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Kolkata giants East Bengal will arrive in Dhaka today to play their group ‘A’ away match of the Asian Football Confederation Cup against Muktijoddha on Wednesday at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
   East Bengal are languishing in the bottom of the group with just one point from their four matches. Muktijoddha have four points from the same number of outings. East Bengal lost 0-5 and 0-1 against Al Faislay of Jordan and 2-3 against Nebitchi of Turkmenistan. The only point they earned came from goalless draw at home to Muktijoddha.
   Muktijoddha fortunately defeated Nebitchi by a solitary goal in their away match but lost their home legs to Al Faisaly and Nebitchi by 0-3 and 1-2 margins respectively. Both the teams have no chance of advancing to the second round.
   Meanwhile, Premier League champions Brothers Union will take on Nisa FC of Turkmenistan in Ashgabat today.

The Bangladesh Cricket Team arrived on its first full tour of England on Saturday morning to a warm reception at Heathrow, eager to acquit themselves with pride in the early English summer with performances that will build on the progress that the team has made over the last few months.
   The team was met at the airport by a large number of enthusiastic Bangladesh supporters led by AH Mofazzal Karim, the Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK, along with distinguished members of the local Bangla community, according to a message received here on Sunday.
   The eyes of the entire country are on the team as it sets out on its historic tour, with the first tune-up game against the British Universities starting on Tuesday, which the unkind observers in England have suggested is matching like with like, according to a report published in The Independent, a daily newspaper of England.
   The report also said that the Test match at the Lord's has attracted a lot of attention from the large local Bangladeshi community who are expected to be in full force at the ground.
   Considering the opprobrium that has been heaped on Bangladesh's playing standards, ticket sales for the Tests are soaring. The MCC has made a concerted effort to compensate for Bangladesh's superficial lack of appeal by both stressing that it is their first Test in England and going into the Bangladeshi community in London, said the Independent report.
   The result is that the sales of daily tickets for the first three days of the Lord's Test rose to 13,500, 16,500 and 15,000. With a capacity of 29,000, the ground at least will not look too sparsely populated. The fact that only 3,000 people pre-ordered tickets for the Sunday game demonstrates that most expect England to romp to a quick victory.
   An MCC spokesman told The Independent, 'We have targeted our efforts at the Bangladeshi communities in London, recognising both that this is the country's first Test match here and that they may not be familiar with how to get tickets. We have been working on this match for months together and taken out adverts in Curry House, the restaurant-trade magazine.'
   On Sunday, the ECB's Cricket Roadshow will be at the Brick Lane Mela, held to mark the Bangla New Year.
   The Lord's will also have its now-traditional quota of schoolchildren. The MCC has handed out 5,000 complimentary tickets to schools for each of the first three days.
   The ticket sales second Test at Chester-le-Street is going on reasonably well, with 6,500 tickets sold for each of the first two days. The third day so far is extremely sluggish. Durham has not made the same mistake as they did for their inaugural Test in 2003, when they increased the capacity to 12,000 only to find the arena sparsely crowded. The capacity of the stadium is 8,000 this time.

India and Sri Lanka will clash in at least eight one-day internationals in August, according to a proposal drawn up by Sri Lanka’s government-run cricket board.
   India will join the West Indies and hosts Sri Lanka in a tri-series August 2-14 before Sri Lanka travel to India two days later for five more one-dayers, an official said on Sunday.
   The five matches in India are to make up for the one-day series in April which was cancelled due to the reluctance of Indian players to take part soon after a gruelling tour by Pakistan.
   ‘We are confident the Indian board will accept our proposal,’ Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chief executive Duleep Mendis told AFP.
   ‘It was the Indians who postponed our five one-dayers in April. We have now proposed to them that we can tour in August.’
   The Indian board has not yet reacted to Sri Lanka’s proposal.
   The interim committee appointed by Sri Lanka’s sports ministry in March to run the SLC has devised a busy schedule for the national team.
   The West Indies will tour the island nation for two Test matches in July followed by the triangular with India where each team plays the other twice in the league before the final.
   After the proposed five-match series in India, the Sri Lankans will return home to face Bangladesh in two Tests and three one-dayers in September.
   India will tour Zimbabwe in the same period for two Tests and a tri-series also featuring New Zealand.
   India will clock a minimum of 13 one-dayers - a maximum of 15 if they reach the final in both Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe - besides two Test matches between August 2 and September 30 if Sri Lanka’s proposal is accepted.
   Sri Lanka is also scheduled to tour India in November for three Test matches, according to the 10-year programme drawn up the International Cricket Council (ICC).

Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and pacer Shoaib Akhtar must sort out their differences for the betterment of cricket in the country, former skipper Wasim Akram said Sunday.
   'Inzamam and Akhtar are grown-up guys and they must sort their differences out by talking with each other. Pakistan cricket needs this badly,' Akram, the former great pacer and ex-Pakistan captain, told AFP.
   Akhtar, 29, was left out of the 17-man squad for Pakistan's tour of the West Indies where they are to play three one-day games and two Tests starting May 18. The team leaves for the Caribbean tour on Tuesday.
   Pakistan's Cricket Board last week said Akhtar lacked match fitness. Inzamam also lashed out at Akhtar, citing lack of discipline as one of the factors for his exclusion.
   'Shoaib Akhtar has disciplinary problems and I believe no player is bigger than the team. We've had these problems with him in the past and my concern is that it has a negative impact on other players also,' Inzamam has said. But Akram said dropping Akhtar was unjustified.
   'Inzamam sought my advice last month and I told him to handle Akhtar properly. It's injustice. You can't sit someone out because he doesn't listen,' said Akram.
   Akram retired in 2003 after taking 414 Tests and a world record of 502 one-day wickets.
   He said Akhtar looked fitter than two months ago when he had to pull out of the India tour due to a hamstring injury.
   'When a fast bowler comes back from injury he tends to put some weight. I have been through it a lot and that's why Imran Khan used to take me on tours to get me fit,' said Akram.
   'You get fit after one match. I am not happy with all those medical panels. How can they check your fitness?' he said, adding Pakistan will badly miss Akhtar on the West Indies tour.
   'With Akhtar dropped and Mohammad Sami injured, Pakistan bowling lacks depth and would find it hard to cope against a resurging West Indies,' he said.

South Africa (255/2) beat West Indies (253) by 8 wickets
   Captain Graeme Smith struck his fourth century in successive matches to lead South Africa to a convincing eight-wicket victory over West Indies in the first of five one-day internationals on Saturday.
   Chasing a victory target of 254 at Sabina Park, Smith shared an opening stand of 131 with Boeta Dippenaar (56) before reaching his fourth one-day century in his last eight one-dayers and guiding his team to the point of victory.
   Having reached 103 from 100 balls with a boundary against part-time seamer Dwayne Smith, the South Africa captain drove wearily at a wide delivery from his namesake two balls later and was caught by wicket keeper Courtney Browne for 103.
   His innings included 13 fours.
   Consecutive centuries in the final three tests against the home side before the one-day series earned Smith the man-of-the-series award.
   He was even more dominant at the start of the one-day series, though, as he played shots at will to all parts of the ground and against all bowlers.
   Smith had earned the disdain of his opponents by demanding a public apology from Dwayne Bravo, who claimed the South Africa captain had racially abused him at the fourth test in Antigua.
   Smith was cleared of a charge of breaching the International Cricket Council (IC) code of conduct by match referee Jeff Crowe after a hearing.
   However, his century on Saturday did not receive a single handclap from the West Indians.
   Only 64 runs were required for victory when Smith was dismissed and Jacques Kallis made certain there were no late alarms with an unbeaten 51 at the close from 68 balls with two fours as South Africa reached 255-2 from just 45 overs.
   Herschelle Gibbs was even more devastating in the closing overs with an imperious, unbeaten 40 from just 36 balls with three fours and two sixes.
   Fast bowler Makhaya Ntini also played a crucial role in setting up victory with an inspired spell of 4-46 that started with the early wickets of both openers.
   That included the ever-dangerous Chris Gayle who scored 317 against the tourists in the fourth and final test less than a week ago.
   Ntini bowled Wavell Hinds for five while Gayle fell for 26 to a breathtaking, one-handed catch by Hershelle Gibbs in the covers.
   Brian Lara was in the mood to rebuild steadily until a full length delivery from Andre Nel tempted him to flick airily into the leg side where Boeta Dippenaar held a regulation catch on the boundary.

John Terry lifted the Premier League trophy in a cloud of blue and white streamers on Saturday after leading Chelsea to their first English championship for 50 years.
   The London side had just beaten Charlton Athletic 1-0 thanks to a last-gasp goal by French midfielder Claude Makelele, his first in the Premier League.
   With the title already secured three games early, Saturday’s result was secondary, however, to a day of celebration for the club at the last home game of their centenary year.
   Chelsea had tracked down 13 members of the 1955 squad who were presented with a replica trophy before the current players.
   Ted Drake’s team had not enjoyed a presentation ceremony when they won, going home with just a 20-pound bonus or a new suit.
   On Saturday Terry and vice-captain Frank Lampard, both of whom won player of the year awards this season, presented the Cup to the grey-haired, grey-suited group, in their 70s and 80s and captain Roy Bently held it aloft. Terry and Lampard then led laps of honour round Stamford Bridge while manager Jose Mourinho stood back grinning and holding the hands of his two children swathed in Chelsea scarves.
   ‘I’m happy, I’m tired, I’m proud,’ the Portuguese manager who joined Chelsea from Porto last June, said.
   ‘But it’s in my nature not to be content. We want more. This is the beginning of the process not the end,’ he added.
   Fans enjoyed a carnival atmosphere along the Fulham Road outside the ground, usually snarled up with traffic but on Saturday seething with supporters and festooned in blue.
   Stall holders did a brisk trade in champions’ memorabilia, shirts, flags and scarves.
   Owner Roman Abramovich, whose billions have bankrolled the champions for the last two years, wrote a rare piece in the programme for the first time.
   ‘Fifty years is much too long to wait and I am confident that we will not have to wait that long again... I view the championship as just the beginning of a new era for Chelsea and would like to reiterate my long-term commitment to the club.’
   Players stayed on the pitch parading the trophy for an hour after the presentation, forgetting for the moment their Champions League defeat on Tuesday, when Liverpool knocked them out in the semi-finals 1-0 on aggregate.
   Terry described that night in the programme as ‘The worst I’ve ever felt after a football match.’

Snigdha and Bappi both of Narail clinched the titles of the boys’ and girls’ U-12 section in the Meril National Table Tennis on Sunday. In the finals held at the Mirpur indoor stadium, Snigdha defeated Jhuma of Jessore by 3-1 sets.
   Earlier, Snigdha defeated Cynthia of Narail in the second semi-final while Jhuma ousted Drishti of Gaibandha in the first semi-final.
   In the boys’ final, Bappi defeated his team-mate Sabuj by 3-1 sets. In the semi-finals, Bappi beat Antu, another paddler from Narail, while Sabuj whacked Himel of Khulna.
   Biman and Ansar reached the final of women’s team event defeating Rajshahi and Gaibandha respectively. The team event finals will be held today.

Andre Agassi slammed Guillermo Coria for his ‘unacceptable behaviour’ after losing to the Argentinian in the semi-finals of the Rome Masters on Saturday.
   Ninth seed Coria beat the eight-time Grand Slam champion 7-5, 7-6 (7/0) in a fractious semi-final to set up a meeting in Sunday’s showpiece with Rafael Nadal, whom he lost to in the Monte Carlo final last month.
   Teen sensation Nadal, going for his fifth singles title this year, battled back from a set down to beat Spanish compatriot David Ferrer 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.
   Agassi was upset that Coria insisted one of his borderline returns in the first set was definitely out, even before the ball had touched the floor.
   ‘He shook his finger before the ball bounced and then he circles it (the mark) as if it was obviously out and starts walking back,’ said the sixth seed, a winner here in 2002.
   ‘I understand making a mistake, but I don’t understand suggesting that when it’s that close, that it’s clearly out.
   ‘It was an unreasonable response and one I didn’t appreciate at all. If you’re not sure, that’s what the umpire is there for.
   ‘It’s better to be not sure - that’s okay, we can live with that - but to act like it’s sure when it’s obviously close is unacceptable behaviour.’
   Coria, who held two match points in last year’s French Open final only to lose to Gaston Gaudio, admitted his nerves were jangling when Agassi stormed 5-2 ahead in the second set.
   ‘I was worried, but then I started to play like I did in the first set,’ said the 23-year-old. ‘I knew that if I just kept my serve I could break him.’
   Coria insisted that even with 12 years on Agassi, the veteran American proved a tough opponent.
   ‘Every year you think it’s going to be his last and he comes back stronger than ever,’ he said.
   Fifth seed Nadal admitted Friday’s three-setter against Radek Stepanek had taken a lot out of him after being pushed all the way by Ferrer.
   Nadal insisted he never doubted himself, even when Ferrer saved two match points to break his serve and level at 5-5 in the deciding set.
   Ranked a career-best seventh in the world, Nadal is the first left-hander to reach the Rome final since Marcelo Rios in 1998.
   Should he beat Coria, the 18-year-old Spaniard will move to within 10 points of world number one Roger Federer in the ATP race.

Justine Henin-Hardenne moved to within one victory of concluding her French Open build-up by winning three clay court titles in a row here on Saturday at the WTA German Open.
   The former triple Grand Slam titleholder did that with a rampaging 6-0, 6-1 win over Patty Schnyder, the seventh-seeded Swiss player, which carried her to the final of the German Open.
   Henin’s opponent in the final will be Nadia Petrova, the sixth-seeded Russian, who enjoyed a 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 victory over Jelena Jankovic, the 13th seed from Serbia.
   Henin, whose career was threatened by a persistent virus during seven months away from the game, has won Charleston and Warsaw in the two months since she returned to the WTA Tour and if she wins the title tomorrow she will achieve something which has not been done for a decade.
   The last woman to capture three successive titles or more in the French Open build-up was Conchita Martinez, the former Wimbledon champion, who won four in 1995.
   ‘I played a very solid match and I am very pleased,’ said Henin. Against Patty Schnyder you have to stay aggressive all the time. If I play one millimetre from my best it will be another match entirely.
   ‘I was going for the corners and making winners and it was very good.’
   Henin’s form must make her unofficial favourite for Roland Garros. She was outstanding during her straight sets victory over top-seeded Maria Sharapova on Friday and if anything was better still on Saturday.
   The match was played almost throughout in a slight drizzle, and the grey, heavy conditions which were unpleasant for almost everyone, actually appeared ideal for Henin.
   The brilliant Belgian was given more time in which to prepare, making available for her an even wider arsenal of attacking strokes than usual, and resulting in a torrent of multi-layered attacks which swept Schnyder aside.
   Schnyder had previously got past Miami and Indian Wells champion Kim Clijsters and US Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, but now against the inspired Henin she lasted only 51 minutes.
   It was still drizzling at the end of a miserable experience which Schnyder would have liked to avoid by delaying the match until the weather improved.
   Petrova made hard work of a win which looked close when she served for the match at 5-4 in the second set and then led 5-3 in the tie-breaker.
   She also took a ten-minute injury time out in the third game of the final set, when the official trainer came on court to apply treatment to Petrova’s left thigh.
   Not long after the restart the tenacious mobile Jankovic broke back to reach 3-4 and was within two points of reaching 4-4 before a last push by Petrova made her a very relieved-looking winner.

Darren Lehmann could conceivably replace Allan Border as a national selector, despite still playing first-class cricket for South Australia.
   The South Australian Cricket Association have nominated him to fill the vacancy created by Border’s resignation in April. And despite the potential for conflict of interest, Trevor Hohns - chairman of the selection panel - refused to rule out the possibility that Lehmann might be taken on board.
   Lehmann was omitted from the Ashes squad, and has little chance of wearing the baggy green again, but despite his enthusiasm for the selector’s job, he could face stiff opposition from the powerful Victoria and New South Wales representation on the Cricket Australia board.
   According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Ray Bright, the Victorian nominee, and Marshall Rosen, the New South Wales alternative, are both ahead of Lehmann in the race.
   South Australia already has a representative on the panel in Andrew Hilditch.
   Hohns, who reckoned that Lehmann would make a fine selector one day, told the paper: ‘Whether Cricket Australia would be comfortable with the idea of a guy who’s still playing being a selector, I’m not sure. But in my opinion Darren would be an ideal type for the job. He’s got a good manner about him, and gets on well with other players.’
   Lehmann was a valuable source of advice and experience for Ricky Ponting when he took over from Steve Waugh as captain, and Hohns suggested that it would make sense to pick someone who was clued in to the inticacies of the modern game.
   He said, ‘Having a guy who only recently finished playing has its attractions in terms of knowing what players go through.’
   With Matthew Elliott moving from Victoria to give South Australia’s young and talented team another shot of experience, Lehmann could well decide to play on a couple more seasons.
   However, Hohns suggested that such a decision wouldn’t be held against him.
   Apart from Lehmann, Bright and Rosen, Western Australia’s Tom Hogan is also a contender, but Michael Brown, Cricket Australia’s operations manager, said that an interviewing process could also involve other candidates approached to take up the job.
   The new appointment will be confirmed during CA’s board meeting in early June.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming struck an unbeaten double century for Nottinghamshire on the second day of their First Division County Championship match away to Surrey at The Oval on Saturday.
   Fleming, now also the Nottinghamshire skipper, was 223 not out at stumps. The left-hander struck five sixes and 27 fours in his near run-a-ball innings as the visitors ended a day disrupted by a wet outfield on 580 for four - a lead of 363 in reply to Surrey’s 217.
   Former Nottinghamshire captain Jason Gallian weighed in with 141 while Darren Bicknell, once a Surrey stalwart, scored 91 and David Hussey 74 as both teams looked to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
   Elsewhere Glamorgan were forced to follow on against Gloucestershire at Sophia Gardens after all-rounder Alex Gidman broke through the hosts’ top order with four for 47.
   The hosts were bowled out for 239 in reply to Gloucestershire’s 466 and at the close in their second innings were 93 for one - still 134 runs shy of making Chris Taylor’s team bat again.
   At the Rose Bowl, Middlesex eked out a first innings lead of four runs over Hampshire after being bowled out for 279, Owais Shah (83) and Ed Joyce (70) the main contributors.
   But the home side also struggled before closing on 28 for two in their second innings, just 24 runs in front.
   In the Second Division, Mal Loye and Australia’s Brad Hodge guided Lancashire towards a first innings lead against Derbyshire on a rain-affected day at Old Trafford.
   Lancashire, starting the day on 65 without loss, finished on 175 for one with Loye 91 not out and Hodge 24 not out after Mark Chilton made 50 to be 40 behind their opponents.
   Australian seamer Damien Wright starred for Northampton-shire by taking eight for 60 as Yorkshire were bowled for 328 at Headingley.
   The visitors were nine without loss in their second innings come Saturday’s close, 38 runs behind Yorkshire.
   Durham’s lower order in the shape of Liam Plunkett (74 not out) and Mark Davies (62) rallied the tail to turn 141 for seven into 298 all out, a lead of 46 at Stockton.
   Somerset ended on 88 for three, 42 in front, but with both England opener Marcus Trescothick and Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya, arguably an even more dangerous left-hander, both back in the pavilion.

Power-hungry administrators and a lack of bench strength has left Sri Lanka’s cricketing future in a mess, according to the country’s celebrated former captain Arjuna Ranatunga.
   Ranatunga says drastic measures are needed to ensure the sport flourishes in the cricket-crazy island nation.
   ‘Not many people outside Sri Lanka realise how bad the situation is,’ Ranatunga, 41, told AFP.
   ‘The talent is there but it is not being harnessed properly. The way things have gone over the past few years we could soon be at the bottom of the pile.’
   Ranatunga said the current Sri Lankan team, captained by Marvan Atapattu, was a top-class side capable of taking on the best in the world.
   But the future looked bleak because few talented junior players are rising from the ranks.
   ‘You can’t expect seniors like Atapattu, Chaminda Vaas, Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Murali-tharan to go on forever,’ he said.
   ‘They have been the backbone of the side for a long time, even when I was playing.
   ‘But what after them? Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara and Thilan Samaraweera are young and very talented but they will have to be around for a long time to keep the team afloat.
   ‘Soon we may not be able to defeat anyone.’
   Ranatunga, who played in Sri Lanka’s inaugural Test against England in 1982 aged 18, quit cricket in August 2000 to follow his father into politics.
   Now the junior minister for tourism, Ranatunga blamed the current mess in Sri Lanka cricket on officials who sought power without responsibility.
   ‘I have said it many times before, our World Cup victory in 1996 came with a lot of unnecessary baggage,’ he said.
   ‘As money came into cricket, it attracted a lot of unwanted people who were more concerned about themselves than the good of the sport.
   ‘We are paying for it now.’ Ranatunga supported the government’s recent move to take over the administration of Sri Lanka Cricket.
   ‘It should have happened a long time ago, but better late than never,’ he said.
   In a dramatic coup that stunned world cricket in March, sports minister Jeewan Kuma-ratunga sacked the elected representatives of SLC and appointed an interim committee in its place.
   SLC president Thilanga Sumathipala, who was then attending a meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in New Delhi, was ejected from the meeting and replaced by a government nominee.
   Sumathipala responded by locking the SLC’s headquarters in downtown Colombo and sent the staff on paid leave to prevent the interim committee from taking charge.
   Matters came to a head last Tuesday when armed officers of the Criminal Investigation Department raided the SLC headquarters and installed the government nominees headed by businessman Jayantha Dharmadasa.
   Former Test captain Duleep Mendis, who served as the SLC’s paid chief executive, quit his post in disgust but was persuaded by the interim committee to continue. Sumathipala has moved court against his dismissal, but for now the government-appointed committee appears in control of the SLC.
   Ranatunga hopes the new bosses will put cricket back on track and was himself willing to contribute towards it.
   ‘I will always have time for cricket,’ he said. ‘I stood aside earlier because I felt the people running the game were very dubious.
   ‘But if the interim committee is serious about cricket, I will willingly help. Sri Lankan cricket needs all the support it can.’
   Sri Lanka host the West Indies for two Tests in July followed by a one-day triangular also featuring India in August.

Former Australia captain Greg Chappell and his compatriot Tom Moody were among four names shortlisted on Sunday for the job of India national coach.
   Batsmen Mohinder Amarnath and Sandeep Patil, members of India’s 1983 World Cup winning squad, were also on the list to replace New Zealander John Wright.
   A six-member committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) met on Sunday to consider a successor to former national captain Wright, who ended his 4-1/2-year term as India’s first foreign coach last month.
   ‘By June 15, we will have a new coach. He will be (there) for at least the 2007 World Cup,’ BCCI president Ranbir Mahendra told reporters.

McLaren’s Kimi Raikkonen ran away with the Spanish Grand Prix on Sunday to dash Formula One leader Fernando Alonso’s hopes of celebrating a fourth win in a row before his home crowd.
   Alonso, the Renault driver who has set the championship alight and fired up a nation’s dormant passion for Formula One, had to settle for a distant second place behind the Finnish ‘Iceman’.
   The McLaren crossed the line 27.6 seconds before Alonso after pulling away at a second a lap in the early stages.
   Raikkonen’s first win of the season, and third of his career, ended Renault’s run of four victories in a row and made up for the disappointment of two weeks ago when he led at Imola from pole before retiring.
   It also ended Michael Schumacher’s hopes of a record-equalling success in Barcelona.
   The seven-times world champion had a tyre nightmare, retiring for the third time in five races, while his team mate Rubens Barrichello was lapped by Raikkonen at half distance on an afternoon to forget for Ferrari.
   Schumacher had won the last four Spanish grands prix and another win would have equalled the record of five in a row at a single venue set by the late Brazilian Ayrton Senna at Monaco from 1989-1993.
   Italian Jarno Trulli was third for Toyota, his third podium finish of the season, to maintain his second place in the championship.
   Toyota’s Ralf Schumacher was fourth, ahead of Renault’s Italian Giancarlo Fisichella and Australian Mark Webber in a Williams.
   Watched by the King of Spain, and with most of the 115,000 capacity crowd willing him on, Alonso could at least take comfort in an extended overall lead and his fifth successive top three finish.
   The 23-year-old now has 44 points to Trulli’s 26. Raikkonen has 17. Renault have 58 to Toyota’s 40.
   The circuit lived up to its reputation of producing predictable winners, Raikkonen the 11th driver in 15 races there to win from pole.
   Never has a driver won from outside the top three on the starting grid and they did not look like doing so on Sunday, with the pattern set from the start when Alonso scythed past Webber to settle in behind Raikkonen.
   Schumacher, who chased the Spaniard all the way to the chequered flag in the last San Marino Grand Prix, did a longer first stint than the frontrunners and ran in second place briefly before the tyre problems.
   Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya was seventh for McLaren on his return from a two-race layoff due to
   injury, while Briton David Coulthard collected a point for Red Bull.

Ronaldo and Raul Gonzalez grabbed two goals each and Michael Owen also found the net as Real Madrid kept the Spanish title race alive with an emphatic 5-0 win over Racing Santander on Saturday.
   ‘Raul was just fantastic, his best game that I have seen. He ran, he scored and he helped out Beckham and Zidane,’ said Real coach Wanderley Luxemburgo, paying tribute to his captain.
   The 29-times Spanish champions reduced the advantage of league leaders Barcelona to just three points with three games still to go. ‘Luxemburgo has convinced us anything is still possible,’ said Real’s Spanish international defender Ivan Helguera.
   Owen opened the scoring after 28 minutes, finishing off a neat move in which Raul found Ronaldo darting down the left wing.
   ‘Raul’s concentration was vital, this is exactly what we have been working on in training,’ added Luxemburgo.
   Ronaldo then provided the service for the England international to find the net from close range. The Brazilian World Cup winner then got on the score sheet himself from the penalty spot eight minutes later after Racing’s Israeli international goalkeeper Dudu Aouate had flattened him on the edge of the area.
   It wasn’t a classic goal like so many of the others from the three-time World Player of the Year but Ronaldo will remember it all the same as it was his 100th goal in the top flight of Spanish football.
   Raul got Real’s third after 54 minutes with the Racing defence run ragged, and added his second of the night after 71 minutes, after assistance from Owen. Ronaldo finished off the rout in injury time for his 20th goal of the season.
   Real Betis complicated the race for the last place in next season’s Champions League with a 1-0 win in their local derby with third-placed Sevilla on Saturday.
   Brazilian international striker Ricardo Oliveira got the only goal of the game after seven minutes, his shot from 20 metres bouncing under the diving body of Sevilla’s luckless keeper Antonio Notario.
   Betis move up to fourth ahead of Sunday’s games, with just two points covering them and the three teams immediately behind them. At the other end of the table, Real Mallorca continued their dogged bid to stay in the Spanish first division with a 1-1 draw at Osasuna.
   Francisco Farinos put Mallorca ahead after 33 minutes with the hosts’ first serious attack of the game.
   Savo Milosevic then headed a vital equaliser seven minutes from time for a point that ensures Osasuna stay in the top flight of Spanish soccer.
   The result also means Malaga and Getafe cannot go down.
   Mallorca stay in the relegation zone, three points away from safety with three games still to play, but have not lost in their last four outings.
   Athletic Bilbao kept alive their faint chances of European football next season with a 2-0 win over Real Zaragoza, thanks to second half goals from Ismael Urzaiz and Mari Lacruz.

Ronaldo Nazario, the striker of Real Madrid, scored his 100th goal since he first arrived in Spain in the match against Racing of Santander through a penalty kick, although he had time to score again in the second half.
   The Brazilian striker is ending the season in perfect conditions. With the two scores he had eight goal in five matches,after a two-month period without a single goal.
   Since he arrived in Spain with Barcelona, Ronaldo has scored on 101 occasions in the Spanish League, including 20 this season.
   While Ronaldo’s Real captain Raul scored his 250th goal for his beloved club in the same match. Raul has also been elected as vice-president of the players’ union (AFE).
   AFE president Gerardo Gonzalez Movilla is delighted with the election of such a high-profile player.

Premier League champions Chelsea needed a last-minute strike by Claude Makelele to celebrate their first championship in 50 years with a 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
   The relegation battle will go to the final round of matches after Crystal Palace and Southampton drew 2-2, Norwich City beat Birmingham City 1-0 and West Bromwich Albion earned a surprise 1-1 draw at Manchester United.
   Chelsea struggled before being awarded a 90th-minute penalty and although Makelele's spot-kick was parried, the former France midfielder knocked in the rebound to score his first goal for the club in their last home game of the season.
   Victory and the trophy presentation at Stamford Bridge rounded off a bitter-sweet week for Chelsea, who secured the title last Saturday with a 2-0 win at Bolton Wanderers but were knocked out of the Champions League semi-finals by Liverpool.
   'It's fantastic for me, but it's their moment,' Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho told Sky Sports News after his players paraded the trophy on a sunlit afternoon.
   'I'm proud of everybody and we have to try to repeat it because it's a fantastic feeling,' he said.
   The day ended with third-placed Manchester United being held to a draw by West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford.
   West Brom striker Robert Earnshaw converted a 62nd-minute penalty to cancel out a first-half free kick by Ryan Giggs and virtually end United's hopes of finishing second.
   'It was a terrible give-away,' said angry United manager Alex Ferguson. 'I think that's it now as far as second place goes. We've dropped too many points against the bottom half of the league, that's an embarrassment to the players.'
   United have 74 points, three behind Arsenal, who can all but guarantee runners-up spot and direct entry into the Champions League group stage by beating Liverpool at Highbury on Sunday.
   Earlier, there was a flurry of red cards and plenty of thrills in the drop zone, where any one of the bottom four clubs could still survive on a dramatic final afternoon next Sunday.
   Norwich beat 10-man Birmingham thanks to a Dean Ashton penalty, but their fans could barely celebrate at the final whistle as their team were still in the bottom three.
   A few minutes later, Norwich were hoisted clear of the drop zone as a 90th-minute strike by Danny Higginbotham earned Southampton a 2-2 draw in a relegation dogfight at Crystal Palace after a delayed start.
   With their final matches to play next weekend, Norwich are 17th on 33 points, Southampton are above Palace on goal difference with 32 points each and West Brom are bottom with 31.
   Everton stayed fourth and took a major step towards next season's Champions League third qualifying round with a 2-0 win over 10-man Newcastle United.
   Sixth-placed Bolton Wanderers sealed a UEFA Cup place with a 1-1 draw at Portsmouth, while Middlesbrough beat Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 to become favourites for England's final European spot.

Liverpool's players have the chance to write their names in Anfield legend. That is the message from captain Steven Gerrard and from manager Rafael Benitez, the Spaniard who wants to build a 20-year Anfield dynasty just as the great Bill Shankly did before him.
   Four times before have the Merseyside club tasted the euphoria of lifting the most famous club trophy in world football.
   Only Real Madrid and Champions League opponents AC Milan have done it more.
   Now Liverpool are on the verge of what would be an incredible triumph against all odds - one which, according to midfielder Gerrard, would write another piece of history and put the names of the Liverpool players high on the great club's role call of honour.
   'There is no doubt we have the chance to become legends at the club - and we want to grab that,' said Gerrard.
   'We have been disappointing domestically this season, and really, I don't think any of us thought about actually reaching the final this year.
   'There were some fantastic teams in the competition and we have been underdogs from the start. But we have produced some great form in the Champions League, and when we beat Olympiakos we started to get a feeling we could do it.
   'Now we are in the final with a chance for history. It will be tough against Milan. But you can be sure we are up for it and we will fight incredibly hard to bring the cup back for the Liverpool fans.'
   These are momentous times at Anfield, with the European heyday of the '70s and '80s brought vividly back to life by the stirring scenes during Tuesday night's defeat of Chelsea.
   Manager Benitez is confident he can take the club to fresh heights and put them back amongst the game's elite, where they belong. He applauded the passion and commitment of the club's fans, he suggested that there is no other place he would rather manage - and insisted he will pledge himself for the next 20 years, if that is possible.
   Benitez wants to build a real dynasty on Merseyside, just like Shankly did in setting the blueprint for domestic and European domination over two decades.
   Because to Benitez like Shankly Football is more than life and death, may be more important than that!
   The Spanish coach said, 'I'm young for a manager and if I'm at Liverpool for another 20 years, I hope to reach many more finals and win many more trophies.
   'I don't know if I'll be here that long, but I hope so. When you're happy here, you're winning and you see the supporters, why wouldn't you want to stay for so long?
   'I was expecting the club to be like this when I joined, but only when I experienced nights like the Arsenal and Olympiakos matches did I realise how good it was.
   'On Tuesday people spoke about the St Etienne match in 1977, but for us this is more important because it's about now and the future. I've never seen supporters like those against Chelsea. It was fantastic.'
   Meanwhile, Liverpool fans have already begun the clamour for tickets and travel to Istanbul for the final on May 25. Only 20,000 places will be made available to the club, with UEFA scandalously offering 15,000 tickets to Turkish supporters, and another 15,000 to sponsors and their own officials.
   Flights to Istanbul are now trading at up to £700 near the day of the final, and more than 100,000 hotel rooms have already been booked, mostly for corporate guests.
   But as well as harnessing their fanatical support for the final, Liverpool have been given an additional formula for success - to ditch their defensive tactics and go for all-out attack against AC Milan's ageing centre-halves.
   PSV striker DaMarcus Beasley, whose team were beaten by Milan only on the away goal rule, believes Jaap Stam and Paolo Maldini are too slow and immobile at the top level. Former Manchester United star Stam, 32, and Italy legend Maldini, 37 next month, struggled against PSV and conceded three goals in the semi-final second leg.

Arsenal are preparing an audacious bid for David Beckham as speculation intensifies that the England captain may be ready to return from Spain to the Premiership.
   Talks between intermediaries have already taken place and Beckham is aware of the interest from Highbury.
   Manager Arsene Wenger said only last weekend that 'if there was a chance to sign David Beckham, we would have to look at it'. Now Arsenal have taken their interest further.
   Wenger's comments were timely. Beckham is seeking end-of-season talks with Real Madrid over a two-year extension to his current contract, which expires in 2007, and a potential offer from Arsenal can only strengthen his position.
   According to Daily Mail, Beckham wants a larger slice of the profits he generates as the world's most marketable player. If Real remain determined to keep him, he is likely to get what he wants.
   While some sources close to Beckham insisted that he is now so committed to Real Madrid that he and his wife Victoria are about to buy their first house in the Spanish capital, others believe he would be tempted by an offer from Highbury.
   The house-purchase claims - during their two years in Spain the Beckhams have rented - would suggest the advantage is with Real. But the England captain and his wife have been 'close' to buying a house in Madrid countless times before.
   For now they remain in the second of the properties they have leased.
   Moving back to England at the beginning of a season that ends with the World Cup finals in Germany would have its advantages, as much for Beckham as for England coach Sven Goran Eriksson, who would be able to have more contact with his skipper during what promises to be an exciting eight or nine months.
   It could also be of benefit to the Beckhams - under some strain and intense media scrutiny in recent months - to be able to move back to their home in Hertfordshire. A return to English football could move much of the focus back to Beckham the sportsman. A source close to the player said other Premiership clubs had expressed an interest in bringing him back home.
   Arsenal are attracted to the idea of recruiting Beckham on a number of levels. As well as adding quality and experience to a midfield in transition, there are obvious financial benefits.
   During Beckham's first season in Madrid, Real's income soared from £127million to £156m - a 23 per cent rise and £4m more than the £25m transfer fee they paid to Manchester United for his signature.
   Arsenal are exploring every avenue in covering the cost of their new stadium - due to open in August 2006 - and buying into brand Beckham would be a sure way of raising funds.
   Meanwhile, Wenger is certain that Spain striker Jose Antonio Reyes, 21, will not be making the reverse journey for next season.
   Reyes has been linked with a move to Real, but the manager said, 'I am convinced he will be here next season. We will try everything to try and keep him here. I think he is doing better and better in every game and getting stronger and stronger and what he is doing is remarkable.
   'We have known that Edu looks like moving and the Dennis Bergkamp contract situation is still not resolved. But everybody else will stay.'
   Reyes will start against Champions League finalists Liverpool at Highbury tomorrow.
   Thierry Henry's chances of recovering from his groin problem to play in the FA Cup Final against Manchester United in a fortnight have improved but are still only 40-60, according to Wenger.

Japan's football chief said Sunday he had no objections to moving their away World Cup qualifier against North Korea to the neutral venue of Bangkok following crowd trouble at previous matches in Pyongyang.
   'I have no reason to raise objections if I am asked 'how about Thailand?' Japan Football Association president Saburo Kawabuchi told reporters. 'Aside from China, there will be no difference.'
   Kawabuchi has vowed to oppose any move to stage the June 8 qualifier in China, a close ally and neighbour of North Korea, because of violent anti-Japanese protests which swept through Chinese cities last month.
   He was commenting the day after it was learned that the world football governing body FIFA had contacted Thailand's Football Association about the possibility of staging the North Korea-Japan match in Bangkok.
   'After consulting with the association president and executives we replied to FIFA that we are willing to host that match, and as of now we are waiting for more details and information from FIFA,' Worawi Makudi, secretrary general of the Thai association, said in Bangkok on Saturday.
   FIFA was expected to contact Thailand this week for final details on the match, Worawi told AFP.

Bayern Munich's France international defender Willy Sagnol is being courted by several major European clubs including Arsenal and Manchester United he told the News of the World on Sunday.
   The 28-year-old 20-times capped fullback would cost around 4million pounds and he confessed while he was awaiting a new deal from the German champions he was equally keen on a new challenge.
   'Manchester United and also Arsenal are keen. If I quit Bayern it will be for a big European club.
   'I want to discover another championship - a new deal is now what I expect from Bayern.'
   Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is believed to have held talks with Sagnol's management, but he faces competition from Italian giants AC Milan and Juventus.

Dutch international striker Patrick Kluivert is set to return to Spain and end his disappointing spell at Premiership outfit Newcastle he told the News of the World on Sunday.
   The 28-year-old has scored just four times in 18 Premiership appearances for the Magpies - who have an option to sign him for an extra two years - since moving from Barcelona last summer and he is desperate to go back to Spain where he enjoyed a lot of success.
   Kluivert, who scored 91 goals in 183 league appearances for Barca, is a target for several Spanish clubs including Valencia, Seville and the latter's city rivals Real Betis.
   Kluivert, scorer of 40 goals in his 79 internationals, has ruled out moving to Turkish side Fenerbahce.
   'I am going back to Spain and not Turkey,' he told the newspaper.
   Kluivert has also all but ruled himself out of playing for the national side anymore stating in March that even if he was selected he probably wouldn't go.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is convinced captain Steven Gerrard will be at Anfield next season.
   ‘He’s happy at the moment and I’m sure he will stay,’ the Liverpool manager said. ‘We don’t want to sell him, full stop, and I would rather have him for the next two seasons rather than make money.
   ‘If I have Gerrard and Xabi Alonso I have maybe the best midfield in the world, so I don’t need a lot more money. It’s not all about money anyway, once you are in a Champions League final.
   ‘Once players know you can do that, they see you are a big club and it is easier to get them to join you.
   ‘I hope everyone sees us play good football in the final, and with Gerrard, Alonso, Jamie Carragher and Fernando Morientes here already we will have a good team next season.’

Under-15 cricket team return today
The victorious Bangladesh Under-15 cricket team that clinched the title of the Triangular Trophy in Sri Lanka return home today. The young tigers were crowned as the champions as they beat the hosts Sri Lanka by 109 runs in the final. Bangladesh lost to Sri Lanka in the tournament opener and the second match between Bangladesh and Malaysia was washed out due to rain.
— New Age

Dhaka needs 228 to win the title
Dhaka division need 228 runs to win in the second innings on the third day of the 3-day final of the phase-II of the Age Group Cricket Development Tournament at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium today. Rajshahi scored 191 in the first innings and 218 in the second innings on Sunday. Dhaka, who scored 182 in the first innings, starts the second innings today to chase the target of 228. Hamidul Islam top scored with 53 for Rajshahi. Raihan Anas took four wickets for 52 for Dhaka. Earlier, Dhaka added 71 runs losing their remaining five wickets with their overnight score of 111 for five in the first innings.
— BD News

Young Tiger U-15 prize distribution today
Paramount High School, BKSP(B), Choralle Nurul Huq High School, West End High School, Sabuj Biddyapith High School, Government Laboratory High School, Rayer Bazar High School, Khilgaon High School, Bornomala High School, Iqra Model High School, National Bangla High School and Motijheel Government High School, clinched the group championships in the U-15 age group of the Standard Chartered Young Tiger Cricket and the all the teams will receive silverwares today at the Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium.
— New Age

Entries sought for FIDE rating chess
Open FIDE Rating Chess Tournament, organised by Bangladesh Chess Federation will start from May 15 at the Chess Federation Hall-Room. It’s an open event for all thechess players. Interested players can enrol their name on or before 12th May at Bangladesh Chess Federation Office with an entry fee of Tk 200 for unrated player.
— New Age

Korean kids have a ball with Kaiser
Students from the Chabumkein Football School in Seoul had a ball of a time on May 3 Emirates’ Ambassador for Sports and Social Activities, football icon Franz Beckenbauer, says a press release. Beckenbauer was guest coach at the Emirates-organised football clinic held in celebration of the airline’s launch of daily nonstop services between Dubai and Seoul which commenced on May 1. Over 200 enthusiastic children aged between seven and 10 years, and their parents, turned up to catch the action. Many also took the chance to pose for photographs with the FIFA World Cup trophy which was specially brought to Seoul for the occasion.
— New Age