Salma’s 5-wicket powers Mohammedan to a facile triumph in Women League

Dhaka: A five-wicket haul by Salma powered Mohammedan Sporting Club to a overwhelming 10-wicket victory over Rising Girl's Cricket Academy in the 4th Women's Club Cricket League at the Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Prothisthan in Savar on Wednesday.
It was the second successive victory for the traditional black & while Motijheel 'outfit' after beating Azad Sporting Club by seven wickets in the league's opening match.
Batting first after winning the toss, Rising Girl's Cricket Academy were dismissed at only 30 runs, the ever lowest total in the ongoing league so far, in 27.4 overs.
Skipper Susmita (18) was the only batsman, who able to reach the double digit.
Salma was the wrecker-in-chief with five wickets haul for only for 6 runs. She was supported by Tazia Akter and Tahin Tahera who both captured two wickets each conceding 5 and 8 runs respectively. Chasing a paltry total, Mohammedan SC easily reached to their target of 31 runs in 4.5 overs without losing any wicket.
The two Mohammedan's openers - Shaila Sharmin and Salma completed the formality strolling to a their small run chase by remaining unbeaten on 12 and 16 runs respectively.
Salma of Mohammedan SC was adjudged the player of the match.
In the day's another match, Cricket Coaching School (CCS) managed a hard- fought three runs win over Kalabagan Krira Chakra in a low scoring encounter at the same venue. Batting first after winning the toss, CCS scored a small total of 114 for 6 in allotted 40 overs.
In reply, Kalabagan Krira Chakra were restricted at 111 for 5 in stipulated 40 overs. UNB

 Murray celebrates birthday the hard way

Rome: Britain's world number four Andy Murray celebrated his 25th birthday here on Tuesday with a hard fought 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 victory over veteran Argentinian David Nalbandian to reach the third round of the Rome Masters.
The day session match, which ended well into the intended start of night play for top-seeded holder Novak Djokovic, was a struggle for survival on the clay between the pair, with Murray recovering from a break down in the third. Murray, seeded four and a semi-finalist here last year, frequently hung his head to catch his breath after monster points and could be seen gripping at his lower back at the end of rallies.
It took 2 hrs, 37 min for the Scot to prevail, managing 29 winners and converting eight of his 18 break point chances - and he barely looked as if he had the energy to eat a slice of the birthday cake that was brought onto court.
The match was the first for the pair on clay and left 2004 finalist Nalbandian disappointed after Murray edged a torrid final set to advance on his first match point. Murray, who stands 5-2 in their head to head series, won his first match since losing in the quarter-finals in Barcelona to Milos Raonic and then skipping last week's Madrid event with back pain.
"I'm very happy to win, considering how the last few weeks have gone," said Murray. "When you haven't hit that much, it's not so comfortable. Hopefully I can go on from here."
Djokovic didn't seem at all disturbed by the delay and breezed through to the third round with a 6-3, 6-3 master class dished out to young Australian Bernard Tomic.
Madrid champion Roger Federer will take to the court on Wednesday to open against Argentine Carlos Berlocq.
The world number two had been unsure of his physical status and had waited until the last minute to decide if he could compete this week with only days to go before the French Open gets underway on May 27.
Rome is one of the few big events the Swiss has not won after losing two finals.
In other second-round matches, Spaniard David Ferrer, the sixth seed beat Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) while Spanish veteran Juan Carlos Ferrero upset 13th seeded Frenchman Gael Monfils 7-5, 6-3.
In the first round, tenth seed Juan Martin del Potro overcame French doubles specialist Michael Llodra 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 while the latter's compatriot Gilles Simon and 11th seed beat American Donald Young 6-2, 7-5.
Juan Monaco, the Argentine 14th seed, won as did 16th-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet, who beat Jurgen Melzer 6-1, 7-6 (8/6).
Past and present Wimbledon champions Maria Sharapova and Czech Petra Kvitova reached the third round with straight sets victories, though the Russian second seed was made to work hard. Defending Rome champion Sharapova, who won her Wimbledon title aged 17 in 2004, needed nearly two and a quarter hours to get past 36th-ranked American Christina McHale 7-5, 7-5. AFP

  Man Utd's Ferguson meets Kagawa

Tokyo: Japan international Shinji Kagawa revealed Wednesday that he had met Manchester United
boss Sir Alex Ferguson, as rumours swirl that the Borussia Dortmund star is eyeing a move to
the Premier League.
The midfielder said the Scot, one of football's most successful managers, had "good words" to say about him during two hours of talks in Manchester this week.
Kagawa, who still has a year to run on his contract with the German champions and has stalled over signing an extension with the club, said he wanted to "think hard" before deciding where his future lay.
"It was good that I was able to meet him in person and talk," Kagawa told reporters on his return ahead of Japan's friendly against Azerbaijan.
Ferguson "had some good words," the player added when asked by journalists at Tokyo's Haneda Airport about the meeting, without disclosing what they discussed.
The 23-year-old scored 17 goals this season in all competitions to help Dortmund secure a second consecutive Bundesliga title and win the domestic double for the first time in their 103-year history.
He has made no secret of his desire to move to England with United tipped as front-runners to sign him.
Ferguson watched Kagawa score in Dortmund's 5-2 German Cup final win over Bayern Munich at Berlin's Olympic Stadium Saturday. "I want to think hard before making my decision," Kagawa said, adding that several other Premier League clubs have also expressed interest in him. AFP

  West Indies batsmen set for stern England exam

London: West Indies face England in the first of a three-Test series at Lord's here on Thursday with the tourists' batting likely to determine the course of the match.
Should conditions prove as seam friendly as they have for much of the early part of the English season, West Indies' top order could struggle to provide the kind of platform that will help improve on a record of just two wins in 30 Tests since beating England in Jamaica in 2009.
Kieran Powell made his second first-class hundred in West Indies' 10-wicket defeat by the England Lions at Northampton last week, a match where number four Darren Bravo made two fifties.
However, Powell's opening partner Adrian Barath and Kirk Edwards managed just 26 runs between them at Northampton, having only compiled 16 and eight respectively in the near washout against Sussex at Hove.
Much could depend on world number one batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who has performed many a rescue mission for the West Indies during a career that last month saw him become only the 10th batsman to score 10,000 Test runs.
However, the 37-year-old Guyanese left-hander generally prefers to bat no higher than five in the order.
The problem with that, from the West Indies' point of view, is that too often Chanderpaul comes in with the team already in trouble.
For example, during West Indies' most recent Test-a 75-run defeat by Australia in Dominica last month-Chanderpaul came in at 73 for three and 45 for three.
There has been talk of promoting Chanderpaul up the order but it appears he is set to stay put-at least for the time being.
"It's something we've thought about," said West Indies coach Ottis Gibson. "Our batting revolves around Shiv - he's very comfortable in the position he is at the moment and he's doing a good job for us.
"We've decided to leave it as it is at the moment but it's something we haven't completely ruled out."
West Indies will be without aggressive opening batsman Chris Gayle because of his Indian Premier League commitments and the fact the former captain's lengthy stand-off with the West Indies Cricket Board only recently came to an end.
But Gibson backed his younger batsmen to come good, saying:
"We know it's going to be a challenge for them-but the selectors have got a lot of confidence in them, as I have." AFP

  Bayern rebuilding confidence for Chelsea clash

Berlin: Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has admitted this week is all about mending dented confidence ahead of Saturday's Champions League final against Chelsea, in the wake of his club's German Cup final beating in Berlin.
Bayern were hammered 5-2 by German champions Borussia Dortmund in Saturday's domestic cup final at Berlin's Olympic Stadium, with Poland striker Robert Lewandowski netting a hat-trick.
Munich's Allianz Arena will host Saturday's Champions League final, with the Bavarian giants looking to become the first team since Inter Milan in 1965 to win European football's top prize on home soil.
"Believe me, the whole club has this week been working on rebuilding the team's confidence," Hoeness told Munich-based newspaper the Sueddeutsche Zeitung.
"Before the final in Berlin, I was of the opinion that it was important we went into the Chelsea game with our heads held high.
"Now things are a bit different. For a long time, we have all been fixated on May 19. You can reach the German Cup final many times in a career here, but the Champions League final comes along maybe just once."
As a player, 60-year-old Hoeness won three European Cup titles with Bayern from 1974 to 1976 and was the general manager when they won the 2001 Champions League title. "This will be the high point in the history of Bayern Munich," said Hoeness. "When you know just how many great moments this club has had, that just about says it all."
FA Cup winners Chelsea finished the Premier League season sixth, but Hoeness says the Blues are a dangerous side. AFP

  Gibson ponders all-pace attack

Ottis Gibson, the West Indies coach, has hinted at fielding a four-pronged fast bowling attack for the first Test against England at Lord's, which starts on Thursday. The seamer-friendly conditions and the fast recovery of his premier fast bowler Kemar Roach from a "twisted ankle" have given West Indies that option, Gibson revealed, saying he was confident the plan would work.
With the forecast predicted to be overcast on the match days, Gibson agreed the team management would think hard before playing offspinner Shane Shillingford. "Based on conditions, early season in England it is possible," Gibson said about there being enough temptation to play a four-man pace attack. Roach, who became only the sixth West Indies bowler to bag a ten-wicket match haul during during the home Test series against Australia last month, picked up a niggle during the second tour match against England Lions at Northampton. West Indies suffered a ten-wicket defeat as Roach finished with three first-innings wickets and was unable to bowl in the second due to the injury. After the rain had disrupted most of the play in the first tour match at Hove against Sussex, the Lions game was the first proper test for the visitors. Roach, who was the highest wicket-taker in the Frank Worrell Trophy against Australia, was inconsistent during the first innings against the Lions, conceding more than four an over. Cricinfo Online

  Aussie Hussey defends IPL after fixing claims

New DELHI: Kings XI Punjab acting captain David Hussey on Wednesday defended his team's integrity amid allegations of corruption in the Indian Premier League.
Amit Yadav and Shalabh Srivastava and Mohnish Mishra three of the five players suspended by the Indian cricket board (BCCI) following a television sting, are contracted to the Punjab IPL team, but have not played in the ongoing tournament.
Hussey, leading the team in the absence of injured fellow Australian Adam Gilchrist, said he would be disappointed if fingers were pointed at any of his players.
"Everyone in my team, everyone in Kings XI Punjab as a brand, plays with utmost integrity and if any print or TV media tries to write differently or say something differently about my team, then I will be very disappointed," Hussey told reporters. "I can't really comment on the sting," he added.
Reporters from the Hindi-language India TV, posing as sports agents, recorded the low-profile players as saying that spot-fixing and black money was prevalent in the Twenty20 IPL.
T. P. Sudhindra, Mohnish Mishra and Abhinav Bali were the other first-class cricketers suspended from the game on Tuesday by the BCCI until preliminary investigations were completed.
The probe will be carried out by former police officer Ravi Sawani, who has previously served on the International Cricket Council's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit.
Sudhindra has played in three IPL matches for the Deccan Chargers this year and Mishra played one game for Pune Warriors. Bali has not featured in the tournament.
India TV showed Sudhindra allegedly agreeing to bowl pre-arranged no-balls in a local amateur match, while Srivastava was reportedly heard boasting he could do the same in the IPL.
Mishra was filmed as saying he was paid a major part of his IPL salary by Pune Warriors in "black" (illegal) money, while Yadav and Bali alleged spot-fixing existed in the tournament.
Srivastava has denied that the voice in the audio was his, and Mishra apologised, saying he made the comment "casually for personal gain."
The Hindu newspaper said corruption rumours had swirled around the IPL for a long time.
"Since millions ride on IPL, this 'domestic' tournament has not escaped the talk of fixed matches," the paper said.
The IPL, a mix of glamour, rich purses for world-class players and the excitement of T20 cricket, has endured a difficult ride over the past four years.
The tournament is already being investigated for alleged fraud and foreign exchange violations.
Its founder Lalit Modi, who was suspended in 2010, is living in London facing Indian government and BCCI charges of misappropriation of funds.
AFP

  Sharapova, Kvitova advance in windy Rome

Rome: Past and present Wimbledon winners Maria Sharapova and Czech Petra Kvitova made straight-set moves into the third round of the Rome Masters on Tuesday, with the Russian second seed made to work hard. Defending Rome champion Sharapova, who won her Wimbledon title aged 17 in 2004, needed nearly two and a quarter hours to get past 36th-ranked American Christina McHale 7-5, 7-5.
Kvitova, the fourth seed who claimed the grass honours last summer, accounted for Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-5, 6-4 in sunny, breezy conditions with spring pollen swirling through the air at the Foro Italico.
The shy Kvitova admitted that she is still trying to find her feet on clay despite making a Stuttgart semi-final last month against Sharapova, the tournament champion. "I have to say that I was nervous before the match because I saw how she was preparing and I lost my last match against her," the Czech said of Pavlyuchenkova. "I didn't feel so comfortable, so I'm happy I won, I know where there is space to improve before the next round.
"I'm still learning on this surface. You cannot be two metres behind the baseline. I must move forward and play my aggressive game."
Sharapova won on five of eight break point chances against McHale, who broke three times.
In the first round, two seeds went out as Sorona Cirstea of Romania upset former number one, 2007-2008 winner and 15th seed Jelena Jankovic 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4). Italy's Flavia Pennetta, whose 2006 quarter-final was her best showing at home, beat Russian 16th seed Maria Kirilenko 6-1, 7-6 (7/2).
In men's first round matches, French 11th seed Richard Gasquet started with a win over injury comeback player Jurgen Melzer, sending the Austrian home 6-1, 7-6 (8/6). Marcel Granollers won an all-Spanish battle as he put out 15th seed Feliciano Lopez 6-4, 6-4. American Sam Querrey beat Finn Jarkko Nieminen 7-6 (7/4), 5-7, 6-4.
Spanish scrambler David Ferrer, the sixth seed and Madrid quarter-final victim of Roger Federer, beat Fernando Verdasco, last week's third-round conqueror of Rafael Nadal, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3). AFP

  Mahela guides Delhi into playoffs

Mahela Jayawardene's half-century may have been the slowest for Delhi Daredevils this season but it was compiled under trying circumstances and helped his team become the first side to qualify for the playoffs. Jayawardene's composure under pressure ensured that an incisive fast-bowling performance from Varun Aaron and Umesh Yadav, which restricted Kings XI Punjab to a middling total, was not in vain. With a place in the top four secure, Daredevils need to win only one of their last two games to secure No. 1 position.
Kings XI, on the other hand, needed victory tonight and in their remaining two games to be assured of a playoff spot. They cannot afford another defeat and will have to depend on net run-rate and on a permutation of results in other matches to qualify. Kings XI had persevered to make a below-par total competitive in their first clash against Daredevils - this season's 64th game - but did not have enough runs in the end.
Daredevils unleashed their quick bowlers, supported by a crack fielding unit, and a steady fall of wickets ensued after Kings XI chose to bat. They had made a brisk start but Aaron ended that with his first ball: Shaun Marsh caught glancing down the leg side. In his second over, Aaron had the free-swinging Mandeep Singh pulling to midwicket, where Virender Sehwag dived forward to take a low catch.
Kings XI were progressing well, though, and reached 50 for 2 in 6.2 overs. Yadav was the fifth bowler introduced, in the eighth over, and struck with his second ball. Nitin Saini drove loosely at a fast outswinger and Sehwag was stooping at first slip to catch the edge. After David Miller was run out by a direct hit from Pawan Negi at mid-on, Azhar Mahmood, the last of Kings XI's proper batsmen, was in as early as the 10th over. He stayed only until the 12th, when he hoisted Yadav towards long-off, where Irfan Pathan back-pedalled and caught the ball over his right shoulder on the edge of the boundary.
Kings XI were eventually in danger of being dismissed and David Hussey, who had been crying out for a reliable partner in vain, had to play within himself. He even turned down singles in the final two overs and dragged his team 136 for 8. Hussey, however, had one really quick bowler in his attack too and Parvinder Awana rattled the Daredevils top order.  Cricinfo Online

  Half of 2014 World Cup stadiums a concern: FIFA consultant

Sao Paulo: Football's world governing body FIFA believes that six of 12 Brazilian stadiums that are to host the 2014 World Cup may not be ready in time, the daily Folha de Sao Paulo reported Tuesday.
The paper cited a study by a FIFA consultant on the stadium construction or renovation program pointing to various degrees "of risk" for arenas in Manaus, Cuiaba, Porto Alegre, Curitiba and Sao Paulo.
But the biggest concern is for the stadium in the northeastern city of Natal because of a "tight schedule" that left no "margin for problems", it added.
Manaus and Cuiaba have "medium risk" while Curitiba and Porto Alegre have "low risk", with a greater chance of being ready in time.
The report indicated that two years before the World Cup gets underway, work on the 12 stadiums have progressed on average by 34.4 percent.
"The outlook for the 2013 Confederations Cup is even more critical. FIFA reports delays in three of the four venues for the competition," Folha said.
In a statement, FIFA however said the document cited by Folha was an internal monitoring report developed at the end of April for stadium experts. AFP

  Goal-line technology trial in Danish league - FIFA

Paris: One of two goal-line technology systems being tested for FIFA's rules body is to be used at two Danish league matches in the coming week, the world governing body said on Wednesday.
The GoalRef system, developed by Germany's Fraunhofer IIS, will be used on Sunday in the Superligaen game between Silkeborg IF and SonderjyskE and next Wednesday, when FC Nordsjaelland take on AC Horsens.
GoalRef uses a chip placed in the centre of a football which will be picked up by sensors installed in the goalmouth.
The second system under consideration is developed by British firm Hawk-Eye. It uses six cameras at each end of a stadium to calculate a three-dimensional position of the ball.
With each system, the referee will be alerted by a signal transmitted to a wristwatch within one second of any goalmouth incident whether the ball has crossed the line.
Hawk-Eye is being tested on Wednesday evening in Southampton, on England's south coast, in the final of the local Hampshire county's amateur league cup.
Software developed by Hawk-Eye, which tracks the trajectory of the ball, is already used to determine disputed line calls in tennis and some leg before wicket referrals in cricket.
FIFA said in a statement that the match referees in the three test matches will not use the technology in the event of a disupted goal. Instead, the systems will be monitored by observers. Goal-line technology has been trialled before at the under-17 World Cup in Peru in 2005 and at the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan in 2007. But after years of debate, pressure is growing to introduce the technology throughout the game, after a number of high-profile refereeing controversies.
FIFA's rules body-the International Football Association Board (IFAB) -- is expected to give the thumbs up to goal-line technology at a meeting in Kiev in July following the European Championships. AFP