Did you know? The team top of Premier League at Christmas have won the title in each of the last four seasons. But the last three times Liverpool have been top at Christmas they have failed to win the title (90-91, 96-97, 08-09)
Sport
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
DHAKA TRIBUNE
13
0 8 1 DAYS TO GO
14 Gunners held by Chelsea in goalless draw
15 I felt like a clown but I’m still in form: Pietersen
Under-19 Asia Cup squad announced n Minhaz Uddin Khan The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) yesterday announced a 15-member squad for the Asian Cricket Council U-19 Asia Cup UAE 2014. Bangladesh are placed in Group B along with Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Malaysia. The young Tigers will begin their campaign against Malaysia on December 28 at Abu Dhabi Oval. In their second game on December 29 they will face Afghanistan at the same venue followed by the last game against Sri Lanka on December 31 at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium. The final of the tournament will be held on January 4 at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Bangladesh U-19 team will leave for Dubai on December 26.l
SQUAD Mehidy Hassan Miraz (capt), Shadman Islam, Najmul Hossain, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Musaddek Hossain , Saeed Sarker, Joyraj Sheik, Mohammed Jasim Uddin, Abu Hider, Rifat Pradhan, Mustafizur Rahman, Nihad-Uz-Zaman, Jubair Hossain, Rahatul Ferdous, Prosenjit Das
Sheikh Russell’s Uruguayan recruits Francisco Andres Usucar Pasquetta and Mohamed Amine (Left) and goalkeeper Biplob attend a practice session at Buet field yesterday
Rejuvenated midfield key to Russell’s BPL charge n Raihan Mahmood A rejuvenated midfield comprising an eclectic blend of Uruguayan Francisco Pasqueta, Frenchmen Maxim Rogers, Jamaican Ricardo Cousine and Moroccan Mohammed Amine will hold the key for defending champions Sheikh Russell as they take the field to defend the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) title on Friday. This midfield can be dubbed as one of the best in the market as it has the flair to invade opposition territory while simultaneously restricting the oppositions chances of attacking. After the early departure in the last eight stage at the curtain raising Federation Cup, Sheikh Russell will now be looking
to defend the BPL title – the most prestigious football event of the season. Coach Maruful Haque oversaw a grueling training session at the BUET ground yesterday and the defending champion’s attitude was visible in every move. “They will fight it out in the field, the players were shocked with the early exit from the Federation Cup and this time the message is clear. We will do our best to retain the title,” said the coach, who guided Russell to three titles last season. Uruguayan midfielder Pasqueta will be holding the center while Ricardo will be distributing the ball with his neat through passes and crosses to set up the forward line. Maruf admitted that his squad this
year was not as formidable as last seasons. “To be frank, this year’s squad is not as like last year’s squad. However I am determined to go ahead with what I have and I have doubled my work load and hope team spirit moves us ahead.” As per the declaration of the BFF, the BPL is set to begin from Friday. Maruf will be handicapped in the first match as his Moroccan forward Younnes Raux is out with an injury and French midfielder Maxim will arrive on Friday after enjoying his Christmas holiday. Speaking about the weak points, Maruf said he still lacks a seasoned striker that fits in with his system. “My system requires a lone striker upfront and I have still not acquired it. Raux is injured and another Haitian forward
Pascal is out. I hope Raux recovers fast as that will help the team,” said Maruf. In this regard, manager Habibur Rahman Mannu said Pasacal is enjoying a holiday and his agent is still to locate him. However the club has submitted all the necessary documents to the BFF and if Pasacal arrives in the middle of the league, he will be eligible to play. Captain Biplob was also confident of putting good fight. “We have experienced names like Hasan al Mamun, Rajani Kanto Barman, Mithun Chowdhury and players like Mamun Mia, Anwar are raring to go. With the mixture of youth and experience and the flair of the foreign recruits, Sheikh Russell is a force to reckon with,” said the skipper. l
MUMIT M
Hockey clubs shift focus from Pakistani players n Shishir Hoque The growing anti-Pakistan sentiments in the country forced the local hockey clubs to look for alternative options of recruiting foreign players for the season. Pakistani players have been a popular choice among the big Dhaka Premier League clubs like Abahani, Mohammedan and Usha, but now they are looking for other options. “We almost finalised our talks in recruiting Pakistani players, but the ongoing relationship between the two countries are making us look to sign alternative players,” said Abahani coach Mahbub Harun. “We are monitoring the whole situation. If the situation continues to be like this we might recruit players from India,” he added.
Political unrest threatens Challenge Cup third round today cricketing calendar TICKET RATES n n Minhaz Uddin Khan The expectation that political unrest will harm upcoming cricket events is being realized in the eyes of many cricket experts. At least three cricket boards so far have expressed concern about sending their respective teams for the events scheduled in Dhaka early next year. The ICC has not yet shown any official but the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) – event rights holder of the Asia Cup - has. ACC CEO Syed Ashraful Haque informed the media three days ago of their concern about the ongoing unrest in Bangladesh. The organisation will not
We will make an effort to help cricket in every manner. The BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) will communicate with the political parties officially and request them to keep cricket off their program send an inspection team but instead, follow the media to monitor the situation before making a decision at their meeting in the first week of January. “We will make an effort to help cricket in every manner. The BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) will communicate with the political parties officially and request them to keep cricket off their program,” BCB acting CEO Nizamuddin Chowdhury told the media yesterday. “ACC will meet in Sri Lanka on January 4 and we will try to confirm by then with the political parties that the upcoming events are kept off from their
demonstration,” he added. BCB president Nazmul Hasan recently requested political parties to keep cricket out of the purview of demonstrations, but with the political situation getting worse and worse, cricket has not been helped at all. “We have a busy schedule of cricket starting with the bilateral home series against Sri Lanka in January followed immediately by the Asia Cup. Then we have the mega event of the ICC World Twenty20. The board president has already requested the political parties through the media to make sure that the unrest doesn’t harm the game,” said Nizamuddin. Withdrawal of the West Indies U-19 from their tour of Bangladesh earlier this month due to security concerns gave light to the political unrest in the country. The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) was concerned about their young cricketers after a crude bomb exploded a short distance from the hotel the team was staying at. “There is no particular way to arrange the security, rather it will be done as per the risk assessment. We have given the top security possible to a few teams in the recent past on the basis of government commitment,” Nizamuddin informed. When queried if there has been any communication between the BCB and the ICC regarding the issue, Nizamuddin said, “We and the department concerned with security are constantly communicating with the ICC on the situation and hopefully, the joint effort will get us some fruitful results.” l
Ticket Type VIP Grand Stand Shaheed Mushtaque Stand Shaheed Jewel Stand Northern Stand Southern Stand Eastern Stand
Price (Tk) 300 100 100 70 70 50
FIXTURE (DHAKA PHASE) 28 Dec 29 Dec 31 Dec
Abahani v Mohammedan
1pm
Prime Bank v UCB BCB XI
5pm
Prime Bank v Abahani
1pm
UCB BCB XIv Mohammedan 5pm Final
4pm
Minhaz Uddin Khan
The Amber Victory Day Twenty20 Challenge Cup at the Sylhet Divisional Stadium will see Prime Bank Cricket Club take on Abahani Sporting Limited today followed by the game between UCB BCB XI and Mohammedan Sporting Club in the evening. All teams have a win under their belt after two matches and it’s the net run-rate that put Abahani top of the four-team table.
Stand by Zakir Hasan, Sifat Islam, Nahid Hasan, Munim Shahriar, Mohammad Sumon
The tournament will move to Dhaka after tomorrow’s encounters and all the remaining matches including the final will be held at Mirpur’s Sher-eBangla National Stadium. The Bangladesh Cricket Board through a media release yesterday informed that all the matches in Dhaka will be televised live on Bangladesh Television. The board also announced the ticket prices for the Dhaka matches. The tickets will go on sale from today at the Media Ticket Counter near the Northern Entry gate at SBNS. The ticket counter will remain open from 11am to 5pm every day. l
Usha KC manager Rafiqul Islam Kamal said apart from signing Pakistani players they also planned to bring in a coach from the country, “But we have to think about alternatives if country’s current situation gets worse.” “We are in touch with Indian and players from other country for alternative options. We have to take a decision soon,” added Kamal. The season’s first tournament Club Cup Hockey is expected to begin in the first week of January followed by the league. Earlier this month, Bangladesh cricket was left stunned after the West Indies Cricket Board withdrew their Under-19 side from a seven-match youth ODI series following the ongoing political unrest here. The incident raised many eyebrows around the world concerning the security in Bangladesh. l
Fahad continues to impress, climbs to fourth n Tribune Desk The youngest Fide Master of the country Fahad Rahman climbed to fourth position after beating Iranian K Saberi Mahan in the 7th round, Under-10 Open Classic section, of the World Youth Chess Championship at Al-Ain, UAE on Monday. Fahad now has six points after the end of 7th round. He was scheduled to face Abdashev Arlen of Kazakhstan in the 8th round game yesterday. l
Philander deposes Steyn as world’s best bowler n AFP, Dubai South Africa paceman Vernon Philander has ended compatriot Dale Steyn’s four-year reign as the world’s topranked bowler. The 28-year-old took top spot in the latest ICC Rankings after out-shining Steyn in the dramatic drawn first Test against India in Johannesburg where South Africa fell just short of chasing down a world record run chase. Philander claimed seven wickets in the match while Steyn, who had taken over from Sri Lanka off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan as the world’s top bowler in July 2009, managed just one wicket. l
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (L) and bowler Pragyan Ohja play football during a training session ahead of the second Test against South Africa at the Sahara Stadium Kingsmead in Durban yesterday AFP