The New Nation - Internet Edition

Ashraful rules out possibility of losing test series

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful Saturday ruled out the possibility of losing the two-match test series, as there is still four more days to go in the 2nd test and anything may happen during the period.

"If you look at test cricket you'll see most matches ended in four days. Although the last match (Ctg test) rolled on to five days, there is still four more days to go in this match and anything may happen," he said.

Ashraful was talking to reporters at the indoor facility of the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium (SBNS) after the first day of the 2nd test against New Zealand was abandoned due to drizzle.

Asked whether he was happy after the abandonment of the day's play, he said, "We played a good game throughout the series as a team. If the play could have been started today, it would have been better for us."

About any change in the planning, the ace batsman said, "I hope there will be no real change in the planning. Now it will be a four-day match. It'll depend on when the match starts today."

"It'll be better for us if everything goes on according to our plan. Now we'll play to our 2nd plan and think that will be effective."

Asked whether they will take an extra pacer, he said, "Considering the day's conditions, there could have been a definite extra bowler. If the condition remains the same, we'll think about that. There is moisture on the wicket and it'll take two and half hours to dry out."

But, he said, they will take the decision on taking a 3rd seamer after inspecting the wicket. "The wicket might change when the sun will come out. It was not also decided whether the seamer will come in place of a batsman or a spinner."

About the toss, the 24-year-old skipper said the toss is important in test matches and it will be much more vital after losing one day. "The wicket will be under cover for around 72 hours. There will be moisture, lets see; till now we won the toss in three out of four matches," he added.

Ashraful, who was unimpressive in the first test, also emphasized utilizing each and every session, saying, "We want to play a good cricket. If we can do that, there'll be 12 sessions out of the 15 and we'll try our best to do well in all of these 12 sessions. We want to win all the sessions. In Chittagong, we won two sessions each in the first four days and we'll try to win most of the sessions here."

Meanwhile, the Tigers had some knocks at the indoor.

Intikhab Alam named new Pakistan coach

AFP, Islamabad

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) named former captain and manager Intikhab Alam as the new national cricket coach on Saturday, a day after Australian Geoff Lawson was sacked.

Alam will take the helm for Pakistan's upcoming series of three one-day internationals against the West Indies in November in the neutral venue of Abu Dhabi.

"We have appointed Intikhab as the coach as we found him to be the suitable candidate," PCB chairman Ijaz Butt told AFP. "He will accompany the team to Abu Dhabi for the one-day internationals against the West Indies."

The PCB sacked former Australian Test fast bowler Lawson on Friday after a string of poor results. He had spent just 15 months in the job, regarded as one of the toughest in world cricket.

The 66-year-old Alam has also been Pakistan coach and manager on several occasions, most notably during Pakistan's World Cup title win in 1992. Former captain and master batsman Javed Miandad was also a candidate for the post.

Butt said the length of Alam's contract was expected to be decided next week.

"We would like to appoint Alam for a two-year contract, but we have to get final approval from the members of the governing board," said Butt, who took over as chairman earlier this month.

Alam said he would try to do his best for Pakistan.

"It's a big responsibility," Alam told AFP.

"It is not an easy job and I have taken up this assignment as a big challenge," said Alam, who will abandon his contract with Punjab in India, where he was to take over this month.

Alam said discipline would be his top priority for the controversy-hit Pakistan side.

"I will try to maintain discipline because no player is bigger than the game and discipline has been our problem, so that will be my top priority," said Alam, who played 47 Tests between 1959-75 and also led Pakistan in 17 Tests.

As a quality leg-spinner he took 125 wickets, his first coming on his first delivery in Test cricket against Australia in 1959.

Day one tickets to be accepted today; school students to be allowed to enter stadium free

UNB, Dhaka

The tickets for day one of the 2nd test match of the Brac Bank Series involving Bangladesh and New Zeland to be accepted on the 2nd day play today (Sunday) at the Sher-e-Bangla national Stadium in Mirpur.

The spectators who entered the Mirpur Stadium through the designated gates with their first day tickets (Saturday) will be able to use the tickets also today (Sunday) as the first day's play was washed out by rain.

Meanwhile, school students will be allowed to enter the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium free to enjoy the play of the remaining four days (Oct 26-29) of the last test of the Brac Bank series.

The students will have to enter the stadium through the gate No 12 only and must be in school uniforms to get in.

List of Pakistan coaches in last decade

AFP, Islamabad

Former captain Intikhab Alam returned for a second stint as Pakistan cricket coach on Saturday, a day after the sacking of Australian Geoff Lawson.

Here is a timeline of the country's cricket coaches in the last ten years:

Sept 1998: Legendary former captain Javed Miandad takes over from Haroon Rasheed, previously a middle-order batsman.

April 1999: Miandad resigns after falling out with senior players and is replaced by leg-spinner Mushtaq Mohammad for the 1999 World Cup.

Aug 1999: Mushtaq sacked after the World Cup. Wasim Raja, a former top batsman and leg-spinner, steps in.

Nov 1999: English-born Richard Pybus becomes Pakistan's first foreign coach.

Dec 1999: Alam takes over after Pybus is axed following Pakistan's 3-0 rout in a Test series in Australia.

Mar 2000: Miandad replaces Alam after Pakistan lost home series to Sri Lanka.

April 2001: Miandad sacked after Pakistan's tour of New Zealand and is replaced by Pybus.

Sept 2001: Pybus refuses to come to Pakistan for security reasons after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States and Mudassar Nazar takes over.

Sept 2002: Nazar summoned home midway through ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka and Pybus returns for a third stint.

March 2003: Pybus says he does not want to stay on after Pakistan were knocked out in the first round of the World Cup held in South Africa. Miandad returns as coach.

June 2004: Miandad sacked after Pakistan lost one-day and Test series against India at home.

July 2004: Former England batsman Bob Woolmer takes over.

March 2007: Woolmer dies in his Jamaica hotel room hours after Pakistan crash out in the first round of the World Cup in the West Indies.

July 2007: Lawson appointed as coach.

October 2008: Lawson sacked over poor results. Alam appointed for three-day series against West Indies to be played in Abu Dhabi.

2012 will be 'economic gold' for Britain: minister

AFP, London

The 2012 London Olympics will help boost the British economy as it battles through current global economic chaos, the minister in charge of the games said in an interview Saturday.

Tessa Jowell said the games were "economic gold at a time of economic need", adding they had unexpectedly become "an economic stabilisation programme".

"It's six billion pounds (7.5 billion euros, 9.5 billion dollars) of investment in 75,000 contracts to firms all over Britain," she told The Times newspaper.

"There will be new jobs, new homes. Nobody intended it to have this function, but this is the effect."

She also accepted that private sector backing for the games had been hit by the economic situation.

"There is certainly less private sector equity borrowing available both for the Olympic village and the media centre," she said. "We have to make sure that the construction continues."

Jowell also vowed that there would be no overall cuts despite the current economic condition, adding: "No one is going to want to get to 2012 and think 'this is really tatty'. We have taken a decision to do the best games we can."

Both Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King said this week it was likely that Britain would enter recession.

Official data released Friday said the economy contracted by 0.5 percent in the three months to September for the first time since 1992. A recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of contraction.

The overall budget for the London games is 9.3 billion pounds, up from 3.4 billion pounds when it won the bid in 2005.

Australia's Jaukovic breaks butterfly shortcourse world record

AFP, Sydney

Adopted Australian Matt Jaukovic broke the 50-metres butterfly short course world record on the opening night of the Sydney leg of the World Cup on Saturday.

The former Montenegro swimmer, competing in his first meet for Australia, clocked 22.50 seconds to lower the previous record of Brazilian Kaio Almeida by 0.1 seconds.

The 22-year-old law student picked up 11,500 US dollars in prizemoney for his performance in the final swim of the night.

"It is going to be different now because before I was an underdog and now people are going to be after me," Jaukovic said.

"That is a different perspective but I think I can handle it."

Jaukovic moved to Australia three and a half years ago to study at Sydney University and improve his swimming.

His parents still live in Montenegro but are hoping to catch up with him at the Moscow round of the World Cup.

Jaukovic said he had been closing in on the world mark and was delighted to have done it in Sydney.

"I think this was my fifth go at it, including the nationals and I am quite happy to have got it at home," he said.

Beijing Olympic 1500m freestyle gold medallist Oussama Mellouli won three finals on the opening night.

The Tunisian took the 400m freestyle in three minutes 40.49 seconds, and the 100m and 400m medley in 53.84secs and 4:06.47 respectively.

Nick D'Arcy, who was kicked off Australia's team for the Beijing Games to answer still pending serious assault charges following a late-night bar incident, returned to the pool to share the 200m butterfly title.

D'Arcy went out hard and just held on as fast-finishing compatriot Chris Wright dead- heated with him in 1:53.37.

University of Asia Pacific plays 2-2 draw with IUBAT

UNB, Dhaka

University of Asia Pacific played to a 2-2 draw with IUBAT in the Mentors Inter Private University Football Tournament at the Army Stadium in Banani on Saturday.

Manjurul scored both the goals for IUBAT while Zahidul and Tito netted one each for University of Asia Pacific. Manjurul was adjudged man of the match.

In the day's other match, United International University was given walkover as the contender Gano University failed to turn up on time.

Independent University will play Dhaka International University today (Sunday) at 2 pm.

Meanwhile, Northern University was declared winners by 2-0 goals against Dhaka International University by the disciplinary committee following a protest made by Northern University after the match played on Thursday.

With this decision, North South University and Northern University reached the semifinals of the tourney as the group champions and runners-up.

Iwata hold Nagoya to goalless draw in J-League

AFP, Tokyo

Nagoya Grampus were held to a goalless draw by Jubilo Iwata for a fourth straight game in the J-League football Saturday, frustrating their efforts to overtake leaders Kashima Antlers.

Nagoya managed to gain only one point, putting them on 52 with four more games to go, one point behind Kashima who will play FC Tokyo on Sunday.

"It sometimes happens in football that even if you kept the initiative, you cannot score a goal. I was not disappointed," said Nagoya's Serbian coach Dragan Stojkovic.

They were followed by Oita Trinita on 51 points, Kawasaki Frontale on 48 points, Urawa Red Diamonds and Gamba Osaka on 47 points.

Oita crashed to a 1-0 defeat to Vissel Kobe with Japan international striker Yoshito Okubo scoring the only goal in the 81st minute.

In other games, Kenta Kano scored twice to lead Yokohama Marinos to a 3-1 victory over Kashiwa Reysol, while Kyoto Purple Sanga drew with Tokyo Verdy 0-0.

Scholastica, Aga Khan School win by identical 5-0 margins

UNB, Dhaka

Scholastica School made a flying start in the Dhaka Metropolitan Women's School Football Tournament outplaying Azimpur Girls High School 5-0 at Dhanmondi Women Sports Complex on Saturday.

Jerin scored a hattrick making three goals in the 11th, 26th and 30th minutes while Karishma and Zara netted one each in the 4th and 10th minutes respectively.

In the day's another match, Aga Khan School, riding on a hattrick by Arnika, outplayed Summerfield School by the same margin at the same venue in the afternoon.

Arnika completed the hattrick scoring three goals in the 8th, 16th and 32nd minutes while Nusaiba and Mahmuda added two more in the 3rd and 26th minutes respectively.

In the day's third and last match, Green Herald School beat Rajdhani High School by 2-0 goals at the same venue in the afternoon.

Rimi and Annesha scored one each for the winners.

Today's matches: Viqarunnissa Noon School vs Natun Kuri (1:45 pm), Mastermind vs Summerfield (2:50 pm) and Azimpur Girls High School vs Siddeswari Girls School (3:55 pm).

Blatter says FIFA secure in world financial crisis

AP, Zurich

FIFA's finances are not at risk in the global financial crisis, president Sepp Blatter said on Friday.

Blatter described the world governing body's financial position as "somewhere between privileged and comfortable."

"For the time being, we have not lost money," Blatter said.

"We are well organized and well equipped to face up to the present crisis."

FIFA relies on the four-yearly World Cup for 90 percent of its revenue, and expects to earn US$3.2 billion (euro2.5 billion) in television and marketing revenue from the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

Blatter said 95 per cent of FIFA's budget for the current World Cup cycle is under contract with broadcasters and sponsors.

It will seek a US$650 million (euro516 million) insurance policy if the 2010 event and 2014 edition in Brazil have to be moved.

"If ever there were any catastrophe that would not allow us to hold a World Cup, we would prefer to buy insurance cover," Blatter said.He said FIFA was cautiously optimistic about football's future popularity.

"Football is still a very attractive product," he said. "We have between 10 and 12 national associations which are wanting to host the World Cup in 2018 and 2022."