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Dutch coaches promise high

Bangladesh’s proposed Dutch national coach Lodewijk de Kruif promised to take Bangladesh to 100 to 120 in the FIFA rankings if he is given the job as planned for one year. Lodewijk and his assistant Rene Koster arrived in Dhaka on Monday to asses the facilities and are expected to sign a one-year contract if everything appears satisfactory to them. Full story

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Ctg Kings, Duranto at loggerheads over Tait

Two franchises – Chittagong Kings and Duranto Rajshahi – are at loggerheads as both the sides claim to avail the services of Australian pace bowler Shaun Tait in the upcoming edition of the Bangladesh Premier League. Under the BPL rule a franchise can avail the services of any player through applying to the governing council on first come first basis, if that player... Full story

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Shakil steals the show for Jamal

A superb goal from Shakil Ahmed enabled Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club to register a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Feni Soccer Club to take a solo lead in the Bangladesh Premier League on Monday. Full story

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Messi wins record fourth Ballon d’Or

Lionel Messi added yet another record to his stellar list of achievements over the past 12 months on Monday when he won an unprecedented fourth, consecutive, Ballon d’Or at a FIFA gala in Zurich. The accolade seals Messi’s status as the greatest player of his generation after he saw off Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta for the prize. Full story

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Mashrafee retained as Gladiators skipper

Holders Dhaka Gladiators have retained paceman Mashrafee bin Murtaza as their captain for the second edition of the Bangladesh Premier League, it was announced on Monday. Gladiators chose him ahead of their highest paid player of the season Sakib al Hasan as Mashrafee had successfully led them to the... Full story

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Warne banned after T20 bust-up

Australian star Shane Warne admitted Monday he went too far after being banned for one match and fined Aus$4,500 (US$4,700) for an ugly, foul-mouthed clash with West Indian Marlon Samuels. Full story

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Pakistan wants Tigers to tour in May

Pakistan has invited Bangladesh to make the postponed-cricket-tour in May, though there was no firm commitment from the Bangladesh Cricket Board, officials said on Monday. The invitation came when BCB... Full story

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Clarke’s Australia far from finished article

Australia wrapped up a home series sweep over supine sub-continental opposition for the second season in a row on Sunday but captain Michael Clarke admits they are a work in progress as they embark on their toughest ever year of Test cricket. Full story

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Australia spin worry ahead of India

Australia’s series win over Sri Lanka did nothing to ease the uncertainty over their batsmen facing India’s spinners on next month’s tour to the subcontinent, newspapers said on Monday. Full story

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BJMC retain nat’l women’s handball title

Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation retained title of EXIM Bank 23rd National Women’s Handball Competition beating Bangladesh Ansar by 27-20 goals in the final at the Shaheed Captain M Mansur Ali Handball Stadium on... Full story

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Sampdoria stun Juventus

Juventus’s hopes of dropping Inter Milan virtually out of the Serie A title race suffered a setback after the champions went down to a shock 2-1 home defeat to Sampdoria on Sunday. Full story

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Chelsea rule out Lampard contract extension

Chelsea have told Frank Lampard’s agent that the England midfielder will not be offered a new contract with the European champions at the end of the Premier League season, media reported on Monday. Full story

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‘Trouble stalks Suarez’

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers begrudgingly admits that if there’s controversy, his star striker Luis Suarez is always in the thick of it. Suarez was at the centre of events as the Reds survived a rocky... Full story

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Suarez goal raises issue of sporting honesty

Never far from controversy during his career, Liverpool striker Luis Suarez’s winner in an FA Cup match on Sunday re-ignited the morality debate in sport - should the honesty card be played in the heat of battle? Full story

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Ronaldo rescues Real, Barca cruise

Goalkeeper Iker Casillas came off the bench for 10-man Real Madrid who needed a second half double from Cristiano Ronaldo to beat Real Sociedad 4-3 while leaders Barcelona cruised to a 4-0 win over Espanyol. Barcelona, whose goals all came in the first-half against their city neighbours, remain 16 points clear of their bitter rivals and eleven... Full story

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Suarez in the dock

Luis Suarez sparked a new handball storm by helping Liverpool edge non-league Mansfield Town 2-1 in the FA Cup third round on Sunday, after Arsenal were held to a 2-2 draw by Swansea City. Full story

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Italy pledges action on racists

Italian interior minister Annamaria Cancellieri on Monday called for ‘more incisive’ action to be taken to end the abuse of non-white players by racist fans. Cancellieri was speaking after AC Milan’s Kevin-Prince... Full story

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Mourinho shrugs off Real jeers

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho brushed off the boos of an angry Bernabeu crowd on Sunday as fans turned on the Portuguese coach for benching goalkeeper Iker Casillas. Real beat Real Sociedad 4-3 but the pressure... Full story

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SOCCERLINE

Cavani follows in Maradona’s footsteps Edinson Cavani re-launched his campaign to finish Serie A’s top scorer – and Napoli’s first since Diego Maradona – with a hat-trick in an emphatic 4-1 win over Roma on Sunday. If he succeeds, the Uruguayan will... Full story

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