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India needed only 29 minutes on the fourth day to wrap up the Bangladesh tail for a win by an innings and 140 runs in the first Test at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
   Left-arm speedster Irfan Pathan added one to his overnight tally of five wickets, removing Tapash Baishya, and his new-ball partner Zaheer Khan sent back Manjarul Islam as the hosts’ second innings folded at 202.
   Pathan, who was adjudged man of the match for his match-winning figures of 11 for 106, had Tapash caught by Sachin Tendulkar at mid-wicket after the Bangladesh No 10 had added 12 to his overnight score of 17.
   Manjarul, not out on exactly 50 overnight, had scored 19 more on the fourth morning before he mistimed a pull of Zaheer and was caught by Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps. His dogged spanned over 116 balls and featured as many as 12 shots across the ropes.
   The easy victory aside, the tourists had a number of reasons to be satisfied with their performance.
   Sachin Tendulkar, who polished off his highest score in Test cricket, in the process essentially sealing the fate of the match, equalled compatriot Sunil Gavaskar’s world record of 34 centuries.
   Tendulkar, who scored an unbeaten 248, also got himself in the record book for sharing the highest-ever partnership for the 11th wicket with Zaheer.
   Zaheer also made his way into the record book for his 75, the highest ever by an No 11 batsman.
   Anil Kumble had, meanwhile, eclipsed Kapil Dev as the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket for his country.
   The hosts had some silver linings as well, with Mohammad Ashraful, Nafees Iqbal and Manjarul each scoring a fifty, and speedster Mashrafee Bin Mortuza bowling with venom on his comeback from a 14-month layoff because of injury.
   The second Test will start on December 17 at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong.

Young pacer Nazmul Hossain has been included in the Bangladesh squad for the second Test against India scheduled to start in the port city of Chittagong on December 17.
   The national selection committee inducted the young pacer into the squad increasing the number to 14. None of the 13 members of the first Test side was excluded.
   Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar felt the void of a third pacer and said it would be more effective for the team. So, it can be visualised that Bangladesh will field an eleven with three pacers in Chittagong.
   Mashrafee bin Mortaza, the young pacer who was certainly the pick of the local bowlers, was supposed to be rested as he has been on the comeback trail after a 14-month lay off due to knee injury. But the selectors thought otherwise. Mashrafee is also involved with a big club and if he is out of the squad he must have to play for the club. So, he will not get the required rest.
   Chief selector Faruque Ahmed was not concerned only about the Test. “We have to keep it in the mind that Bangladesh will also play an ODI in Chittagong. We picked the team accordingly.”
   Discarded batsman Alok Kapali failed to win the favour of the selectors though he has been having a good time with the bat in the premier league but he may be considered for the one-day series.
   The think tank of the Bangladesh team will have to decide who will be axed from the eleven that played in Dhaka. Rajin Saleh, who got a pair, and all-rounder Mushfiq Babu are the two who could face the guillotine. Aftab Ahmed, the boy from Chittagong, and either Talha Jubair or Nazmul will get the nod.
   Nazmul, who is yet to play a Test, has played four ODIs. He had ripped through the New Zealand upper-order in Chittagong taking four for 40 runs, the only wickets he has in his tally.
   Squad: Habibul Bashar (captain), Khaled Mashud, Nafis Iqbal, Javed Omar, Mohammad Ashraful, Rajin Saleh, Aftab Ahmed, Mushfiqur Rahman, Mohammad Rafique, Tapash Baisya, Mashrafee bin Mortaza, Talha Jubair, Manjural Islam Rana and Nazmul Hossain.

Ian Botham was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement award at the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year show in London on Sunday.
   Botham, who was Personality of the Year in 1981, was recognised for his feats on the field as well as his fundraising off it. “It’s quite a shock,” he admitted, “but it’s wonderful because it’s not just for the cricket but for the charity work. When you look down the list of BBC Sports Personality winners, it is a great honour to be included among them and now this lifetime achievement award is the icing on the cake.”
   Botham was one of the game’s great allrounders, taking 383 wickets and scoring 5200 runs in 102 Tests between 1977 and 1992. In all, he took 1172 first-class wickets and scored almost 20,000 runs.
   Although he retired in 1993, he has remained a high-profile figure. He was for some time a team captain on BBC’s Question of Sport, remains the face of Shredded Wheat on TV, and is a popular commentator for Sky.

Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly added another gem to his captaincy crown as his team registered an emphatic victory over the hosts whacking them by an innings and 140 runs, the best win for India in their away matches. The most successful Indian captain celebrated his 17th victory in the 43 Tests he led the side – with 14 draws and 12 defeats.
   Sourav is now just five Tests away from being the longest-serving Indian captain. Only Mohammad Azharuddin and Sunil Gavaskar are ahead of him both having led India on 47 occasions. He upstaged Azhar as the most successful Indian skipper after winning his 15th Test. Azhar had a record of 14 wins, 14 losses and 19 draws.
   Sourav was a contented man on Monday morning when his two pacers wrapped up the match within 29 minutes. The Indian captain has recovered from fever that kept him out of the field throughout the third day on Sunday and led the victorious team off the field after completing the victory.
   Sourav, however, praised Bangladesh. “They played well in patches. I thought they bowled well in the first session of the second day. They picked up three quick wickets and there were a few dropped chances. They are new-comers in international cricket, so you have to give them some time,” said the Indian captain.
   He also mentioned the inexperience of the Bangladesh players. “Four years ago, they had a few experienced guys. These boys need to be persisted with because they have the talent and with experience they will get better. Experience does matter in Test cricket,” said Sourav.
   Sourav was pretty confident that his players were motivated enough to show the best performances and were eager to win. “We’ve done very well in Test cricket in the last couple of years and we need to keep on winning. It’s no different here,” commented Sourav.
   The Indian captain was full of praise for Irfan Pathan and said he is getting better day by day. He also said Zaheer wanted to get a Test hundred, that’s why he did not declare the innings. Sourav expressed his dissatisfaction over Zahir’s not getting a century.
   The thought of inserting new players in the second Test is very much in the captain’s mind but he said that the final decision is yet to be taken.

Bangladesh cricket coach Dav Whatmore has rubbished claims that his team did not deserve to play Test cricket after suffering an innings defeat in the first Test against India here.
   “That’s absolutely rubbish,” Whatmore said reacting to remarks that Bangladesh was making a mockery of Test cricket.
   “I think that’s a very shallow view. That is one that comes from looking at the scoreboard. You need to understand the game and the situation that Bangladesh is in globally. These are very dangerous comments.”
   Bangladesh lost to India by an innings and 140 runs in the opening match of the two-Test series to suffer their 30th defeat in 33 matches since gaining Test status four years ago. The remaining three matches were drawn.
   “You must remember that not long ago we came within a whisker of winning in Multan,” Whatmore said of the Test Bangladesh lost by one wicket in Pakistan last year.
   “I can feel your frustration, but I plead with everyone to have some more patience. The boys are not doing this intentionally.
   “They are working as hard as they can to overcome it (failures) to some degree. As long as you are showing some improvement, you give yourself a chance. Don’t forget the opposition is pretty good, whoever we play.
   “I honestly believe that the talent in this country is the same sort of talent that you get anywhere in the sub-continent. It’s easy for you to say that the technique is not right, but that’s not correct.”
   The Bangladeshi coach conceded that his team had lost the initiative early in the match against India.
   “The new ball did the damage in both the innings. That was the start of it,” said Whatmore, who also coached Sri Lanka’s 1996 World Cup-winning squad.
   “It makes it very difficult when you lose three or four wickets in the first ten overs. We were playing catch-up cricket after that.
   “We need to try and not hand the advantage to the opposition early. We need to do a bit of fighting to keep it even for a while.
   “Now what’s happening is that we are giving away the advantage early and the opposition is good. We can’t really afford to do that.”

Australian vice-captain Adam Gilchrist has warned his team against writing off Pakistan ahead of Thursday’s first Test, saying both their batting and bowling could turn a match in moments.
   “All of us have seen Pakistan be hot and cold, whether it’s a tour match or an international game, so we’ll be wary of them still,” Gilchrist said.
   Gilchrist echoed the sentiments of opening batsman Justin Langer who said Shoaib Akhtar, the world’s fastest bowler, remained a trump card for Pakistan.
   “They have that ability and the attacking flair of their players and Shoaib is a prime example,” he said.
   “He’s done it to us before, you give him a bowling spell where he can come on, particularly with reverse swing at his pace, and he can take five for 20 in one spell and totally end an innings.
   The 29-year-old Akhtar has a career average of 24.32 but his form against Australia is not as solid with an average of 40.10, although he did capture 5-21 against them in October, 2002 during a Test match in neutral Colombo.
   Akhtar has bowled little so far on tour and completed only 17 overs in short bursts during Pakistan’s 10-wicket rout by Western Australia, but the team’s management maintain he is fit and injury-free.
   Langer said earlier this week he agreed with the way Akhtar had been used so far, arguing that he puts everything he has into each delivery—making him a formidable opponent.
   But Gilchrist also noted the potential of Pakistan’s batsmen to steal a match, despite their largely mediocre form so far.
   “From what I’ve seen of their batting—their batting has that flair where they can take it away from you in a short space of time,” he said.
   The Pakistanis rested on Monday although key offspinner Shoaib Malik headed to the University of Western Australia to have his action tested by experts in human movement for any illegalities.
   Malik was reported to the International Cricket Council by umpires Simon Taufel and Aleem Dar and match referee Jeff Crowe for a suspect bowling action following a one-day tournament in Lahore in October.
   The university’s Professor Bruce Elliott is renowned for his work in the area and has corrected the actions of other Pakistanis, as well as clearing Sri Lankan Muttiah Muralitharan to use his controversial “doosra” delivery.
   The report on Malik’s action will go to the ICC for consideration although it is unlikely it will interfere with his test commitments.
   The Australian team also assembled in Perth for their first training session at the Western Australian Cricket Association ground ahead of Thursday’s first Test.
   The Australians have already named their 12 players for the Test but slight question marks linger over the fitness of opener Matthew Hayden who has a hamstring strain.
   Hayden sat out the team’s net session on Monday but took part in some fielding drills where he seemed to move freely.
   The other question mark for Australia is whether pace bowler Brett Lee will be brought into the attack on a lively Perth wickets.
   Local reports suggested it was unlikely with the home side instead opting for an three-pronged pace attack of Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz and legspinner Shane Warne in order to keep an extra batsman in case Akhtar or his fellow attack bowler Mohammad Sami take early wickets.

Pakistan offspinner Shoaib Malik is clear to play in the first Test against Australia starting Thursday as the results of tests on his bowling action will not be known for at least a week, officials here said.
   Allrounder Malik was cited for a suspect topspin action following a one-day series in Sri Lanka in October and was tested for two hours by human movement specialists at the University of Western Australia on Monday.
   Although analysts said they should know the angle of his elbow extension within a few days, it was unlikely the report would be complete for at least a week.
   Human movement specialist Daryl Foster, who conducted the test which saw highly reflective markers attached to the 24-year-old’s body, said the report would go to the Pakistan Cricket Board who would then pass it on to the International Cricket Council.
   Foster said the process would take time but Malik would be free to bowl against Australia in the interim.
   “The rules say until the report goes through to the ICC he can still bowl in the Test match,” Foster said.
   “The report hasn’t gone to the Pakistan board, I doubt whether it will go there before the start of the (first) Test match.
   “It takes a couple of days to digitise all the information and write the report and send it to Pakistan.
   “Then they’ve got to send it to the ICC so if it gets there before Christmas it will be doing well.”
   Earlier this year the university carried out the same tests on Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, clearing him to use his controversial “doosra” delivery.
   Whether Malik is allowed to bowl in the second Test, starting in Melbourne on Boxing Day will depend on the report’s findings and timing.
   Even if Malik’s topspinner is found to be flawed, he could still bowl off-breaks or play solely as a batsman.
   He batted at number six in last week’s the recent tour match against Western Australia and is expected to do the same against Australia.

Former Indian captain Nari Contractor on Sunday hailed the world record-equalling performance of Sachin Tendulkar and described him as a more “accomplished player” than batting legend Sunil Gavaskar.
   “If you ask to compare between Sachin and Sunil... Sachin is a more accomplished player in all departments. His utility to the team is great and he performed tremendously,” Contractor told reporters.
   Tendulkar, who had joined Gavaskar as the leading century-maker in Test cricket by scoring his 34th hundred on Saturday, is a “more all-round cricketer” than his legendary senior, Contractor feels.
   “He (Sachin) bowls well, fields well and bats in number one and four positions. He is a more all-round cricketer than Sunil,” said Contractor, who was a regular opener for India during his time.
   The former captain, however, hastened to add “I am not trying to take anything away from Sunil. He was great. He was the only batsman except for Vivian Richards, who dared to face pace attack without helmet. Later he (Gavaskar) put on the scull-cap.”
   Contractor, whose international cricketing career had a premature end following a head injury that he sustained during the Barbados Test against West Indies in 1962, however, conceded that it was difficult to draw any comparison between the two great players who ruled the game in two different periods. More
   “Cricket was a more difficult game during our time,” Contractor said adding that “today’s batsmen have no technique to play bouncers as they have all equipment to protect them.”
   Asked about the tragedy that forced him to retire from international cricket, Contractor said “I emerged as a better and more determined person after the incident”.
   Contractor, who was here to inaugurate a free bed at the Cancer Centre Welfare Home and Research Institute, Thakurpukur, had suffered a serious head injury off a Charlie Griffith bouncer during the Barbados Test. West Indian captain Frank Orell and others had donated blood to save his life.
   “I was paralysed on my left side. But I got out of it, played (first class) cricket and since there was no money in the game in those days, had to concentrate on my job. I retired as general manager (marketing) of my company”.
   He said the determination to fight all odds came to him from the game. “Cricket teaches you to fight for everything thats there”. The former cricketer, however, added that he had no hard feelings against the West Indian fast bowler for the incident.
   Contractor said BCCI had asked him to write a letter for organising a benefit match for himself, but he refused.
   Commenting on the death of footballer Cristiano Junior during the Federation Cup final, he said “it’s wrong to put the blame on the (Mohun Bagan) goalkeeper (Subrata Pal)”.

South Africa A (281) lead England (225) by 98 runs at stumps, day 2
   England were in danger of defeat despite a fighting innings by captain Michael Vaughan on the second day of their three-day match against South Africa A at Sedgars Park Sunday.
   England finished the day on 154 for seven in their second innings, an overall lead of 98, with Vaughan unbeaten on 82.
   After trailing by 56 on the first innings, they lost their first three second-innings wickets for three runs and were later 64 for five.
   Vaughan and wicketkeeper Geraint Jones shared a stand of 45 to avoid total embarrassment for the tourists - but they will go into the first Test against South Africa in Port Elizabeth Friday with concern over the form of some of their leading batsmen.
   Marcus Trescothick, Mark Butcher, Graham Thorpe and Andrew Flintoff all failed for the second time in the match, while Andrew Strauss, who top-scored with 50 in the first innings, was out for nought.
   On the credit side, England’s bowlers did well in hot weather to prevent South Africa A from taking a bigger lead. Starting the day on 133 for two, the home side were bowled out for 281, losing their last five wickets for 20 runs.
   Flintoff dismissed three of South Africa A’s top five batsmen to finish with three for 50, while Simon Jones ran through the tail, taking three for 49.
   Flintoff gained impressive pace and bounce. He caught home captain Ashwell Prince off his own bowling, then had top-scorer Martin van Jaarsveld caught at short leg for 71 before Jean-Paul Duminy was bowled off an inside edge.
   Mark Boucher made a dogged unbeaten 26 off 74 balls and left-handed Albie Morkel slammed 47 off 48 balls.
   England made a disastrous start when Trescothick was trapped leg before by left-arm swing bowler Charl Willoughby in the first over and Strauss was caught at short leg off Ethy Mbhalati in the second over.
   Butcher was out for a 10-ball duck, another Willoughby lbw victim. Willoughby struck again when he bowled Thorpe for 11. Flintoff slammed five fours as he made 21 off 21 balls before he was bowled by Morkel.

Double Olympic gold medallist Kelly Holmes added to her list of honours in 2004 when she was named the BBC Sports Personality of the Year at a televised awards ceremony here Sunday.
   Holmes, 34, won both the 800m and 1500m titles at the Athens Olympics in August, striking gold in spectacular style after a career largely made up of near-misses.
   The award, restricted to British sportsmen and women, is voted for by members of the public and former army sergeant Holmes, who received her award from another English middle-distance great Sebastian Coe, said in her acceptance speech: “Since I’ve come back from the Olympics, the support I’ve had is overwhelming.”
   Oarsman Matthew Pinsent, who recently announced his retirement after winning a fourth successive gold medal at Athens, came second and England cricket all-rounder Andrew Flintoff was third after a year in which he played a starring role in the team’s rise to second in the Test world rankings.
   Teenage boxer Amir Khan, who won a surprise silver medal at Athens, and Manchester United and England footballer Wayne Rooney were also shortlisted.
   Pinsent did not leave the BBC studios in west London empty handed, he and his team-mates in Britain’s gold-medal winning coxless four collecting the Team of the Year award.
   Swiss tennis star Roger Federer, who won won three of the four men’s Grand Slam singles tournaments in 2004 (Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open), was the BBC’s Overseas Personality of the Year.
   Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had an enjoyable end to a frustrating day, which earlier saw his English champions draw 2-2 with leaders Chelsea, when he was named Coach of the Year.
   And England cricket great Ian Botham received a lifetime achievement award.

Graham Poll attracted controversy by allowing the quick free-kick with which Arsenal’s Thierry Henry caught Chelsea unawares for his second goal in today’s drawn London derby.
   But the respected Premier League referee explains there was nothing unusual in his decision-making at Highbury.
   Laying out his guidelines on how to officiate at a free-kick, he told BBC Sport what he sees as the do’s and don’ts.
   ‘First you have to deal with the principle of a free-kick. If the attacking team are fouled then it is they who hold the advantage,’ he contends.
   ‘With a free-kick around the penalty area, we always ask the players whether they want it quick or slow. ‘This is their window of opportunity to surprise the defence.’
   Henry took his ‘opportunity’ to great effect to put Arsenal 2-1 up just before the half-hour mark. But, Poll points out, the French forward was taking a gamble.
   ‘If they want it quick then they have given up the right to retake it – no matter if it hits a defender who’s three yards away,’ he said.
   ‘The same goes if they kick it over the bar. They only get one chance. But if it goes in like at Highbury then there can be no complaints. Neither does the referee have to make it clear when the free-kick is about to be taken.
   ‘There is nothing in the laws of the game that say we have to indicate for the free-kick to be taken,’ said Poll.
   ‘As long as the ball is stationary and in the right place then the attacking team can take it as quickly as they like.’

Real Madrid, King’s Cup favourites following the elimination of other top teams, were drawn against second division Valladolid in the third round on Monday.
   Real, lying fourth in the Primera Liga, travel to the mid-second division side for the first leg on January 12.
   Primera Liga giants such as champions Valencia, league leaders Barcelona and holders Real Zaragoza made shock exits to humble opposition in the first round.
   Madrid, who have struggled for form this season, needed a last-gasp strike from Argentina midfielder Santiago Solari to squeeze into the third round with a 2-1 win over giant-killers Tenerife in November.
   The remaining Primera Liga sides also face lowly competition in the Cup, whose reputation has suffered in recent years as big teams prefer to concentrate on the league and European competitions. Sevilla, lying fifth in the top flight, face second division Recreativo Huelva and their cross-town rivals Real Betis travel to third division Mirandes.
   Atletico Madrid face third division Lorca, who disposed of Prime Liga side Malaga in the previous round. Basque giants Athletic Bilbao are paired with Lanzarote, who toppled Primera Liga Real Mallorca to advance.

Premier League leaders Chelsea twice came back from a goal down to hold champions Arsenal to a 2-2 draw in a pulsating encounter played with all the spirit and passion of a cup tie at Highbury on Sunday.
   Goals from Chelsea captain John Terry and striker Eidur Gudjohnsen cancelled out two strikes from Thierry Henry, who played superbly only to miss a clear chance to grab all three points for his team 13 minutes from time.
   Chelsea stay top after 17 games with 40 points, four ahead of Everton who are a point better off than Arsenal after beating Liverpool 1-0 in Saturday’s 200th Merseyside derby. Manchester United, who visit Fulham on Monday, are fourth with 30 points.
   Arsenal started the match as if the defence of their title depended on these 90 minutes alone and with just 75 seconds on the clock they were in front.
   A Jose Antonio Reyes header found Henry on the edge of the box and the Frenchman controlled the ball with his right foot before lifting it into the corner of the net with his left.
   Chelsea equalised in the 17th minute when from Arjen Robben’s corner Chelsea captain Terry rose unmarked to head home his sixth goal of the season.
   The game then opened up and both sides had chances before the champions regained the lead in the 29th minute with a controversial goal courtesy of a little more Henry magic.
   Chelsea were still arguing about a free-kick awarded for a foul on Robert Pires just outside the box when Henry poked the ball beyond goalkeeper Petr Cech, who was caught still organising his wall.
   Several Chelsea players complained that referee Graham Poll had not indicated a quick free-kick was to be taken but the goal stood.
   Arsenal went in at the break well worth their lead but it was gone 33 seconds after the restart when a Lampard free-kick was headed back across the box and Gudjohnsen was on hand to head home the equaliser.
   As tackles rained in and personal tussles abounded, Chelsea continued to cause problems for the home side from set pieces while Arsenal, and Henry in particular, kept their London rivals under pressure with some typically fluid counterattacks.
   A brilliant piece of individualism from Chelsea’s most potent attacking weapon, Arjen Robben, nearly broke the deadlock after 69 minutes but the Dutch winger could only find the side-netting after a mazy 40-metre run.
   Arsenal’s best chance to seal victory came in the 77th minute when a well-crafted move left Henry with the goal at his mercy, but he spurned the chance to score what would have been his 16th league goal of the season by curling the ball over.
   Both sides continued to attack in search of a winner which would have given Chelsea a first league victory at Highbury since 1990 or left Arsenal breathing down the necks of the league leaders, but in the end the spoils were shared.
   “Before the game, a draw at Highbury is not a bad result but after the game I felt disappointed because I thought we were the best team and should have won,” Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho told Sky Sports TV.
   “I risked a lot in the second half, taking off a midfield player to play Didier Drogba, but our second goal arrived and that was justice and always felt in control in the second half.”
   Mourinho kept his counsel on Henry’s free-kick. “I don’t want to speak about it. If I do maybe I have to go to the FA for a visit, maybe spend some time in the stands and spend some money that I’d rather spend on Christmas presents,” he said.
   Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said, “I’m frustrated, having been twice in the lead it was difficult to take.
   “It was a very intense physical game, we suffered only on set pieces but we suffered a lot. We are too small as a unit.”
   Henry said his second goal came as a result of a lack of attention by Chelsea.
   “The referee asked if I wanted to wait for the whistle, I said ‘no’ and he said I could have a go.
   “I was just waiting for Gudjonsen to move out of the way.”
   In a robust second city derby earlier on Sunday Aston Villa’s unbeaten home record disappeared in the worst way possible as they were outplayed and lost 2-1 to Birmingham City.
   Birmingham went ahead after nine minutes when Clinton Morrison fired in a low shot that bounced awkwardly and went through the hands of goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen.
   David Dunn doubled the lead in the 18th with a well struck shot from near the penalty spot and Villa left it too late to stage a comeback when Gareth Barry scored in the 90th.
   The victory was only Birmingham’s second away from home all season and they remain unbeaten against their local rivals in five meetings since their return to the Premier League in 2002.

Real Madrid’s Primera Liga match against Real Sociedad was abandoned on Sunday with the scores level at 1-1 after police received a warning that a bomb would explode at the stadium at 2000 GMT.
   Close to 70,000 fans together with players and officials from both clubs evacuated the Bernabeu stadium a short time after Basque newspaper Gara had received the warning phone call in the name of the Basque separatist group ETA.
   Police searched the stadium with sniffer dogs but no explosive device was found in the vicinity of the stadium.
   “The police have said they have completed their search and have not found anything,” Real Madrid president Florentino Perez told reporters.
   “The best thing we can all do now is to put this nightmare behind us.”
   “The police said the threat was a credible one and that’s why we decided to evacuate the stadium a quarter of an hour before the deadline. The evacuation plan worked to perfection.”
   Spanish football authorities will hold a meeting on Monday to decide if the remaining three minutes of the game will be played at a later date or if the result will be allowed to stand.
   If the result remains at 1-1, Real will have dropped to fourth place in the standings, 11 points behind leaders Barcelona, who snatched a late 2-1 win at Albacete on Saturday.
   Household names including David Beckham, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Michael Owen were all on the pitch at the time the match against the Basque side was abandoned.
   The players left the stadium in their kit and had to wait in the street before being allowed to return when the police had given the all-clear.
   ETA has targeted the Bernabeu stadium before.
   In May 2002, an ETA car bomb exploded nearby hours before a European Champions League semi-final between Real Madrid and Barcelona and 17 people were treated for shock or slight injuries.
   ETA had warned of that attack in a call to Gara.
   On Sunday, Real took the lead just before the break when Brazilian striker Ronaldo cracked home with his left foot after controlling a Michel Salgado cross with his chest.
   Sociedad levelled the match midway through the second half when Turkish striker Nihat Kahveci smashed home with an acrobatic finish.
   Catalans Espanyol moved into second place in the league after giving an assured performance in their 2-1 victory at home to struggling Real Mallorca.
   Argentine defender Mauricio Pochettino gave Espanyol the lead when he headed in from a corner in the first half and midfielder Oscar Serrano made it 2-0 eight minutes later when he smashed in after Ivan de la Pena had hit the bar after a brilliant solo run.
   Earlier, Valencia had put their European woes behind them to notch their fourth Primera Liga win in a row with a 1-0 victory at home to basement side Numancia.
   Centre-half Carlos Marchena scored the winner on 21 minutes when he headed in from point-blank range at the far post after Numancia keeper had palmed a Vicente free-kick off the line.
   The win put Claudio Ranieri’s side who exited the Champions League midweek into third spot in the table, 10 points behind Barca.
   Sociedad, who beat Real Madrid 4-1 at the end of last season, dominated the first half at the Bernabeu, but they sparked into life on the half hour.
   Ronaldo had looked certain to score when Sociedad keeper Asier Riesgo found himself stranded outside his area after he raced to clear the ball, but the Brazilian rushed his shot and fired the ball over the bar.
   He made no mistake, though, when he was given another chance two minutes later after Salgado had clipped a fine cross into the heart of the area.
   Controlling the ball with his chest he took a step back as the ball dropped and then fired home with his left foot.
   It was Sociedad who found the net midway through the half when striker Darko Kovacevic nodded the ball down to Nihat who smashed home with a spectacular right-foot finish.
   Meanwhile, Real Madrid and Real Sociedad will play out the remaining six minutes of Sunday’s match, which was interrupted by a bomb hoax purporting to come from ETA, on January 5.
   The match will resume on Jan 5 at 6pm (1700) GMT, Real said.
   The clubs agreed to play the remaining two minutes of regulation time plus four minutes of stoppage time.

Pavel Nedved scored with a superb free-kick four minutes from time to give Juventus a precious 1-0 win at Bologna on Sunday.
   A slender victory enabled the 27-time champions to restore their four-point lead at the top of Serie A just hours after AC Milan had closed in to within a point of the pace-setters with a 6-0 hammering of Fiorentina.
   Juventus have 38 points from their 15 matches played,
   while AC Milan have 34, six more than Udinese who defeated bottom club Atalanta 1-0 on Saturday.
   In what is being billed as a title showdown, AC Milan visit the Delle Alpi stadium to face Juve next Saturday for a match that could prove pivotal in the race for the Scudetto.
   Juventus coach Fabio Capello insisted his team were good
   for the three points having created the greater number of chances.
   “We played with great pace and rhythm and created the most opportunities,” he said. “We started badly and the first 15 minutes was littered with errors, but after that I thought we were on top.
   “Bologna fought hard and never stopped fighting and that is what you expect to face when you come and play here.
   “But we matched them tackle for tackle and in the end we got what I felt our performance deserved.”
   Juve came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half when Nedved’s looping header hit the base of the post.
   The home side battled valiantly and appeared to be heading for a draw until Ciro Capuano tugged Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s shirt as the Swedish striker jumped for a high ball on the edge of the penalty box.
   Nedved took responsibility and curled a right-footed shot past Gianluca Pagliuca in the Bologna goal.
   Bologna were incensed with the referee and the closing stages were peppered with ugly challenges.
   Cagliari maintained fourth spot despite losing 3-2 at Reggina where Gaetano De Rosa scored twice for the home side, while Inter Milan were held for the 12th time this season, a 2-2 draw away to struggling Siena.
   Despite taking a point, Inter, who are still unbeaten, climbed two places to fifth.
   Amantino Mancini’s last-gasp penalty gave improving Roma a 1-0 win at Brescia, while Livorno captain Cristiano Lucarelli scored twice in their 2-0 victory at home to Parma.
   In other matches, Federico Cossato was also on target twice in Chievo’s 2-1 win at home to Palermo and Francesco Flachi’s header gave Sampdoria a slender victory against Messina.
   Andriy Shevchenko and Clarence Seedorf both scored twice as AC Milan thrashed Fiorentina at the San Siro.
   A Seedorf header and Giorgio Chiellini’s own goal gave the home side a commanding first half lead, before Shevchenko’s brace either side of Hernan Crespo’s strike added further misery to the visitors from Florence.
   Seedorf completed the scoring for AC Milan eight minutes from time with a tap-in after good work from Massimo Ambrosini.

A controversial waxwork nativity scene starring Britain’s celebrity couple David and Victoria Beckham, as holy couple Mary and Joseph, has been mauled in an attack, the Madame Tussaud’s museum said Monday.
   The figures of the famous England captain footballer and former member of pop group the Spice Girls were pummelled in the face Sunday by a visitor to the London exhibit, according to an account in The Sun tabloid.
   The attacker, described as a man in his 20s, punched the two Beckhams but reportedly left the other wax figures, which include actors Samuel Jackson and Hugh Grant as shepherds, and Australian pop star Kylie Minogue as an angel, unscathed.
   “There was some damage caused to the figures of David and Victoria by a member of the public earlier today,” a museum spokeswoman said in a terse statement late Sunday.
   “The figures have been removed and the scene has been closed.”
   The London attraction has not revealed details on the extent of the damage and on the circumstances of the attack.
   A Scotland Yard spokesman said there was no record of the police being contacted in relation to the attack.
   Religious authorities have criticised the Madame Tussaud nativity scene, which also featured figures of US President George W Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Queen Elizabeth’s husband Prince Philip playing the three wise men.
   Only baby Jesus seems not to have been doubled by any living celebrity.
   The head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, on Sunday described the nativity scene as “disrespectful”, while media commentators have simply dubbed the work as an example of poor taste.

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has won the 'Golden Boy' prize for the best young player in Europe.
   The England forward received the prize from Italian newspaper Tuttosport after topping a journalists' poll to find the outstanding footballer under 21.
   Rooney finished ahead of team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, Fernando Torres, Arjen Robben and Obafemi Martins.
   "As far as I am aware, this is the first international trophy I have won," said a delighted Rooney.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says it will be a major injustice if striker Thierry Henry is not voted either world or European player of the year.
   Wenger said, “It would be a scandal if he didn’t win at least one of the awards. I’d personally give him both.
   “He plays more games than anyone else, scores more goals than anyone else and has more assists than anyone else.
   “Players who want to be compared to him have to convince that they can be and convince people every game.”
   Henry has been shortlisted along with Barcelona’s Ronaldinho and AC Milan’s Andriy Shevchenko for the Fifa World Player of the Year award.
   He is also in contention for the Ballon d’Or, awarded by France Football magazine to the best European player over the past 12 months.

Argentine 1986 World Cup winning defender Jose Luis Cuciuffo died after being shot in a hunting accident, Argentine newspapers reported on Sunday. He was 43.
   Cuciuffo, a central defender in the side captained by Diego Maradona that won the 1986 tournament in Mexico, was fatally wounded in the stomach while out hunting in southern Buenos Aires province on Saturday evening, they said on their websites. He died in hospital.
   He played in the Argentine first division for Talleres, in his home city of Cordoba, Velez Sarsfield and Boca Juniors and French clubs Nimes and Reims.

FIFA holds its first Extraordinary Congress in Brussels during which it accepts the Comité Francés Interfederal (CFI) as a member. This ensured that France continued to have representation in the governing body after the Union des Sociétés Françaises de Sports Athlétiques (USFSA) – the driving force behind the creation of the FIFA – withdrew from the Federation at the Vienna Conference on June 7 of that same year.

Zia, Tahir, Saidali shares lead
GM Ziaur Rahman, IM Vakhidov Tahir of Muktijuddha Sangsad and Uzbek GM Iuldachev Saidali of Leonine are now sharing the lead in the points table with 4.5 points each after end of the 6th round games of the Maan Bangladesh Grandmasters Chess Tournament on Monday. GM Niaz Murshed of Leonine IM Reefat Bin Sattar of Biman and Leonine GM’S Dao Thien Hai & Nguyen Anh Dung of Vietnam are in 2nd position with 4 points each. FM Taibur Rahman Sumon, Syed Mahfuzur Rahman Emon and IM Mahmood Lodhi of Pakistan earned 3.5 points each. 7th round games will be held today from 10:00 AM at the same venue.
— New Age

Bridge championship on December 16-17
National Pair Duplicate Bridge Championship-2004 will be held on December 16 and 17 at the Hotel Rajmoni Ishah Kha. It is an Open event for all. Interested players can enroll their name with Tk 400 entry fee at the playing venue before 9:30 AM of December 16. Total Tk 40,000 will be given to the winner as prizes money.
— New Age

ICC contemplates moving headquarders
After failing to receive tax concessions from the UK government, the ICC has decided to vote on its future in the country during an emergency meeting later this week. Though Malaysia is a probable venue, the ICC are more likely to shift base to Dubai, where the Global Cricket Academy was recently inaugurated. Ehsan Mani, the ICC’s president, said to The Daily Telegraph, “I’m disappointed to hear what UK Sport have said, and I can confirm that we shall now be voting on this issue this week.” Earlier, UK Sport had written to the ICC saying the government would ease taxes on the ICC when the budget statement was announced. But there was no mention of tax concessions when the budget was out, which lead to Mani hinting at a possible move.
— CRICINFO

Solskjaer targets next season
Norway striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is hoping to be fit for the start of next season following a career-threatening knee injury. “I’m in no doubt that I’ll play soccer again,” the 31-year-old Manchester United player told Aftenposten daily. “The problem will be tempo, but we’re talking about eight months’ time.” Solskjaer underwent an operation in August in Sweden to transplant cartilage into his damaged right knee. “It’s going as it should with the knee,” he said. “I’m slavishly following a programme” Solskjaer’s contract with United runs out in 2006, by which time he will have been at the Premier League club for 10 years.
— Reuters

Fans greet Porto after Cup win
Hundreds of Porto fans greeted their side at Oporto’s international airport on Monday as they arrived back after their Intercontinental Cup win in Japan on Sunday. Fans cheered and waved blue-and-white flags and scarves as the players emerged from the arrivals lounge at Sa Carneiro airport. City officials had planned a victory parade round downtown Oporto in a bus but the event was cancelled due to heavy rain and wind. European champions Porto defeated their South American counterparts Once Caldas of Colombia 8-7 in a penalty shootout in Yokohama after a goalless draw. It was Porto’s second Intercontinental Cup win following their triumph over Penarol of Uruguay in 1987.
— AFP