Rokibul Hasan, who scored an unbeaten 38, off-drives during Bangladesh's ICC World Twenty20 warm-up match against Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge in Nottingham yesterday.
Bangladesh put up yet another spirited display but still suffered a four-wicket defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka in their last official ICC World Twenty20 warm-up game at Trent Bridge yesterday.
Bangladesh bowlers, in their defence of 151-6 in 20 overs, made Sri Lanka struggle before the latter reached the target making 152-6 with two balls to spare.
At one stage the Tigers tightened their grip on the match, leaving the Lankans need to score 25 runs from the last three overs. But it was Mashrafe Bin Mortaza who continued his 'slog flu' as the pace spearhead conceded 14 runs in the 18th over to eventually let the game slip.
Former Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene top scored with 43 off 28 balls that contained six fours and a six.
Indeed Bangladesh lost their official warm-up games against Australia and Sri Lanka, but they showed their potential ahead of the first Group A match against India which will take place on June 6 at the same venue.
Back to the match, seeking quick runs Bangladesh's top-order fell apart but a thrifty 70-run association between Mushfiqur Rahim and Rokibul Hasan helped them to a competitive score.
Bangladesh, having been handed a loss by Australia at this same venue on Monday, elected to bat on a hard batting track under sunny skies. Unfortunately for them, their top-order failed to fire due to a kamikaze approach and that put plenty of pressure on Rokibul and Mushfiqur. Rokibul never threatened to run away with the innings but his unbeaten presence at the end of a wobbly innings ensured Bangladesh take the field confidently.
Farveez Maharoof's first over cost 15 - Tamim Iqbal welcomed him with a trio of forceful boundaries - but also accounted for the trigger-happy Zunaed Siddiqui with a slow legcutter. Then a moment of madness had Tamim on his way back: Mohammad Ashraful turned the ball just wide of Nuwan Kulasekara, who collected with ease and whipped off the bails with both batsmen at the other end. There was never a run and the captain was to blame.
Batting was easy on this track - Shakib Al Hasan dispatched his first two deliveries for fours, Ashraful drag-flicked the next to fine leg - and all that was needed was partnerships. Bangladesh knew this track from yesterday and in particular the short boundaries for left-handers, but when they failed to perforate the field for a couple of overs, Ashraful and Shakib tried too much instead of trying to set a platform.
In particular, Bangladesh were rocked by Isuru Udana's double-wicket seventh over, which owed much to Kumar Sangakkara. Ashraful chased a very wide delivery and was excellently snapped up by Sangakkara, standing up to the stumps, and then Mahmudullah drove loosely and tickled a faint inside edge. Ajantha Mendis didn't take long to pick up a wicket, though truth be told it was an ugly heave across the line from Shakib.
Rokibul bided his time and didn't collect his first boundary until he'd faced 27 deliveries. He then opened up with some handy reverse sweeps and paddle shots and finished unbeaten on 38 from 40 balls. Mushfiqur hit 34 from 28 balls, including two clean sixes early into his arrival that cleared the stands over midwicket. Having picked out the deep midwicket boundary effortlessly in the penultimate over, Mushfiqur fell trying another in the last. Mashrafe Mortaza struck two clean straight fours to get the score above 150.
SCORES IN BRIEF BANGLADESH: 151 for 6 in 20 overs (Tamim 14, Ashraful 16, Shakib 23, Rokibul 38 not out, Mushfiqur 34, Mashrafe 9 not out; Maharoof 1-23, Udana 2-30)
SRI LANKA: 152 for 6 in 19.4 overs (Dilshan 17, Jayasuriya 29, Jayawardene 43, Sangakkara 16, Mubarak 16; Mashrafe 2-30, Shakib 2-18)
Sunday, May 31, 2009
ICC World Twenty20
Ashraful upbeat
First official practice game today
Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful poses with the ICC World Twenty20 Championship trophy following a press conference at Lord's in London yesterday.
Bangladesh skipper Mohammad Ashraful believes the Tigers are preparing well for the ICC World T20 which kicks off on June 5.
"We have come here one week early, had three games against New Zealand, Holland and Scotland and the boys have done well. We are confident and there are two tough games against Australia tomorrow [Monday] and Sri Lanka the day after. So that's a nice build up to the main tournament," said Ashraful at the captains' media briefing at Lord's yesterday.
The Bangladesh skipper was due to stay back in London until later in the evening for the official dinner before he would leave for Nottinghamshire. The rest of the Bangladesh squad is already in Nottingham, their World T20 base, and had a training session at Lady Bay to prepare for today's warm-up against Australia at Trent Bridge.
The Tigers are expected to go in with three spinners and three pacers against the Aussies. Nayeem Islam might make a return to the side after missing the last two practice matches with a sore shoulder. Shahadat Hossain is likely to be kept out again with Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, Syed Rasel and Rubel Hossain forming the pace attack.
The game starts at 1:30pm local time (6:30pm Bangladesh Time) with ESPNStar Sports beaming live coverage in South Asia.
Ashraful was looking forward to the first match of Group A against India at Trent Bridge on June 6.
"In this form of the game any side can beat the other. We defeated the West Indies in the last World T20 in South Africa and progressed to the Super Eights. Our main goal is to repeat that and if we beat India, who are the world champions, in the first match then we will fancy our chances of doing well against the other top sides and making the semifinals even."
The captain was asked about the new kid on the block Rubel Hossain who has been too hot to handle for Holland and Scotland in warm-up matches.
"He has taken nine wickets in two matches and is bowling really well. He has an awkward action and has bit of extra pace," said Ashraful.
Ashraful also put his money on vice-captain Mashrafe to come into his own against India despite a rather forgettable Indian Premier League campaign for Kolkata Knight Riders where he just got one game and went for many.
"It was only in the last over that he did badly. Otherwise I thought he was okay. But I know he'll be back. He is that type of a player. He always does well against India."
Mortaza has been the man-of-the-match in both games Bangladesh have won against India.
Asked about the comment from the Ireland captain William Potterfield that they wanted to beat Bangladesh, Ashraful said the Tigers were the better side.
"I think if we play our best cricket then we should not have a problem against Ireland because we have more quality in the side."
French Open
King Nadal ousted
Ivanovic follows suit
Spanish world number one Rafael Nadal serves the ball to Swedish Robin Soderling (not in picture) in the French Open round of 16 match at Roland Garros in Paris yesterday. Nadal, the king of clay, was eventually beaten by the Swede.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal was knocked out of the French Open on Sunday losing in the fourth round to Sweden's Robin Soderling 6-2, 6-7 (2/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/2).
Soderling will play either Russian 10th seed Nikolay Davydenko or Fernando Verdasco, the eighth-seeded Spaniard for a place in the semifinals.
Belarussian teenager Victoria Azarenka sunk Ana Ivanovic's hopes of defending her French Open crown with a comprehensive 6-2, 6-3 win in the fourth round.
It is the first time the 19-year-old has reached the last eight at a Grand Slam event and she will play Russian top seed Dinara Safina for a place in the semifinals.
The 21-year-old Ivanovic, meanwhile, was left pondering what she has to do to re-discover the form that brought her the title and world No.1 spot a year ago.
Top seed Dinara Safina eased into the French Open quarterfinals defeating Aravane Rezai of France 6-1, 6-0 in a 53-minute centre-court mismatch.
It was the Russian's 18th win out of 19 matches on clay this season and confirmed her status as favourite to win her first Grand Slam title.
Ten-time Grand Slam title winner Serena Williams angrily denounced her Roland Garros opponent as a 'cheat' on Saturday as two of the world's top 10 crashed to shock French Open defeats.
Williams, the 2002 champion, defeated Spain's Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the last 16.
Andy Murray reached his first French Open quarter-final on Sunday where he will face big-hitting Fernando Gonazalez who almost missed Roland Garros due to a freak injury caused by signing autographs.
Third seed Murray became only the third British man in the Open era to reach the last eight here with a convincing 7-5, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 win over Croatia's Marin Cilic.
The 28-year-old, who outgunned Romania's Victor Hanescu 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 to reach the Roland Garros quarter-finals for the third time, injured his ankle while signing photos and tennis balls for fans at the Rome Masters in April.
ICC World Twenty20
Twenty20 is home
Cricket's newest format returns to its birthplace when England hosts the World Twenty20 from Friday with the event kicking off a bumper summer which includes one of the sport's oldest combats, the Ashes.
But, as with all the other forms of one-day cricket first played in England at county level, the 'mother country' has found herself having to play catch-up with the rest of the world.
Originally conceived as a fun way of bringing new audiences, particularly those who couldn't watch cricket during the working day, into the game, Twenty20 has taken the sport by storm.
Tournaments such as the Indian Premier League (IPL) are now far more lucrative per match for a player than five-day Test cricket, the traditional pinnacle of the sport.
India, whose administrators were originally hostile to Twenty20 because they feared its commercial impact upon the 50-over game, won the inaugural global tournament in South Africa two years ago.
Nine members of that winning squad, which defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by five runs in a thrilling final in Johannesburg, will be coming to England.
But, in what above all other types of cricket is a game heavily weighted in favour of batsmen, India will be without master run-maker Sachin Tendulkar, who has now opted out of Twenty20 internationals.
Generally short boundaries and fielding restrictions put a premium on big-hitting batsmen and in Yuvraj Singh they have someone who struck England's Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over in South Africa.
Tendulkar, who himself played in this year's IPL, warned it was important that openers Yuvraj and Gautam Gambhir were refreshed after failing to find top form in the IPL.
"I think the key would be how soon they can shed the fatigue factor," Tendulkar said.
Wicket-taking bowlers are an invaluable commodity in a game where economy rates can go out the window and India look to have a promising pace attack.
Left-armer Rudra Pratap Singh, who took 12 wickets in South Africa in 2007, will be supported this time around by Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma.
Pakistan, starved of international cricket at home after a terror attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in March made the country a 'no-go zone', will fancy their chances of going one better this time around.
"I thought Australia would thrash them in the one-off T20 match in Dubai but it was the other way round and now, if Pakistan play to their potential, they can win the title," Pakistan great Wasim Akram told AFP this month.
Australia have dominated all forms of cricket during the last decade except Twenty20 and captain Ricky Ponting is determined to improve both his and the team's record.
"The past couple of games I've played have been very poor," he said. "In the two games in South Africa I made one in each. It's not great form going into a World Cup."
Ponting gave Australia a scare when he sustained a hand injury during practice on Saturday.
But he is still expected to take part - which is more than England captain Andrew Strauss.
The opening batsman has opted out of the tournament because he thinks he isn't a good enough Twenty20 player and the suspicion remains that England are more interested in the Ashes series against Australia that follows this event.
England have never won a major international one-day tournament and they will be without all-rounder Andrew Flintoff (knee), now replaced by uncapped leg-spinner Adil Rashid, while doubts persist over star batsman Kevin Pietersen (Achilles).
But the IPL and subsequent international form of Ravi Bopara has shown England that there is life beyond "Freddie" and "KP".
Sri Lanka and New Zealand have repeatedly punched above their weight in international tournaments and could do so again during a tournament that will take place at three of English cricket's most historic venues - Lord's, the Oval and Trent Bridge.
And the West Indies could yet put a largely disappointing tour of England behind them in this format.
Meanwhile South Africa, who won both of their two previous Twenty20s against Australia, are desperate to add a one-day title to set alongside their achievements in winning Test series in both England and Australia during the past 12 months.
Bangladesh and Ireland, who have both enjoyed shock wins on the global stage in the past, will dream of further upsets although, with both Scotland and the Netherlands taking part, there is also the capacity for some hugely lopsided results too.
For the first time the corresponding women's tournament will run in parallel with the main men's event, with both finals taking place on the same day at Lord's where, thanks in part to Twenty20, permanent floodlights are now a feature of the ground.
The tournament gets underway on June 5
ICC World Twenty20
From IPL to WC
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is looking forward to uniting all the talents at his disposal during the World Twenty20 in England after competing against his teammates in the Indian Premier League.
India are the defending World Twenty20 champions after winning the inaugural edition in South Africa two years ago.
Since then the IPL, a lucrative franchise Twenty20 tournament that features the world's best players, has burst on the scene although this year it was played in South Africa because of security concerns.
"Of course it is a pleasure representing your country after the IPL where you have limited talent in your side," Dhoni told reporters at Lord's here on Sunday.
"But here we have plenty of options and we have the cream of the IPL so there is less pressure on each and every individual."
India supply more IPL players than any other nation but wicket-keeper batsman Dhoni, the captain of the Chennai Super Kings, said this was not an advantage in itself.
"The IPL will help us but not only us. There are quite a few players from other countries but most of our players are in the IPL.
"The best thing is that our youngsters will know how to handle pressure, when in the last over you need 10 or 15 runs, everyone in our side has faced that situation.
"It's good exposure for our guys to play against guys like Brett Lee and Shane Warne.
India have been drawn in Group A alongside Asian rivals Bangladesh - who defeated India at the 2007 50-over World Cup in the Caribbean and Ireland - who beat both Bangladesh and Pakistan in the West Indies two years ago.
"In Twenty20, there is no such thing as a weak side, an individual can take the game away from you," Dhoni explained. "If we take care of the immediate steps, the result takes care of itself."
Reflecting on India's success in South Africa, where they beat arch-rivals Pakistan in a thrilling final, Dhoni said: "We can't live on or relish the memories, we have to turn up and do everything from scratch again, it's not about the past.
"Cricket is a very cruel game, the moment you relax is when you are in trouble," Dhoni said.
Asked how the team had developed, Dhoni joked: "I've got quite a few grey hairs. That's one change, the plus point is that in the last three years there have been fewer changes in the side.
"The individuals involved have played 80 to 90 one-day internationals, helps me personally. I can pick ideas according to the situation. Also the fielding has evolved compared to what it was. We have raised the bar."
India, who still have a doubt over the fitness of fast bowler Zaheer Khan's shoulder injury, come into this event without batting great Sachin Tendulkar.
'The Little Master' has opted out of international Twenty20s and Dhoni said: "He's among the greatest, it's tough, you always want a player like Sachin in your side.
"But he wasn't at the last T20, the guys are getting used to it. But he has a big impact in the dressing room, the amount of ideas he has is amazing."
Much has been made of the impact various strategies might have on the outcome of Twenty20 matches but Dhoni said: "It's about how quickly the individual adapts, about what he does on the field.
"It's not only about strategies but how you implement and how the individual you are planning against reacts. If it was all about strategy Sachin would have been sorted out by now and he's been playing for 20 years."
India begin their Group A campaign against Bangladesh at Trent Bridge on Saturday.
Citycell National School Football Championship Said's fiver at BNS Action from yesterday's Citycell National School Football Championship match between Muslimuddin High School of Jhenidah and Azimuddin High School of Kishoreganj at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. PHOTO: BANGLARCHOKH.COM Sports Reporter
Abu Said of Moslehuddin Secondary School scored a mammoth five goals contributing to his team's victory over Aziumddin High School by 8-2 goals in the Citycell National School Football Championship at the Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS) yesterday.
Said scored in the 29th, 65th, 66th, 75th and 78th minutes while Arup Reza (42nd), Shimon (36th) and Kayes (39th) netted the other goals. Humayun (67th) and Ujjol (77th) scored the two goals for Aziumuddin.
In the second game of the day, Shuti VM Pilot High School defeated Raja Suryakumar Institute 3-1 at the same venue. Shujon Miah (17th) and Sabbir (22nd, 58th) took their team to victory and Shujon scored the lone goal for Raja in the 74th minute.
The Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) coaches panel has selected six top players from the school championship who will be part of BFF's future star program. The selected players are Anik Burman (Laxmi Narayan Cotton Mill), Mohammad Saddam (Raja Suryakumar Institute), Mohammad Zahid (Victoria High School), Mohammad Yasmin (Town Secondary School), Kawsar Ali Rabbi (Govt. Nasirabad School) and Rubel Miah (Govindaganj Bahumukhi High School).
The first semifinal will be held today at BNS between Govindaganj Bahumukhi High School and Victoria High School.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
ICC World Twenty20
Tigers warm up well
Bangladesh paceman Rubel Hossain leads his teammates into the pavilion after his five-wicket haul against Scotland at Sir Paul Getty's Ground in Wormsley on Friday.
For Mahmudullah Riyad and Rubel Hossain England has just been like the comfort zone of the backyard. Both have taken the opportunity given to them with both hands and have been the star performers for the Tigers in the three warm-up matches played so far.
Riyad's unbeaten 46 after pacer Rubel's five-for powered the Tigers to finish the unofficial practice games with a six-wicket victory over Scotland at Wormsley on Friday.
Right-hander Riyad took the opportunity with both hands as he top-scored with 43 in the first game against New Zealand and followed that up with 56 against Holland and 46 not out in Bangladesh's successful chase against Scotland.
Fast bowler Rubel did not play the first game but when given the chance he returned with four for 19 and five for 16 in the two matches.
"I am going out there with a very positive mind. I am looking to hit the ball hard and score runs all the time. I guess the mindset is helping me a lot," said Riyad.
"I also started this tour very confident because I am coming off a successful domestic season where I made runs. Also I had worked on my technique, especially on my backlift with Jamie [Siddons] and it has paid off," he added.
For Rubel the practice matches were a chance to show what he has practised.
"The slower ball is coming out really good," said the quick who has rattled batsmen with fast yorkers and sharp bouncers and caught the eyes of former England pacers Devon Malcolm and Phillip DeFreitas who were at Wormsley on Saturday playing for the PCA Masters against Holland.
"He is improving all the time. He trains hard and has so far managed to execute what he is doing in training. His natural pace and slightly unusual action makes him an interesting proposition," said Tigers' bowling coach Champaka Ramanayake.
Both players are also loving the atmosphere in the team.
"There is a definite buzz. We are together all the time enjoying each other's company. There is great camaraderie," said Riyad.
"I am loving it. Mashrafe [Bin Mortaza] has been an idol and to be on the same team is amazing. He helps me a lot and so does the other teammates," said Rubel.
The Bangladesh team enjoyed an off-day Saturday. Today morning the Tigers travel to their World T20 base in Nottingham.
The Tigers will play their first official practice game against Australia on June 1 and second against Sri Lanka a day later before taking on defending champions India in the first Group A match at Trent Bridge on June 6.
Bangladesh face ICC associate members Ireland on June 8 in the second group match.
BANGLADESH: 142-4 in 18.4 overs (Tamim 33, Shamsur 1, Ashraful 3, Shakib 36, Riyad 46 not out, Rokibul 15 not out, extras 8; Nel 1-18, Stander 1-13, Watson 1-29) Result: Bangladesh won by six wickets.
ICC World Twenty20
Mashrafe raring to go:
Bangladesh's think-tank must be secretly delighted that Mashrafe Bin Mortaza was treated shabbily by his Kolkata Knight Riders team in the Indian Premier League.
The astonishing price tag of 600,000 dollars paid by Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan for Mortaza appeared a bad investment as coach John Buchanan confined the young fast bowler mostly to the reserves despite the team's dismal showing.
But warming the benches for five weeks left a frustrated Mortaza hungry for success on the field when he turns out for Bangladesh in the World Twenty20.
"I can't wait to get back on the field," said Mortaza. "It was a great experience mixing with all the top players in the IPL. I learnt so much just watching them.
"Now I want to play and do well for my country. That is the only thing on my mind."
Mortaza's desperation should please Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful and coach Jamie Siddons.
The 25-year-old has risen steadily since his dramatic debut in 2001 when he was launched into the Test squad by West Indian legend Andy Roberts, the then coach, even before he had played first-class cricket.
Mortaza's hard-hitting batting lower down the order makes him ideally suited for Twenty20 cricket where he has a strike-rate of 105.88 in nine matches and six wickets, although at an expensive economy rate of 9.22.
Now free from a spate of knee and back injuries that troubled him over the years, Mortaza must play a major role with both bat and ball if Bangladesh are to progress in the tournament.
"Mashrafe is obviously one of our key players," said coach Siddons. "The heavy English conditions will suit his style."
Skipper Ashraful added: "He is a kind of player you turn to when in trouble and invariably he will deliver whether it is with the bat or ball. The whole team relies on him. He is our superstar."
Bangladesh open their campaign against defending champions India in Nottingham on June 6, followed by the second group match against Ireland two days later at the same venue.
MCA fight back, take lead:
Bangladesh A bowlers could not stop a late-order revival by Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) on the third day of their four-day game at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra yesterday.
At 247 for 6, the second-string side were close to taking a big first innings lead. But Rohit Motwani and Srikant Mandle batted well to make sure the visitors in turn took a 20-run lead, as they ended the day on 363-6 in reply to Bangladesh A's 343.
The left-handed Motwani batted with utmost patience, scoring 95 with the help of four boundaries in his 223-ball innings. He remained unbeaten with Mandle, who made 57 off 102 balls with a six and seven boundaries. The two have so far added 116 for the seventh wicket when all seemed lost for the visitors.
The Ranji Trophy side resumed the day on 69 for two but it was the hosts who quickly gained advantage, removing Kedar Jadhav for 19. Forty-five runs later, occasional off-spinner Rajin Saleh dismissed Rohan Bhosale for 53 off 121 balls.
Ankit Bawne made 57 while Ganesh Gaekwad added 30 but their consecutive losses put the home side before the tourists regained control.
Talha Jubair took two wickets and there was one each from Sajidul Islam, Enamul Haque, Dollar Mahmud and Rajin.
BRIEF SCORES BANGLADESH A: First innings 343 all out in 91 overs (Kayes 4, Nafis 30, Imran 90, Hannan 39, Rajin 1, Mehrab 81, Sahagir 2, Dollar 79, Sajid 0, Enamul 11*, Talha 2; Samad 6-108, Aditya 1-68, Kiran 2-73).
Nobody knows better than Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) president Kazi Salahuddin that there is no alternative to creating football stars to bring back the glory days of the game.
Following the past few years' doldrums in the game, the country lacks genuine football stars and that is the reason why the BFF boss announced yesterday that the federation was looking forward to the ongoing Citycell National School Football Championship for creating new stars.
"Our coaches have been scouting and have handpicked a lot of talented players. We want to take them under our wing for a month-long trial camp and want to invest on the survivors of the camp -- only the very best," said Salahuddin, arguably the best striker the country has ever produced, while talking with the reporters before departing for the FIFA Congress which will be held over June 2-3 in Nassau, the Bahamas.
"We will offer scholarships to these players under the school development programme. Even if we don't get any sponsors, the BFF will continue supporting the young talents," he continued.
When asked how many players would be selected, the BFF president said that number was not a factor but the quality was. "We will pick all the quality players and even if the number exceeds 300, we will take them."
"We will take care of their education as long as they remain a footballer. This is a professional approach we have taken and if just four players rise from the ranks, it would be a great achievement. I just want the parents to know that there is a future for footballers in the country."
The former national football captain also added that the young boys would continue their studies at home and the BFF development committee will arrange short-term training camps for them.
The BFF president is leading a three-member delegation to the FIFA Congress. A meeting of the confederations will be held on June 1 where the world leaders of football gather for the 59th edition of the Congress.
Salahuddin told at the briefing at the BFF House that he would confirm issues about Bangladesh's bid to host the SAFF men's and women's championships in 2009 and 2010 respectively.
"A meeting of the SAFF [South Asian Football Federation] is scheduled to be held in the Bahamas where we expect to take decisions on the SAFF Championship. During the AFC Congress, we made bids for both the tournaments in Bangladesh. I am going to fight all the way for the rights because during the next three years, we are planning to make Bangladesh the centre of South Asian football," he said.
"Also, we are going to talk about the SAFF executive committee, which has been running the show for the last ten years. Bhutan objected about the one-man show for too long and we had seconded the decision during the last SAFF meeting in Kuala Lumpur," he added.
"I also hope to finalise the teams to participate in the Bangabandhu International Gold Cup and confirm their commitment."
BFF vice-president Kazi Nabil Ahmed, technical director Shahidur Rahman Shantoo and general secretary Al Musabbir Sadi were also present.
3 hattricks in Club Cup:
Four goals from Selim and a hattrick by Shahed helped hosts Raipur Jagarani Club to an 8-2 victory over Crescent Club in the Basundhara Champions Club Cup football tournament in Meherpur yesterday.
The goal rush began as early as the fifth minute with Shahed hitting the back of the net and it was rounded off by Selim's fourth, in the 86th minute.
Jhalu of Dinajpur Football Academy scored the day's third hattrick when his three sunk Kanchanjangha Football Academy in a 5-0 victory.
In Tangail, home side Udayan Krira Chakra crushed Sonali Otit of Manikganj 6-1. The other winners of the day were Ukilpara Sporting Club (Kishoreganj), Nijra XI (Gopalganj) and Young Star Club (Moulavi Bazar).
Moin Smriti Sangsad had a goalless draw with Unmachan while Diganta Prasari and Singra drew 2-2.
Hasan wants to emulate Sehwag:
Rookie opener Shahzaib Hasan, who was a surprise inclusion in Pakistan's squad for the Twenty20 World Champion-ships, says he wants to emulate his explosive Indian counterpart Virender Sehwag in the mega-event that starts June 5 in England.
The 19-year-old was included in the Pakistan squad and has been backed by skipper Younis Khan to do well in the tournament.
Shahzaib has a tally of 80 fours and 13 sixes in 10 first-class matches. The youngster says he loves watching Sehwag in action.
"He is someone I would like to emulate and bat like. He dictates the pace of the game and I want to do that," Hasan said.
Hailing from Karachi, the youngster has already made an impact in the national Twenty20 Championship that concluded on last night.
Shahzaib might find it difficult to get a spot in the playing XI because the Pakistani think-tank is contemplating using wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal as a makeshift opener in the tournament.
"I will wait for my chance when it comes I will try to take it with both hands. For me just to get into the Pakistan team is a dream come true. Because my career is not a very long one," Hasan said.
HEROES' WELCOME: Barcelona players drive through the streets on an open-topped bus to celebrate their Champions League victory in Barcelona on Thursday.
Tens of thousands of ecstatic fans cheered Barcelona's Champions League heroes during a victory parade through the city centre in an open-top bus Thursday.
Leo Messi, Samuel Eto'o, Thierry Henry and their teammates flew back from Rome after a stunning 2-0 win over Manchester United on Wednesday -- the third part of a unique treble including the Spanish league and cup titles.
The players and coach Pep Guardiola then rode through the city in a open-top bus decked out in the club's royal blue and burgundy colours and marked "Champions," dancing and waving to the fans.
The crowd, many of whom waved the red and yellow flag of the Catalonia region, chanted "Ole, Ole, Champions!" and "Barca, Barca and Barca!" as the bus headed through the city's main thoroughfares for the club's Camp Nou stadium.
Cameroonian Eto'o, who scored one of the goals in the final, stood at the front, blowing kisses to the crowd.
"Eto'o, Africa says thank you," said one banner carried by a Senegalese man who said his name was Yatma.
"Since he (Eto'o) came here we (Africans) are better treated," he said.
Two little girls, aged six and eight, both wearing Messi strips, were disappointed that they could not see the Argentine star, who scored the second goal.
"Messi isn't there, Papa," they cried, who tried to console them. "He'll be on the other side," he said.
One jubilant Catalan, Alfons, said: "I lived in Buenos Aires building motorways, just as Messi helped lift us up on the road to glory." Messi, he insisted, was a Catalan.
Dozens of youths also clambered onto the Colombus monument, at one end of the famous Las Ramblas avenue, to await the team.
The joyful scenes contrasted with those in the early hours of Thursday when police in the city arrested 119 people and more than 150 people were injured as victory celebrations descended into riots.
Around 100,000 people spilled onto the streets of the Catalan capital after the victory.
But the carnival atmosphere turned ugly after midnight when youths began clashing with police around Las Ramblas.
Youths hurled bottles as they tried to storm through metal barricades keeping a mob back from shops, prompting a surge by baton-wielding riot officers.
Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to control rioters, who damaged lampposts, telephone kiosks and bus stops, media reports said.
Terrified passers-by cowered behind walls as the clashes intensified.
Spain's TVE public television said one of its cameramen was among those hurt.
The statement said police had issued "repeated warnings" to the rioters.
The celebrations had started peacefully as thousands of joyous fans, many draped in the dark red and blue of their club, let off fireworks and honked horns.
Many fans mocked rivals Real Madrid, which ended the season trophyless -- Barca's own fate for the past two seasons until new coach Pep Guardiola rejuvenated the team this year.
And in the Spanish capital, Catalans jumped into the fountain in the Plaza Cibeles, the traditional site for celebrations by Real supporters.
Barca fans had already twice savoured success in recent days after their team won the Spanish title and lifted the Spanish Cup.
"Champions! (three times)", headlined the Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia.
Barca and their supporters have experienced "the greatest night in their history," it said.
The nation's top-selling paper, El Pais, said Barcelona now has "a legendary triple crown" and is "at the top of the world."
UEFA Champions League
China hold Germany
Germany striker Mario Gomez (R) heads the ball ahead of China's Feng Xiaoting during their friendly match in Shanghai on Friday.
New coach Gao Hongbo got his reign off to a promising beginning as China drew 1-1 in a friendly against an under-strength Germany in front of a passionate home crowd in Shanghai.
China got off to the perfect start when four minutes in midfielder Gao Junmin took a pass into the area and breezed past defender Robert Huth to score with an angled shot past Robert Enke in the away goal.
But the euphoria did not last long, Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger playing in the unmarked Lukas Podolski, who fired home the equaliser two minutes later.
"We wanted to play the strategy laid out by the coaches, we wanted to play hard and build up our confidence," an elated Gao Junmin said after the match.
"We came here to learn from the Germans."
With big name stars Michael Ballack and Miroslav Klose at home, German coach Joachim Loew had hoped their absences would give one of his newcomers an opportunity to shine.
As it was, China played on the break, packing the defence and with just one up front, and in the event restricted the Germans to few chances.
Indeed, the best opportunities went to the hosts. In the 36th minute, left-back Cao Yang saw his perfect cross to Gao Lin wasted.
China continued to create chances, with Enke saving a long-range shot by midfielder Jiang Ning in the 72nd minute, and just tipping a blast from Zhou Haining over the bar moments later.
Germany's best chance fell to Schweinsteiger, but he failed to capitalise on an open net in the 83rd minute.
Gao Hongbo was named head of China's national team earlier this month in the hope he can improve a side which has been dismal in recent years.
The former striker, China's seventh head coach since 2000 and youngest ever at age 44, takes over a team that has fallen to 97th in the FIFA world rankings, behind Iceland but just ahead of Sierra Leone.
Perez promises beautiful game
Former Real Madrid president Florentino Perez raises his hand during his presentation in Madrid on Thursday.
Former Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, set automatically to take charge of the club again on June 1, has promised to deliver fans the beautiful game as they try to move beyond Barcelona's year of hegemony.
Barca won the Champions League, the Spanish title and the Spanish Cup in a superb season under debutant coach Pep Guardiola and Real were left looking ordinary by comparison.
Perez said the team he would help to build would be world beaters.
"We will build a spectacular team with top notch players," Perez told a gathering of Real stakeholders and reporters Thursday.
"We have set up a strong and stable sporting project which will be able to call upon footballers who will turn each Real Madrid match into a fascinating rendezvous," vowed Perez, the architect of the multimillion-dollar era of 'galacticos', global stars such as Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane and David Beckham.
The recipe worked for a while and a ninth European Cup duly arrived in 2002 but, aside from a 2007 league title for Beckham's only trophy and a Liga repeat last year Real have seen the pendulum swing spectacularly towards Barcelona this season.
And in the past seven seasons which have elapsed since Zidane's brilliant winner in the 2002 final, the club have performed woefully in the Champions League ever since.
Perez did not mention any names regarding new top signings but the usually well-informed Cadena Ser radio said Chilean Manuel Pellegrini, currently at Villarreal, would become coach in place of stop-gap Juande Ramos, who replaced the sacked Bernd Schuster mid-season.
And reports Thursday said that the club would also land AC Milan's Brazilian playmaker Kaka.
Media reports constantly speculate that Cristiano Ronaldo, Liverpool's Spanish star Xabi Alonso and Bayern Munich's French star Franck Ribery will don the all-white strip next term.
Pulling strings as top advisors will be Argentine Jorge Valdano, long ensconced in the club's corridors of power, as well as Zidane.
Perez is set to return as chairman as the only other candidate still in the race for the job will not qualify to run, sports daily AS reported on Tuesday.
Little-known Eduardo Garcia will be unable to lodge a bank guarantee of 57.4 million euros with the club which is needed to be able to run for president by a May 31 deadline, the newspaper said.
According to the club's rules, if there is only one candidate for president, Perez will be appointed to the post on Monday, otherwise a vote will be held on June 14.
While the club normally holds elections every four years, it faces the prospect of holding a ballot a year early due to the resignation of former president Ramon Calderon in January.
Zia maintains 2nd position:
Grand Master Ziaur Rahman preserved his second position with Indian GM Sandipan Chanda, after his win over Xiu Deshun of China in the 2nd Subic Open International Chess Tournament in seven rounds yesterday at Olongapo City.
The second-place holders have 5.5 points each.
GM Niaz Murshed have earned four points from seven matches losing to GM Abhijit Gupta (India). GM Ghaem Ehsan Magami is the solo leader in the points table with six in his kitty.
The FA Cup
Everton ready to step up:
Everton midfielder Tim Cahill believes Saturday's FA Cup final against Chelsea represents the chance to start a golden era for David Moyes' team.
While Chelsea's star power and big-match experience makes the west London club favourites to win the Wembley clash, Cahill is convinced Everton are on the brink of something special and the Australia international wants the Toffees to make the final their coming of age party.
It is 14 years since Everton last won a major trophy - when Paul Rideout's goal clinched a 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup final - but even that was a rare moment of triumph in a barren period.
While more title success may be asking too much, under Moyes's astute leadership Everton now look capable of breaking into the Premier League's top-four and staying there.
They underlined their case by finishing fifth and knocking out Liverpool, United and Aston Villa en route to Wembley despite missing key players like Mikel Arteta and Ayegbeni Yakubu for long periods.
Victory at Wembley would validate Everton's rise and, although Chelsea are keen to win the Cup as a farewell present for departing boss Guus Hiddink, it could be that Moyes's success-starved players have more motivation on Saturday.
Sydney-born Cahill, who was on the losing side when he played for Millwall in the 2004 FA Cup final against United, is in no doubt that Everton can win if they show enough belief.
"We need to believe we can win. We need to believe that once we cross that white line this is our chance of winning some silverware," he said.
"On a day like the FA Cup final, I will be looking for that telling moment that hopefully will change the game, that telling pass that might put someone in or that tackle that's going to stop them scoring."
Everton captain Phil Neville, the former United midfielder, is one of the few players in the squad to have tasted sustained success, but he admits he would swap all that to help his current team become a major force.
"I think this club is going in the right direction. We can restore Everton to where it belongs and that is at the top of English football," Neville said.
Chelsea last won the FA Cup against United in 2007. That victory remains their last piece of silverware and midfielder Frank Lampard acknowledges it is time to end the trophy drought.
"It's very important we win something for the confidence of the club and take something away from the season," Lampard said.
"Personally the way I have played, I think it is my best season, and to round it off we do need to win the Cup."
Win or lose, it will be an emotional occasion for Hiddink, who resumes his role as Russia coach on a full-time basis immediately after the match.
Hiddink has made a big impact during his brief spell as interim manager and Lampard would love to send him home on a high.
"Our form since Guus Hiddink took over has been championship-winning form, and we only didn't go to the Champions League final because of things that happened on the night," Lampard added.
"It will be great to finish off with a big day out and a win for him," Lampard said. "It would be lovely if we could do that. All the players here and everyone he's worked with wants his season to finish like that."
Ashraful smashes 69
Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful flicks to the mid-wicket boundary during his enterprising knock of 69 against the Netherlands in their Twenty20 practice game at the St Lawrence ground in Canterbury yesterday.
Captain Mohammad Ashraful and Mahmudullah Riyad smashed half-centuries as Bangladesh amassed an impressive 206-6 in their Twenty20 warm-up match against the Netherlands at St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury yesterday.
According to TigerCricket.Com, Ashraful blasted 69 while Riyad hit 54 before Rokibul Hasan remained unbeaten on 27 with Shamsur Rahman who couldn't open his account. Mushfiqur Rahim also came back into some form with 24.
There was some concern over Ashraful's form after he only played a single IPL match for Mumbai Indians. But the little dynamo returned to form with this half-century after scoring just 13 in the first warm-up game against New Zealand on May 26.
Earlier, Dutch captain Jeroen Smits won the toss and decided to field first and it almost paid off.
Left-handed opener Tamim Iqbal was out for two in the second over when he flicked straight to the fielder at mid-wicket off paceman Ruud Nijman. then Left-arm spinner Pieter Seeler removed Zunaed Siddique (17) and Shakib Al Hasan (4) in the eighth over.
There were three changes in the Bangladesh side from Tuesday's first warm-up against New Zealand. Rokibul Hasan comes in for Mohammad Mithun, fast bowler Rubel Hossain replaces Syed Rasel while Nayeem Islam, who is nursing a sore shoulder, makes way for Shamsur Rahman. Netherlands have left out their IPL star Dirk Nannes who has flu.
According to the BCB website, there is a slight cloud cover in Kent's home ground. A good number of expatriate Bangladeshis also made their to watch the game.
BRIEF SCORES BANGLADESH: 206-6 in 20 overs (Ashraful 69, Mahmud Ullah 54, Roqibul 27 not out, Mushfique 24, Junaed 17, Shakib 4, Tamim 2)
Barcelona players lift their coach Josep Guardiola (top) up after winning the Champions League final against Manchester United at the Olympic Stadium in Rome on Wednesday.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola hailed his team's achievement this season in winning the treble as the greatest of all but he stopped short of calling his team themselves the best after their 2-0 Champions League final victory over holders Manchester United here on Wednesday.
Barca added European club football's premier trophy to their domestic league and cup double, a feat United themselves had already achieved in 1999, with goals from Samuel Eto'o on 10 minutes and Lionel Messi 20 minutes from time.
But the Catalans' coach, who also won the European Cup as a player with Barca in 1992, said the manner of his team's triumph in scoring more than 150 goals this season made their campaign stand out.
"I'm leaving tomorrow, right away, I can't do anything else," joked the 38-year-old, who became the youngest ever Champions League winning coach in his first season as a boss.
"We're very, very happy, we're delirious and I'd like to congratulate the whole club.
"We're not the best team in history but we have played the best season in history. To win three titles and how we did it.
"We had many problems (tonight) and there was so much pressure but Samuel's goal was great and then Messi went back into midfield because we wanted to be superior in possession and with also Thierry Henry in midfield; we had some problems but I'm very happy."
Guardiola revealed that he had learned from Barca's defeat to United in last season's semifinal and switched around his attacking triumvirate accordingly.
Back then they were stifled over the two legs and failed to score a goal but this time Guardiola brought Messi in off the right flank into the middle and switched Cameroon striker Eto'o out wide.
"At the beginning of the game we had a few problems, we didn't expect United to pressure us so high up the pitch," he revealed.
"We had problems in our build-up play and we have to recognise that they had a big chance with (Cristiano) Ronaldo's free-kick (on two minutes).
"But after (Andres) Iniesta passed for Eto'o to score we tried to keep the ball more and bring it inside more.
"Last year we saw that Leo (Messi) had difficulties with (United left-back Patrice) Evra so we put him inside with Xavi and Iniesta and we had one more player in the middle.
"We had chances and they did too but in the end we had control of the ball. For us it's a disaster if we don't have the ball so we have to have it and keep it and move it well.
"They tried to keep the ball with (Nemanja) Vidic, (Rio) Ferdinand and (Michael) Carrick, who's a very good player.
"They tried to keep it and also tried to counter with Ronaldo and (Wayne) Rooney but we controlled the game very well.
"We told our defence that it was important when we were attacking for them to pay close attention to Ronaldo and Rooney and (Carlos) Tevez and (Dimitar) Berbatov in the second half and they did this."
Second-seeded Swiss Roger Federer pumps his fist after his hard-fought win against Jose Acasuso of Argentina in their French Open second round encounter at Roland Garros in Paris yesterday.
Roger Federer and Venus William made great French Open escapes on Thursday while 13th-seeded Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli merely made an exhausting list of excuses for her second round defeat.
Second seed Federer claimed a 7-6, 5-7, 7-6, 6-2 win over Argentina's Jose Acasuso who wasted four set points in the first set and another in the third where he led 5-1 and twice served for a two sets to one lead.
Acasuso, who has only progressed beyond the second round of a Grand Slam once in 28 attempts, cut a weary figure by the end, worn down as much by his own physical shortcomings as Federer's pinpoint hitting.
Federer, the runner-up to Rafael Nadal here for the past three years and still missing a French Open from his 13-title Grand Slam collection, now faces either French 32nd seed Paul-Henri Mathieu or Pablo Andujar of Spain for a place in the last 16.
Williams, the American third seed, who was runner-up to sister Serena in 2002, but had exited at the third round in the last two years, saved a match point in her 6-7, 6-2, 7-5 win over the Czech Republic's Lucie Safarova.
The Wimbledon champion had been trailing by a set when the players had been called off court late Wednesday, but she quickly levelled the tie on the resumption.
Safarova then failed to convert a match point on her own serve when 5-4 ahead in the decider and Williams made her pay by breaking the Czech before going on to set-up a third round clash with Hungary's Agnes Szavay.
"She was just firing for every shot and making them, but the delay gave me time to think about things differently," said Williams.
"It was close but these kind of matches are really rewarding and I think I deserved to win it in the end."
Former Wimbledon finalist Bartoli was a second round casualty losing 6-3, 7-5 to experienced Italian Tathiana Garbin.
Bartoli blamed her defeat on a host of problems, from illness to the chilly conditions to the noise made by a small, feisty contingent of Italian fans.
"I was a little tired and a little sick, I had a sore throat and my nose is running," said the Frenchwoman.
"It was very cold and the court was heavy. The ball was stuck on the strings and it was very slow."
Bartoli was unimpressed by the attitude of Garbin's supporters.
"It's her clan. When I made unforced errors, her team would shout. It's not sporting. They're Italians. This is what it's like."
Serbian fifth seed Jelena Jankovic, a semi-finalist in the last two years and who lunched with Serbian President Boris Tadic on Wednesday, feasted on the meek resistance of Slovakia's Magdalena Rybarikova with an easy 6-1, 6-2 win.
Jankovic will next face Slovakian-born Jarmila Groth, who now plays for Australia.
The 24-year-old Jankovic, who won the Marbella claycourt event in the run-up to Roland Garros, believes weight loss is helping to rejuvenate her game which took her to the world number one spot last year.
"I'm back to my normal weight. Maybe I had seven kilos more than I have now, which is a lot for me. When you put that kind of weight on it's tough to move around," she said.
Russian seventh seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, the 2006 runner-up, also eased through to the last 32 beating Galina Voskoboeva 6-0, 6-2, while Danish 10th seed Caroline Wozniacki breezed past American veteran Jill Craybas 6-1, 6-4.
In the men's event, Argentine fifth seed Juan Martin Del Potro, Russian 10th seed Nikolay Davydenko, twice a semifinalist, and Spanish 16th seed Tommy Robredo all went through.
Later Thursday, fourth seeded Serbian Novak Djokovic was facing Ukrainian qualifier Sergiy Stakhovsky while sixth seed Andy Roddick of the United States was also due on court to face Ivo Minar of the Czech Republic.
Women's second seed Serena Williams, the 2002 champion was tackling Spain's 35-year-old Virginia Ruano Pascual who won their only meeting 11 years ago at Wimbledon.
Zia shares 2nd place:
Grand Master Ziaur Rahman beat International Master Yang Kaiqi of China to share the second position along with six other players yesterday in the second Subic Open International Chess tournament at the Subic Freeport, Olongapo City, Philippines.
Zia has earned 4.5 points in six rounds so far.
GM Niaz Murshed defeated IM Dimakiling Oliver of Philippines to earn four points and move into third position also after six rounds.
In other sixth round matches Zia drew with Parimarjan Negi of India and Niaz beat IM Nolte Rolando of Philippines.
Korean coach for swimmers:
Korean coach Park T Paigun arrived in the city yesterday to train the Bangladeshi swimmers ahead of next year's South Asian Games to be held in Dhaka.
The 32-year-old grade one coach of a Korean Club, Paigun will start his assignment with the local swimmers tomorrow.
The South Korean government will bear the entire expenses of the coach, including his salary, initially for a year. They will provide 50,000 dollars as is salary and another 50,000 dollars for infrastructural development work of Bangladesh Swimming Federation, through Bangladesh Olympic Association (BOA).
The BOA will offer local hospitality to the coach during his stay in Bangladesh.
Twenty-seven swimmers have been attending a residential training camp at the Mirpur Swimming Complex since February 1 this year to prepare for the next South Asian Games in Dhaka.
Talismanic England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has tipped India to retain the ICC World Twenty20 Championship next month, saying that the Indian Premier League experience will come in handy for Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men in their title defence.
Flintoff, who has been ruled out of the June 5-21 event in England after undergoing a knee surgery early this month, told PTI from Lancashire that Australia, South Africa and England would pose a strong challenge to India.
"Indians just played in a world-class competition in IPL and naturally they are the favourites (to win the T20 World Cup). Australia, South Africa and England would be strong challengers. England can spring a few surprises," he said.
Flintoff defended his decision to play in the IPL in South Africa where he ended up tearing a cartilage on his right knee, which ultimately led to him being ruled out of the World Twenty20 event.
"My injury was not from just one event or tournament, it was over a period of time and I think ECB should not be blamed for allowing me to play in the IPL," he said.
Action from the Citycell School Football Championship match between Govindaganj Bohumukhi High School and Netrokona Dutta High School at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Four goals by Romnobel helped Govindaganj Bahumukhi High School to crush Netrokona Dutta High School 8-0 in the Citycell National School Football Championship at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
The teenager's goals came in the 11th, 17th, 57th and 59th minutes.
Shakil scored in the 14th, Atiqur in the 47th, Rizvi in the 50th and Taufiq rounded it off in the 72nd minute for the winners.
In another match, Younus Ali High School edged RSKH Institution Mohammadia by a goal to nil at the same venue.
At the Brothers Union ground, Town Secondary School beat Koyra Madinabad Secondary School 3-0 thanks to a brace from Ali and one by Siraj. Later in the day, Shuti VM Pilot High School defeated Moslehuddin Secondary School 2-1 at the same ground.
Raja Suryakumar Institute struck two past Zia Shar Karkhana High School and Government Nasirabad School beat Shingra Dum Dum Pilot School and College 1-0 at the Abahani Club ground.
In today's matches, Koyagola Hat High School play Victoria High School, RSKH Institution Mohammadia meet Town Secondary School and Laxmi Narayan Cotton Mill play Shingra Dum Dum Pilot School and College at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. Younus Ali High School face Koyra Madinabad Secondary School and Government Nasirabad School meet Netrokona Dutta High School at the Brothers Union ground.
Danone Nations Cup from June:
The preliminary stage of Danone Nations Cup Bangladesh will kick off from the last week of June in four separate venues of the country.
Thirty-nine teams from different District Football Associations along with a Bangladesh Football Association (BFF) development squad will participate in the preliminary stage.
The age-limit of the participating players has been kept between 10-12 years.
All the teams will be given participation fees in addition to other benefits.
The final round will be played in Dhaka with eight teams from July 10.
The champion team will feature in the final round of the Danone Nations Cup in Sao Paulo in Brazil from October 8. Forty countries including the hosts are slated to take part in this year's cup meet in the southeastern city of Brazil.
Matches in Bangladesh will be played in two halves of 15 minutes with a five-minute break.
The Danone Nations Cup is an international football competition organised every year since 2000, on the initiative of Groupe Danone, a French food products company based in Paris.
Bangladesh A pile 336-9
Bangladesh A were given a superb first day by their batsmen in their four-day encounter against Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra yesterday.
Newcomer Imran Ahmed and captain Mehrab Hossain batted solidly before Dollar Mahmud tore into the visitors as the second-string side reached 336-9 at stumps on Day One. Enamul Haque remained unbeaten on six with Talha Jubair.
Mehrab and Dollar added 101 runs for the seventh wicket after Bangladesh A fell to 198 for six. Mehrab, like Imran had with his 90, held the innings together with 81. The left-hander smashed a dozen boundaries in his 179-ball knock on a grassy surface that was good for batting.
But it was Dollar's blazing 79 off 54 balls that had the tourists chasing the leather. The right-hander smashed eight fours and four sixes in his blazing innings.
But it was Imran, the right-hander from Mymensingh and returning to a national setup after eleven long years, who set the scene for a big score with a patient knock that came off 163 balls. He struck fourteen boundaries and a six. He added 46 with Nafis (30) for the second wicket before adding 62 with Hannan Sarkar (39).
But with ten runs to reach a hundred, Imran edged one to wicketkeeper Rohit Motwani off Samad Fallah in the 57th over.
Samad was the only Maharashtra bowler to make an impact. The medium-pacer took five for 101 runs from his 24 overs. Kiran Adhav had two wickets including the dangerous Dollar while Aditya Dole had one.
BRIEF SCORES BANGLADESH A: First innings 336-9 in 89.5 overs (Kayes 4, Nafis 30, Imran 90, Hannan 39, Rajin 1, Mehrab 81, Sahagir 2, Dollar 79, Sajid 0, Enamul 6 not out; Samad 5-101, Aditya 1-68, Kiran 2-73)
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
CC World Twenty20
Tigers' tough workout
Second practice match today:
A rally by the bowlers ensured a-last ball finish but the Tigers are still smarting from the fact that they let slip an opportunity to beat New Zealand in the first of the additional practice matches at Wormsley Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
Today the team travels to Kent for the second warm up against Holland. The Tigers failed to practice yesterday, due to light rain.
“It was a good outing in the park for us against some quality players but I think we let ourselves down in the last five overs when only 33 runs came. We had wickets in hand and still about 15-20 runs short,” said captain Mohammad Ashraful after the four-wicket loss against the Kiwis.
Bangladesh, opting to bat, were nicely placed at 87 for 3 after 11 overs but then the runs dried out, especially after the departure of Shakib Al Hasan who made 35 off 27 with some spanking pulls and drives. Ashraful (13) himself flicked a six and square cut for a four off the bowling of paceman Ian Butler but was out in the same over when a ball jagged back from outside off to hit his stumps.
“It is not easy to defend 146 but the bowlers brought us back into the game. I am happy with the spirit we showed out there and the way we fought till the last ball. We have to improve in all areas and that's what practice matches are for. From that perspective this was a good start and now we'll be able to better assess where we are,” added Ashraful.
Tamim had helped himself to a 13-ball 19 with a four boundaries which included a drive through covers and a straight one that never left the grass. That showed the intent which Ashraful, Shakib and Mahmudullah Riyad had continued to display before they got out. Riyad (43 off 41; 4x4) came in at five and worked the ball beautifully and hit boundaries when the opportunity came. Just when he started to open up Shakib fell at long on when Nathan McCullum dived forward and took a stunning catch off a flat hit. The same fielder had dropped an easier catch of Shakib off the previous ball.
The conditions, for the first time since they landed here was typically English. It had drizzled the night before and there was quite a strong chilly breeze blowing across the lush valleys of the Wormsley Estate. The sun did come out after the match got underway but the wind remained. Still the Bangladesh players appeared undeterred by the weather.
“We are adjusting well I think. We had two tough lengthy training sessions and the pitch and the conditions are becoming familiar. That's the whole idea behind arriving early in England. It was disappointing to lose because I thought we had a really good chance but we are more confident after this game,” said Shakib who had struggled with a pelvic injury during the last couple of months.
New Zealand had been given a flying start by opener Martin Guptil who made 61 off 41 balls. Guptil preferred the onside and hit three sixes.
The Black Caps had raced to 59 without loss before Ashraful gambled by bowling the ninth over and had Neil Broom lbw off his fifth delivery. The spinners then tied the score down. Shakib was outstanding and had figures of 4-0-15-1 after going for 7 in his first over.
Two run outs also put pressure on the New Zealanders. Both were outstanding work from Nayeem Islam. First was a direct hit at the non-striker's end from point to send back number three Scott Styris and then a fast return from the deep to the 'keeper to leave Daniel Vettori short while attempting a two.
Nayeem however, was guilty of bowling a wide off his first ball that went for four when he came to bowl in the 17th over. New Zealand got 11 from it.
“That was crucial because they were not finding things easy. Still I believe we could have bowled better. We did not hit the right length often enough and there were some fumbles in the field. We had the game till the final over from (Syed) Rasel and the top-edged six McCullum hit would have been a catch any other day but the wind took it over long off,” said vice captain Mashrafe.
New Zealand required 12 from the last six balls and singles came off the first three before McCullum's sixer off the fourth. Two were needed from the last delivery and McCullum (15 not out) scampered for the runs after playing the ball to the left of Mortaza at long off.
Andy Murray of Great Britain jubilates after beating Italian Potito Starace in the French Open second round match at Roland Garros in Paris yesterday.
British third seed Andy Murray battled into the French Open last 32 on Wednesday as Roland Garros prepared to acclaim yet another record for four-time champion Rafael Nadal.
World number three Murray overcame a stern test from Italian world 104 Potito Starace before prevailing 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4.
The 22-year-old Scotsman had to come back from 1-5 down in the third set, saving two set points, before eventually cruising to a comfortable victory as he matched his best career performance here.
"I got broken at the start of the second set and once I got broken he started to play a lot better," said Murray.
"He managed to make me move a lot with his forehand but I still found a way to win. In five-set matches, the momentum always tends to shift."
Maria Sharapova reached the French Open last 32 on Wednesday with a 6-2, 1-6, 8-6 win over Russian compatriot, and 11th seed, Nadia Petrova.
She will now play Kazakh qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova for a place in the last 16.
Later Wednesday, top seed Nadal tackles Russia's Teimuraz Gabashvili looking for another record in his remarkable career.
If the world number one prevails he will better Chris Evert's record of 30 successive wins at Roland Garros. Evert set her sequence between 1974 and 1981, although she didn't play from 1976-1978.
Women's top seed Dinara Safina enjoyed another French Open breeze, defeating teenage compatriot Vitalia Diatchenko 6-1, 6-1 to set up a last 32 clash with another Russian, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Safina, who didn't lose a game in her first round mauling of Britain's Anne Keothavong, took just 55 minutes to dispose of 18-year-old qualifier Diatchenko, the world number 151.
The world number one next faces 17-year-old Pavlyuchenkova, the 27th seed, who reached the last 32 with a 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) win over France's Julie Coin.
"I played a good match today. She is very young and maybe she respects me too much," said Safina.
"It should be a great match against Pavlyuchenkova. She's having a great season. I've never played against her or practised with her so I'm looking forward to meeting her."
Wednesday's win was Safina's 16th in 17 matches since she became world number one in April.
Also progressing to the third round were Belarusian ninth seed Victoria Azarenka and Chinese 25th seed Li Na.
Defending champion Ana Ivanovic was later facing Thai veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn and third-seeded Venus Williams was due to meet Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic.
In the men's event, French seventh seed Gilles Simon, Fernando Verdasco, the eighth-seeded Spaniard, Chilean 12th seed Fernando Gonzalez and Croatian number 13 Marin Cilic all progressed.
France's Fabrice Santoro, playing his 20th and last Roland Garros, was beaten 6-3, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 by Belgium's Christophe Rochus in a first-round match held over from Tuesday because of bad light.
APL starts October 6
With the successful completion of the second Indian Premier League in South Africa, stage is now all set for the American Premier League (APL), and the organisers claim that the APL would revolutionise cricket in the country of baseball.
Six teams -- Premium Americans, Premium Bangladeshis, Premium World, Premium Indians, Premium Pakistanis and Premium Windies -- would vie for the first APL trophy, the inaugural match of which is scheduled for October 6 at the Home of the Staten Island Yankees and the finals on October 23 and 24.
"Everything is going on schedule. The APL promises to change the face of cricket in the US," Jay Mir, president of the American Sports and Entertainment Group -- the organisers of the APL -- told PTI.
The first edition of the Twenty20 tournament has attracted quite significant sponsorship bids, which Mir said is being finalised and would be announced soon.
Yousuf gets ICL NOC:
Former Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf said Tuesday he had produced a letter confirming he had severed ties with a rebel Indian league, and was keen to revive his international career.
Yousuf last year defected to the Indian Cricket League (ICL), not recognised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or the International Cricket Council (ICC), leaving him barred from playing for Pakistan.
"I have submitted a no-objection certificate from the Indian league and it's now up to the authorities to clear my way to play international cricket," said 34-year-old Yousuf.
Yousuf and other Pakistani players who featured in the ICL received a reprieve in February when the Sindh high court suspended the ban on them.
The PCB, in line with other boards around the world, recently announced an amnesty for ICL players who gave up their links to the league by May 31.
Yousuf last week claimed he had broken his ties with the ICL but the PCB demanded a copy of the no-objection letter.
"I have handed the letter to the PCB and now await their reply as I desperately want to play for my country," said Yousuf, who had played 79 Tests and 269 one-day internationals before joining the ICL in November last year.
The star batsman, who set a world record of 1,788 runs in 2006 -- the most in a calendar year -- joined the ICL in September 2007 in protest at being left out of Pakistan's squad for the inaugural World Twenty20.
The PCB management persuaded him to abandon the ICL contract and got him a contract with the Indian Premier League, sanctioned by both the BCCI and the ICC, but Yousuf rejoined the ICL in November last year.
England's Test captain, Andrew Strauss, will play no part in Middlesex's Twenty20 Cup campaign, after it was decided by the England management that he should concentrate solely on first-class cricket ahead of the Ashes, which begins in Cardiff on July 8.
Despite his current fine form in both Tests and 50-over internationals, Strauss opted to stand down from England's World Twenty20 squad because the format didn't suit his accumulative style. Now, despite Middlesex being the reigning Twenty20 Cup champions, he will remain on the sidelines until the resumption of the County Championship on June 6.
"Andrew Strauss will not take part in Middlesex's Twenty20 Cup campaign in order to focus on the longer form of the game ahead of the Ashes," the England team director, Andy Flower, said in a press release.
Strauss is one of four players currently involved in the ODI series against West Indies who will be unavailable to their counties ahead of the forthcoming World Twenty20. The England new-ball pairing of James Anderson and Stuart Broad have also been told to rest, along with Matt Prior, who is not in the Twenty20 squad, but who damaged his right ring finger during the closing stages of the second Test in Chester-le-Street.
"Anderson and Broad will be rested from this week's Twenty20 Cup fixtures due to their recent heavy workloads … against West Indies," Flower said. "We believe they will benefit from a brief rest ahead of the ICC World Twenty20. Prior will be rested from the Twenty20 Cup as he needs to allow time for his injured finger to recover properly."
Prior and Strauss will be available to Sussex and Middlesex respectively for their County Championship fixtures against Yorkshire and Essex, starting on June 6. For the remaining 13 players involved in England's Twenty20 campaign, they will be permitted to turn out for their counties from Wednesday through till Friday, before joining up with the national squad on Saturday.
School football
Riding on two brilliant hattricks, Victoria Sporting Club of Moulvibazar drubbed Barguna Zilla School 10-0 in a final round match of the Citycell National School Football Championship at the Abahani Club ground yesterday.
Khaled scored four goals while Babu scored three, Ismat Ronny two and Jayed netted the other goal.
In another match, Kayagola Hat High School of Nilphamari blanked Cox's Bazar Ramu Khijari High School 2-0 at the same venue.
At the Bangabandhu National Stadium, Zia Shar Karkhana High School of Brahmanbaria defeated Tangail Shuti VM Pilot High School 2-1 while Narayanganj Laxminarayan Cotton Mills played to a 4-all draw with Gaibandha Govindaganj Multipurpose High School.
Raja Suryakumar Institute of Rajbari beat Azimuddin High School of Kishoreganj 3-2 while Shingra Dum Dum School and College of Natore split points with Netrakona High School playing to a goalless draw at the Brother's Union ground.
In the men's event, French seventh seed Gilles Simon, Fernando Verdasco, the eighth-seeded Spaniard, Chilean 12th seed Fernando Gonzalez and Croatian number 13 Marin Cilic all progressed.
France's Fabrice Santoro, playing his 20th and last Roland Garros, was beaten 6-3, 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 by Belgium's Christophe Rochus in a first-round match held over from Tuesday because of bad light.
Cricket's newest format returns to its birthplace when England hosts the ICC World Twenty20 next month.
But, as with all the other forms of one-day cricket first played in England at county level, the 'mother country' has found herself having to play catch-up with the rest of the world.
Originally conceived as a fun way of bringing new audiences, particularly those who couldn't watch cricket during the working day, into the game, Twenty20 has taken the sport by storm.
Tournaments such as the Indian Premier League (IPL) are now far more lucrative per match for a player than five-day Test cricket, the traditional pinnacle of the sport.
India, whose administrators were originally hostile to Twenty20 because they feared its commercial impact upon the 50-over game, won the inaugural global tournament in South Africa two years ago.
Nine members of that winning squad, which defeated arch-rivals Pakistan by five runs in a thrilling final in Johannesburg, will be coming to England.
But, in what above all other types of cricket is a game heavily weighted in favour of batsmen, India will be without master run-maker Sachin Tendulkar, who has now opted out of Twenty20 internationals.
Generally short boundaries and fielding restrictions put a premium on big-hitting batsmen and in Yuvraj Singh they have someone who struck England's Stuart Broad for six sixes in an over in South Africa.
Tendulkar, who himself played in this year's IPL, warned it was important that openers Yuvraj and Gautam Gambhir were refreshed after failing to find top form in the IPL.
"I think the key would be how soon they can shed the fatigue factor," Tendulkar said.
Wicket-taking bowlers are an invaluable commodity in a game where economy rates can go out the window and India look to have a promising pace attack.
Left-armer Rudra Pratap Singh, who took 12 wickets in South Africa in 2007, will be supported this time around by Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma.
Pakistan, starved of international cricket at home after a terror attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in March made the country a 'no-go zone', will fancy their chances of going one better this time around.
"I thought Australia would thrash them in the one-off T20 match in Dubai but it was the other way round and now, if Pakistan play to their potential, they can win the title," Pakistan great Wasim Akram told AFP this month.
Australia have dominated all forms of cricket during the last decade except Twenty20 and captain Ricky Ponting is determined to improve both his and the team's record.
However, at least he is set to take part - which is more than England captain Andrew Strauss.
The opening batsman has opted out of the tournament because he thinks he isn't a good enough Twenty20 player.
Worryingly for tournament organisers, the attention of much of the British media, and indeed home cricket fans, appears firmly fixed on the Ashes Test series at home to Australia which comes after the World Twenty20.
England, for all their experience, have never won a major international one-day tournament and they head into this event with injury doubts over star performers Andrew Flintoff (knee) and Kevin Pietersen (Achilles).
But the IPL and subsequent international form of Ravi Bopara has shown England that there is life beyond "Freddie" and "KP".
Sri Lanka and New Zealand have repeatedly punched above their weight in international tournaments and could do so again during a tournament that will take place at three of English cricket's most historic venues - Lord's, the Oval and Trent Bridge.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh and Ireland, who have both enjoyed shock wins on the global stage in the past, will dream of further upsets although, with both Scotland and the Netherlands taking part, there is also the capacity for some hugely lopsided results too.
For the first time the corresponding women's tournament will run in parallel with the main men's event, with both finals taking place on the same day at Lord's where, thanks in part to Twenty20, permanent floodlights are now a feature of the ground.
The tournament gets underway on June 5.
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS: Barcelona sensation Lionel Messi (L) hangs in the air to score a stunning header past a despairing Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar (C) to make it 2-0 during the Champions League final at the Olympic Stadium in Rome last night.
Barcelona stunned holders Manchester United to win their third Champions League crown with a 2-0 victory here on Wednesday.
Goals from star forwards Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi gave the Catalans a deserved victory and denied United from becoming the first team to retain the title since the European Cup became the Champions League in 1993.
It gave the Spaniards a unique treble having already won their domestic league and cup and meant they repeated a feat United achieved in 1999, which Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson had then claimed would never be matched.
It crowned a marvellous debut season for his Barcelona counterpart Pep Guardiola, who at 38 becomes the youngest coach to take European club football's greatest prize.
Barca overcame early jitters to dominate large parts of the game as the English club never managed to get their usual high tempo game into gear.
In a clash billed as the match of the century pitting the best two teams in the world - with each one boasting one of the best two players in the world - only one played to their full potential.
And Ferguson may be questioning his team selection having left both Dimitar Berbatov and Carlos Tevez on the United bench as Ryan Giggs played off lone striker Cristiano Ronaldo with Wayne Rooney and Park Ji-Sung confined to disciplined roles on the flanks.
Both sides may a nervy start with Barca goalkeeper Victor Valdes and United's Park - the first ever Asian player to play in a Champions League final - playing passes straight into touch.
But United settled quickest and Ronaldo had a purple patch in which he terrorised the Spaniards for 10 minutes.
He hit a 25-yard free-kick that Valdes couldn't hold and former United defender Gerard Pique had to dive in to deflect Park's follow-up away for a corner.
Ronaldo then lashed a fierce long range drive wide and later, after controlling the ball on his chest, he hit a left-foot volley that sailed agonisingly inches past the post.
The reigning champions were enjoying all the ball and chances but out of the blue Barca took the lead.
Andres Iniesta played in Eto'o who beat Nemanja Vidic inside the box and although Michael Carrick slid in to try to block his shot, he succeeded only in helping it past Edwin van der Sar.
That goal settled Barca into their usual stride and they started to weave the pretty patterns that have been mesmerising opponents all season, carrying them to the remarkable feat of scoring more than 150 goals.
As the half wore on United gradually lost their shape and rhythm with Sir Alex Ferguson responding late on by pushing Rooney up alongside Ronaldo and Giggs out to the left.
Ronaldo at times looked like he wanted to take on Barca on his own and on 20 minutes he tried a shot for the second time when a pass out wide looked the better option.
Xavi then tried his luck from a free-kick which, like Giggs's earlier, was too high but by now Barca had wrested control of the game and were keeping the ball with alarming ease.
Ferguson wasted no time in switching tactics, bringing on Tevez for Anderson at the break and reverting to a more regular 4-4-2, the Argentine playing alongside Ronaldo and Giggs dropping back into a deeper role.
But Barca were first to strike on the counter as Thierry Henry cut in from the flank and left Ferdinand on the seat of his pants before shooting weakly at van der Sar on 48 minutes.
The Spaniards were totally in the ascendancy and Xavi fired a free-kick off the post on 53 minutes with van der Sar beaten as Barca threatened to run riot.
The reigning champions steadied the ship and Ferguson signalled his intent when he threw Berbatov on for Park with a quarter of the match remaining.
But just as the tide seemed to be turning, Barca extended their lead from the most unlikely source as Xavi picked out Messi at the back post on the edge of the six yard box, the Argentine wizard's looping header arcing into the top corner on 70 minutes.
Push as United might in the final minutes, though, they lacked their usual sparkle and Valdes's goal was rarely threatened.
SHARPSHOOTERS Goals 9 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
7 Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich)
6 Lisandro Lopez (Porto)
5 Alessandro del Piero (Juventus), Karim Benzema (Lyon), Thierry Henry (Barcelona), Robin van Persie (Arsenal)
honour roll 2009 - Barcelona (ESP) 2 Manchester United (ENG) 0
2008 - Manchester United (ENG) 1 Chelsea 1 (United win 6-5 on penalties)
2007 - AC Milan (ITA) 2 Liverpool (ENG) 1
2006 - Barcelona (ESP) 2 Arsenal (ENG) 1
2005 - Liverpool (ENG) 3 AC Milan (ITA) 3 (Liverpool win 3-2 on penalties)
2004 - Porto (POR) 3 Monaco (FRA) 0
2003 - AC Milan (ITA) 0 Juventus (ITA) 0 (Milan win 3-2 on penalties)
Zia moves to three points
Grand Master Ziaur Rahman drew his fourth round board against his Indian counterpart Surya Shekhar Ganguly in the Second Subic Open International Chess tournament at Subic Freeport in Olongapo yesterday.
Zia improved his tally to three points.
Aslam resigns over flag row
Former national footballer and deputy chairman of Citycell National School Football Championship's committee Sheikh Mohammad Aslam has resigned from his position over a controversy surrounding the national flag during the opening ceremony of the final round on May 25 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) has apologised for the unintentional incident of 'disrespecting' the national flag during the inaugural ceremony where it was torn down the middle to unveil the pictures of Shwadhin Bangla Football team members.
In an emergency meeting at the BFF House yesterday afternoon, a three-member committee was formed headed by BFF senior vice-president Abdul Salam Murshadi to probe into the incident.
BFF vice-president Manjoor Hossain Malu and member Harun-Ur-Rashid are the other members in the committee.
The committee will submit a report within seven days to BFF.
Russia star Maria Sharapova makes a forehand return against compatriot Nadia Petrova during their French Open second round match at Roland Garros yesterday.
Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova battled into the French Open last 32 on Wednesday as Roland Garros saw the future of women's tennis in the shape of high-volume 16-year-old Michelle Larcher de Brito.
Four-time champion Nadal enjoyed a comfortable 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over Teimuraz Gabashvili of Russia to register a record 30th straight win here to better the mark set by Chris Evert.
In the first round Nadal surpassed Bjorn Borg for the longest unbeaten run for a man and a tournament win here on June 7 would make him the first to win five titles in a row in Paris.
Triple Grand Slam title winner Sharapova, playing only her second tournament following a 10-month lay-off to recover from shoulder surgery, prevailed in a bruising 6-2, 1-6, 8-6 win over Russian compatriot Nadia Petrova.
The former world number one, whose world ranking has slumped to 102 as a consequence of her lengthy absence, will now face Kazakh qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova for a place in the last 16.
Making her Grand Slam debut, de Brito, ranked 132, came through qualifying and on Wednesday made sure of a place in the last 32 with a 6-4, 6-3 win over China's 15th seed Zheng Jie, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals last year.
De Brito, with her flowing all-court game and deafening decibel level, now goes on to face France's Aravane Rezai.
In the midst of Sharapova's heroics, and de Brito's headline-grabbing performance, defending champion Ana Ivanovic slipped quietly into the next round with a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Thai veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn.
Next up for the Serbian eighth seed is Czech left-hander Iveta Benesova.
Former world number one Marat Safin, playing his last season before retirement, was knocked out by French wildcard Josselin Ouanna, the world 134, in a four and a half hour clash.
Ouanna won 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 3-6, 10-8.
Hewitt made sure he'd face Nadal for the third time in four years with a straightforward 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 win over Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan.
British third seed Andy Murray battled into the last 32, overcoming a stern test from Italian world 104 Potito Starace before prevailing 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Murray next faces Janko Tipsarevic who put out Spanish 28th seed Feliciano Lopez.
Women's top seed Dinara Safina enjoyed another French Open breeze, defeating teenage compatriot Vitalia Diatchenko 6-1, 6-1 to set up a last 32 clash with another Russian, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Safina, who didn't lose a game in her first round mauling of Britain's Anne Keothavong, took just 55 minutes to dispose of 18-year-old qualifier Diatchenko, the world number 151.
The world number one next faces 17-year-old Pavlyuchenkova, the 27th seed, who reached the last 32 with a 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) win over France's Julie Coin.
Victoria pulverise Barguna:
Riding on two brilliant hattricks, Victoria Sporting Club of Moulvibazar drubbed Barguna Zilla School 10-0 in a final round match of the Citycell National School Football Championship at the Abahani Club ground yesterday.
Khaled scored four goals while Babu scored a hattrick, Ismat Ronny struck twice and Jayed netted one goal for the winners.
In another match, Kayagola Hat High School of Nilphamari blanked Cox's Bazar Ramu Khijari High School 2-0 at the same venue.
At the Bangabandhu National Stadium, Zia Shar Karkhana High School of Brahmanbaria defeated Tangail Shuti VM Pilot High School 2-1 while Narayanganj Laxminarayan Cotton Mills played to a 4-4 with Gaibandha Govindaganj Multipurpose High School.
Raja Suriyakumar Institute of Rajbari beat Azimuddin High School of Kishoreganj 3-2 while Shingra Dum Dum School & College, Natore split points with Netrakona High School playing to a goalless draw at the Brother's Union ground.
Bandarban Players Samity sunk Marma Jubo Kalyan Sangsad of Khagrachari 5-0 in a final round match of the Bashundhara Champions Club Cup at the Bandarban Stadium yesterday.
Ripon scored two goals in the 82nd and 87th minutes while Rafiq (13th), Yan Sangchai (60th) and Mahfuz (63rd) netted the rest for the victors.
At the Habiganj Stadium, GRC Sporting Club of Narsingdi thrashed Real Bengal Club of Sunamganj 4-0 where Abu Bakr scored a hattrick in the 23rd, 27th and 45th minutes while Ismail racked up the last goal in the 89th minute. Real's Russel was sent off in the 16th minute.
In other matches, Young Men's Club, Fakirerpul defeated Showkhin Krira Protibha Onneshon 3-1 at the Sherpur Stadium, Sabujbagh Krira Chakra of Madaripur beat Football Players Kalyan Samity 1-0 at the Gopalganj Stadium, Purbani Taramman Sangha of Noakhali beat Bhai Bhai Sporting Club of Chandpur 3-1 at the Bhasha Shaheed Salam Stadium in Feni, Probaha Sangsad of Noagaon beat Aleya Fashion Football Club of Bogra 3-1 at the Rangpur Stadium, Piyul Smriti Sangsad of Jhenidah beat Janani Sheba Sangha of Magura 4-1, Brother's Union Club of Pabna beat Ekok Sangha of Sirajganj 2-0.
Mohammedan Sporting Club of Comilla, Khulna Town Club and Shuktara Jubo Sangsad of Narayanganj drew their respective matches.
Ujjibon Sporting Club of Joypurhat and Kirton Khola got walkovers from Maral Sangha of Nilphamari and Bara Bari Boys Club of Patuakhali respectively.
Goal fest at Barguna:
Abahani Krira Chakra of Barguna wiped out Bara Bari Boys Club of Patuakhali 9-0 in the Bashundhara Champions Club Cup at the Barguna Stadium yesterday.
Shamim scored a hattrick, netting his three in the 10th, 65th and 85th minutes, while Mamun (6th, 55th), Shagor (12th), Nantu (23rd), Mohon (29th, 35th) completed rest of the honours for Abahani.
It was another high scoring match at Rajshahi where Alor Dishari Club of Chapainawab-ganj beat Shingra Upazilla of Natore 5-2 in front of an estimated 3,000 people. Royel (8th, 63rd), Romnobel (67th), Faisal (71st) and Taposh (76th) scored the goals for the winners while Shakil and Enamul netted the two consolatory goals for the team from Natore.
In other matches, Fantose Sports Association drubbed Agnishikha Sangsad (Lalmonirhat) 3-0 at the Rangpur Stadium, Lauyai Sporting Club (Sylhet) defeated Young Tiger Nurpur (Habiganj) 2-0 at the Habiganj Stadium, Bangamani Football Academy (Chuadanga) beat Crescent Club (Kushtia) 3-2 at the Meherpur Stadium and Shamabesh Club (Munshiganj) beat Shonali Otit Club (Manikganj) at the Tangail Stadium.
At the Habiganj Stadium, Telinagar New Sporting Club (Brahmanbaria) got a walkover against Young Star Club (Moulvibazar).
Ghagra Sporting Club (Sherpur), Abahani KC (Mymensingh), Sabuj Shena Club (Faridpur), Shamyo Krira Goshti (Thakurgaon), Ummochon Club (Bagerhat) and Chittagong Mohammedan all drew their respective matches.
At the Bhasha Shaheed Salam Stadium in Feni the match between Moha-mmedan SC (Comilla) and Chowrasta Club (Laxmipur) was abandoned due to bad weather.
Prior, Shah lift Eng
Matt Prior's one-day international best of 87 was the highlight of England's record total against the West Indies of 328 for seven at Edgbaston here on Tuesday.
Together with Owais Shah, who made an entertaining 75, wicketkeeper Prior put on 149 in 126 balls for the third wicket as England surpassed their previous ODI best against the West Indies of 306 for five at The Oval in 1995.
It was further proof, after their six-wicket win at Bristol on Sunday, that England could function effectively without injured stars Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen.
England captain Andrew Strauss (52) and Ravi Bopara (49) gave the hosts a solid start after West Indies captain Chris Gayle won the toss and chose to field in a match the tourists had to win to end the series all square at 1-1.
But first change Fidel Edwards, in his first over of the series, almost took a wicket when Strauss on 16, cut to backward point where Kieron Pollard, diving forward, failed to hold the difficult, low chance.
England's fifty came up in 62 balls and Bopara continued to find the boundary with some superb square-cuts and drives in a spell of four fours in nine balls faced.
But Bopara was one short of his fifty when, after pushing forward with an angled bat against Dwayne Bravo, the ball struck his pad before rolling onto his stumps.
Bopara's runs had come off 54 balls with seven fours and England were now 81 for one off 15 overs.
England captain Strauss though did get to fifty, off 65 balls with seven fours, but his next ball saw him stumped by wicket-keeper Denesh Ramdin off giant left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.
Strauss's Middlesex colleague Shah forced the pace by hammering Edwards so hard for four through mid-wicket that Ramnaresh Sarwan had to go off injured, after getting a hand to the bal.
Shah completed a run-a-ball fifty in flamboyant fashion with a wristily pulled six off Bravo, that also brought up a century partnership with Prior.
England's batting powerplay yielded 55 runs in five overs.
Shah then made the most of a free-hit to launch Jerome Taylor for six only to hole out next ball with England 289 fir five in the 46th over.
Paul Collingwood, on his 33rd birthday, took England past 300 with a four off Taylor before next ball striking the paceman for six.
CC World Twenty20 England 09
T20 test for Ricky:
Ricky Ponting flies to England on Wednesday as one of Australia's most accomplished Test and one-day players, but his reputation in the Twenty20 set-up is less certain. While Ponting is about to join previous heroes such as Steve Waugh, Allan Border and Don Bradman as players to have gone on four Ashes tours, his high standing as a modern batting master does not guarantee success in the game's shortest form.
Australia are carrying a relatively old, yet inexperienced, team to the World Twenty20 and when Ponting leads his men against West Indies on June 6 he will be playing only his 16th international. Often when this sort of engagement arrives Ponting takes a rest and his wild talents are much better suited to the longer styles. Seeing him attempt slogs so early in an innings is unfair on his style, although he is not a tortoise, scoring his 376 career runs at a strike-rate of 131.
Even Ponting, an undoubted great in the other environments, struggles when rating his performance in the freshest genre. "Batting where I do in the top order of Twenty20 cricket, it can sometimes be a bit difficult," he said during the team's pre-tour camp on the Sunshine Coast. "Obviously the earlier you get in the better chance you've got of making a big score but you're expected to play in a certain way. Top-order batsmen are always going to have their ups and downs in that sort of game."
Ponting has not passed 38 in his previous four Twenty20 matches and knows his record. "The past couple of games I've played have been very poor," he said. "In the two games in South Africa I made 1 in each. It's not great form going into a World Cup."
Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist showed in the IPL that age was no barrier in 40-over affairs and while Ponting is only 34, it's possible that he will not be embracing all three formats when the next Twenty20 World Cup is held in 2010. Australia's selectors have grown used to chopping older players from the one-day side if they are not going to be around for the next global tournament, but Ponting would not be drawn on when he would shave Twenty20 from his schedule.
He rejoined the Australia squad on Sunday after missing the series against Pakistan to rest and is fresh and excited ahead of the five-month trip to England. The World Twenty20 acts as a two-week warm-up for the Ashes in July, when Ponting will walk out hoping his developing Test squad can retain the urn after a side full of established personnel dominated England in 2006-07.
Ponting, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich and Brett Lee are only men in the current set-up who have played a Test in England and there is a strong desire to prepare the younger team members for the experience. "I'm embarking on my fourth Ashes tour, so I've been around the block," Ponting said. "It will be important to me to get to the younger guys to talk about what to expect when we arrive."
The first stages of the preparation started on Sunday when most of the Twenty20 squad members, who depart on Wednesday, and national contract holders arrived in Coolum. There are a few missing faces with Andrew Symonds and Cameron White still in South Africa after their IPL commitments while Michael Hussey joined his team-mates on Monday night. Hussey crossed the Indian Ocean twice in the past week after making himself available for Chennai's semi-final, but he was not considered good enough to be picked and returned home.
Shane Watson, who must prove his fitness from a groin injury over the next month to make the Ashes tour, had a light work on Monday and Ponting said he should be available to bowl during the Twenty20 tournament. However, Ponting said what happened over the next month would not guarantee spots for the Ashes. "I don't think you can take much out of Twenty20 form ahead of Test matches," he said. "We've got two tour games and that will be the best chance to get a look at the guys who will play in the Tests. We'll start thinking of the Ashes make-up in the tour games."
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Rokibul Hasan, who scored an unbeaten 38, off-drives during Bangladesh's ICC World Twenty20 warm-up match against Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge in Nottingham yesterday.
