India beat Aussie to win Border-Gavaskar trophy

NAGPUR, Nov 10: Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra combined for seven wickets as India handed Australia just its second series defeat in three years, completing a 172-run victory Monday to reclaim the Border-Gavaskar trophy 2-0, reports AP.
The top-ranked Australians were dismissed for 209 in 50.2 overs just before tea on the last day, chasing an unlikely 382 to win the fourth and final test and force a 1-1 series draw.
Spinners Harbhajan (4-64) and Mishra (3-27) built on the fine early work of paceman Ishant Sharma, who took 2-31, and only when opener Matthew Hayden plundered 77 did the Indians look in any danger of giving up their advantage.
India, which last held the Border-Gavaskar trophy in 2004, took the lead in the series with an emphatic, 320-run victory in the second test in Mohali last month.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s captain-elect following the retirement of Anil Kumble after the third test, said the series win over Australia was a fitting farewell to international cricket for Kumble and Sourav Ganguly, another former captain.
Ganguly, who bowed out with 85 and 0, said it was time to step down and he was happy to exit on a high.
Australia’s previous Test series defeat occurred in England in 2005 when Ricky Posting’s lineup handed over the Ashes for the first time in almost two decades.
The Australians, who resumed Monday at 13-0, needed the fourth-highest successful chase in test history to pull off a series-leveling win and began wanting 369 runs in 90 overs.
They scored 98 in the first session but lost three wickets by lunch - including two in the first six overs - and another seven went after the break.
When Hayden and Michael Hussey were sharing a bright 68-run stand for the fourth wicket Australia had a slim chance of staying in touch, but they were removed in consecutive overs to leave the tourists struggling at 154-5.
Hussey received a sharp delivery from Mishra’s first over and the ball lobbed to Rahul Dravid at first slip.
Hayden’s cavalier innings came to an end when he was lbw to a quicker ball from Harbhajan in the next over.
The opener had stroked eight fours and a big six over long-on during his 93-ball knock, but needed more help from his partners to push Australia closer to the formidable total.
Things improved for India when wicketkeeper Brad Haddin (4) chipped to Sachin Tendulkar at mid-on, giving Mishra his second wicket and Tendulkar his 100th test catch.
Australia then lost 7-59 and the match ended when Harbhajan got an lbw decision against No. 11 Mitchell Johnson.
Sharma, who was man of the series for his 15 wickets, was the best of the bowlers in the morning session, but it was Mishra and Harbhajan who created the most trouble.
Sharma struck in the fifth over when opener Simon Katich (16) skied an attempted pull shot and wicketkeeper Dhoni took a running catch in front of his slips.
Australia’s situation worsened in the next over when Ponting (8) was run-out by Mishra’s direct hit and Clarke followed for 22 before lunch.
Australia will play New Zealand in a two-Test series starting next week and India will host England in seven limited-overs internationals and two Tests.

Fund for youth football

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Monday signed a contract with events organizers Antara Showbiz for cultural shows across the country to raise funds for the development of youth football, reports UNB.
The cultural shows, to be participated by renowned singers, will begin from Chittagong on November 27 and will end April 14 next at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka.
Speaking to the media after signing the contract at the BFF conference room, BFF executive committee member Anwarul Haq Helal said the amount they receive from FIFA and AFC for the development of youth football is not adequate.
Hence, the BFF decided to raise funds through cultural shows in 64 districts of the country with the cooperation of Antara Showbiz.
Antara Showbiz chief Swapan Chowdhury said the cultural shows would be held three days a week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Such shows will also be organized on other public holidays, he added.
BFF president Kazi Salahuddin, who was present on the occasion, informed that Antara Showbiz would give BFF 60 percent of the profits from the cultural shows for the development of football.
“With this money, we aim to groom the youth booters as national booters of tomorrow,” he said.
BFF vice presidents Manjoor Hossain Malu, Kazi Nabil Ahmed and Shawkat Ali Khan Jahgangir were present on the occasion.

Graeme Smith hits out at negative Bangladesh

BENONI, Nov 10: South African captain Graeme Smith criticised Bangladesh’s negative tactics after his team gained a crushing 128-run win in
the second ODI at Willowmoore Park Sunday, clinching the three-match series, reports AFP.
“It’s a sad day for cricket when one team stops chasing when they are three wickets down,” said Smith. “Perhaps it’s something that cricket needs to look at.”
Bangladesh made a token attempt to chase down South Africa’s huge total of 358 for four in which Hashim Amla hit 140.
Tamim Iqbal slammed 41 off 22 balls and Junaid Siddique also went for his shots early on after Iqbal was dismissed.
But the chase effectively ended when Imrul Kayes and captain Mohammad Ashraful were out in quick succession to leave Bangladesh struggling at 101 for three.
Siddique batted on until he was out for 47 off 80 balls but without his early aggression.
Amla’s elegant maiden One-Day International century highlighted South Africa’s innings after they were sent in to bat in cool, overcast weather.
Amla made 140 off 134 balls and shared in century partnerships with Smith (65) and Jacques Kallis (49).
It was a successful return for Smith, who was playing in his first match since returning from a tour of England in August because of a tennis elbow injury. “It was great to be back,” said Smith, who said he felt no ill effects from the injury.
Smith and Amla set the foundation for South Africa’s big total with a first wicket stand of 136 after Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful won the toss and sent the home side in, hoping to take advantage of overcast conditions and the possibility of rain, which never materialised.
Smith looked in good form as he made his runs off 67 balls with six fours and a six.
Both batsmen were dropped, Amla on 15 and Smith on 54, as Bangladesh’s fielding fell below the standard they achieved in Potchefstroom Friday when they were beaten by 61 runs in the first game of the three-match series.
Amla took full advantage of a let-off by Mashrafe Mortaza at deep backward square leg off Syed Rasel.
Regarded as a Test match specialist before replacing Smith in the last two One-Day Internationals in England, Amla produced an array of classic strokes in the early overs and showed the ability to hit out later on. He hit eight fours and four sixes.
The left-handed Tamim Iqbal, 19, blazed away at the start of Bangladesh’s innings, hitting four boundaries in Johann Louw’s first over, then hitting Dale Steyn for two fours and a hooked six in the next over.
It was too good to last, however, and he tried one big shot too many, top-edging a hook off Steyn to square leg. Off-spinner Johan Botha and Steyn took three wickets each for South Africa.

Bundesliga: Hoffenheim lose

Bayern beat Schalke

BERLIN, Nov 10: Bayern Munich closed to within a point of new leaders Bayer Leverkusen when Luca Toni and Franck Ribery gave them a 2-1 win at Schalke 04 on Sunday, while Hoffenheim lost 1-0 away to Hertha Berlin, reports Reuters.
Toni, back after a rib injury, supplied a cool finish to give Bayern an early lead at one of their least favourite grounds.
Schalke were level almost immediately through Jefferson Farfan but Ribery, a different class to everyone else, scored his fourth goal in four league games to earn the champions a fifth successive league win.
Hoffenheim have surprised everyone this season and the wealthy village team defied predictions again on Sunday as their own five-match winning run came to an end at the Olympiastadion.
The much-vaunted trio of forwards Vedad Ibisevic, Demba Ba and Chinedu Obasi had a collective off-day and Hertha nicked a win when Andriy Voronin beat the offside trap and scored with 20 minutes to go.
Defeat proved costly for Hoffenheim, as it meant Leverkusen moved above them on goal difference following their 3-3 draw away to Karlsruhe on Saturday.
Leverkusen and Hoffenheim each have 25 points from 12 matches, with Bayern third on 24.
It is no coincidence that Bayern’s revival, after a dreadful start under Juergen Klinsmann, has coincided with the return from injury of Ribery.
After the early exchange of goals, Schalke took control and it was only Ribery’s ability to hold up the ball in midfield that gave the Bavarians any relief.
His goal was a work of art. The 25-year-old glided forward down the left and fooled two covering defenders by playing in Ze Roberto on the overlap.
Ze Roberto hesitated before pulling the ball back to the near post, from where the lurking Ribery stabbed first time into the roof of the net.
Bayern came under intense pressure as Schalke poured players forward and with Michael Rensing enduring anot

Garcia wins HSBC Champions

SHANGHAI, Nov 10: Sergio Garcia won the rain-delayed HSBC Champions to take the No. 2 spot in the world rankings behind Tiger Woods, beating Oliver Wilson with a birdie on the second hole of a playoff Monday, reports AP.
The Spanish star made a 7-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th—the only hole used for the playoff at Sheshan Golf Club—after the Englishman missed a 10-footer.
Garcia won The Players Championship and his home-course Castellon Masters, and also has finished second or tied for second in three events this season. One was the PGA Championship—one of the four majors.
Garcia forced the playoff by holing a 5-foot birdie on 18 to finish with a 4-under 68 and match Wilson at 14-under 274. Wilson, a surprise star for Europe in the Ryder Cup, reached the playoff by saving his par on 18 with a 7-footer for a 70.
Wilson is winless on the European tour, but has eight second-place finishes. It was the fourth playoff this year for Wilson and Garcia.
Wilson is tired of finishing No. 2.
The finish moved Garcia into the No. 2 spot in the world rankings behind Tiger Woods, pushing Phil Mickelson to No. 3.
Mickelson, the 2007 champion, shot a 73 to tie for eighth in the $5 million tournament, five strokes behind the leaders.
Peter Hanson (66) and Geoff Ogilvy (70) finished a stroke off the lead, while Henrik Stenson (71) was three behind.
Garcia and Wilson were the survivors on the back nine, which saw four players—Garcia, Wilson, Hanson and Ogilvy—tied at 13 under over the closing holes.
All play was washed out Friday, and rain slowed the start on Saturday which forced the Monday finish. Wilson played two holes of the final round on Sunday, and Garcia got in three before darkness stopped play.
The rain and darkness made for a clumsy finish, but Garcia wasn’t complaining.
The event was the first of the 2009 European tour season, which will end next November in the Dubai World Championship. The European tour also rebranded the Order of Merit—the season money title—and now calls it the Race to Dubai. That tournament will have a $10 million purse with $10 million more available in bonus money.
The HSBC also is being suggested as a possible World Golf Championships event. All three are now played in the United States.

Venus wins Doha WTA Championship

DOHA, Nov 10: Venus Williams rallied to win the WTA’s Sony Ericsson Championships for the first time, defeating Vera Zvonareva 6-7 (5), 6-0, 6-2 Sunday at the season-ending event, reports AP.
The Wimbledon champion took command in the last two sets with powerful serving, smashes and aggressive groundstrokes against her Russian opponent.
Williams won $1.34 million at the event, which for the first time offered the same prize money as the men at the ATP’s season-ending Masters Cup. The first lady of Qatar, a conservative Muslim sheikdom, presented the trophy to Williams, shaking her hand and kissing her on both cheeks. Sheika Mozah bint Nasser al-Missned wore a traditional black head scarf and robe.
Such a public appearance by a ruler’s wife is unusual in the region. Mozah might be one of several wives; many emirs and kings in the Gulf have multiple wives—up to the four permitted by Islam.
Billie Jean King sat with Mozah and other dignitaries during the match and joined Williams on the court for the awards ceremony. The trophy is named for King.
Williams’ ranking will improve to No. 6 from No. 8, while the ninth-ranked Zvonareva also will move up two spots. The two were the lowest-ranked players at the event, which featured the top eight players in the world.
Zvonareva became increasingly frustrated and collapsed to the ground in tears when Williams broke her in the final set to go up 3-1. Williams, who lost in their first meeting at the 2003 French Open, now holds a 6-1 record against her.
Zvonareva surged to a 5-2 lead in the first set, and led 5-3, 40-0. But she was unable to convert four set points in that game, and Williams won it on her second break point.
In the tiebreaker, Zvonareva fell behind 1-5, but rallied to win it when her backhand slice clipped the net cord and dropped over.
Williams dominated the second set, not allowing Zvonareva to win a game.
Zvonareva broke Williams with a drop shot to trail 2-1 in the third set. She held serve at love to come within 4-2, her first hold since the first set. But Williams won the next two games to capture the title.
Williams qualified for the championships for the eighth time since 1998. She had reached the semifinals twice and withdrew five times because of injuries and illness.

Inter stay top as Milan slip at Lecce, Juventus move on

ROME, Nov 10: AC Milan missed the chance to reclaim top spot in Serie A after Andrea Esposito headed in deep into injury time to give promoted Lecce a 1-1 home draw on Sunday, reports Reuters.
Champions Inter Milan had taken over as leaders following a 1-0 win over Udinese earlier and they are now a point ahead of their city rivals, who thought they were going back to the summit after Ronaldinho’s strike 11 minutes from time.
Milan, who had won seven of their last eight league games, had huge spells of pressure in the late game and should have ended up as comfortable winners with Marco Borriello and Kaka missing glorious chances.
Napoli, on the same points as Milan, earlier beat Sampdoria 2-0 while Lazio are fourth after defeating Siena 3-0 at home thanks to a brace by Tommaso Rocchi and Mauro Zarate’s goal. Alessandro Del Piero celebrated his 34th birthday by scoring a third free kick in a week to help Juventus to a 2-0 win at lowly Chievo which puts them joint-fifth with Udinese.
Genoa in seventh are just four points behind Milan in an extremely tight top half after Diego Milito’s hat-trick sealed a 4-0 home victory over bottom side Reggina. Fiorentina are also on 20 points following a 2-1 triumph over Atalanta.
Inter substitute Julio Cruz, who came off the bench to head the equaliser in Inter’s 3-3 Champions League draw at Anorthosis Famagusta in midweek, repeated the trick in stoppage time against a stubborn Udinese defence.
Jose Mourinho’s side had drawn two of their last three league games 0-0 and they were heading for a third as they continually lumped crosses into the box and lacked creativity.
Cruz stole the limelight late on but the day still belonged to Del Piero, who curled in another stunning free kick for Juve against coach Domenico Di Carlo’s new club Chievo.
Evergreen Del Piero converted a free kick in last weekend’s win over AS Roma and scored another in the 2-0 win at Real Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday, earning a standing ovation at the Bernabeu having also netted a superb first.
An ovation followed his substitution in Verona on Sunday too and Juve coach Claudio Ranieri, who also saw Vincenzo Iaquinta score, hailed the club’s greatest ever goalscorer.

Chelsea back on top, City slump

LONDON, Nov 10: Chelsea surged back to the top of the table with a commanding 2-0 win over Blackburn at Ewood Park on Sunday afternoon, according to an ESPNsoccernet.com report.
In monsoon conditions in Lancashire, Nicolas Anelka helped himself to two goals to dampen Rovers hopes.
It took a slice of good fortune on the Frenchman’s part to beat the impressive Paul Robinson for his opener in he 39th minute, with Jose Bosingwa’s shot deflecting off Anelka to beat the Rovers keeper.
His second came after good work from Frank Lampard and Florent Malouda, who combined well to present Anelka with the chance to lift the ball over Robinson in the 68th minute.
Jason Roberts and Aaron Mokoena both went close for the home side but Anelka should have grabbed his hat-trick late on when Robinson denied him in a one-on-one.
A Darren Bent brace either side of half-time gave Harry Redknapp’s in-form Spurs a 1-2 win at the Eastlands.
Robinho’s 16th minute opener came after Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes parried a save into his path allowing him to slot home, but Bent cancelled that out with a fine strike just after the half hour mark after a mistake from Richard Dunne.
City had been reduced to ten-men at this point following the dismissal of Gelson Fernandes in the 26th minute and Spurs made their numerical advantage count in the second half.
Bent seized on a pass from Jermaine Jenas to fire in the Spurs winner off the post in the 64th minute.
A miserable afternoon was completed for City captain Dunne when he saw red for a foul on Bent and Spurs’ Benoit Assou-Ekotto was also sent off at the death of a game whose result applies more pressure on City manager Mark Hughes.
It was 1-2 at Villa Park as well where Tuncay grabbed both goals for Middlesbrough as the Teesiders secured a late victory against Aston Villa.
The Turk’s second goal of the season from just inside the penalty area fired Middlesbrough in to a 33rd minute lead.
Steve Sidwell replied with a headed goal three minutes later to pull Villa level after good work from James Milner, but Sidwell was at fault for Boro’s late winner when his back-pass was seized on by Tuncay to fire home.
In Sunday’s late game, Fulham made sure Newcastle had little to smile about on the long journey back home as they secured a 2-1 win at Craven Cottage.
Andy Johnson grabbed the opening goal for the Cottagers after Claudio Cacapa headed the ball against fellow Newcastle defender Fabricio Collocini and the Fulham man was on hand to sweep home from sixteen yards.
Shola Ameobi levelled for Newcastle in the second half but Danny Murphy had the final say from the penalty spot, stroking home the winner after a foul by Coloccini on Johnson in the 66th minute.

Villarreal 2nd in La Liga

MADRID, Nov 10: Villarreal and Valencia both won to keep pace with leaders Barcelona and champions Real Madrid at the top of the Primera Liga on Sunday, reports Reuters, Reports Reuters .
Early strikes from Giuseppe Rossi and Joseba Llorente earned Villarreal a 2-1 home victory against Almeria, and Valencia saw off ten-man Getafe 3-0 away with goals from Manuel Fernandes, Joaquin and Vicente.
Barca are top with 25 points from ten games, one ahead of Villarreal, after hammering Valladolid 6-0 at the Nou Camp on Saturday.
Valencia have 23 points and moved above Real Madrid into third on goal difference. The champions scrambled a 4-3 comeback win at home to Malaga on Saturday.
Villarreal’s Italian forward Rossi scored inside the first minute at the Madrigal with a stunning long-range shot, and his strike partner Llorente netted from a Robert Pires cross soon after.
Almeria’s Argentine teenager Pablo Piatti pulled one back in the second half.
The visitors were the last team to beat Manuel Pellegrini’s side in the league back in April but Villarreal were able to extend their unbeaten run to 16 between last season and the current campaign.Valencia’s Portugal midfielder Fernandes thumped a first-time shot inside the near post to break the deadlock in a scrappy game at the Coliseum. Getafe lost striker Roberto Soldado to a foolish red card just before the break and it was one-way traffic from there on as Joaquin and Vicente both scored well-worked goals.
Sevilla are fifth with 20 points after Mali striker Frederic Kanoute returned from injury to score the only goal in a 1-0 home win over Andalucian rivals Recreativo Huelva. Kanoute was left unmarked to head in a cross from the lively Jesus Navas in the second half, but went on to miss a later penalty.
Recre almost snatched an equaliser in a nerve-wracking finale but Sevilla survived to end a run of four straight defeats in all competitions.
Atletico Madrid were held to a 0-0 draw at bottom club Osasuna, and had France goalkeeper Gregory Coupet to thank for saving a first-half penalty. They slip down to seventh with 14 points one short of Deportivo Coruna, who beat Espanyol 1-0.
It was Osasuna new coach Jose Antonio Camacho’s first point since taking the helm four matches ago, but they remain without a win this season. Fernando Llorente’s last-minute header saved Athletic Bilbao and their coach Joaquin Caparros from a sixth consecutive defeat, grabbing a 3-3 draw away to Real Mallorca, having trailed 3-1 with 11 minutes to go.

SPORTS NOTES

Bangladesh play Myanmar
Tomorrow in
Challenge Cup

Bangladesh play their opening Group A match against hosts Myanmar in the six-team 3rd Grand Royal Challenge Cup that begins today (Tuesday) at the National Stadium in Yangon, reports UNB.
The match will kick off at 3 pm (BST).
Bangladesh has been placed in group A with strong Indonesia and hosts Myanmar, while group B comprises Vietnam, Malaysia and Hyundai FC.
In the remaining group match, Bangladesh will play against Indonesia on Nov 13.
Two top teams from each of the two groups will play the semi-finals on Nov 18 and 19, while the final match is slated for Nov 21.
Bangladesh team reached Yangon on Nov 9.
Bangladesh squad: Motiur Munna (captain), Aminul Haq, Biplob Bhattacharya, Rajani Kanta Barman, Mohammad Sujan (vice captain), Wali Faisal, Ariful Islam, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Enamul Haq Sharif, Kazi Mozammel Hossain Saikat, Mamunul Islam Mamun, Zahid Hasan Emily, Mohammad Robin, Zahid Hossain, Arman Aziz, Alfaz Ahmed, Atiqur Rahman Mishu and Zahed Pervez Chowdhury.

Euro Famous win in Div II soccer

Euro Famous Club and Kadamtala Sangsad won their respective matches in the Metropolis 2nd Division Football League at the Bir Shreshtha Sepoy Mohammad Mostafa Stadium at Kamalapur in the city on Monday, reports UNB.
In the first match, Euro Famous Club beat BG Press S&RC by a solitary goal scored by Mohammad Mamun in the 28th minute.
In the day’s other match, Kadamtala Sangsad edged past Gazirchat SC, also by 1-0 goal. Sohag scored the all-important goal for Kadamtala Sangsad in the 60th minute.
Today’s matches: Uttar Baridhara Club vs Matuail Udayan Sangsad,Kawran Bazar Pragati Sangha vs Friends Social Welfare Organisation

Tasin Academy move on in
Qualifying Cricket

Tasin Hasin Cricket Academy crushed Indira Road Cricket Academy by six wickets in a Super League match of the 3rd Division Qualifying Cricket League at Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium (DCS) in the city on Monday, reports UNB.
Coin-favoured Indira Road KC batted first to score 149/10 in 42.1 overs with Tanmoy contributing 46. Tariqul bagged two wickets for 17 runs.
In reply, Tasin Hasin Academy cruised to victory scoring 152/4 in 33.4 overs with Tajin making unbeaten 43. Jubarul took two wickets for 23 runs.
In the day’s other matches, Korona Cricket Academy (146/5) outplayed Dhaka Cricket Academy (Sun) (145/10) by five wickets at the City Club ground, Little Friends Cricket Academy (164/7) beat Mohammadpur Sonali Sangha (161/10) by 3 wickets at the Dhaka University ground while Turag Thana Cricket Academy (132/9) defeated Swadhinata Cricket Club (128/10) by 1 wicket at the Gulshan Youth ground.