The New Nation - Internet Edition

City of Light-last stop before Shanghai

AFP, Paris

This week's Paris Masters will complete the jigsaw of who lands the final three berths for the season-ending Tennis Masters Shanghai.

World number one Rafael Nadal and the man he displaced - Roger Federer - have already long booked their tickets for China, and Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Nikolai Davydenko are also guaranteed places.

But the remaining slots are up for grabs, ensuring a denouement in the City of Light.

A group of players, led by American Andy Roddick, are pressing for those final positions though French world number 12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga saw his hopes take a dive Saturday in losing the Lyon semi-final to compatriot Julien Benneteau.

Another Frenchman, Gilles Simon, is also sweating having gone into the weekend in eighth slot only to bow out in Lyon to Swede Robin Soderling.

Simon would have caught up Roddick and would also have leapfrogged Basel losing semi-finalist Juan Martin del Potro had he won in Lyon but now his hopes of a Chinese sojourn hang in the balance.

One man who says he prefers to concentrate on the Davis Cup final rather than head for Shanghai is Argentine star David Nalbandian, who wants to help push his country over the line for the first time in their history against Spain in Mar del Plata.

Nalbandian has a busy schedule as it is, having reached the Basel final where he was Sunday out for a second Swiss title and going toe to toe with Federer, who was on a hattrick of triumphs in his homeland.

At the Davis Cup final, to be played in Mar del Plata in four weeks' time, the 26- year-old will at least be able to cease hostilities with teammate Del Potro, whom he despatched 6-4, 6-4 in Basel on Saturday.

Del Potro has enjoyed a sensational season to date, but Saturday's reverse means he requires a solid showing in Paris as he has not just Simon but also David Ferrer and James Blake breathing down his neck.

As the winner of four straight titles over the summer admitted in Basel: "I'm tired, both mentally and physically. It's been tough for me. I really want to make the Masters Cup and win the Davis Cup."

Murray will hope to show that his run of success this season will continue in Paris and erase disappointing memories of his last visit - a third-round French Open loss to Spaniard Nicolas Amalgro.

Murray, who kicked on from his Madrid Masters victory with another fine run in St Petersburg, admitted post-Madrid that "I'm still a long way behind the top three" but with his season finale assured he can enjoy Paris and then focus on a Chinese coronation.

With the Davis Cup and Shanghai attracting the focus of so many of the top stars at this time of year, Paris has struggled on occasion to attract a gold-plated field - a source of concern to the hosts, not least with Davydenko an injury doubt.

"The big question is to know if the top four or five players in the world will all be present," as French Tennis Federation president Christian Bimes acknowledged in the run-up to the event.

Eto'o hat-trick sends five-goal Barca top

AFP, Madrid

Samuel Eto'o scored a hat-trick inside the first 24 minutes as Barcelona powered to the summit of the Spanish first division with a 5-0 win over ten-man Almeria on Saturday.

Barcelona replace Valencia, who play at Recreativo Huelva on Sunday, at the top on goal difference after a scintillating display which saw the hosts score five times in the first half.

Cameroon international Eto'o opened the scoring after just four minutes and Frenchman Thierry Henry netted on 13 minutes after brilliant play from Lionel Messi.

The floodgates opened on 20 minutes when Eto'o scored his second and his quick- fire hat-trick was completed four minutes later.

Eto'o becomes the league's top-scorer with nine goals after his treble - he now has one goal more than Valencia's David Villa.

Almeria's cause was not helped when striker Alvaro Negredo was dismissed for a crude challenge on the half hour mark and shortly afterwards Brazilian international Dani Alves scored his first Barca league goal from a free-kick.

A half-time standing ovation from the Camp Nou greeted the smiling Barca players while Almeria's players trudged off.

Barca continue to plunder the goals having recently crushed Atletico Madrid 6-1 - when they led 5-1 at the break - and they also demolished FC Basel 5-0 in midweek in the Champions League.

It was a sixth straight win in the league for Barca and a ninth successive win in all competitions.

Barca's title rivals are now under pressure to respond with reigning champions Real Madrid, three points behind, looking to bounce back from their 2-1 Champions League defeat to Juventus with victory over Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

Valencia, level on points with Barca, travel to Recreativo while fourth-placed Villarreal, two points behind, host Atletico Madrid at El Madrigal on Sunday in the game of the weekend.

Sevilla are in third, level on points with Villarreal, going into Sunday's home match against Malaga.

Earlier Saturday, Osasuna's miserable start to the season continued with a 2-0 home loss to Real Betis with Turkish international Mehmet Aurelio and Argentine Hugo Pavone on target.

New Osauna manager Jose Antonio Camacho is still waiting for his first win in charge and the Pamplona outfit are the only team in the league yet to register a win eight games into the new season.

It was a match-up between two teams that were among's Spain's elite not so long ago but are now regarded as relegation battlers.

Betis were fourth in 2005 and played Champions League football the following campaign while Osasuna finished fourth themselves in 2006 and reached the semi- finals of the UEFA Cup in 2007.

Those days must be a distant memory for both sides who fought relegation last season.

Betis climb to 12th with their second win of the campaign while Osasuna stay second from bottom.

India's new spin star poses selection dilemma

AFP, New Delhi

India's new bowling star Amit Mishra is sweating on selection for the third Test against Australia-despite a match- winning seven-wicket haul against the tourists.

The 25-year-old was picked for the second Test in Mohali as a last-minute replacement for injured Indian leg-spin veteran Anil Kumble and tied the Australians in knots with his enormous leg- breaks and the odd googly.

The debutant's seven wickets helped India to a thumping 320- run win, and the Australians are desperate to avoid a repeat in this week's New Delhi Test.

But they may receive help from the Indian selectors, who face a tricky selection dilemma for the third Test of the Border- Gavaskar series beginning here on Wednesday, with Kumble raring to play on his favourite surface.

The inspirational Indian skipper became only the second bowler to take all 10 wickets in a Test innings after England's Jim Laker at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium here in 1999.

And he has 55 wickets at a rate of just 15.41 in six Tests at the venue.

The 38-year-old's injured shoulder is improving rapidly and he is keen to lead India again with time running out of his career spanning 18 years and 131 Tests.

But former Australian Test captain Ian Chappell believes Mishra should be given the nod over Kumble.

"Mishra is a talented leg spinner. His control and variety confused the Australians in the Mohali game," he wrote in his Cricinfo column, adding that going back to Kumble would be a step backwards for India.

Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke said whoever was selected would be a challenge as the tourists seek to battle their way back into the four-Test series, in which they trail 1- 0.

"They are two very different bowlers but Anil has been fantastic for India for a long time," he said.

"I would imagine if he is fit he will be back in the team in Delhi and the youngster is just going to have to wait until Anil gets injured again, retires, whatever he decides to do.

"Whoever they pick, we know we are going to have to bat well against them."

Mahendra Dhoni, who stood in as captain for Kumble in the Mohali Test, kept his cards close to his chest although he was full of praise for the youngster, who has played in three one-day internationals.

"I believe in him (Mishra) as I believe in every guy in the squad," he said.

"It's not fair to doubt anyone. He may not have 500-600 wickets but he has loads of wickets (310) in domestic cricket. He is different from other bowlers in that he flights the ball but is not quick in the air.

"You have to use your feet against him because his googly and slider can really fool the batsman."

With such a selection dilemma on their hands, India may well keep the Australians guessing until the captains come out for the toss on Wednesday morning.

Women's School Football tourney suspended due to inclement weather

UNB, Dhaka

All the three matches of the ongoing Dhaka Metropolitan Women's School Football Tournament was suspended on Sunday due to wet ground following incessant rain across the country.

Viqarunnissa Noon School & College was scheduled to meet Natun Kuri, Master Mind to play Summer Field and Siddheshwari Girls School face Azimpur Girl's High School, all at the Dhanmondi Women Sports Complex.

The matches have been shifted to October 29, while the semifinal matches will be held on Oct 30 instead of Oct 29. The other matches of the fixture will remain unchanged.

Meanwhile, the tournament committee also suspended the ongoing Citycell B. League matches till Oct 29 due to inclement weather.

All 3 national cricket league matches washed out Sunday

UNB, Dhaka

All the three third round matches of the four-day Ispahani Mirzapore Tea 10th National Cricket League were washed out on the first day, on Sunday, due to inclement weather following depression in the Bay of Bengal.

League leaders Rajshahi Division were due to play Dhaka Division in their home match at Rajshahi Divisional Stadium, defending champions Khulna Division scheduled to meet Chittagong Division in their away match at the Bir Shrestha Shaheed Ruhul Amin Stadium in Chittgaong while Barisal Division was to play Sylhet Division at Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra.

Met office said Sunday that there is possibility of further rain in next couple of days in the capital and elsewhere in the country.

If the weather improves in any of the three venues then the league matches will start at such venue/venues on the second day (Monday).

Wrestling training camp begins

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh Amateur Wrestling Federation began yesterday a wrestling training camp at the Gymnasium of National Sports Council. The training camp arranged by the federation will come to an end on November 22.

Mutual Trust Bank has given all sorts of financial support to run the camp smoothly.

The camp has been started marking the upcoming First Indo- Bangla Bangladesh Wrestling Competition scheduled to be held on November 24 and 25.

Secretary of National Sports Council Muhammad Akbar Hussain formally opened the wrestling camp as the chief guest while Senior Officer of the Mutual Trust Bank Limited Mahbubur Rahman Bhuiyan was present with him as the special guest.

Ryan Briscoe wins Indy 300

AP, Australia

Ryan Briscoe won the Indy 300 on Sunday, taking the lead when fellow Australian Will Power crashed out on the 17th lap.

Team Penske's Briscoe became the first Australian driver to win the 60-lap race on the 2.8-mile, 14-turn temporary street circuit. He beat Indy 500 winner Scott Dixon of New Zealand by 0.5019 seconds.

American Ryan Hunter-Reay was third. Alex Tagliani, the Canadian attempting to cement a place with Conquest Racing after two races with the team, was fourth, followed by Oriol Servia.

"It was definitely special to win here," Briscoe said. "I was getting pressured there at the end with Scott and low fuel. I really feel bad for Will Power. He had a real fast car."

It was the third year in a row that Team Australia's Power, who is from the nearby Queensland state city of Toowoomba, won the pole but failed to finish the race. He clipped the wall, damaging his suspension, then hit the next concrete barrier and was out of the race.

Only three pole-sitters have won in the 18-year history of the Australian race - Nigel Mansell in 1993, Jimmy Vasser in 1996 and Dario Franchitti in 1999.

Briscoe, who celebrated by doing a series of doughnuts on the track during the warmdown lap, saw his near two-second lead over Dixon slip to as low as 0.7 seconds with a few laps left as he attempted to conserve fuel.

It was a long time between wins for Team Penske in Australia. The last team driver to win at Surfers Paradise was Emerson Fittipaldi in 1992.

It was Briscoe's third win of the year. He will won on an oval at Milwaukee and on the Mid-Ohio road course.

Power took a 2.9-second lead over Dixon and Briscoe after the first lap, but Briscoe, who started in the second row, chipped away at the lead until a yellow flag on the seventh lap bunched the field.

Div I Hockey: Police register win

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh Police AC won their first match of the Green Delta Insurance First Division Hockey League on Monday.

In the day's first match, Bangladesh Police blanke d Shishu Kishore Sangha 8-0 at the Moulana Bhasani National Stadium.

Police led the first half 2-0.

Mahbubul, Khairul of Bangladesh Police scored two goals each and their teammates Kamal, Nabi, Ramzan, Doulat struck one time each on the board.

In the day's second match, Dhaka Wanderers Club made a 1-1 draw with Victoria SC at the same venue.

Victoria had a 1-0 lead in the first half.

Shakil put his team ahead in the 30th minute of the play.

After the lemon-break Hasan of Wanderers equalised the margin in the 40th minute.

Today Railway SC will take on Mukto Bihanga Tarun Sangha at 1.15 PM while Farashganj SC will meet Barnak Samaj at 3.00 PM at the same venue.