The New Nation - Internet Edition

Rajshahi close gap with leaders Barisal

bdnews, Dhaka

League leaders Barisal, Rajshahi and Chittagong won their respective fifth round encounters in the National Cricket League on Wednesday.

Saju Datta and Talha Jubair shared seven wickets to guide hosts Barisal to their second win after handing a massive 118-run defeat to Dhaka at Shaheed Chandhu Stadium in Bogra.

Rajshahi recorded their third triumph in the league when they defeated holders Khulna by eight wickets at Birshresthha Shaheed Motiur Rahman Stadium in Khulna.

Hosts Chittagong tasted their victory with a 53-run win over Sylhet at Birshresthha Shaheed Ruhul Amin Stadium.

After the fifth round, Barisal maintained their lead with 55 points, just one point ahead of Rajshahi, who secured maximum 16 points from this round to raise their tally to 54.

Dhaka bagged just four points this round to have 42 points, two points more than Chittagong who have 40 after collecting 13 points from the fifth round.

With the second consecutive defeat, Khulna have 30 points while Sylhet, who lost all five matches, have 20 points to stay at the bottom of the six-team point table.

Barisal vs Daka

Needing 123 runs to win the match, Dhaka survived just 15 balls on the fifth and final day before adding four runs to their overnight total of 182 for eight to finish at 186.

Spinner Suja Datta and pacer Talha shared remaining two wickets to return 4/53 and 3/44 respectively.

Dhaka were bundled out for 116 in reply to Barisal's first innings total of 274. Barisal were also all out for 146 in the second innings to set Dhaka to chase 305 runs to win.

Rajshahi vs Khulna

Rajshahi lost two wickets to reach the winning target of 53 in 16.4 overs with Jahurul Islam and Suhrawardi Shuvo remaining unbeaten on 23 and 13 respectively.

Having resumed the fifth and final day on 183 for seven, Khulna finished at 213 in the second innings, setting Rajshahi to chase a paltry target.

Rajshahi, who made a huge 390 in the first innings, took a comprehensive 161- run lead in the first innings after bowling Khulna out for 229.

Chittagong vs Sylhet

Sylhet missed a fine chance to put an end to their losing streak as the visitors collapsed at 179 all out after resuming the final day on 83 for three against hosts Chittagong.

Needing 150 runs to win on the final day, Sylhet batsmen failed to deal with pacers Qumrul Islam (2/32) and Tareq Aziz (3/29), who together took five wickets on the final day.

Golam Rahman (20) and Rezaul Haq (43) raised a little hope for Sylhet, putting on 73 runs for the seventh wicket after Sylhet were reduced to 93 for 6.

Tareq broke the seventh wicket stand, sparking a collapse at tail. Sylhet slipped to 179 all out from 166 for seven

United Council & Cricket Development Council share 12 Director posts

Sports Reporter

The election of the Directors of Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) was held yesterday at the conference room of National Sports Council.

A total of 167 councillors out of 168 councillors cast their votes to elect 23 Directors of BCB.

Six candidates from United Council and six candidates from Cricket Development Council have been elected Directors of Bangladesh Cricket Board in Category Two.

In Category Two, two panels were contesting for the post of 12 Directors post. The 52 councillors of Dhaka Metropolis clubs cast their votes to elect 12 Directors.

Mahbubul Anam (33 votes), Aziz Al Kaisar Tito (31 votes), Mirza Salman Ispahani (31votes ), Ahmod Iqbal Hasan (30 votes), Md Aminul Haque Moni (29 votes), Mizanur Rahman (27 votes) have been elected Directors of BCB under the banner of Cricket Development Council.

On the other hand, Jalal Younus (30 votes), Enaet Hossain Siraj (29 votes ), Ahmed Sazzadul Alam Boby (29 votes) Shafiqur Rahman Munna (28 votes ), Gazi Golam Dostogir Bir Protik (27 votes), GS Hasan Chowdhury Tamim (27 votes) have been elected Directors of BCB under the banner of United Council.

In Category One, ten candidates have been elected Directors of BCB. Of them, two candidates have been unopposed elected Directors of BCB. The Directors who have been elected, are : Asaduzzaman Khasru (unopposed), Md Imran Chowdhury (unopposed), Dewan Shafiul Arefin Tutul (57 votes), Sujauddin Ahmed Alamgir (50 votes), Syed Zahid Hossain (47 votes), Moinuddin Chowdhury Kamru (43 votes), Abdullah Al Fuad Redwan (38 votes ), Mahmud Jamal (37 votes), Shahidul Islam (36 votes). It is noteworthy that Joynal Abedin and Imtiaz Ahmed Shamsul Huda got 34 votes each. Later, Imtiaz Ahmed Shamsul Huda won the toss and he has been elected Directors of BCB.

Seventy councillors from different divisions and districts cast their votes to elect ten Directors of BCB.

In Category Three, Gazi Ashraf Hossain Lipu has been elected Director of BCB. He got 22 votes. His nearest candidate was Faruk Ahmed, who got 22 votes.A total of 46 councillors cast their votes to elect the lone Director of that quota.

Bangladesh beat Nepal 3-0 in Junior Tennis

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh beat Nepal 3-0 in the 1st Junior South Asian Tennis Championship at the Ramna National Tennis Court Complex in the city on Wednesday.

In the day's matches, U Shew Shew (Bangladesh) beat Sandesh Singh Rathor (Nepal) 6-1, 6-1, while Mofazzal Hossain (Bangladesh) defeated Suyash Rajbandari (Nepal) 6-0, 6-0.

In another match, U Shew Shew and Mofazzal Hossain pair defeated Diwakar Ojha and Sandesh Singh Rathor 6-2, 6-0.

Police AC and Dhaka Wanderers earn identical 1-0 wins

UNB, Dhaka

Police AC and Dhaka Wanderers Club earned identical 1-0 goal wins against their respective opponents in the Green Delta Metropolis First Division League at the Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium on Wednesday.

In the day's first match, Police AC beat Farashganj SC by a solitary goal scored by Ramjan Ali Babu in the 61st minute.

In the other match, Dhaka Wanderers Club defeated Uttara Hockey Club, also by a lone goal scored by Chanchal Ali in the 68th minute.

South Africa v Bangladesh 3rd ODI abandoned due to rain

Reuters, East London

The third one-day international between South Africa and Bangladesh at Buffalo Park, East London, was abandoned due to rain on Wednesday. South Africa win the three-match ODI series 2-0 and hold onto second place in the ODI rankings. The two-match test series begins on Nov. 19 in Bloemfontein.

India, England hit by injuries ahead of one-day series

AFP, New Delhi

Pace bowlers Ishant Sharma of India and Ryan Sidebottom of England will miss Friday's opening match of the seven-game one-day series in Rajkot due to injuries.

Sharma, 20, suffered an ankle sprain during the recent Test series against Australia and has been advised to rest for five days, the Board of Control for Cricket in India said in a statement.

The lanky fast bowler was judged the man of the series for his 15 wickets as India took the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 2-0 win over Ricky Ponting's world champions on Sunday.

Left-armer Sidebottom will sit out the opener due to an Achilles tendon problem picked up during England's brief tour of the West Indies earlier this month.

England were, however, hopeful that paceman Stuart Broad will play in Rajkot after suffering a knee injury during a practice match in Mumbai on Sunday.

The seven-match series, which ends on December 2, will be followed by two Test matches in Ahmedabad (Dec 11-15) and Mumbai (Dec 19-23).

National Swimming Championship begins: Sonia Akhter sets two nat’l records

UNB, Dhaka

The 23rd Mercantile Bank National Swimming Championship began here Wednesday at the National Swimming Complex in Mirpur with BKSP swimmer Sonia Akhter setting two national records.

Sonia set a new national record in the women's 200-meter butterfly clocking 02:50.12 to better the old mark of 02:58.98 minutes made by Laboni Akhter Jui.

She made the day's 2nd record in the women's 400-meter Individual Medley with a timing of 06:06.23 to improve the previous mark of 06:06.78, also made by Laboni Akhter.

Rebel Rana of Bangladesh Navy earned two gold medals on the very first day in the men's 400-meter Individual Medlay clocking 05:03.85 and in the 50-meter back stroke with a timing of 28.74.

In the Water Polo competition, Rajshahi outplayed Lalmonirhat DSA by 10-1 goals, Jhenidah DSA beat Sirajganj by 2-1, Bangladesh Air Force crushed Bangladesh Jail by 12-0, Kushtia DSA trounced Chuadanga DSA by 15-1 and Bangladesh Police beat Gaibandha DSA by 5-0 goals.

Earlier in the morning, Commandant of National Defense College Lt Gen M Aminul Karim inaugurated the four-day national meet and later distributed prizes of the day's some events.

Managing Director of meet sponsor Mercantile Bank Ltd Dewan Mujibur Rahman was also present as special guest while General Secretary of Swimming Federation Mahbubur Rahman Shaheen gave the welcome speech.

A total of 268 men and 77 women -- representing 29 teams are taking part in 38 swimming events -- 19 for men and 19 for women, in addition to water polo and diving competitions, sponsored by Mercantile Bank Ltd.

Bangladesh face Indonesia today

Sports Reporter

Bangladsh National Football team will face Indonesia today in their second Group A match of the Grand Royal Challenge Cup in Myanmar.

Earlier, Bangladesh made a goalless draw with Myanmar in their inaugural match of Group A on November 13.

If Bangladesh want to reach the semifinals they have to win in today's encounter against Indonesia.

Bangladeshi Coach Shafiqul Islam Manik said their boys are motivated after making a draw with Myanmar in their home ground in the opening match.

Bangladeshi skipper Motiur Munna said, “We have confidence to play a good football as all they boys are mentally up.”

Semifinals, final of Pepsi-DRU Cricket Tournament today

UNB, Dhaka

Both the semifinals and the final of the Pepsi-DRU Inter-House Cricket Tournament will be held today (Thursday) at the Maulana Bhasani National Hockey Stadium.

In the semifinals, Channel i will play Bhorer Kagoj while Daily Star meets the Independent at 10 am. The final match will begin at 11:30 pm.

Country Manager of Bangladesh Pepsico International Tajinder Kurana will be the chief guest in the final while CEO of Transcom Beverages Ltd Golam Quddus Chowdhury Babu will be present as special guest.