The New Nation - Internet Edition

We are only thinking about ourselves: Ashraful

UNB, Dhaka

Ahead of the 2nd test against New Zealand, Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful said Friday that they are only thinking about themselves, not on any specific opponent player.

"We are now thinking about ourselves. Definitely (Daniel) Vettori is a key player. We take him only as a bowler when we bat and take him as a batsman when we bowl," he said at a press conference at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS).

But statistics suggest that the tall left-arm Kiwis spinner has been the most impressive against Bangladesh in the tests as he captured highest 41 wickets in the last seven tests between the two countries.

Vettori, with his all round performance in the 1st test (9 wickets and 131 runs), enabled the touring side to clinch a hard fought three-wicket victory over the Tigers in Chittagong.

However, Ashraful thinks that the absence of all rounder Jacob Oram will be a plus point for Bangladesh. He said, "Oram is good at both batting and bowling… he is well known for his tight bowling. If he doesn't play, it will be a plus point for us."

Asked if he was satisfied about their batting performance in the 1st test, Ashraful said, "We did well in the 1st innings but it could have been a lot better. We will have to try to play long innings and also convert the 70/80's to 100's."

Replying to a query, he said that all of his teammates are eager to play well and hope to bat in eight sessions during the 2nd test.

Asked about the top order where Bangladesh failed to give a good start, the ace batsman said, "Our top four batsmen didn't bat well (in 1st test). I hope, they play well in the 2nd test and if they can make a good start, it will be an advantage."

Oram loss a big blow, says Vettori

Reuters, Dhaka

The loss of injured all-rounder Jacob Oram will be keenly felt by New Zealand in the second test against Bangladesh, said skipper Daniel Vettori.

Oram will fly home to undergo medical tests after persistent back injury ruled him out of the test, which starts in Dhaka on Saturday.

"He is probably our most important player because of the role he offers being our third seamer and one of our best batsmen," Vettori said at a news conference on Friday.

"Fortunately we do have good replacement in Grant Elliot. Obviously he hasn't got the experience of Jacob, (but) we still think he can come and do a pretty good job."

Elliot stood in for Oram when he made his test debut against England in March.

Oram suffered back pain while bowling on Sunday in the first test and was rested before Bangladesh were all-out for 242 in the second innings.

New Zealand lead the series 1-0 after their three-wicket win in Chittagong on Tuesday.

Ctg Mohammedan registers 2nd win

UNB, Dhaka

Chittagong Mohammedan SC beat Khulna Abahani by 2-1 goals to register the second win in a match of the Citycell 2nd B. League at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong on Friday.

With this win, they improved their position securing nine points from six matches, while Khulna Abahani remained at three points playing seven outings.

In the day's lone match, Touhis and Liton scored one goal each for the winners in the 45th and 89th minutes respectively, while Ripon scored for Khulna Abahani in the 26th minute.

Sunday's match - Brothers Union Club vs Dhaka Mohammedan SC (BNS 5pm).

Younus out for a first-ball duck in Shield debut

AFP, Adelaide

Pakistan Test batsman Younus Khan made a disastrous debut for South Australia when he was dismissed for a first-ball duck against New South Wales in their match here Friday.

The 30-year-old tried to withdraw his bat from his first delivery from medium-pacer Dominic Thornely outside off-stump during the Sheffield Shield match only to be caught off his glove by wicketkeeper Daniel Smith.

It was a blow for South Australia, who view the right hander as the player to turn around their fortunes after several under- achieving seasons.

South Australia recovered from 61 for three at the time of Younus' dismissal to finish the opening day all out for 313 with skipper Graham Manou topscoring with 80.

Younus only arrived last week to join South Australia after completing international commitments with the Pakistan team in Canada.

Younus has scored 4,816 runs in 58 Tests at an average of 49.14 with 15 centuries and has played 175 one-day internationals for Pakistan since 2000.

Basabo Tarun Sangha beat Dhanmondi Club 2-0

UNB, Dhaka

Basabo Tarun Sangha earned a 2-0 goals victory over Dhanmondi Club 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 Friday.

Sagar scored first for the winners in the 11th minute (1-0) while Kari doubled the margin in the 80th minute (2-0).

In the day's other match, Euro Famous Club beat Kadamtala Sangsad by a solitary goal scored by Shushanto in the 39th minute.

Pakistan sack coach Geoff Lawson

AP, Islamabad

Geoff Lawson was sacked as Pakistan's cricket coach with immediate effect Friday, an official of the PCB said.

"His contract is being terminated and the board has decided to pay him three months advance salary," PCB media manager Raza Rashid told The Associated Press.

Lawson was hired by former PCB chief Nasim Ashraf in July 2007 for a two-year contract.

The new chairman of the cricket board Ijaz Butt had said earlier this week that Lawson would be dismissed, but said he would see out his contract because the PCB could not afford to pay him out. Rashid did not reveal how much the PCB paid in compensation.

There was no immediate word on a replacement for Lawson. Pakistan has not played very little cricket in 2008. Australia called off a tour on security grounds, and similar concerns led to the postponement of the limited-overs Champions Trophy due to be

played there this year.

Its next international fixtures will be against the West Indies in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, next month. The teams will play three one-day games and are negotiating about playing accompanying tests.

Under Lawson's stewardship Pakistan lost important test series against South Africa at home and away against India last year.

Pakistan also failed to qualify for the final of the Asia Cup one-day tournament at home in July.

The team did reach the final of the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship under his stewardship Former Pakistan test players had demanded Lawson's removal,

notably ex-test opener Mohsin Khan.

"Lawson has no caliber to coach at the top level," Khan said last week. "He was a second string bowler in his playing days when fiery pacemen Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thompson ruled the world. Even Terry Alderman was ahead of him."

Lawson, 50, played 46 tests from 1980-89, taking 180 wickets at an average of 30.56. He took 88 wickets in 79 one-day games at an average of 29.45.

Jayasuriya confirmed for HK Sixes

AFP, Hong Kong

Big hitting Sri Lankan all-rounder Sanath Jayasuriya has been confirmed for the annual Hong Kong Cricket Sixes tournament, organisers said Friday.

The former 1996 Cricket World Cup winner will join an All Star team that includes West Indian Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Australian Justin Langer, New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming and English swing bowler Matthew Hoggard.

Jayasuriya, 39, has since retired from a test career in which he notched up 14 centuries and 31 fifties in 110 matches, taking 98 wickets.

He continues to feature in Sri Lanka's one-day squad, where he has scored 27 centuries and 66 fifties in 421 one-day games, taking 310 wickets.

Australia and hosts Hong Kong are the remaining two teams in the Sobers Group while the Bradman Group will be contested by India, Pakistan, England and South Africa.

The Hong Kong Cricket Sixes are scheduled from November 8-9.

Bangladesh Navy wins Inter-Service Basketball title

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Navy team clinched the Inter-Service Basketball title beating Bangladesh Army team by 65-53 points in the final at the Area Sports Complex of BNS Issa Khan in Chittagong on Thursday.

PO MUS of Bangladesh Navy team M Rasedduszzaman was adjudged the best player of the meet.

Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Operations) Rear Admiral ASMA Awal witnessed the final match as chief guest and later gave away the prizes.

Senior Armed Forces officials and a large number of troops witnessed the final match.

Viqarunnissa Noon beats Australian Int. School 2-1

UNB, Dhaka

Viqarunnissa Noon School & College beat Australian International School by 2-1 goals in a match of the Dhaka Metropolitan Women's School Football Tournament that began on Friday at the Dhanmondi Women Sports Complex ground.

BFF President Kazi Salahuddin formally inaugurated the tournament at 3 pm.

Pinki and Habiba scored one goal each for the winners in the 16th and 19th minutes respectively, while Saraf scored for the losers in the 25th minute.

Pinki of Viqarunnissa Noon was adjudged best player of the match.

Today's matches: Aga Kahn School vs Summer Field (1:45 pm), Scholastica School vs Azimpur Girls' High School (2:50 pm) and Green Herald School vs Rajdhani High School ((3:55 pm).

Tasin Hasin CA crushes CCS A by 275 runs

UNB, Dhaka

Powered by a Sikder Sagar ton, Tasin Hasin Cricket Academy notched a thumping 275-run win over CCS A in the 3rd Division Qualifying Cricket League at the Gulshan Youth Ground (GYG) here on Friday.

Sagar hammered 113 runs off 98 balls with 15 fours and four sixes as coin-favoured Tasin Hasin Cricket Academy amassed 395 for 9 in 45 overs. Tariqul also contributed a valuable 75 runs.

Arafat claimed three wickets for 79 runs.

In reply, CCS A were bundled out for 120 in 33 overs with Aminul scoring 33 runs. Bipul took three wickets for 14 runs.

In the day's other matches, CC Boys (166/5) outplayed Badda Jagarani Sangsad (165/10) by five wickets at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium (DCS), Mirpur Dream Boys (135/2) thrashed Gulshan Youth Cricket Academy (134/10) by 8 wickets at the Dhaka University Ground (DUG), while Master BR Cricket Club (199/10) beat Lalkuthi Cricket Academy (172/10) by 27 runs at the City Club Ground (CCG).

Sports programme of National Press Club ends

UNB, Dhaka

The sports programme, arranged marking the 54th founding anniversary of National Press Club, concluded early Friday through mini marathon with the participation of over 300 members and their wives and children.

Later, club president Shawkat Mahmud and general secretary Kamal Uddin Sabuj distributed prizes among the winners with overall supervision of Bakhtiar Rana, convener of the sports sub-committee.

Imran Khan warns Pakistan chaos may hit team standards

AFP, London

Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan has warned the standard of his country's cricket side could suffer because of instability which has prompted the cancellation of home international fixtures.

"Not just the Pakistan cricket team, every sport in Pakistan because if it applies to cricket, it applies to every other sport," he told AFP, when asked if the national team could be affected.

Imran, who led Pakistan to their lone World Cup triumph in 1992, also warned that plans for Pakistan to play their home games abroad were "not sustainable".

"Where are they going to play games abroad?" he said, during an interview here Thursday in which he restated his opposition to the Pakistani government's role as a key ally in the US-led "war on terror".

"I think that cricket will keep suffering until things change, the way this whole war is being handled changes," the former all-rounder, who is now chairman of the Pakistan Movement for Justice, said on a visit to London.

He added foreign teams would not be targeted by militants if they came to Pakistan, despite fears which prompted Australia to postpone a tour in March and also saw the multi-national Champions Trophy one-day tournament, due to take place in Pakistan this September, delayed until next year.

Pakistan has been convulsed with violence for months with recent attacks including a suicide bombing at the Marriott hotel in Islamabad last month which killed at least 60 people.

"Terrorists do not target cricketers because cricket is a passion in Pakistan," Imran, 55, said.

"To target cricketers would mean losing the war of hearts and minds of the people of Pakistan so therefore for not one minute do I think cricketers are at risk.

"But I do understand that what they (foreign players) read abroad on the bombings and what they've been told by the embassies and foreign advisories, I can understand their reluctance," added Imran, an Oxford University graduate who played English county cricket for Worcestershire and Susssex as well as spending a season with Australian state side New South Wales.

Imran, an outstanding fast bowler and dangerous middle-order batsman, played 88 Tests for Pakistan from 1971 to 1992, taking 362 wickets at a meagre average of just over 22 apiece, and scoring 3,807 runs at nearly 38 with six hundreds.