Agence France-Presse . Kingston West Indies have promised to make life tough for England when the sides start a four-Test series today at Sabina Park. England will start the series as the big favourites, having not lost a Test series to the Caribbean side in the last 15 years. That remarkable statistic takes on fuller ... Read more
Sports
Nadal floors tearful Federer to clinch Australian Open
MELBOURNE: Rafael Nadal reduced Roger Federer to tears as he won a classic Australian Open final to secure his first hard-court Grand Slam title and stop the Swiss equalling the all-time Majors record on Sunday. Nadal, the world number one, miraculously recovered from his five-hour semi-final to take the gripping five-setter 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (7/3), ... Read more
Top seed bounced at Aussie Open
MELBOURNE, Australia — Jelena Jankovic went out in the fourth round of the Australian Open on Sunday and No. 3 Dinara Safina was twice a point away from following the top-ranked player to the exit. In consecutive matches at Rod Laver Arena, Frenchwomen took it to the top seeds. Jankovic was ousted by No. 16 ... Read more
Feisty Sugiyama, giantkiller Lu bow out of Aussie Open
MELBOURNE : Fiesty Japanese number one Ai Sugiyama and Taiwanese giantkiller Lu Yen-Hsun bowed out of the Australian Open on Friday, leaving China’s Zheng Jie and Peng Shuai as Asia’s last hopes. Veteran Sugiyama, playing in her 60th Grand Slam, put up a brave fight on centre court against world number one and top seed ... Read more
Tennis: Champ Djokovic through at Aussie Open as violence flares
MELBOURNE: Defending champion Novak Djokovic survived a scare against Bosnian-American Amer Delic as violence flared between rival groups of fans after their match on Friday. Bosnian-born Delic, ranked 127, shocked Djokovic when he took the second set and forced a tense fourth-set tie-break before the Serbian third seed won 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4). Moments ... Read more
Ethnic violence again mars Australian Open
Agence France-Presse Melbourne: Ethnic violence again marred the Australian Open on Friday when rival Serbian and Bosnian fans hurled chairs and missiles at each other, sparking condemnation from players and police. Some 30 people in their late teens and early 20s were evicted after the clashes, which left one woman injured, following Serbian Novak Djokovic’s ... Read more
Relieved but not resting
Bishwajit Roy It was not a victory to celebrate. It rather came as a relief for Bangla-desh when they handed a six-wicket defeat to Zimbabwe in the second game to square the three-match series 1-1 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur yesterday. Anything other than a victory would not only have awarded the series ... Read more
Both B. League encounters end in draws
bdnews24.com, Dhaka Khulna Abahani Krira Chakra on Wednesday earned the first point after 14 defeats in a row when the hosts held visitors Chittagong Mohammedan Sporting Club to a goalless draw at Khulna Stadium on Wednesday. Away at MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong, hosts Chittagong Abahani Limited were also held to a goalless draw by ... Read more
After Murali, it’s Price
Azad Majumder The lack of penetrating bowler at the death coupled with the poor thinking of captain Mohammad Ashraful left Bangladesh in an anguish of conceding a second heartbreaking two-wicket defeat in four days, this time against
Barisal win one-day national league crown despite losing to Dhaka
UNB, Dhaka Barisal Division clinched the Ispahani Mirzapore Tea 10th National one-day Cricket League crown despite losing to Dhaka Division by 21 runs in the last round match at the Narayanganj Osmani Stadium in Fatullah on Monday. On completion of the day’s last and 10th round matches, both Barisal and Rajshahi divisions secured equal 14 ... Read more
Captain-fool!
Azad Majumder The decision to give Rubel Hossain the ball during the crucial power play against Sri Lanka had earned the Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful severe criticisms as it cost the team the match and the championship. But Ashraful had at least some point to defend himself after that Tri-nation Cup final as it could ... Read more
Graceful in defeat
Bishwajit Roy “People only remember the wins, not the close matches,” Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful heaved a sigh in disappointment after their heartbreaking two-wicket defeat at the hands of Sri Lankan in the tri-nation
We have to believe
Quazi Zulquarnain Islam Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. – MARIANNE WILLIAMSON What a match! A topsy-turvy encounter encompassing all possible emotions a fan can experience, ended via the unexpectedly lusty blows of the wily Muttiah Muralidaran. He will have seen it ... Read more
Sangakkara pays tribute to Murali
Staff Correspondent Kumar Sangakkara, the pivotal Sri Lankan wicketkeeper batsman was in a realistic mood after his team inflicted a two wicket victory over Bangladesh on Friday. The man of the final with his hardworking 59 said, the greatest lesson he took from this match was in cricket ‘A match is not over until it ... Read more
South Africa seek stunning win
BBC Online South Africa (272/7) beat Australia (271/8) by three wickets South Africa edged out Australia in the first of their five-game one-day international series in Melbourne. Opener Shaun Marsh led the way for the Aussies with 79, adding 94 with Ricky Ponting (46) while David Hussey smashed a rapid 52 as the hosts made ... Read more
Powerplay ponderings for Ponting
Cricinfo The first one-day international in Australia to feature a batting Powerplay ended with the new rule contributing to the home team’s demise. A win that South Africa’s captain Johan Botha described as ‘massive’ came because he and Albie Morkel took full advantage of their five-over selection, which they used to put a chase that ... Read more
Ronaldinho banned for three cup games for elbow
Reuters, Milan AC Milan’s Ronaldinho was banned for three Italian Cup matches on Friday after video evidence showed him using an elbow during Lazio’s 2-1 extra time win in their last 16 match in December. The Italian league announced the verdict in a statement having waited two months to decide because it was waiting for
Ctg Abahani take revenge on Rahmatganj
bdnews24.com, Dhaka Chittagong Abahani Limited tasted sweet revenge, after a previous 1-0 home defeat, when the visitors handed a lone-goal defeat to hosts Rahmatganj MFS in their second-leg match of the Citycel B. League at Bangabandhu National Stadium on Friday. Ismail Jahed struck the
Nadal and Jankovic top seeds for Australian Open
REUTERS MELBOURNE: Spain’s Rafael Nadal and Jelena Jankovic of Serbia have been confirmed as the top seeds for this year’s Australian Open, which begins on Monday. Roger Federer was listed as second seed in the men’s draw ahead of defending champion Novak Djokovic and Briton Andy Murray for the year’s first Grand Slam. Former champion ... Read more
It will take time to be at top level: Sania
PTI NEW DELHI: She toppled the world number 25, dished out a tough fight against world number 18 and is moving faster than ever on the courts, yet Sania Mirza — on a comeback-trail — does not want to jump the gun in saying that she has got back the touch which once perched her ... Read more