The New Nation - Internet Edition

Mendis becomes fastest to reach 50 one-day wickets

UNB, Dhaka

Sri Lankan spin sensation Ajantha Mendis became the fastest to reach 50 one-day wickets as he finished with three wickets for 15 runs in the second ODI match against Zimbabwe in the GramenPhone Tri Nation Cup at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Monday.

He took the day's first wicket to improve his tally to 49 removing Stuart Matsikenyeri and set the new record taking the second wicket of Ray Price.

The spin sensation again raised his tally to 51 wickets dismissing Tawanda Mupariwa to complete his spell with three wickets for 15 runs in 5.2 overs.

He touched the landmark playing just 19 matches after breaking the previous record of Indian pacer Ajit Agarkar's 50 wickets.

Mymensingh Palsha High, Rajshahi Al Arabia Madrasha reach final of School Kabaddi

UNB, Dhaka

Mymensingh Palsha Adarsha High School and Rajshahi Gourihar Al Arabia Dakhil Madrasha reached the final of the Standard Chartered National School Kabaddi Competition eliminating their rivals in the semifinals at the Kabaddi Stadium here on Monday.

The two teams will play the final today (Tuesday) at 3:pm at the same venue.

Bangladesh Kabaddi Federation President and Inspector General of Police Nur Mohammad will be the chief guest in the final. Chief Executive Officer of meet sponsor Standarad Chartered Bank Osman Murad will also be present at the function as special guest.

In the day's semifinals, Mymensingh Palsha Adarsha High School eliminated Jessore Bonogram Secondary School by 31-29 points with two creditable lonas while Rajshahi Gourihar Al Arabia Dakhil Madrasha outplayed Gazipur Shaheed Abdul Jabbar Ansar VDP School & College by 36-23 points with three lonas.

Dhaka Abahani beat Ctg Abahani 1-0

UNB, Dhaka

Dhaka Abahani maintained their solo lead in the Citycell B. League beating Chittagong Abahani by a solitary goal in the lone second phase match at the Chittagong Stadium on Monday.

With this win, Dhaka Abahani improved their position with 32 points, while Chittagong Abahani remained at 13 points, both playing 14 matches.

In the day's match Wally Faisal scored the all-important goal for the winners in the 45th minute.

Today's match: Dhaka Mohammedan vs Brothers Union (BNS, 4 pm).

GM Niaz Murshed, Debaraj Chatterjee take joint lead in the Parsvnath Int Chess

UNB, Dhaka

Two Bangladeshi players--Grand Master Niaz Murshed and Debaraj Chatterjee--are jointly leading the 7th Parsvnath International Open Chess Tournament with 79 other players securing full 2 points after the 2nd round matches held in the Indian capital New Delhi on Sunday.

Two other Bangladeshi players, Mohammad Ali earned 1.5 points and FM Mohammad Javed earned one point after the 2nd round matches.

In the 2nd round matches, Niaz beat R. Preethi of India, Debaraj beat Shakya Rabindra of Nepal, Mohammad Ali drew with Lava Kumar Shrestha of Nepal while Javed lost to GM Safin Shukhrat of Uzbekistan.

A total of 426 players including 20 Grandmasters, 32 International Masters are taking part in the event.

Messi rescues Barca with late winner at Osasuna

Reuters, Madrid

Leaders Barcelona needed two goals in the last ten minutes to beat bottom club Osasuna 3-2 away, and moved 12 points clear at the top of the Primera Liga on Sunday.

Xavi's brave strike in the 80th minute levelled the scores at 2-2 and Lionel Messi cut in from the right flank to bury a shot in the far corner four minutes later.

Barca move on to 47 points from 18 games extending their lead over second place, which is now occupied by improving champions Real Madrid, who beat Real Mallorca 3-0 away.

Sevilla also have 35 points but are third on goal difference after their 3-1 comeback win at Deportivo Coruna on Saturday.

Messi set up Samuel Eto'o for his 16th goal of the campaign just before the break in a frozen Pamplona, but Osasuna bit back in the second half.

Miguel Flano looped in a header from a corner and Walter Pandiani slotted home from close range forcing Barca on to the back foot, before Xavi and Messi struck late on.

"We were lucky at the end but I think we deserved it," Xavi told Canal Plus television.

Real were quickly ahead in Mallorca when in-form winger Arjen Robben raced away on a counter-attack to score after only three minutes. Gonzalo Higuain set up captain Raul to score with a deft back heel in his 500th league game soon after.

Mallorca, who are without a league win in ten, offered scant resistance and Sergio sealed their third consecutive win with a volley.

Real coach Juande Ramos said the quick first goal had made it easier for his side, but denied they were too dependent on Robben's pace. The Dutchman has been their key figure in the last three games.

"A team doesn't rely on one player. It's his job to attack and he is given the freedom to do so by the work of other players," he said.

Valencia slipped down to fourth with 34 points after being held to a 3-3 draw at home by local rivals Villarreal on Saturday.

Atletico Madrid fell to pieces at home to Athletic Bilbao letting slip a 1-0 lead to lose 3-2.

They had Maniche sent off midway through the second half and a last minute goal from Diego Forlan did not prevent home coach Javier Aguirre having to leave the pitch with the crowd chanting for him to go.

"Three defeats in a week has put everyone on edge and put doubts in their minds. It's understandable that the fans are angry but we must remain calm," Aguirre said. Atletico are fifth with 30 points, ahead of Villarreal and Deportivo on goal difference.

Safina wins opening match at Sydney

AP, Sydney

Second-seeded Dinara Safina continued her tuneup for the Australian Open with a 6-2, 6-1 win Monday over Sorana Cirstea of Romania at the Sydney International.

Playing her first WTA tournament of the year after teaming with her brother, Marat Safin, to represent Russia at the Hopman Cup last week, Safina took advantage of five double faults by Cirstea to advance to the second round after the 58-minute match at Ken Rosewall Arena.

Safina said despite the score, Cirstea had pushed her to play a more aggressive game.

"She goes for the shots, so I had to avoid this," Safina said. "I had to be much more aggressive, as she is. I think I did this pretty well today."

Safina said she appreciated the pre-Grand Slam practice she was getting at the Hopman Cup and Sydney. The Australian Open begins next Monday in Melbourne.

"You have to try the things you've been working on" in the offseason, she said. "Now I've played many matches and I still feel that I can improve. I feel there is room to be more aggressive and just try to play many matches and get 100 percent in the Australian Open."

Safina has nine WTA singles victories, but the closest she's come to a Grand Slam title was losing in the final to Ana Ivanovic at the French Open last year. She also won the singles silver medal at last year's Beijing Olympics.

In other matches Monday, Alize Cornet of France beat No. 7 Nadia Petrova of Russia 6-2, 6-4 and eighth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark defeated Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-1, 6-2.

Cornet and Cibulkova also played at the Hopman Cup, and Cibulkova won the title with compatriot Dominik Hbraty when Slovakia beat Safin and Safina in the final.

Top-seeded Serena Williams, who beat Australian Samantha Stosur in three sets in the first round Sunday, plays Sara Errani of Italy on Tuesday. Errani beat Casey Dellacqua of Australia 6-1, 6-2 Monday.

Some players complained of hot and windy conditions on the courts Monday, and fans sought out shade where they could.

There were two illness-related pullouts and one injury retirement Monday. Fourth-seeded Vera Zvonareva of Russia withdrew with a stomach ailment and Victoria Azarenka, who won the Brisbane International title on Saturday, pulled out of her first-round match with a virus.

Melanie Smith of Britain advanced to the second round when Marion Bartoli of France retired with a left calf muscle strain at 1-1 in the first set.

In first-round men's play at the joint ATP-WTA event, fifth-seeded Igor Andreev of Russia beat Canada's Frank Dancevic 7-6 (2), 6-3 and seventh-seeded Tommy Robredo of Spain, a former Australian Open quarterfinalist, defeated Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-4.

Michael Llodra of France defeated Denis Gremelmayr of Germany 6-0, 6-2 and Mario Ancic of Croatia beat Belgium's Xavier Malisse 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3. Jarkko Nieminen of Finland beat Feliciano Lopez of Spain 6-2, 7-6 (9) and Simone Bolelli of Italy defeated countryman Potito Starace 7-6 (1), 6-4.

The top four seeds - No. 1 Novak Djokovic, Frenchmen Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gilles Simon and Argentina's David Nalbandian - were given first-round byes. Defending Australian Open champion Djokovic plays his first match Wednesday.