The New Nation - Internet Edition

BCB Eleven dismissed for 88 against Sri Lanka

UNB, Dhaka

BCB Eleven were bundled out for 88 runs in the first innings against touring Sri Lanka on the 2nd day of the three-day practice match at the BKSP ground in Savar on Monday.

The day's match started late at 12 pm due to wet pitch and again had to be stopped at 4:22 pm due to bad light.

The first day's play of the three-day practice match between the two teams was called off on Sunday without a single ball bowled due to heavy fog and bad weather at the games venue and elsewhere in the country.

Favoured by coin, hosts BCB team opted to bat first and were dismissed cheaply against devastating bowling by Rangana Herath, who grabbed six wickets for only 16 runs in 17.1 overs with four maidens.

National colour opener Imrul Kayes scored team highest 26 runs off 41 balls with four boundaries.

Top order national batsman Raquibul Hasan made 19 off 30 balls with one four while lower order batsman Saikat Ali was the other BCB batsman who reached double figure scoring 22 runs off 52 balls with the help of two boundaries.

Apart from Rangana Herath's six-wicket haul, Sri Lanka's celebrated spinner Muttiah Muralidaran claimed two wickets for six runs in five overs while pacer Chaminda Vaas and Dhammika Prasad took one wicket for 16 and 32 runs respectively.

In reply, Sri Lanka scored 36 runs for the loss of two wickets in 19 overs when the 2nd day's play was stopped in the afternoon due to bad light.

After the dismissal of opener Malintha Warnapurna (0) and one down Chamara Kapugedera (0) for just three runs in 4.2 overs, opener Michael Vandort and two down batsman cum skipper Mahela Jayawardene confidently stood on the crease to contribute unbeaten 17 and 14 runs respectively.

Pacer Shahadat Hossain Rajib and Tareq Aziz Khan claimed one wicket each conceding 4 and 10 runs respectively.

Brief score: BCB Eleven first innings - 88 for all in 34.1 overs; Imrul Kayes 26, Saikat Ali 22, Raquibul Hasan 19, Ashraful Aziz 8, Faisal Hossain 4, Mehrab Hossain Jr 3, Rajin Saleh 1, Nafees Iqbal 0, Mohammad Mithun 0, Mohammad Rahi 0, Shahadat Hossain 0, extras 5, R Herath 6/16, M Muralidaran 2/6, C Vaas 1/16 and D Prasad 1/32.

Sri Lanka first innings: 36 for 2 in 19 overs; M Vandort batting 17, M Jayawardene batting 14, M Warnapura 0, C Kapugedera 0, extras 5, Tareq Aziz 1/10 and Shahadat Hossain 1/14.

Cautious India dig in after England hitback

Reuters, Mohali

England's bowlers pegged back a defensive India by reducing the hosts to 134 for four in the second innings on the fourth day of the second and final test on Monday.

India held a run overall 285-run lead at the close, batting cautiously after early setbacks. Opener Gautam Gambhir was 44 not out, after scoring a measly 18 runs in the final session of 25 overs, with Yuvraj Singh on a breezy 39.

Spinner Harbhajan Singh took four wickets to help dismiss England for 302 in the morning and hand India a 151-run lead. India scored 453 in their first innings, having won the first test in Chennai by six wickets.

England new ball bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad rattled the top order in the post-lunch session and two run outs reduced the innings to 80 for four after tea.

India managed just 47 runs from 23 overs in the afternoon after Virender Sehwag (17), Rahul Dravid (0) and Sachin Tendulkar (5) fell cheaply in the space of 15 runs.

Vangipurappu Laxman was then run out for 15 after a mix-up with Gambhir.

Harbhajan took three wickets in the morning after England resumed on 282 for six.

He dismissed Matt Prior (2), Broad (1) and last man Monty Panesar (5), returning four for 68. Left-armer Zaheer Khan bowled Graeme Swann (3), finishing with three for 76.

Gayle century gives hope to Windies

Reuters, Wellington

West Indies captain Chris Gayle scored a magnificent 146 to give his team a chance of a surprise victory at the close of the fourth day of the second test against New Zealand in Napier on Monday.

At stumps the West Indies were 278 for seven in the second innings, an overall lead of 214 with one day to play with Gayle still at the crease alongside Fidel Edwards.

While New Zealand are still favoured to win the match, Gayle's innings has given the tourists some hope, despite them being on the back foot for much of the game.

Gayle bludgeoned 13 fours and cleared the boundary six times during his innings for his first test century in more than three years.

He shared a 126-run partnership with Brendan Nash (65), the pair coming together with the West Indies in deep trouble at 106 for four.

Gayle's century was his eighth in test cricket, but his first since he scored 317 against South Africa in April 2005.

The West Indies captain, renowned for his aggressive batting, was forced into a more responsible innings after the loss of Shivnarine Chanderpaul for a duck.

HANDY LEAD

West Indies began the day at 62 for two, still trailing New Zealand by two runs, but Gayle and Xavier Marshall quickly wiped off the deficit and began to establish a handy lead.

The pair put on 55 at a fast pace until New Zealand off-spinner Jeetan Patel caught the edge of a lunging Marshall, with first slip Ross Taylor taking a comfortable catch.

Patel then claimed the prize wicket of Chanderpaul the very next ball with probably his worst delivery of the match, a full toss which the prolific batsman spooned back to a delighted Patel.

Nash survived the hat-trick ball and grew increasingly confident against the New Zealand attack, hitting eight fours as he notched up his second half century of the match.

But after tea he was troubled by an over of short pitched bowling from James Franklin, eventually gloving one to Jamie How at third slip, two balls after being hit flush on the chest by a well-directed bouncer.

Denesh Ramdin (6) and Jerome Taylor (8) offered little resistance but Edwards showed real character to last out the day.

BAF base Zahurul Haque team retains title

BSS, Dhaka

Inter-Base Alhletics Championship 2008 of Bangladesh Air Force concluded at the BAF Base Kurmitola Sports Ground at Dhaka Cantonment on Monday.

BAF Base Zahurul Haque team retained the title with 11 gold, 7 silver and 10 bronze medals while BAF Base Matiur Rahman team became runners -up with 7 gold, 3 silver and 5 bronze medals.

Flight Cadet Awlad of BAF Base Matiur Rahman team was adjudged the best athlete of the meet, an ISPR release said.

BAF Base Matiur Rahman team won the overall Championship Trophy 2008 in sports and athletics competitions held through out the year among BAF Bases and units.

Those who won gold medals on closing day are AC Shakil of BAF Base Zahurul Haque team in 100 M Sprint, Flight Cadet Awlad of BAF Base Matiur Rahman team in 800 M Sprint land BAF Base Zahurul Haque team in 4x100 M Relay.

Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal SM Ziaur Rahman witnessed the final day's events as chief guest and later distributed medals and trophies among the winners.

On his arrival at the sports ground the Chief of Air Staff was received by the Air Officer Commanding of BAF Base Kurmitola Air Commodore Masihuzzaman Serniabat.

Among others, Principal Staff Officers of the Air headquarters, senior BAF officers and a large number of Airmen were present on the occasion.

Brothers Union beat Khulna Abahani

UNB, Dhaka

Brothers Union Club moved into the second slot in the Citycell 2nd B. League beating Khulna Abahani KC by 3-1 goals in the second phase match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS) on Monday.

With the win, Brothers Union Club improved their position with 22 points, while Khulna Abahani remained at the bottom with three points, both playing 11 matches.

Skipper Rezaul Karim Liton, Ugandan striker Henry Quaye and Shakil Ahmed scored one goal each for the winners, while substitute Tariqul Islam for the losers. The match was locked goalless during the first half.

Liton put Brothers Union Club ahead in the 53rd minute with a header form inside the danger zone taking a cross from Henry Quaye at the right wing (1-0).

Substitute Tarikul restored the parity for Khulna Abahani in the 80th minute also with a header form inside the danger zone off Ashiqul Islam's right wing cross (1-1).

Henry scored the second goal for Brothers Union in the 84th minute with an angular box shot off Atiqur Rahman Meshu close pass (2-1).

Shakil completed the winners tally with a placing shot from inside the D-box taking a pass from medio Motiur Munna, one minute before the long whistle (3-1).

Earlier, Brothers Union Club came close to scoring in the 45th minute, but a header taken by Henry from in side the danger zone off Liton pass sailed over the cross bar.

Skipper Khaled Saifullah of Khulna Abahani missed a scoring chance in the 16th minute when his header from the vantage position narrowly missed the target.

Today's match: Sheikh Russell KC vs Ctg Mohammedan SC (BNS, 4:30 pm).