Tri-Nation Series: Bangladesh-Pakistan opening ODI today

Bangladesh Cricket team led by Mohammad Ashraful will face Pakistan Cricket team led by Shoaib Malik today in the opening match of the Tri-Nation Kitply Cup at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium. Bangladesh Television will telecast the One Day International (ODI) match live from 2.45 PM from the stadium. India Cricket team is the other team, which will participate in this tournament.

Before today’s match Bangladesh faced Pakistan 23 times. Of them, Pakistan won 22 matches while Bangladesh won only one clash. Bangladesh won over Pakistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup 1999.

Marking the ensuing ODI match, a press conference was held at the conference room of Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium on Saturday.

Coach of Bangladesh team Jamie Siddons and skipper Mohammad Ashraful spoke at the conference.

Jamie Siddons told the newsmen that his boys were learning and trying hard to improve their performance.

Answer to a question Siddons replied that their target was to improve their performance as well as to win over Pakistan.

Mohammad Ashraful said, “In this moment we have best 14 players. We need to bowl well as well as bat well. Personally I want to improve my batting performance. In the last series, I failed to make notable score against Pakistan.”

Ashraful added that they could not perform well in the recently concluded series against Sri Lanka, New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan.

Ashraful said, “If the three departments (batting, bowling, fielding) of his team show their good performance against Pakistan, then, they will beat their opponent.”

Ashraful also added that if they could score above 250 they could win the match. When asking him about the bowling of Pakistan Ashraful replied that Umar Gul and Sohail Tanvir bowled well.

Ashraful said, “We are young, we are learning and we are trying hard. We are working hard under supervision of coach Jamie Siddons.”

Ashraful concluded that they had the ability to beat Pakistan.

On the other hand, Shoaib Malik said, “Our aim is to win match by match. We want to win all the three matches amid final.

Malik added that they won eleven matches in a row and they wanted to keep their winning streak.

The cricket viewers of the country want to watch a positive approach from their side.

Source: The New Nation

Pakistan Cricket team arrives

Bangladesh start SAFF campaign against Bhutan today

Bangladesh start their 5th SAFF Championship campaign taking on lowly Bhutan today (Wednesday) in the opening Group B match at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo.

The match will kick off at 5:30 pm (BST).

Private satellite channel ATN Bangla is likely to telecast live all the Bangladesh matches.

In Wednesday’s other Group B match, hosts Sri Lanka will play emerging force Afghanistan at 8 pm at the same venue.

Ahead of their opening fixture, Bangladesh captain cum custodian Aminul Haque was found very confident of winning the match.

“Our team morale is very high at this moment… after making a draw with Thai Professional Club Bec Tero Sasana in a preparatory match in Bangkok our players are very much inspired,” Aminul said over telephone from Colombo.

He added: “Our first target is to reach the semi-final beating Bhutan playing well.”

The Bangladesh captain said all the players of the team are very much determined to regain the SAFF crown giving their cent percent to meet the expectations of the countrymen.

“We played the final on three occasions and emerged champions on one occasion. This time we want to reach the semis first, then proceed towards the title.”

Bhutan team is a youthful side, trained by a Japanese coach, he said, adding: “We’ve all respect for them.”

Bangladesh earlier faced Bhutan twice in the SAFF Championship and won on both occasions. Bangladesh beat Bhutan 3-0 in both the 3rd and 4th SAFF Championships — in Dhaka and Karachi.

In the remaining group B matches, former SAFF champions Bangladesh will play Afghanistan on June 6 and hosts Sri Lanka on June 8, all in Colombo.

Earlier Bangladesh have been placed in Group B of the SAFF Championship with Afghanistan, Bhutan and Sri Lanka while Group A team comprises holders India, Pakistan, Maldives and Nepal.

The 5th SAFF Championship began on Tuesday at the Maldives capital of Male with defending champion India taking on Nepal in the opening match of the meet, also co hosted by Maldives apart from Sri Lanka.

Source: UNB

Australia seek bitter-sweet series victory against Windies

Australia are looking to wrap-up another series victory in the Caribbean, but they will be making a bitter-sweet entry into the second Test against West Indies, starting on Friday at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.

It will be bitter, following the decision to allow left-handed opener Matthew Hayden to return home, after his damaged right Achilles tendon failed to respond to treatment.

Hayden will pursue further treatment options after he visits specialists on his return home, but this immediately casts a burden of responsibility on the left-handed pair of Phil Jaques and Simon Katich at the top of the batting order.

Australia would be anxious for them come to the grips with the job, considering the perceived potency of the West Indies new-ball attack which could comprise two of either Jerome Taylor, Fidel Edwards, or Daren Powell.

Katich, Hayden’s replacement, scored 12 and one, and Jaques made 9 and four, as the twice shared partnerships of 18 and five.

“In both innings (in Jamaica), we lost wickets early and to be four down for 18 in the second innings was a worry,” Australia captain Ricky Ponting said.

“But there was some good bowling in there. It was a situation where it was an unsettling sort of time to have to bat, only an hour left in the fourth- day’s play, just trying to get through the session rather than playing your natural game.

“But I think that showed that the West Indies bowling attack is going to be dangerous, especially with the new ball. If we can get through this, we should be okay.”

For a couple of reasons, the second Test will be sweet for Australia.

First, they lead the three-Test series 1-0, after they completed a 95-run victory in the opening Test last Monday at Sabina Park in Kingston, and know that a victory would see them wrap up the series.

The other reason for Australia to rejoice is that though Hayden may be leaving, Michael Clarke has arrived following his delayed departure, after he was given compassionate leave to grieve with his finance following the death of her father.

He will slot into his usual role in the middle-order and the visitors expect him to fortify their batting.

“Michael Clarke will be fine for the Test, and if we do have him, we should be pretty hard to beat,” Ponting said.

West Indies too, have been boosted for the Test with the return of regular captain Chris Gayle and key fast bowler Taylor.

Gayle returns to the side after being sidelined with a groin injury for the first Test which Taylor also missed with a sore back contrary to earlier reports of a stiff shoulder.

Ramnaresh Sarwan, the West Indies captain for the first Test, felt the home team played well throughout the Test match.

“The bowlers bowled well especially in the second innings, and they gave the batters an opportunity to actually get a total that we could have batted and win the game, but unfortunately it didn’t happen that way,” he said.

“It’s really good for us, and I hope we can keep it up and get better in second Test,” he added.

West Indies came close to an upset victory, but then gave up the ghost on the final day when chasing 287 for victory, they were all out for 191.

Sarwan identified the aim now is for West Indies to play positively and keep the pressure up under Australia if they are to have any chance of winning.

“I think we’ve got to be positive, we’ve got a lot to take from the first Test,” he said.

“We had Fidel Edwards bowling very well, and Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s hundred in which I thought he showed a lot of determination, and it’s important that we take a page out of the way they approached things, and we have to continue to be positive.”

The VRCG is hosting its inaugural Test, after it was constructed as a gift to Antigua and Barbuda from China ahead of the World Cup last year in the Caribbean.

Both sides will hope that the pitch will offer much more than the featherbed a few miles down the road at the Antigua Recreation Ground, where international cricket in the island lived for more than two decades and Brian Lara twice established the record for the highest Test score, and national hero Sir Vivian stroked the previous fastest Test hundred.

Australia have now won 13 of the last 14 Tests they have contested against West Indies and will seek to stamp their authority.

They hold the Frank Worrell Trophy - symbol of Test supremacy against West Indies - and they have not lost a Test series in the Caribbean since 1991.

The third and final Test between the two sides starts on June 12 at Kensington Oval in Barbados.

The Aussies also contest a Twenty20 International and five One-day Internationals on this trip.

Squads:

West Indies (from): Chris Gayle (captain), Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice captain), Sulieman Benn, Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Xavier Marshall, Runako Morton, Brenton Parchment, Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Devon Smith, Jerome Taylor.

Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke (vice captain), Doug Bollinger, Beau Casson, Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Brad Hodge, Mike Hussey Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Stuart MacGill, Ashley Noffke, Andrew Symonds.

Umpires: Mark Benson, Russell Tiffin, TV Replays: Clancy Mack, Reserve: Norman Malcolm.

Match referee: Roshan Mahanama.

Source: The New Nation

Cape Town to Host 2010 World Cup Draw

The 2010 FIFA World Cup draw will be held in Cape Town, city mayor Helen Zille said on Wednesday.

Zille said the decision by FIFA was a “major coup” for the city.

Speaking during her budget speech, she said: “I welcome this vote of confidence in our city’s readiness to host major international events.”

She said that construction of the new Green Point Stadium was on schedule, with over 35 percent complete.

In the latest construction milestone, the main support columns had reached their full height.

“The eyes of the world will be on Cape Town on December 4, 2009, when the final draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup takes place in the city, and will be broadcast live around globe,” she said.

At the draw the final 32 teams taking part in the tournament, and the groups they would play in, would be announced.

The event would take place before an estimated audience of 8000 guests at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. It was expected to attract a large television audience, the international soccer fraternity, celebrities, administrators, sponsors and the media.

The soccer fraternity would spend a week in Cape Town, with four days of events planned.

According to tourism figures, every foreign visitor spent between 500 rand (about 7.5 rand equals 1 U.S. dollars) to 800 rand a day in Cape Town.

There would also be other large-scale events showcasing the city’s scenic beauty and attractions.

The final draw would take place exactly six months before the 2010 World Cup kicked off.

Green Point Stadium was set to be complete by December 15, 2009.

Source: Xinhua

Peru to Present Candidature for 2020 Olympic Games

Peru will present its candidature to host the Olympic Games in 2020, Peruvian President Alan Garcia announced on Wednesday.

Garcia affirmed that the country could assume the challenge after having received about 60 presidents in the 5th Latin American, Caribbean and European Union Summit (LAC-EU), in May.

“Peru will definitely present its candidature for 2020. And don’t be afraid the spiritless, the depressed, the ones that play on second and third division, better stay on the tribune and let Peru to play on first division,” Garcia said after first announcement in past week produced different criticisms of different sectors.

Those oppose the bidding, argued that for the Olympic Games, the cities are the ones that are presented, but not the countries, and that the country do not have the infrastructure needed.

In that sense Garcia affirmed that Peru does have enough merits to host the Olympic Games and mentioned the sustained economic growth, the reduce the poverty index and the high rate of foreign investment.

“With these favorable indicators our duty with the country is to show ourselves enthusiastic and optimists with the people and to give character to the great goals that the country can achieve, ” Garcia said.

“Of course Peru will be, of course, the scenery of the Olympics because Peru has been a country of civilization and is a civilization-State, and it has all the right that all the People’s of the World come here,” said Garcia.

Garcia said that the 5th LAC-EU summit and the currently APEC meeting prove that Peru plays “in first division.”

“When being the second centenary of the Republic of Peru (2021), Can’t we think on hosting the Olympic Games? Are you so afraid? Who has defeated you? Why can’t you think in great? Aim yourselves great goals,” Garcia said.

“Don’t sell defeatism to the Peruvian people, don’t sell them small things, on the contrary, the ones who have the responsibility of being in an important place have the obligation on selling great goals, ambitions, high,” Garcia said.

US may bid to host 2018 World Cup

The United States could be poised to challenge England for the right to host the 2018 World Cup after U.S. Soccer Federation president, Sunil Galati, laid out his country’s credentials.

The Football Association are one of the bodies to have confirmed their interest in staging the competition, but Galati has suggested there was an appetite across the Atlantic to “finish what we started” in 1994, when the tournament was last held in America.

England, which hosted, and won, the World Cup in 1966, face the USA at Wembley on Wednesday night before heading to Port of Spain to face Trinidad and Tobago.

That move is seen by some as an attempt to woo FIFA vice-president - and CONCACAF president - Jack Warner in his home nation.

But Galati warned that any such hopes could be dashed if the USA entered the bidding.

“We will make a decision in the next two or three months, but we are looking at it very seriously,” Galati said. “I can’t think of any reasons why we wouldn’t bid for the tournament. We’ve done this before and been successful at doing it. The bid process has become very competitive and whether playing a game in Trinidad has anything to do with that I am not sure.

“But I think the FA are more sophisticated than to think they are going to get Jack Warner’s vote on the back of playing one game. There aren’t any CONCACAF bidders at this point and Mr. Warner is the president of CONCACAF.”

Galati went on to outline the USA’s suitability to host the event, at once denying any notion that the sport does not have a natural audience in the American market.

Source: The New Nation

‘Asian Flying Woman’ to bear Olympic torch in Sichuan leg

Li Xuemei, the fastest woman in Asia, has been a volunteer worker setting up tents for and handing out food to the quake victims since the 8.0-magnitude tremor devastated her home province of Sichuan on May 12.

The Asian 100m sprint record holder, born in Deyang, one of the worst-hit areas, will run in the Olympic torch relay in Sichuan, which has been shortened and rescheduled for August 3-5.

“The Olympic torch has been added a special meaning after the natural disaster,” said Li, now a PE teacher in the Chengdu Electronic Science and Technology University. “I will live up to the honor of hoisting the Olympic flame by helping more people in need.”

The Sichuan leg of the Olympic torch relay has been pushed back for seven weeks in the wake of the earthquake.

“In support of earthquake relief efforts in Sichuan Province, the Sichuan leg of the Olympic Torch Relay will be shifted to August 3-5 from the originally scheduled dates of June 15-18,” the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) said in Thursday’s statement.

“The schedule and route of the relay through other stops will also be adjusted,” added the statement.

The local organizers of the Sichuan relay told Xinhua on Friday that the relay will be run with 832 torchbearers over seven cities, including Mianyang, Deyang and Chengdu which were seriously damaged by China’s worst quake in decades.

The Beijing Olympic torch resumes its domestic journey on Thursday after a three-day period of national mourning for the victims of the earthquake.

The rescheduling of the relay means that the Sichuan leg will be the last stop before Beijing, which will see the Olympic flame light the cauldron on August 8.

Source: Xinhua

Anti-terrorist team preparing for Games

An anti-terrorist special team consisting of engineers and experts will shoulder the security work for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, according to the General Staff Headquarters of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

The team from the PLA’s engineering troop will be responsible for security checks, emergency rescues and anti-terrorist technology applications during the August Olympiad.

In addition, 10 engineering experts in anti-terrorist technology have been selected to provide technical support and information for the security troops during the Games.

Olympic security has been the focus of the Chinese army’s daily drills. Among them are activities preventing guns and explosives from nearing important targets, searching for and defusing explosives, rescuing victims stranded in damaged buildings and leading emergency evacuations, among others.

Source: Xinhua

Twenty20 is a revelation, says ICC president Mali

ay Mali, the International Cricket Council president, was here in Sharjah on the invitation of Shyam Bhatia to be the chief guest during the final of Four Nations Cup between Emirates Pakistan and Emirates Sri Lanka. He gave away the prizes after Pakistan won the final by 63 runs.

While talking to media during the final Mali shed some light on the current issues of cricket.

When asked about Twenty20 phenomenon he said: “We can divide cricket into three categories — Test, 50-overs and Twenty20.

“Test cricket is the real thing and it will always be on the top there is no alternative to it.

“Twenty20 is a revelation and it has attracted a brand new crop of followers. It is a magnet.

“England, Pakistan, West Indies and Australia are planning to organise Twenty20 tournaments and it will be good for the game.

“The ICC should not restrict it because people are enjoying it and I personally have no problem with it.”

He added: “The ICC has already taken an initiative to become a partner with Dubai Sports City. I believe that will be the home of the ICC.

“I can foresee a lot of activities when the cricket ground gets going. I hope international tournaments will take place soon at Dubai Sports City .

“The ICC tournaments, series between member countries and matches between international sides will be part of it.

“Even Champions Trophy can be brought to the UAE and it will an ideal venue for the prestigious tournament.”

While answering a question about Sunil Gavaskar’s departure from the ICC he said: “It will be a great loss to cricket and it will be difficult to fill the gap. It will have a big dent in our efforts to globalise the game.

“But I believe Gavaskar will always be part of our key decisions.”

The president was impressed by Asia’s role in world cricket and said: “India is the centre of attention and Asia has become a hub of the game. We will make sure in the ICC Future Tour Programme that Asia Cup should be given more importance.

“We will make it sure that the event is held on regular basis. Countries like India , Pakistan Sri Lanka, UAE and Bangladesh have a huge following.”

He talked about the efforts by the ICC to globalise the game and said: “We are trying to take the game to America and in next 30 years China will be a force to reckon with. The country has a great potential to nurture cricket and Asian Cricket Council is fully aware of it.

“Countries like Afghanistan, Oman, Nepal and Kuwait are showing great improvement and the ICC needs to support them in many ways.

“Money is not everything — people should be visible in these places to give moral support by going down on the ground.

“These countries need all support and attention.”

Mali refused to comment on Darrel Hair and Malcolm Speed issues.

Source: khaleej Times