You have to let the ligament heal. It has to get more taut. I don't want to stretch it out. I don't want to have it go back to where it was," Woods said.

"I have to keep it taut, which means no rotation, everything in a straight plane. I feel good. I can do everything, except for rotation right now. I'm not allowed to rotate yet."

Federer squeezes past inspired American underdog in Basel

AFP, Basel

Roger Federer won his 11th successive match on his home court but had to fight hard to keep a hat-trick of victories at Basel on course at the Swiss Indoors on Tuesday.

The top-seeded local who has won the last two editions was cheered by a sellout crowd at the St Jakobshalle as he laboured to defeat American Bobby Reynolds 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3.

It was his 25th Basel match victory as he played for the ninth time in the city of his birth. Reynolds made life tough for the top seed, saving a match point in the second-set tiebreaker and then levelling at one set each.

It took a determined Federer to put things right in the third set as he advanced precariously into the second round on his fourth match point in a shade under two hours.

"He served very well and was hitting all corners," said the Swiss. "It was tough to read his serve. I didn't really have so much time to get used to conditions. I was only able to hit here for two hours in practise."

Federer admitted that he let a chance get away as he failed to break on three opportunities in the ninth game of the second set at 4-all.

That mis-step allowed Reynolds to temporarily breath new life into his journeyman's game before eventually going down.

Davis Cup teammates David Nalbandian and Juan Del Potro notched an Argentine double as attention shifted temporarily to Champions League football.

Local side FC Basel will face off on Wednesday against Barcelona featuring Argentine international Lionel Messi in a group match.

Both Nalbandian and top-seeded hometowner Roger Federer are hoping to be in the stands at the stadium just across the road from the St Jakobshalle.

"I know Messi personally, so I'm sure he would get me a ticket if I asked," second seed Nalbandian said after polishing off Albert Montanes 6-4, 6-2. Federer is assured of a VIP seat for the football.

Third seed Juan Del Potro, who will also attend the game, advanced over Swiss qualifier George Bastl 6-2, 6-4.

Both South Americans are focusing on the November 21-23 Davis final in Mar del Plata against the Spain of Rafael Nadal.

But while Nalbandian has written off any interest in possibly qualifying for the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, the 20-year-old Del Potro is standing provisional eighth with three spots in the eight-man field still open.

Nalbandian, playing for the seventh time in Basel, improved his record at the event to 19-4.

The 47th-ranked Montanes experienced more of the bad luck which has plagued him in four Basel appearances, where he remains without a career match win.

Italy's Simone Bolelli scored an upset of seventh seed Tomas Berdych as the Tokyo champion from earlier this month exited 6-4, 7-5.

AC Milan confirm Beckham loan move

AFP, Rome

Italian giants AC Milan confirmed on Wednesday that former England captain David Beckham will join the club on loan during the January transfer window.

Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti and vice-president Adriano Galliani revealed the news at Milan's Malpensa airport before the team set off to the Netherlands, where they will play Heerenveen in the UEFA Cup on Thursday.

Beckham, who plays for LA Galaxy, will join the seven-time European champions during the off-season break in the MLS.

"For me it will be a pleasure, Beckham is a serious athlete, a great professional," said Ancelotti.

"If he is available for four months for us we will be very pleased."

Galliani confirmed contact had been made with Beckham's agent and that a loan deal is in the offing.

"Will he come? Yes, I'm sure of that. He will stay at Milan on loan for several months, we're speaking with his agent," he said.

"He will join us for a few months and then leave. Beckham has chosen Milan. Our team is ultra-competitive and will stay that way, but Beckham gives us other options."

Milan seem to have taken over from Real Madrid in opting for a policy of signing 'galacticos' in recent seasons, except that whereas the Spanish champions signed the likes of Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and Beckham in their prime, Milan are picking up their global stars once past their best.

In the last two years Milan have signed Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Andrei Shevchenko and now Beckham, but all four players seem to be long past their best.

Ronaldo looked overweight and unfit during his brief and unsuccessful time in Milan, Shevchenko is a shadow of the player who left Milan for Chelsea just over two years ago and Ronaldinho is not the same player who was twice crowned world player of the year, although he is showing glimpses of his old self at times.

Beckham is 33 now and was considered to be easing himself into retirement by heading over to the MLS in the United States a little over a year ago.

But Galliani insists he is not just a marketing signing.

"Milan don't sign figurines, Milan are very proud of what we are doing.

"We're the only team going against the grain (of falling attendances in Italy): fans are coming to the stadium to watch Milan.

"It's not by chance that 65,000 people came to watch Milan-Sampdoria. If 65,000 people come to the stadium it's because Milan are a great product.

"With respect to those 65,000, Beckham will more likely bring one more fan to the club than one less."

Beckham cannot officially join Milan until the transfer window reopens on January 1.

Milan currently sit sixth in Serie A but are only one victory behind cross city rivals, champions and league leaders Inter.

The rossonero started the season badly, losing their first two scudetto encounters, but have since gone seven games unbeaten in all competitions.

Attendances are generally poor in Italy unless two top teams are playing but Milan can attract 50,000-60,000 crowds even for matches against small teams, although that is still well below the capacity of the San Siro, which is more than 80,000.

Bangladesh play inaugural match with hosts Myanmar Nov 11

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh national team will play hosts Myanmar in the inaugural match of the six-team 3rd Grand Royal Challenge Cup Football Tournament that will begin in Yangon on November 11.

Earlier, Bangladesh have been placed in group A with strong Indonesia and hosts Myanmar, while group B comprises Vietnam, Malaysia and Hyundai FC.

In remaining group match, Bangladesh will play Indonesia on Nov 13.

Top two teams from each of the two groups will play the semi-final on Nov 18 and 19, while the final match is slated for Nov 21.

Rubel ton guides Tashin Hashin CA to 136-run victory over Body Line

UNB, Dhaka

Tashin Hashin Cricket Academy recorded an impressive 136-run victory over Body Line in a qualifying round match of the Metropolis 3rd Division Cricket League at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday.

After winning the toss, Tashin Hashin CA batted first pile up 226 for 6 in quota 45 overs with Rubel making a century with just 100 runs off 122 balls that featured eight fours and a six.

In reply, Body Line were dismissed for paltry 90 runs in 32.1 overs with Apu scoring 30 runs.

In the day's other matches, CC Boys (164/10) beat CCS A Team (156/10) by eight runs at Gulshan Youth Club ground, Mirpur Dream Boys (183/5) defeated Lalkuthi Cricket Academy (181/10) by five wickets at the Dhaka University ground, while Master Cricket Club (185/9) beat Gulshan Youth Cricket Academy (184/10) by one wicket at the City Club ground.

Prantik KC beat Friends Social Welfare by 5-3 goals

UNB, Dhaka

Prantik KC beat Friends Social Welfare Organisation by 5-3 goals in a match of the Metropolis Second Division Football League at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium at Kamalapur in the city on Wednesday.

The match was locked 3-3 during the first half.

Mahmudur Rahman Riyad struck twice, while Abul Hossain Rubel, Riazuddin Biswas and Eco scored one goal each for the winners. Mohammad Javed netted two goals and Shakil Alam one for the losers.

In the day's other match, Gazirchat SC scraped to a 1-0 win over BG Press SRC at the same venue in the afternoon. Imran Ali scored the match-winner goal for Gazirchat SC in the 40th minute.

Today's matches: Uttar Baridhara Club vs Little Friends Club (1:45 pm), Kawran Bazar Pragati Sangha vs Matuail Udayan Sangsad (3:30 pm), both at Kamlapur Stadium.

Azad SC beat Friends Fair Club by 2-0 sets

UNB, Comilla

Azad Sporting Club made a good start in the Comilla Volleyball League beating Friends Fair Club by straight 2-0 sets in the inaugural match at the local Town Hall ground on Wednesday.

In the day's other match, Sports Union Club beat WAPDA Division Club, also by 2-0 sets, at the same venue in the afternoon.

Earlier, Deputy Commissioner of Comilla M Manjurur Rahman inaugurated the league.

Laxman signs on for Lancashire

AFP, London

Indian Test batsman VVS Laxman has signed up to play for Lancashire in 2009, the English county side announced on Wednesday.

The move, which still requires approval by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, will see the player arrive in England after his Indian Premier League participation and stay for the rest of the season.

A previous four-week stint with the county in 2007 yielded 541 runs in eight matches, averaging 54.28 in first-class cricket.

Lara tips Ponting to surpass Tendulkar

Internet

Former West Indies skipper Brian Lara, whose Test aggregate (runs) was surpassed by Sachin Tendulkar at Mohali last week, has tipped Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting to eventually take the Test run-scoring record from the Indian batting maestro.

Tendulkar overtook Lara's record of 11,953 runs during the first day of the second Test match against Australia on Friday to which Lara said he was proud of passing on the mantle to the little master, who he said had been outstanding for so many years.

"I feel that Ponting still has a few years of Test cricket left in him and could play 30 or 40 Tests matches more. He has already 10,000 Test runs under his belt. So it is one of those records that if you play long enough and you score runs consistently, you are capable of doing it," Lara has been quoted as saying in the Australian media.

Lara had passed another former Aussie skipper Allan Border's record in the Adelaide Test in 2005. Tendulkar is nearly two years older than Ponting and has 2000 runs lead over him, but still Lara expects Ponting to be the next man to top the Test tally.

IBAIS crush United Int'l University by 7-0 goals

UNB, Dhaka

IBAIS University crushed United International University by 7-0 goals in a match of the Mentors Inter-Private University Football tournament here on Wednesday.

Bashar and Aldrich scored two goals each while Rajib, Kibria and Asif netted one goal apiece. Bashar was adjudged man of the match.

In the day's other match, IUBAT earned a hard-fought 3-2 goals win over Asian University.

Robin, Abid and Manjurul scored for IUBAT, while Manzoor and Mithu for Asian University. Manjurul of the winning team named best player of the match.

Today's matches: Northern University vs Dhaka International University (2pm), North South University vs Independent University (3:30 pm).