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National coach Dav Whatmore claimed Bangladesh have picked the best possible players to face Sri Lanka in the forthcoming one-day and Test series.
   Whatmore made this observation while speaking at a press conference on Thursday organised to justify the selection of the squad which was announced a day earlier, at the Mirpur Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.
   'The squad we picked, I mean the whole selection committee including the comments and quotes of the captain, it reflects the needs of the condition which is different from which we experienced in England,' said Whatmore.
   Bangladesh left opener Nafees Iqbal and paceman Tapash Baishya out of the 15-member one-day squad and instead picked unheralded left-arm pace bowler Syed Russel alongside left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak.
   Athar Ali Khan, who was the only one among the three local selectors involved physically in the selection process, said they dropped Nafees with the intention to give him a break hoping that he will return with big confidence.
   'As you all know, he did not have a very good series in England. We sent him with the A team to make sure he gets his confidence back. He started very well with a century but after that could not continue it. We had a lengthy discussion with Faruque and Prince (the other two selectors) as well. We felt he needs a little bit of rest,' said Athar.
   Athar recalled the experience of Mohammad Ashraful a couple of years back when he was left out after playing badly on the Pakistan tour.
   'He (Ashraful) managed to come back strongly soon. We hope Nafees will also come back and come back with big confidence,' and said the former national opener.
   Athar also defended the selection of Syed Russel, the only uncapped player in the 15-member squad. 'We were looking for a player who could come and give a different look to the Bangladesh team. We did not have a left-arm seamer for a long time. We sent him to Australia, got a very good report on him. He has proved more than once that he is capable of bowling some very good spells with the Bangladesh team,' said Athar.
   Replying to a query about the selection of Abdur Razzak ahead of Enamul Haque junior, Athar said they felt the later would be more suitable for the Tests. Razzak had been very good in one-dayers before his bowling action was called into question. Now he has rectified it and is also playing well.
   Enamul will join up with the Test squad along with three other players after the one-day series. As the selectors have not yet named the players who will make way for them, Athar was reluctant to name them though the chance of Tushar Imran to make the Test squad brightened.
   Tushar scored two centuries in the longer version for the A team on the ongoing tour of England and also played a blistering 70-run innings on Thursday against Surrey. 'I don't know whether it is good enough to get into the Test team as we are yet to decide it,' said the grumpy selector.

England (195/2) against Australia at tea, day 1
   Australia's Shane Warne became the first man to take 600 Test wickets on Thursday but England reached 195 for two at tea on the first day of the third Test at Old Trafford.
   The leg spinner, brought on after lunch on the first day, dismissed Marcus Trescothick for 63, caught behind by Adam Gilchrist off an attempted sweep.
   The crowd rose to give Warne a standing ovation as his team mates congratulated him. The 35-year-old Warne saluted back by holding the ball above his head.
   England, however, remained well placed against the world champions after opting to bat, with Michael Vaughan on 93 not out at the break, having hit 11 fours, and Ian Bell on 14.
   Vaughan, who put on 137 for the second wicket with Trescothick, looked in fine touch for the first time in the series, striking the ball beautifully off the back foot in particular.
   He had more than his fair share of luck, though.
   He was dropped off opening bowler Glenn McGrath, a surprise selection following an ankle injury, on 41 and bowled next delivery by a no-ball.
   No batsman has yet scored a century in the five-match series, which stands at 1-1 after Australia were beaten by two runs at Edgbaston last week.
   The 600th wicket, in the 42nd over of the innings and Warne's fifth, also involved some luck, the ball appearing to hit the left-handed Trescothick's pad, glove and bat before bouncing up off wicketkeeper Gilchrist's thigh.
   The day had begun with fast bowler McGrath in the spotlight as he was declared fit just before the toss after missing the second Test with an ankle problem.
   He looked as good as ever on Thursday but had no luck at all.
   His second ball, timed at 87mph, spat up and flew over the slips for four off Trescothick's gloves.
   Trescothick, beaten repeatedly, should have been out to McGrath again on 13 but Gilchrist stuck out one hand when he might have got two to the chance and spilled it.
   Lee was causing as much trouble at the other end.
   Andrew Strauss pulled too early at a 95 mph lifter and took a blow just under his jaw line. He had not added to his six runs when he played too early at a finely disguised slower ball from Lee in the next over and was yorked, giving the bowler his 150th Test wicket.
   England were 26 for one but Vaughan marched in and looked in immediate touch, turning the ball off his legs with aplomb and driving immaculately off the back foot.

BKSP Red team won the North Bengal CA 3rd BKSP Cup International Under-18 Hockey tournament for the third time beating Punjab National Bank Academy by 7-5 goals in an exciting final at the BKSP field on Thursday.
   Mamun Scored two goals for the winners.
   Earlier, Bangladesh Hockey Federation Red team defeated BHF Green team easily by 5-1 goals to secure the third position.
   Zahid scored two goals when Asif-e-Noor, Rubel, Mamun and Rahat scored one-a-piece for the winners. Rubed scored the only consolation goal for the BHF Green team.
   The State Minister for Youth and Sports, Fazlur Rahman, enjoyed the final match as chief guest and distributed the prizes among the winners.
   President of the Bangladesh Hockey Federation, Air Vice Marshal Fakhrul Azam, the former director of BKSP, MA Latif Khan, secretary of youth and sports ministry Sujauddin Ahmed, the president of Myanmar Hockey Federation Brig Gen Myo Myint, were present at the presentation ceremonies along with some foreign diplomats from India, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

Dhaka football arena returned to its usual characteristics of mud-slinging at each other with the accusation of playing fixed matches. Mohammedans, Abahani and Sheikh Russell accused Brothers Union of playing fixed matches that intensified only after the orange outfit replaced Mohammedans at the top of the league table.
   Mohammedans, who are now trailing Brothers Union by three points with 32, alleged Brothers Union have resorted to unfair means to climb to the top. The allegation brewed up after Mohammedans was toppled from the top and if Brothers Union were in the second position the chance of raising this allegation might have been very slim.
   The three clubs submitted a memorandum to the President of the Bangladesh Football Federation urging him to taking proper steps regarding the fixed matches played by Brothers Union. Brothers Union will express their views at a press briefing today while Youngmen’s Fakirerpool have already denied any foul-play with Brothers Union. The three clubs also threatened to boycott the league if appropriate measures are not taken and they gave a one-day ultimatum.
   However, the president of BFF, a ruling party lawmaker from Chandpur, was in his constituency and nobody in the federation was ready to make any comment. The general secretary is now in Kuala Lumpur to attend an AFC meeting. So the one-day ultimatum went without any feedback from the BFF. Mozammel Huq Mukta, the secretary of the Metropolis Football League Committee, said they do not have any device to prove a fixed match and they will clarify their stance after a meeting today.
   However, Mohammedans will wait until their next game on Saturday. Moshtaqur Rahman, the additional general secretary of the club, did not rule out taking the field. ‘We have demanded a probe into the four fixed matches played in the league and penalise the guilty teams. We will see what the BFF and the league committee do regarding our objection, we firmly believe that fixed matches have taken place and the ruling body has to do something,’ said Moshtaq.
   Nurul Alam Chowdhury, the president of Sheikh Russell, also echoed the same views. ‘We have to protest against any unfair means in the game and we are just doing that,’ commented Alam.
   Within the ten Premier Division football clubs there are two unofficial syndicates. All the clubs are run by influential ruling party leaders though they remain behind the curtain. Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka is involved with three clubs – Farashganj, Wanderers and Brothers Union – while communications minister Nazmul Huda is the chairman of the governing body of Mohammedans and Mossadek Ali MP is the president of the club. Arambagh are headed by ruling a party commissioner. The personality clash among these officials and the federation officials might have a role in stoking the controversies.

The inaugural one-day series between Asia and Africa to be held in South Africa later this month has been marred by the withdrawal of leading players.
   A week after Pakistan’s Rana Naved-ul Hasan dropped out of the Asia team due to his commitments with English county Sussex, seamers Chaminda Vaas of Sri Lanka and Irfan Pathan of India withdrew on Thursday due to injuries.
   Vaas and Pathan were injured during the recent tri-series in Sri Lanka although both took part in Tuesday’s final in which Sri Lanka defeated India by 18 runs.
   ‘Vaas and Pathan have been advised to rest,’ an Asian Cricket Council (ACC) official said, adding that India’s Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra were the likely replacements.
   ‘An announcement will be made in due course.’
   The made-for-television series, granted official status by the International Cricket Council, will be played in Centurion near Pretoria on August 17 and in Durban on August 20 and 21.
   The African team, already missing fast bowler Makhaya Ntini because he prefers to play for English county Warwickshire, also lost South African Albie Morkel and Zimbabwe’s Andy Blignaut because of injuries.
   The duo will be replaced by only one player, South African all-rounder Justin Kemp.
   ‘Naturally, losing players of the calibre of Irfan, Chaminda, Albie and Andy is a big blow, but we are fortunate to have enormous depth in both squads,’ African official Cassim Suliman said in a statement.
   ‘We are confident still that we shall be able to stage a memorable tournament.’
   Six days before the start of the series there is no word on the title sponsor although an Indian motorcycle company signed up to sponsor the Asia team.

A combined effort from the top-orders kept Bangladesh A team on fighting track against Surrey on the second day of the three-day match at the Brit Oval in London on Thursday.
   The touring side scored 322 runs in 80.3 overs at tea and were still trailing by 14 runs with two wickets remaining in the 1st innings.
   Talha Jubair was not out on 37.
   In-form Tushar Imran hit highest 70 off just 71 balls for Bangladesh in the first innings when he got well support from the others. Tushar struck 10 magnificent boundaries along with two huge sixes.
   Captain Shahriar Nafees scored exactly 50 to build up a 50-run opening partnership with Mehrab Hossain Junior (22). The captain was very watchful and took 76 balls to produce his fine half century.
   Later, Nazimuddin (53), Alok Kaplai (41) Syed Russel (33)
   also showed some nerves facing a strong Surrey bowling line-up.
   Surely Saqlain Mushtaq, one of the great Pakistani off-spinners, led the bowling attack for the county team. He took three wickets giving away 82 runs from 28.3 overs.
   Surrey batsmen dominated the first day to score a massive 336 runs for five before declaring their innings.
   Hodd (57) and Salisbury (59) added two more half centuries after the magnificent 124-run innings of Benning.
   Bangladesh had scored 45 without loss in 14 overs at stumps on the first day with Nafees and Mehrab remaining not out on 19 and 21 runs respectively.

The election commission for the Bangladesh Cricket Board retained Ahmed Sazzadul Alam as the councillor of Abahani after his challenger Jalal Younus failed to show any document in support of his claim.
   The commission, however, accepted four more objections on Thursday replacing the councillors of Manikganj, Khulna and Rangpur besides declaring the councillorship of Madaripur null and void. The general secretaries of Rangpur and Manikganj district sports associations, Abdul Gafur and Sultanul Azam Khan, have now become the councillors of their respective DSAs replacing Mohammad Mazaffar and Advocate Jamilur Rashid Chowdhury.
   SM Asaduzzaman Murad has become the councillor of Khulna in place of SM Mofizul Islam. The commission declared the councillorship of Golam Kabir of Madaripur district illegal but none could show any valid document to replace him. Hence, Madaripur lost their voting right in the election. The number of voters in the election, scheduled to be held on August 27, has now come down to 164. The commission also declared the councillorship of Chittagong invalid a day earlier.

Sourav Ganguly’s future as Indian cricket captain will be decided today when the selectors announce their choice for the tour of Zimbabwe and possibly the rest of the season.
   Ganguly, India’s most successful Test captain with 19 wins, was replaced by his long-time deputy Rahul Dravid for the recent tri-series in Sri Lanka as he served out an International Cricket Council (ICC)-imposed ban for slow over-rates.
   Under Dravid, India defeated the second-string West Indies twice but lost three straight matches to the hosts, including Tuesday’s day-night final by 18 runs at the Premadasa stadium in Colombo.
   With the ban behind him, Ganguly would have been considered a certainty to regain the captaincy for this month’s Zimbabwe tour which includes a tri-series also featuring New Zealand and two Tests against the lowly-rated hosts.
   But the left-hander’s poor form with the bat, which has fetched him just 927 runs in the last 20 Test matches, has raised speculation that Dravid may get a longer term under new coach Greg Chappell.
   Dravid, the reigning ICC cricketer of the year, is India’s batting star with 2,082 runs in the last 20 Tests at an average of 74.35 which has lifted his team to number three in the ICC’s Test rankings.
   One of the five selectors said he was backing Ganguly.
   ‘Sourav is a a proven leader of men,’ the selector told AFP on condition of anonymity. ‘He was the captain before the ban and should get it back. But I am only speaking for myself. I don’t know what the others think.’
   Ganguly himself would not be drawn on the question.
   ‘I am neither wanting, nor not wanting the captaincy,’ he told the Calcutta-based Telegraph newspaper. ‘I believe in destiny and whatever is destined will happen.’
   Asked to comment on Dravid’s leadership in Sri Lanka, Ganguly said: ‘Anything I say may be taken out of context. Therefore, I would not like to comment.’
   Both Ganguly, 33, and Dravid, 32, made spectacular Test debuts together against England at Lord’s in 1996 with the left-hander stroking a fluent 131 and Dravid falling short of a century by five runs.
   Ganguly was made captain in 2000, with Dravid as his deputy, when Sachin Tendulkar stepped down as skipper reportedly due to a disagreement over team selection.
   A tough and uncompromising captain, Ganguly has provided Indian cricket with some of its finest moments like the come-from-behind 2-1 series win at home over world champions Australia in 2001, a place in the World Cup final in 2003 and maiden Test and one-day series wins in Pakistan in 2004.
   His 144 against Australia in the first Test in Brisbane inspired India to a creditable 1-1 draw in the away series against Steve Waugh’s champions in 2003-04.
   That brilliant century, however, was Ganguly’s last at the international level as his batting form deserted him.
   Worse was to come as he was hauled up by match referees for slow over-rates and forced to make way for Dravid in the last two one-dayers against Pakistan in April and the Sri Lankan tri-series.
   Dravid had also led India in five Tests when Ganguly was injured, winning two and losing two while one was drawn.
   Ganguly’s one-day captaincy record is 73-63 in 141 matches with five no results. Dravid has 7-9 from 17 games with one no-result.
   Ganguly has scored 4,949 runs in 82 Tests at an average of 40.90 with 11 centuries. In 274 one-dayers, he has 10,046 runs with 22 hundreds.
   In contrast, Dravid aggregates 7,696 runs in 89 Tests at 57.86 with 20 centuries. In 257 one-dayers, he has 8,319 runs with 10 hundreds.
   India’s engagements till May include hosting Sri Lanka, South Africa and England and tours of Pakistan and the West Indies.

The West Indies will play an extra Test in New Zealand early next year after the cancellation of Zimbabwe’s tour in December, New Zealand Cricket said Thursday.
   Zimbabwe’s return visit after New Zealand’s tour had to be cancelled because the New Zealand government refused to issue visas to the team in protest at human rights abuses by President Robert Mugabe’s government.
   The West Indies was originally to have played two Tests in March but a third has been added to help make up the shortfall in revenue from the cancelled Zimbabwe tour, the cricket board said.
   ‘Attempts to replace the cancelled Zimbabwe tour have been partially successful,’ chief executive Martin Snedden said.
   ‘The West Indies cricket board has agreed to a third Test match which will assist us to mitigate any potential losses from the cancelled tour.’
   The West Indies arrives in February for the tour which will also include a Twenty20 match and five one-day matches.
   The first Test, on March 9-13 at Auckland’s Eden Park, will mark the 50th anniversary of New Zealand’s first Test victory, which was against the West Indies at the same ground.
   ‘We expect this anniversary to be a very special occasion for cricket in New Zealand and will be appropriately celebrated at that time,’ Snedden said.
   New Zealand’s home international season begins in December with a three-match one-day series against Australia.
   Sri Lanka will play four one-dayers in late December and early January after the rescheduling of matches from a year earlier. Sri Lanka returned home early in January after the Boxing Day tsunami, which devastated their country and other regions in Asia.
   Zimbabwe unaware of tour cancellation
   Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has not been informed of the apparent cancellation of its team’s tour to New Zealand in December, an official said on Thursday.
   New Zealand Cricket chief executive Martin Snedden said earlier on Thursday: ‘Attempts to replace the cancelled Zimbabwe tour have been partially successful.
   ‘The West Indies Cricket Board has agreed to a third Test match which will assist us to mitigate any potential losses from the cancelled tour.’
   But ZC press officer Lovemore Banda said: ‘ZC has not been informed of this by NZC and therefore we cannot respond.’
   Zimbabwe’s tour was put in jeopardy when the New Zealand government said it would not issue visas to the visitors because of the poor human rights record of president Robert Mugabe’s government.
   As a result New Zealand decided to add an extra Test against West Indies next year.
   New Zealand were originally due to host West Indies in two Tests next March but have reached an agreement to play a three-Test series.

Zimbabwe will stick to the same batting line-up that crashed twice in one day in the first Test, according to Macsood Ebrahim, the convener of selectors. But the bowlers might be replaced, for he felt that they did not stick to their task.
   Speaking to the Zimbabwe Herald, Ebrahim said, ‘We were expecting the back-up bowlers to keep pressure on the New Zealand batsmen but Chris Mpofu and Creamer were a big let down.
   ‘They bowled the wrong line and too short and this allowed New Zealand to make 400.’
   However, the batsmen, who failed dismally for 59 and 99 (eight of the 20 batsmen to fall scored ducks), would not be replaced because there were no alternatives.
   ‘I don’t think there is anything we can do about the batting because, to be honest, what we had for the first Test is the best batting line-up we could come up with, something that we based on performances for Zimbabwe A against Pakistan A and also the Logan Cup.
   ‘When we selected the team I thought we had come up with the second-best Test batting line-up since the days when we had the likes of Andy and Grant Flower, Neil Johnson and Murray Goodwin in the same team some years back.
   ‘So it was very disappointing to see them perform so badly. We expected at least 300 in the first innings, which would have been acceptable.’
   He supported Tatenda Taibu’s decision to bowl first because the pitch favoured seam movement, which the bowlers utilized first-up, but from then on things rapidly disintegrated for Zimbabwe.
   ‘I thought the decision by Taibu to bowl first was an excellent one because the conditions on Sunday morning favoured seam bowlers and the wicket looked best for batting from Day Two onwards.
   ‘Blessing (Mahwire) and (Heath) Streak bowled beautifully in the first session and even the fielding looked very sharp.
   ‘But things got horrendous in the last two sessions.’

Pakistan’s English coach Bob Woolmer wants a full-strength England side to tour Pakistan later this year for a Test and one-day series.
   England are due to play three Tests and five one-day internationals from October 26 but have refused to play a Test in the southern city of Karachi for security reasons.
   There are fears some leading English players might opt out of the tour because of safety concerns.
   ‘I would encourage the England side to come in full strength to Pakistan because this is a good place to come,’ Woolmer said on Thursday.
   ‘But if some players don’t come it would be purely an individual decision,’ he said.
   ‘They are people who think Pakistan is close to the crisis point in the Gulf and they have their fears.’
   A representative of the English players association visited Pakistan last month to meet Pakistan Cricket Board officials for talks on security and other arrangements for the tour.
   Woolmer, who played 19 Tests for England, said he was expecting a closely fought series against England and he would like to see pitches that last for five days.
   ‘The bounce is the key to a good Test pitch.’
   Woolmer, who has been Pakistan coach since June 2004, singled out Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen as two players Pakistan would be keeping a close eye on.
   ‘Like all good players these two will always be a danger to the opposition.
   ‘We will have to work on them.
   ‘But in the end we have to concentrate more on how we play well rather than how they play,’ he said.
   England last toured Pakistan in 2000 winning the Test series after victory in the final match in Karachi.

Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova continued her poor run of form in the build up to the defence of her US Open title, falling 6-4, 6-4 to Greece’s Eleni Daniilidou in the second round of JP Morgan Chase Open on Wednesday.
   While the second seed remained mired in worrying slump, her compatriots prospered, with number three Elena Dementieva easing past Australia’s Samantha Stosur 6-4, 6-3 and fourth seed Nadia Petrova crushing American wild card Jill Craybas 6-3, 6-1.
   Further down the Russian pecking order, 12th seed Dinara Safina overcame Japanese qualifier Rika Fujiwara 6-2, 7-5, while 16th seed Anna Chakvetadze outlasted Iveta Benesova 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.
   Kim Clijsters enjoyed a happy return to the place where she gained the number one ranking two years ago with a 6-2, 6-1 drubbing of an erratic Karolina Sprem of Croatia. The fifth-seeded Clijsters has only lost one match on US hard courts this year, that coming against China’s Shuai Peng in San Diego last week.
   Looking strong for a tilt at the US Open starting on August 29, the 22-year-old Belgian has won hard court titles at Indian Wells, Miami and Stanford.
   Chakvetadze’s victory earned the world number 31 a third round encounter against compatriot and top seed Maria Sharapova, who is two wins away from taking over the number one ranking.
   Petrova, who suffered an elbow injury in San Diego last week, was briefly distracted by a spectator chatting on a mobile phone inside the stadium, but quickly regained her composure to dominate Craybas.
   Earlier in the day, six seeded Frenchwoman Mary Pierce withdrew from the tournament with a right thigh strain. Other seeded winners included number nine Daniela Hantuchova and number 13 Francesca Schiavone of Italy, while Spain’s Conchita Martinez upset number 14 Gisela Dulko of Argentina 6-4, 6-2.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and Arsenal defender Ashley Cole lost their appeals over the ‘tapping up’ affair on Wednesday but had their fines cut to 75,000 pounds ($134,700) each.
   Mourinho was fined 200,000 pounds ($356,900) in June for his part in an illegal approach to Cole.
   Chelsea were also fined 300,000 pounds and Cole 100,000 pounds after all three parties had been found guilty of breaking Premier League rules by attending a meeting at a London hotel on January 27.

Sri Lankan media on Wednesday celebrated the country’s limited-overs tri-series cricket victory over India, saying the home team has become ‘masters of strangulation.’
   India was restricted to 263 for nine wickets in tournament final on Tuesday after the home team amassed an imposing 281 runs. The West Indies won just one preliminary match.
   ‘India’s gamble in sacrificing a batsman for a bowler weighed heavily on them especially chasing a total of immense proportions as set by Sri Lanka,’ the state-run Daily News said.
   ‘Sri Lanka once again emphasized that they are the masters of strangulation when they gradually cut off India’s air supply to win the IndianOil Cup,’ the newspaper said.
   ‘The Indian fielding and catching left a lot to be desired.’ The independent Island newspaper praised Indian opener Virender Sehwag for his quickfire 48, but said India ‘once again showed their vulnerability in finals and return home without a single win against the hosts (Sri Lanka) in three attempts.’

Test understudy wicket-keeper Brad Haddin will lead a 14-man Australia A squad on a five-game tour to Pakistan next month, Cricket Australia said Thursday.
   The squad contains four members currently with the Australian Ashes squad in England—Haddin, batsman Brad Hodges, pacemen Shaun Tait and Stuart Clark.
   Australia A: Brad Haddin (capt), Michael Hussey, Nathan Bracken, Stuart Clark, Daniel Cullen, Brad Hodge, James Hopes, Phil Jaques, Michael Lewis, Marcus North, Shaun Tait, Dominic Thornely, Shane Watson, Cameron White.

Tonique Williams-Darling of the Bahamas won the women’s 400 metres title here at the world athletics championships on Wednesday.
   The 29-year-old Olympic champion timed 49.55 seconds ahead of America’s Sanya Richards (49.74sec) while reigning champion Ana Guevara of Mexico took bronze in 49.81sec.
   Richards had set the pace early on but ran out of steam in the home straight.
   Tianna Madison of the United States won the women’s long jump title here at the world athletics championships on Wednesday.
   The 19-year-old made a best jump of 6.89 metres with Olympic bronze medallist Tatyana Kotova of Russia taking silver (6.79m) and reigning champion Eunice Barber, of France, the bronze (6.76m).
   Canada’s 2003 world champion Perdita Felicien failed to defend her title as she exited in the 100 metres hurdles semi-finals here on Wednesday.
   The 24-year-old finished outside the first two in her semi-final and her time was not good enough to get her one of the two fastest losers spots.
   It is the second successive disappointment for Felicien following her fall in the Olympic final last year.
   The final here could turn out to be a duel between Jamaica and the United States for the title.
   Veteran Jamaican Brigitte Foster-Hylton recorded the fastest time (12.65 seconds) as she seeks to improve on her silver in the 2003 championships while America’s Olympic champion Joanna Hayes was second fastest.
   American Bryan Clay won the men’s decathlon title here at the world athletics championships on Wednesday.
   The 25-year-old Olympic silver medallist accumulated 8732 points - the best in the world this year - while Olympic champion Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic took silver with 8521 and Attila Zsivockzy of Hungary the bronze on 8385 points.
   Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain won the men’s 1500 metres title here at the world athletics championships on Wednesday to give the Gulf State its first world title and first ever medal at such an exalted level.
   The 25-year-old Moroccan-born athlete timed 3minutes 37.88seconds while Adil Kaouch of Morocco took silver (3:38.00) - his season’s best - and Olympic bronze medallist Rui Silva of Portugal finished third (3:38.02).
   However, despite even the atrocious weather, the final did not suggest that the natural successor to four-time Hicham El Guerrouj - Ramzi’s former compatriot - has been discovered.

Top seed Rafael Nadal of Spain eased to a 6-1, 6-2 victory over Brazil’s Ricardo Mello in the second round of a rain-affected Montreal Masters on Wednesday.
   The world number two made quick work of Mello after waiting out the rain, which caused the schedule to be backed up throughout the day, with matches going on until late in the evening.
   The 19-year-old French Open champion delighted the crowd with his fist-thumping enthusiasm as he dominated his over-matched opponent to set up a third round encounter against Sebastien Grosjean.
   The Frenchman advanced with a 7-6, 6-3 victory over countryman Richard Gasquet.
   In other matches, three-time Montreal Masters champion Andre Agassi moved on to the third round with a 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 win over Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden.
   Kiefer moved with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over American Taylor Dent.
   Montreal-born Greg Rudeski, now of Britain, overcame a stubborn Max Mirnyi of Belarus 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 in the afternoon session, which was twice halted by rain.
   Fifth-seeded Nikolav Davydenko of Russia had his hands full with 19-year-old Tomas Berdvch of the Czech Republic before finally winning 5-7, 6-1, 6-3, while sixth-seeded Gaston Gaudio of Argentina stooped Denmark’s Kenneth Carlsen 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.
   Olivier Rochus of Belgium moved on when Sweden’s Robin Soderling retired with a right ankle injury with Rochus leading 6-2, 6-7, 5-2.

Two Brazilians called Adriano made their mark on Champions League qualifying on Wednesday.
   The famed Brazil international laid on one goal and scored the other for Inter Milan in their 2-0 away win over Shakhtar Donetsk in the first leg of their third qualifying round tie in Ukraine.
    The much less well known Adriano Pimenta scored for Swiss side Thun, who took another step in their remarkable rise to a possible place in the lucrative group stage with an upset 1-0 away win over Malmo.
   Title holders Liverpool also won but Sporting, losing finalists in the UEFA Cup three months ago, were upset 1-0 at home by modest Italian side Udinese, who scored from a first half penalty through Vincenzo Iaquinta.
   Liverpool, forced to play all three qualifying rounds after finishing only fifth in the
   Premier League, won 3-1 against CSKA Sofia in Bulgaria with
   two goals from Fernando Morientes after Djibril Cisse had opened the scoring in the 26th minute.
   Morientes increased the lead just after the half hour with a header from a free kick by captain Steven Gerrard, who laid on all three Liverpool goals.
   The Spanish international restored Liverpool’s two-goal advantage in the 58th minute after Velizar Dimitrov had
   pulled one back for the Bulgarian champions in first half stoppage time.
   However, the end of the match was marred when Cisse appeared to be targeted for racial abuse by a few CSKA supporters, who were heard to shout monkey noises.
   ‘Always it is a pity to hear such things, but the UEFA official has heard and it has gone in his report,’ Liverpool coach Rafael Benitez told a news conference.
   ‘We’ve done a good job as a team in defence and played compact football. In the end, it was a good result,’ he added.
   In Donetsk, striker Obafemi Martins put Inter ahead in the 67th minute from a back-heeled pass by Adriano, who 11
   minutes later headed home a high cross from substitute Ze Maria.
   ‘Inter were much better organised, with better tactics and more experience at European level,’ Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu said.
   In Malmo, midfielder Adriano scored in the 34th minute for Thun, promoted to the Swiss
   top flight as recently as 2002, firing home from the edge of the box.
   Malmo, European Cup finalists in 1979, hit the woodwork through teenager Mattias Asper but did however provide one of Ajax’s scorers in their 2-2 draw with Brondby.
   Swede Markus Rosenberg, who was born in Malmo 24 years ago and played for the club, struck after half an hour of his Ajax debut to put the Dutch side one up.
   After a first-half equaliser by Morten Skoubo and a second Ajax goal by Ryan Babel, the Danish side levelled the tie three minutes into stoppage time through Martin Retov, whose shot took a deflection and deceived keeper Hans Vonk.
   ‘2-2 is a fair result. Maybe Brondby deserved more...The late goal was very important for Brondby and it leaves the second leg in Amsterdam open,’ said Ajax coach Danny Blind.
   In other matches on Wednesday, Anderlecht beat Slavia Prague 2-1 and Basel overcame Werder Bremen by the same score. There were three draws.
   Steaua Bucharest were held 1-1 at home by Rosenborg Trondheim and Artmedia Bratislava, who eliminated Celtic in the previous round, drew 0-0 at home with Partizan Belgrade while Rapid Vienna and Lokomotiv Moscow finished 1-1 in Austria.
   Manchester United, Villarreal, Rangers, Real Betis, Wisla Krakow and Valerenga won the six first leg matches played on Tuesday.

At first, it all seemed a bit unusual. An Australian cricket coach revealing Sir Alex Ferguson’s deepest thoughts on Michael Owen? But when it emerges that John Buchanan was in Manchester before the third Ashes Test at the cricket version of Old Trafford and had just toured United’s training facilities, the picture becomes a little clearer. And all the more intriguing.
   ‘He talked a little bit about Michael Owen and he doesn’t really see his style of play fitting in with Man United, and that’s one of the reasons they’re not going for him,’ Buchanan revealed on Wednesday, in the kind of scoop that might have a few newspapers beating down his door with freelance offers.
   ‘There was an interesting article in the paper ... about those types of players who, when they look back on their career, haven’t really given themselves the opportunity to play as much football as they could have done, simply because of where they’ve positioned themselves at various clubs.
   ‘He feels that he could drop his price or at least make sure that he just gets out and plays rather than sitting, as he is, as a fifth-choice striker at Real Madrid.’
   Though his meeting with Ferguson may have proved enlightening to Owen’s agents, Buchanan’s true purpose for touring United’s training grounds on Wednesday was in keeping with his reputation as a tireless innovator.
   From academy set-ups to the issue of player fatigue, from training regimes to staffing, Buchanan used the unique opportunity to discuss a range of topics with Ferguson, whom he greatly admires. The Australian coach is also hopeful of arranging a similar meeting with Sir Clive Woodward before the end of the Ashes series, and plans to tour several US major league baseball clubs before the next World Cup.
   ‘I think they’ve got something like 17 pitches there and one designated for every team from under six and upwards,’ Buchanan said of United. ‘It’s an incredible infrastructure. They have 20-21 players and play anywhere between 60 and 70 games in a season. They look at rotating their players through that, their midfield and their front guys - the guys that have to do a lot of running.
   ‘That’s part of their whole selection process. On top of that they’ve got 28 support staff from coaches to physios to nutritionists and doctors. We’ve had an opportunity to look at one of the highest-profile clubs in the world.
   ‘Obviously we don’t have those resources of money, but we can certainly understand the principles and the concepts behind that and look towards adapting that for our centre of excellence and the way we prepare our team.’
   Ferguson, Buchanan added, even regaled the Australian contingent with his very own cricketing story. Somewhat odd for a Scotsman.
   ‘Cricket’s not his game,’ Buchanan said. ‘[But] he did relate a story about a young Phil Neville, who came to him as a 14-year-old, stood in front of him and said to him: ‘I’m not sure whether I want to be a footballer or a cricketer.’
   ‘In his broad Scottish accent - which we gradually interpreted after a while - [he told us] he couldn’t get over what this kid was actually telling him; he thought he was having him on. How can you take a cricket contract over a football contract? Needless to say, Phil Neville never played cricket.’

Manchester United youngsters Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo are set to dominate world football according to their strike partner at Old Trafford Ruud van Nistelrooy.
   At 29, van Nistelrooy is by far the elder statesman in an attacking trio Sir Alex Ferguson hopes will steer his side back
   to the English Premier ship title.
   And there were encouraging signs as all three men found the target in United's 3-0 win over Debrecen on Tuesday, a result which all but ensures the Old Trafford men their customary place in the Champions League group stages.
   With 37 goals in 40 European games and 127 overall for the Red Devils since his transfer from PSV Eindhoven four
   years ago, van Nistelrooy has already propelled himself into the list of all-time United greats.
   But, after getting a unique view of the talent Rooney and Ronaldo possess, the prolific Dutchman has no hesitation in predicting his young team-mates will hit even greater heights if they keep progressing at the present rate.
   'In a few years, those two will be dominating world football,' said van Nistelrooy in an exclusive MUTV phone-in.
   'They have such incredible quality.
   hey are ahead of anyone in their world in their age group.
   'Not only have they performed at the highest level domestically, they have also done it for their countries as well.'
   All three men were stand-out performers during Euro 2004 and will expect to have the same impact during next summer's World Cup.
   And for van Nistelrooy, the amazement comes not from what Rooney and Ronaldo have done but, at just 19 and 20 respectively, what they still have the time to do.
   'They are so young, there is so much more time for them to improve,' he said.

German national coach Jurgen Klinsmann has decided to keep goalkeeping rivals Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann apart for the next six warm-up matches to prevent further friction building up ahead of the 2006 World Cup.
   During the Confederations Cup Bayern Munich custodian Kahn and Arsenal goalkeeper Lehmann looked agitated when warming the substitutes’ bench and Klinsmann has decided it best to only include either goalkeeper if they are certain to start the match.
   The 36-year-old Kahn will be in goal for the friendly match against the Netherlands in Rotterdam next Wednesday and the subsequent warm-up matches against Turkey and China on October 8 and 12.
   Lehmann will then take centre stage for the Slovakia friendly on September 3 before facing South Africa nine days later and France on November 12.
   VfB Stuttgart glovesman Timo Hildebrand will be the back-up goalkeeper for all six friendly matches leaving Kahn and Lehmann free to concentrate on their club duties.
   Klinsmann’s decision to constantly rotate his goalkeepers ahead of the 2006 World Cup on home soil has prompted criticism from certain quarters, but he has stuck by his policy and vowed not to announce his first choice custodian until shortly before the tournament.
   The domestic media have turned the goalkeeping duel into a soap opera with Kahn and Lehmann heightening the drama by criticising each other in newspaper interviews.

Manchester United are set to capture Brazilian sensation Cicinho after the defender flew into the country for talks on Wednesday.
   The 25-year-old right-back was the discovery of Brazil's Confederations Cup-winning side in June.
   Both AC Milan and Juventus had been tracking the South American, who has a release clause of just under £8million in his contract at Sao Paulo.
   But on Wednesday it appeared the defender was heading towards Old Trafford after he jetted into Manchester on a
   private plane for talks with United.
   Signing the full-back would be a huge coup for boss Sir Alex Ferguson as he looks to
   haul United back into championship contention after they finished 18 points behind Chelsea last term.
   It would also be proof that the Glazer family is willing to fund Fergie heavily in the transfer market.
   Cicinho, full name Cicero Joao De Cezare, had been earmarked by Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira to take over from ageing skipper Cafu next summer and Milan and Juventus were convinced they were in a two-way fight for his services.
   Cicinho flew to Italy last weekend seeking to find proof that his grandfather was Italian, meaning he would qualify automatically for a European Union passport. That search is believed to have been successful, meaning that he will be able to sign for any club without the need for a work permit.
   Milan and Juve believe they have been outfoxed by United, who are willing to offer more cash and a four-year deal to get their man.
   Talks are expected to continue today and United are hopeful he could become their third major signing of the summer after the arrivals of Edwin Van der Sar and Korean Park Ji-Sung.
   Cicinho's arrival will put a question mark over Gary Neville's automatic place in the United team, although
   the England right-back can also fill in at the heart of the back-line.

The German Football Federation (DFB) want Turkey’s Under-17 international prodigy Nuri
   Sahin to play for their national team.
   Last Saturday Borussia Dortmund midfielder Sahin became the youngest player to grace the Bundesliga at the age of 16 years and 335 days and
   that has put Germany on red alert.
   ‘We would like to invite Nuri Sahin to a training course with us,’ declared DFB president Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder.
   ‘The main condition for this is that he wants to play for Germany. He grew up in Germany and learnt to play football here so why should he not play for Germany?’
   Sahin was born in the small West German city of Luedenscheid but played for Turkey as they won the recent Under-17 European championship.
   ‘I was actually born in Germany but feel more Turkish,’ said Sahin.
   But if Sahin obtains German citizenship before his 21st birthday and does not represent Turkey at full international level, he would be permitted to choose between the two nations.
   Germany have not been afraid of capping players from mixed backgrounds with many of Jurgen Klinsmann’s team born abroad.
   Schalke 04 marksman Kevin Kuranyi was born in Rio and grew up in Brazil while
   Gerald Asamoah was born in Ghana.
   While Sahin’s international future is being debated top European clubs are trying to influence his club career.
   Premiership giants Arsenal recently had a 2.8 million euro bid for the teenager turned down by cash-strapped Dortmund.

Brazilian soccer legend Pele will be the guest of honour in the new television program of ex-soccer star of Argentina, Diego Armando Maradona on Monday, local press said Wednesday.
   ‘The King in the night of God,’ reads an advertisement published on the main dailies of Buenos Aires, which promotes the reunion of two of the best soccer players in history.
   Local press said that the program hosted by Maradona and former goalkeeper of the Argentine national soccer team Sergio Goycochea will also be graced by ex-Argentine star Gabriel Batistuta, the top scorer in the history of his country’s national team, ex-tennis star Gabriela Sabatini and Italian actress Maria Grazia Cucinotta.
   In spite of public polemics of last years, Pele will meet Maradona again, as was the case in the tribute match dedicated to Maradona in late-2001 at Boca Juniors Stadium.
   In addition to interviews, the programme will have entertainment, with a scheduled time for the start of the show, but not for its end.
   Sources of Channel 13 through which Maradona’s show ‘La Noche del 10’ will be aired say the former skipper of the national soccer team could also invite pop music personalities like Bono or Mick Jagger, the leaders of U2 and Rolling Stones, respectively.

Barcelona striker Ronaldinho will be appointed Sunday as the United Nations’ Ambassador against Hunger, announced Wednesday the World Food Program (WFP) of UN.
   John Powell, Deputy Executive Director of WFP, said that Ronaldinho ‘will utilise his talent and fame to support the World Food Program of the United Nations in its effort to eradicate hunger among children, which currently affects 300 millions of them around the world.’
   WFP is the biggest humanitarian assistance agency of the world. Each year it delivers food to an average of 90 million poor people so they could meet their basic nutritional needs.
   This figure includes 56 million children suffering from hunger in at least 80 of the poorest countries and regions of the world.

Zinedine Zidane's shock return to international football was made official on Thursday when the Real Madrid star's name appeared in the France squad for next week's friendly against Cote d'Ivoire.
   Chelsea's Claude Makelele and Lilian Thuram (Juventus) - two other heavyweights lured out of retirement to help kickstart France's stuttering World Cup qualifying campaign - also figured in the list made public by coach Raymond Domenech.
   Last week Zidane thrilled his supporters by announcing his comeback just months after categorically ruling out a return to the international fray.
   The 33-year-old, who has 93 caps and 26 goals for Les Bleus, later disclosed that a visit by a mysterious apparition had helped him make up his mind.
   Zidane inspired France to the 1998 World Cup win, scoring twice in the final against Brazil.
   The veteran playmaker announced his initial retirement from the France team after their failed bid to win last year's European Championships in Portugal.
   France, lying fourth in their World Cup qualifying group, warm up for their latest batch of qualifiers for Germany 2006 against Cote d'Ivoire in Montpellier next Wednesday.

Argentinian striker Hernan Crespo is back for a second spell at Chelsea and says he is determined to finally win a league title after four near misses.
   Crespo spent last season at loan to AC Milan who narrowly lost the Italian league title to Juventus, and at one stage it looked like his Chelsea days were over.
   But with no buyers forthcoming and with the English champions needing the extra firepower, the World Cup striker has decided to commit himself to Stamford Bridge in the Premiership.
   ‘I was second at Parma, at Lazio, at Inter Milan and at Chelsea - it’s incredible,’ the 30-year-old Crespo told Chelsea TV.
   However, he has been convinced he could be about to break his duck by the attitude of the Chelsea players in pre-season training.
   ‘The problem when you win the league, the year after everybody relaxes.
   ‘At this point you need a great mentality, great character.’
   The situation is a marked contrast to his arrival at Lazio in the summer of 2000 after they had secured only the second Italian league title in the club’s history.
   The Rome side’s form fell apart the following season, although the problem was accelerated by severe financial problems.
   Crespo sees a different attitude at Stamford Bridge.
   ‘When I went there, it felt something like everybody said ôrelax’ but I see the guys here and they really want to win again,’ he said.

Faridpur beat touring India team
Faridpur District seven-a-side junior team defeated the touring Indian seven-a-side junior team 6-2 at the Faridpur Stadium on Thursday. Minar of the winning team made a hat-trick and Mahfuz, Nahid and Gani scored one goal each. Substitute Lingoppa of the losing team netted two goals. Food and Disaster Management Minister Chowdhury Kamal Ibne Eusuf inaugurated the friendly match as the chief guest. Faridpur District seven-a-side junior team will play against the Indian seven-a-side senior team in the next match today.
— BD News

Increased security could cause delays
England’s top flight soccer clubs have ratcheted up security as the new season gets underway this weekend, with most announcing plans for bag searches that could lead to heavy delays before games. The Football Association, the FA Premier League and the Football League issued a statement on Wednesday, warning fans to arrive early at matches and advising them to leave their backpacks at home. ‘The safety of supporters is our top priority and in the light of current circumstances additional safety measures such as increased bag searches are being implemented,’ the FA said in a statement. Security has been stepped up in public places across the country following bomb attacks on the public transport system in the British capital on July 7 that killed more than 50 people and attempted attacks two weeks later. But it is not only London clubs like Chelsea and West Ham United who have told their fans to show up early.
— Reuters

Arsenal take
Song on loan
Bastia defender Alexandre Song has joined Arsenal in the English Premiership on a loan deal, the Corsican club announced on Thursday. The 18-year-old Cameroon international, who can also play in midfield, will be in London on Thursday to finalise the loan with Arsenal having the option of buying him for four million euros after the season. The nephew of Rigobert Song, Cameroon’s World Cup defensive lynchpin who played in France and is currently at Galatasaray in Turkey, had also been interesting Manchester United and Chelsea. Bastia were relegated from the French first division last season.
— AFP

Trapattoni relishes Pope meeting
VfB Stuttgart’s Italian coach Giovanni Trapattoni admits he can not wait to meet Pope Benedict XVI after the pontiff invited him to the mass gathering of Catholic youth in Cologne from August 18-21.‘I am really looking forward to meeting the Pope,’ enthused Trapattoni. ‘It will be something that I will never forget as long as I live.’ The Catholic church see the 66-year-old Trapattoni as a suitable role model because he is a devout catholic and has a history of kindness towards the younger generation. Trapattoni, whose sister is a nun, met the previous Pope John Paul II twice before his death on April 2 of this year.
— AFP