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Incessant rains in the last couple of days have forced the organisers to put off the start of the Corporate Cricket League for five days. The league, which was scheduled to start on October 5, will now commence on October 10.
   Beximco, one of the title contenders, have roped in national pacer Talha Jubair and left-arm spinner Abdur Razzaque Raj as they were excluded from the national pool. ‘The fields are not ready to host cricket matches as the groundsmen were unable to work for the last few days.
   ‘The Dhanmondi Cricket Stadium and Fatullah Stadium need a lot of maintenance works before being declared fit for holding a cricket match, we have no option but to delay the opening by another five days.
   ‘Moreover, a few teams have been complaining about lack of team practice, now all the teams will get enough time to tune up for the league,’ said Ali Hossain, the secretary of the CCL organising committee.
   According to the new schedules, Araf Apparels meet Epyllion Group, Bangla CAT face Gazi Tank and Metro Real Estate take on Biman on the opening day and the last league match will be held on October 26.

Real Madrid has ended Manchester United’s eight-year reign as the world’s biggest soccer team by revenue after signing players such as David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane.
   Madrid’s revenue increased 17 per cent to 275.7 million euros ($332.2 million) in the year ended June 30, according to accounts mailed to club members this week. Bloomberg News obtained a copy of the documents. United, which hasn’t published figures for that period, had sales of 169 million pounds ($298.6 million) for the year through July 31, 2004.
   Since Florentino Perez, 58, took over as club president five years ago, he’s more than tripled sponsorship and merchandising revenue even as the team struggles on the field. Madrid, which won the last of its record nine European titles in 2002, is trying to avoid a third straight season without a trophy for the first time in 53 years.
   ‘The policy of signing the likes of Beckham and Zidane is driving Real Madrid’s popularity,’ Oliver Butler, an account manager in London for sports consultant Sport+Markt AG, said in a phone interview. ‘None of Manchester United’s players have the same kind of appeal.’
   Madrid expects to lift revenue to 300.1 million euros in fiscal 2006, the accounts showed. Profit fell 20 percent to 30.3 million euros in the latest period as the cost of paying its all- star squad rose 17 percent to 144.5 million euros. England’s United had net income of 19.4 million pounds for the year to July 31, 2004.
   
   ‘Want More’
   ‘The foundations on which we face the 21st century are so solid that our identity and leadership are guaranteed,’ Perez said in a statement in the accounts. From a sports perspective ‘we want more,’ he said. The club press office declined to comment.
   Madrid, like its Spanish archrival Barcelona, is owned by its members. They will be asked to approve the accounts at their annual meeting on Sunday.
   United’s profit in the six months ended January 2005 slumped 52 per cent after defeats on the field eroded television revenue. In September last year, the club forecast a 14 million-pound decline in full-year income from broadcasting. United will file its accounts for fiscal 2005 by the end of April 2006, spokesman Phil Townsend said. He declined to comment on Madrid’s accounts.
   
   Lost Initiative
   Manchester United, whose players include strikers Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy, has had the highest revenue of any club since 1997, according to an annual survey compiled by accountancy firm Deloitte & Touche LLP. US billionaire Malcolm Glazer returned the club to private ownership in June after buying it for 790 million pounds.
   ‘United aren’t ahead of the game like they were four or five years ago,’ Edward Freeman, who ran United’s merchandising unit in the 1990s, said in a phone interview. ‘They’ve lost the initiative in the Asian market.’
   The 30-year-old Beckham, signed from United in 2003, helped lift Madrid’s sales of merchandising such as jerseys by 67 percent to 50.8 million euros in his first season, and by another 6.5 per cent to 54.1 million euros last campaign.
   Sponsorship and advertising income rose 78 per cent to 45.9 million euros after Madrid signed an extension of its jersey sponsorship with Siemens AG through the end of this season on improved terms, the club said. It declined to provide figures. Madrid players share 50 per cent of income from personal endorsements with the team.
   
   Youth Development
   United is unlikely to follow Madrid in acquiring star players to boost revenue, said Leigh Webb, an analyst at Panmure Gordon & Co in London.
   ‘United prefers to develop young players who become famous by winning trophies with the club,’ Webb said. Glazer, 77, has yet to disclose his plans for the club, he said.
   Madrid’s France midfielder Zidane and Brazil striker Ronaldo have six world player of the year awards between them. Like Alex Ferguson’s United team, Madrid failed to reach the Champions League quarterfinals last season, when it finished second in the league to archrival Barcelona.
   Madrid needs to start winning trophies or its sales growth will be affected, Freedman said.
   ‘If you win the Champions League your income spirals,’ he said. ‘You have to be successful, if not in the short term then in the long term.’
   Liverpool’s Champions League victory in May earned the English club at least 30 million pounds in revenue and, according to Sport+Markt, helped more than double its fan base across Europe.
   Coached by Wanderlei Luxemburgo, Madrid spent 77.2 million euros signing Brazil forwards Robinho and Julio Baptista, and Spain defender Sergio Ramos before the current season, according to the accounts. The club got 42.9 million euros for selling Michael Owen to Newcastle, and Walter Samuel and Santiago Solari to Inter Milan.

Four more national records were set on the second day of the 4-day Keya Cosmetics 21st National Swimming Championship at the National Swimming Complex in Mirpur on Sunday with Navy swimmer Rubel Rana improving the SAF record.
   Rubel Rana, who on Saturday won the gold medals in 400m freestyle and 400m individual medley, on Sunday clinched the men’s 50m backstroke title with a record timing of 28.52 seconds to better the old SAF mark of 28.89 sec.
   Olympian swimmer Dolly Akhter of BJMC created two more records on the day in the women’s 50m backstroke and 50m freestyle while the day’s other record came in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay.
   Dolly took the 50m backstroke title in 35.97 sec improving the previous mark of 36.52 sec and also won the 50m freestyle gold with a timing of 30.69 seconds bettering the old timing of 31.14 sec.
   BKSP women’s team clinched the 4x200m freestyle relay title in a record 10:32.72 minutes improving the previous timing of 10:51.15 min.
   Three national records were made on the first day Saturday with Laboni Akhter Jui of Bangladesh Ansar creating two records in the 200m individual medley and in the 200m butterfly and Sabura Khatoon of BJMC in the 400m freestyle.
   A total of 10 events were decided on the second day on Sunday, in addition to the opening Saturday’s six events, with the Navy swimmers dominating the meet bagging five of the day’s 10 golds.

Pakistan leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed said Sunday he was confident he can play a key role against England next month if selected.
   The 35-year-old said he had studied the England batsmen closely during his county stint at Sussex.
   ‘If I am recalled I can still spin a web around the England batsmen,’ said Mushtaq, who is tipped to earn a recall after two years out of the national side.
   Pakistan host England for three Tests and a five-match one-day series. The first Test starts in Multan from November 12.
   Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and coach Bob Woolmer have hinted at giving Mushtaq another chance after the bearded leg-spinner took 80 wickets for Sussex.
   His efforts helped the country finish second behind champions Nottinghamshire and boosted his chances of playing for Pakistan.
   ‘I am right up there and enjoying my bowling, and if my country needs me I will be there and even if, God forbid, I am not recalled I am ready to pass on my experience and my knowledge on the English batsmen,’ he said.
   Mushtaq, who played last of his 52 Tests against South Africa two years ago, said he was confident he could get under England’s skin despite their recent Ashes success against Australia.
   ‘England are now a very confident side with players like Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen, but I have special plans for both of them and have dismissed them cheaply,’ said Mushtaq, who made his debut against England in 1987.
   ‘I have not seen such an aggressive player like Pietersen who plays fast and spin with equal aggression but he is vulnerable to spin,’ said Mushtaq, whose 2003 recall ended in a flop when he took just two wicket in two Tests.
   He disagrees, however, with those who say his devotion to religion has halted his cricketing career.
   ‘Islam has given me faith and now I am a relaxed man who knows my future and success are in the hands of Almighty Allah and turning to religion is not an impediment in cricket, never.’

India batsman Rahul Dravid top-scored for a World XI with 66 and Shoaib Akhtar took two wickets for 29 runs off 10 overs in their side’s 12-run victory over Victoria on Sunday.
   Dravid and captain Shaun Pollock (54 not out) steered their side to 281 for eight in 50 overs in their match at a suburban Melbourne ground before Brad Hodge smashed 92 in Victoria’s 269 for nine.
   Sri Lanka offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan and South Africa all-rounder Jacques Kallis also took two wickets each.
   Pace bowler Shane Harwood was the pick of the Victorian attack with four for 37, though he could have had a five-wicket bag had captain Cameron White not dropped Dravid when the Indian was on 61.
   A crowd of some 10,000 crammed into the small ground in St Kilda to watch the world squad’s only match hit-out ahead of three one-day internationals against Australia, which start at Melbourne’s Docklands Stadium on Wednesday.
   England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who arrived in Melbourne only on Friday, was rested by the World XI.

Sachin Tendulkar has indicated that the Challenger Series will give him a good idea of how well his elbow is responding to treatment. Speaking to the media after a net session, Tendulkar said that while there was still some discomfort, the doctors had assured him that he was recovering well.
   ‘It [the elbow] still pains a little, but my doctors have declared me fit to play. They say it [the pain] is very normal and I don’t have to worry about it,’ Tendulkar said. ‘I enjoy playing in the Challenger Trophy. It gives a perfect platform for me to test my match fitness.
   ‘I am just going to go out there and give myself a chance and see what happens. I would know exactly where I stand and, basically, that becomes my target. After the Challenger, I will be in a better position to figure out how it is.’
   Tendulkar hasn’t played competitive cricket since May, after undergoing surgery for tennis elbow, and has been forced to skip the Super Series, which will be held in Australia later this month. He has, however, been named in the India Seniors side for the Challengers, and if he comes through those matches unscathed, he could be expected to make his international comeback in the one-day series against Sri Lanka, which starts on October 25.

India’s juniors beat Pakistan by 99 runs in the fourth one-day match here on Sunday, whitewashing their hosts 4-0 in the first-ever women’s cricket series between the two countries.
   India’s under-21 team proved superior yet again as they compiled 215-4 in their 40 overs with half-centuries from Thirush Kamini and captain Karuna Jain in the final match at the Gaddafi stadium.
   They then wrapped up the match by restricting Pakistan to 116-9 in their allotted 40 overs.
   ‘It was a fantastic series and we are thankful to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the hospitality and look forward to more Indo-Pak series,’ Jain told AFP.
   Jain, who was declared player of the series for her magnificent batting, stroked a masterful 59 while Kamini topscored with a punishing 63. For the hosts, Sana Mir chipped in with 2-15.
   Pakistan were never in the hunt for the target, losing wickets at regular intervals and falling 99 runs short.

IBAIS University reached the final of the Stamford Inter-Private University Football Tournament outplaying Northern University by 9-0 goals in the semi-final at the Banani Army Stadium on Saturday.
   In the final on Monday, IBAIS University will meet the winners of the 2nd semi-final between Stamford University and Asian University of Bangladesh (AUB) today.
   Asian University of Bangladesh (AUB) advanced to the semi-finals beating American International University of Bangladesh (AIUB) by 2-1 goals in a match on Saturday.Bangladesh Army retained the title beating Dhaka 1-0 in the final of the ABS Group National Hockey Championship at the Maulana Bhasani Stadium on Sunday.
   Forward Didar Hossain scored the all-important goal for the champions.
   Army started on a bright note and were unfortunate when Sirajul’s powerful hit crashed against the side post in the 3rd minute.
   Moshtaque of Dhaka found Army custodian Wahidul alone in the 5th minute but hit straight into his pads.
   Didar failed to flick in a Thuinu Marma cross in the 19th minute. Jimmy, the forward of Dhaka, squandered an easy chance in the 33rd minute as he found Wahid alone but hit outside.
   Army were the better side in the second half and Dhaka failed to keep up their consistency.
   Didar scored the winner in the 56th minute gently pushing the ball into the net off a rebounder from a Sanwar hit.
   In the last minute of the match Jimmy’s hit off a penalty corner went wide but the umpire initially thought it had gone out from inside the net.
   The game was halted for a few minutes amid confusion and later the remaining seconds were played and Army were celebrating their success.

Launching a scathing attack on his successor Ali Asghar Loby and other office bearers, former Bangladesh Cricket Board president Saber
   Hossain Chowdhury held them responsible for dillydallying over the Tigers’ pending tour of India.
   Chowdhury, who was in New Delhi with opposition leader Sheikh Hasina, alleged that the people at the helm of the board had blown away the momentum since Bangladesh was granted the Test status.
   ‘Bangladesh’s tour of India remains pending for quite a while and BCB has been dragging its heel on the issue. We are yet to hear a final word about when the tour is going to take place, and this does not project BCB as a smart board,’ he told UNI in New Delhi.

Prominent football coach Shafiqul Islam Manik is all set to take over the responsibilities of Mohammedan Sporting Club. Manik, who was sacked by Muktijoddha in the middle of the premier league, has primarily accepted the offer but the final details of the deal are yet to be sorted out.
    ‘Yes, I have had talks with Mohammedans and I feel encouraged to take up the job but the final deal, especially the monetary side, is yet to be finalized,’ said Manik.
   ‘Manik is in our short list and we are discussing all the matters, we have every hope that he will accept the offer,’ said Mostakur Rahman, the additional general secretary of Mohammedans.

Paceman Glenn McGrath Sunday supported calls for specialist coaches for the Australian cricket team in the wake of their Ashes loss last month to England.
   Cricket Australia is reviewing the national set-up after relinquishing the Ashes and there is speculation about the future of head coach John Buchanan.
   McGrath said Australia would soon emulate England’s set-up, with players having access to specialist coaches in a range of areas.
   ‘You look at all the big professional teams around the world and they’ve got every base covered,’ McGrath said.
   ‘If we want to become more professional as a unit, I feel that is the way we will go.
   It’s only a matter of time before that comes in.’

Ian Chappell, the former Australian captain, has questioned the choice of Graeme Smith as captain of the World XI for the one-off Test against Australia at Sydney.
   Smith has been named captain for the six-day Test, which starts on October 14, but Chappell wasn’t convinced about his leadership skills, especially his ability to get the best out of the spinners.
   ‘To beat Australia the opposing captain has to be prepared to attack and use his initiative, as Michael Vaughan so expertly displayed in the recent Ashes series, and on what I have seen so far, this is beyond Smith,’ Chappell wrote in a column which appeared in Sunday Mid Day, a Mumbai-based tabloid.
   ‘What makes Smith a terrific opening batsman is also what holds his captaincy back. He has tunnel vision when he bats and is able to concentrate purely on what he does well.
   ‘However, he employs this same narrow vision to his captaincy and appears to lack imagination.
   ‘Traditionally South African captains lack understanding when it comes to the value of spin bowlers.
   ‘They tend to rely heavily on fast and seam bowlers especially when the match is tight. At the SCG spin bowling could play a big part in deciding the Super Series Test and the World XI have a destructive pair in Muttiah Muralitharan and Vettori.
   ‘However, both need to be employed as attacking weapons against Australia, not just as run-stoppers.’
   Chappell confessed that he was particularly impressed by the manner in which Stephen Fleming had used Vettori, especially against Australia.
   ‘There are currently few leaders who understand the value of attacking with spinners against a strong batting line-up, and New Zealand’s Fleming is one such skipper.
   ‘Under Fleming, Vettori has had great success against a dominant Australian batting line-up. Fleming is even better qualified in this aspect of captaincy than England’s successful skipper, as Vaughan’s only experience so far revolves around using Ashley Giles in a mainly defensive role.’
   Chappell scoffed at the suggestion that neither Vaughan nor Fleming merited a place in the XI, arguing that a strong captain will add far more value to a team already brimming with talent.
   ‘Picking a team is about selecting the right combination, not just gathering the best players. Without the right captain the World XI is vulnerable against an Australian side that will be hell-bent on revenge after losing the Ashes.
   ‘A bunch of talented individuals not representing their cou-ntry are going to be hard pushed to beat a skilful team playing under their own nation’s
   colours.
   ‘Unless the conglomerate has a strong leader who instills a sense of unity and a desper-
   ation to win, the team representing their country is always favoured.
   Chappell even suggested that it was far more vital to get the right leader than to ensure that the two best openers went out to face the new ball against Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee.
   ‘The World XI would have been a stronger side with Vaughan or Fleming opening in place of Smith.
   There is little difference in actual batting skill, especially when you consider Vaughan’s highly successful last tour of Australia as an opener.
   ‘I’ll bet the Australians,
   smarting after their defeat in England, are quietly relieved they won’t have to face a talented bowling line-up under the wily direction of either Fleming or Vaughan.’

Brian Lara has called Australia’s dip in form temporary, and feels the team is sure to bounce back strongly.
   Lara, who is in Melbourne for the ICC Super Series, drew a parallel between Australia’s recent fall and the decline of West Indies cricket in the 1980s.
   ‘Of course, there are similarities,’ said Lara, who played in the West Indies’ most recent series win against Australia, in 1992-93. Among the similarities was the average age of the Windies players in the ‘90s, especially that of players like Malcolm Marshall and Viv Richards. Several others also retired at the same time.
   ‘Australia, their top players (such as) Shane Warne, Ricky Ponting and Glenn McGrath all seem to be in their 30s,’ Lara was quoted as saying by The Sydney Morning Herald.
   He did indicate, however, that Australia were in a better position to bounce back. ‘But the one thing they do have in their favour that the West Indies didn’t have is the technology and the academies,’ Lara said.
   ‘We (the West Indies) never put anything into place to ensure there was some sort of longevity with our success. Australia still has the infrastructure to play good cricket and I don’t think their decline is going to be anything close to (that of) the West Indies. I see (Australia) bouncing back pretty quickly.’
   Lara pointed to advancing age of key players as a significant factor in a team’s natural decline. ‘You need to ensure that you’ve got players who are going to carry the team over a period of time,’ he said.
   ‘If your best players are starting to get beaten, then there is a worry. You need to start looking at the younger ones and maybe a transitional period of one or two years.’
   But then, Lara said Australia should take heart in the quality of its young cricketers.
   ‘But the likes of Michael Clarke and (Shane) Watson - you’ve still got very good players to depend on. I don’t think, from what I’ve seen in Australia over the last 15 years coming here, that Australia has any great worry about any major decline in their cricket.’

Andrew Strauss said England should not underestimate how tough the winter tours to Pakistan and India are going to be.
   The opening batsmen said England will have to be totally focused.
   He told BBC Radio Five Live: ‘Two of the hardest places to win are Pakistan and India.
   ‘So if we can go away and win both those series this winter then that would be an achievement almost as great as winning the Ashes itself.’
   Strauss, the only player to score two centuries in the Ashes, said it was great to bask in the glory but England had to get back to business.
   They play Pakistan in three Tests and five one-day internationals in November and December and head to India in February.
   He said: ‘It’s still a great thing to wake up in the morning and think to yourself we’ve won the Ashes.
   ‘That’s something that’s going to live with us forever and something we’ll always be very proud of.
   ‘But starting from next week we’ve got to start looking forward to Pakistan. Get back in the gym, getting everything focused, prepare properly for what is going to be a tough tour.
   ‘You can’t bask in it forever unfortunately.’
   And Strauss said England had a long way to go to become the number one team in the world.
   He added: ‘The great thing about that Australian side is that they’ve beaten all teams home and away. We haven’t got close to doing that yet.
   ‘It’s the next step in our progression as a side and one we are very much looking forward to.’

Roger Federer fought to his 24th consecutive victory in a tournament final Sunday, encountering stiff resistance from Briton Andy Murray 6-3, 7-5 before claiming a second straight title at the 550,000-dollar Thailand Open.
   Federer, the world number one and current tennis standard bearer, won his 31st consecutive match with the one hour, 23-minute effort.
   The Swiss top seed now owns an ATP-leading 11 trophies this season, one more than near challenger Rafael Nadal. It was the seventh time this season that the Swiss has defended a title.
   He has now lifted his fifth trophy in as many tournaments entered, improving to 77-3 on the season.
   Murray put in a respectable performance in his first career final during the breakthrough week of his career.
   Before coming to Bangkok as a wild card entry, the 18-year-old had never gotten to the quarter-final of a top-level event.
   He will breach the Top 100 for the first time after starting the year outside the Top 400. Murray stands 12-9 on the season and will become the youngest Britain to enter the Top 100 since 1974.

England Ashes hero Kevin Pietersen says the players are struggling to lead a normal life after the team’s stunning triumph in the Ashes Series.
   ‘The profile of each individual has lifted so much,’ he told Australian newspaper The Age.
   ‘You can’t do anything without being noticed anywhere in the country now.’
   Pietersen spent a week in Los Angeles on holiday before briefly returning to London.
   Now he is in Melbourne for the Super Series against the Aussies. Explaining his movements in California, he explained: ‘I went to see a few mates in LA, just cruised for a while.
   ‘No Hollywood contracts. I’m a sportsman, not a movie star.’
   Pietersen revealed he had broken three bats during the Ashes.
   ‘I go through loads. Maybe I just hit them a bit too hard,’ he said.
   I’m not superstitious about bats. If I like a bat, I’ll just use it. In a couple of Test matches, I went out and batted with a brand new bat.
   It felt good in the hands, so I just went out and used it.
   ‘The series was just remarkable. It will go down in history as one of the best ever,’ he said. ‘Who can seriously beat five Test matches of that quality?’
   He said his fondest memory, apart from his series-clinching innings, was the victory in the second Test.
   ‘After getting absolutely annihilated at Lord’s, for the boys to bounce back and clean up Australia in Birmingham was just sensational,’ he said.
   Pietersen is also looking forward to the World Series, where he has a place in the one-day squad, but not the Tests.
   ‘Although we’re a group of individuals chucked into a team now, we’re not coming to mess about.
   ‘We’re looking forward to building good team spirit, and camaraderie, and going out and doing the business.’

Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic defeated top seed Jelena Jankovic of Serbia in the final of the Korea Open here Sunday to claim her first title of year.
   Vaidisova, the tournament’s youngest player at the age of 16 and ranked 24 in the world, routed Jankovic, the world No. 17, 7-5, 6-3.
   The second-seeded Czech, who won two titles in Vancouver and Tashkent last year in her debut season, did not drop a set throughout the 140,000-dollar tournament.
   Jankovic, who endured a three-hour semi-final against rising French star Tatiana Golovin on Saturday, appeared not to have fully recovered from the ordeal, and needed treatment throughout the match.

Italian sixth seed Filippo Volandri defeated Germany’s Tomas Behrend 6-4, 6-2 in the semi-finals of the ATP tournament in Sicily here Saturday.
   Volandri, who earlier in the day beat Spanish second seed Tommy Robredo by the
   same score in his rain-delayed quarter-final that was postponed on Friday, will meet Russian Igor Andreev in Sunday’s final.
   Andreev, who won his first singles title in Valencia earlier this year, beat Volandri’s compatriot Andreas Seppi 6-2, 6-4 in his semi-final.

Australia’s star players had mixed fortunes after returning to action in club cricket following the recent Ashes series defeat by England.
   Shane Warne took 3-42 for Melbourne side St Kilda, his first appearance at club level for four years.
   And pace bowler Brett Lee was also among the wickets as he took 4-29 for Mosman in Sydney.
   Michael Clarke hit 146 for Western Suburbs, but Damien Martyn and Matthew Hayden were dismissed cheaply.
   Martyn’s lack of runs in England cost him his place in Australia’s Test squad but he has been chosen for the three Super Series one-day internationals against a World XI, the first of which takes place on Wednesday.
   The selectors would have been hoping for more than the four runs he man- aged before being caught at mid-on while playing for South Perth.
   The problems of seam bowlers Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz continue as Gillespie failed to take a wicket for Adelaide and Kasprowicz suffered a hamstring injury while playing for the University of Queensland.

Sweden’s Jonas Bjorkman beat Czech Radek Stepanek 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to win the 380,000-dollar ATP tournament here on Sunday.
   The 33-year-old Bjorkman thereby won the sixth tournament of his career against an opponent often beaten by the power of the Swede’s shots.
   The tiebreak of the second set was a key moment of the match when Bjorkman led 5-1 but almost let Stepanek back in the game as he won three points in a row to trail by 5-4.
   It was a chance of a first title missed by Stepanek who this season has lost in the final in Milan and in semi-finals at both Barcelona and Queens.
   This event was the first ATP tournament ever to be held in Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City earned the hosting of this event because Shanghai, who originally were going to run the tournament, will be organising the Masters.

US Open champion Kim Clijsters, the top seed, effortlessly moved into the final of the 585,000-dollar (480,000 euros) WTA final here on Saturday beating Nathalie Dechy of France 6-3, 6-1.
   The win, achieved in an hour’s play, gave the world number three a final date on Sunday against Germany’s Anna-Lena Groenefeld who saw off Russia’s Dinara Safina 6-4, 5-7, 6-4.
   Clijsters was never in trouble against Dechy leading 3-0 and then 4-1 before allowing the Frenchwoman a glimpse of a comeback at 4-3.
   But the Belgian broke straight back on her way to taking the first set 6-3.
   In the second set, Clijsters went from 1-1 to 4-1 and with two breaks to her name, she reached her 43rd career final.

Wayne Rooney received an unexpected visit from Manchester United’s new owners last Tuesday morning.
   The England striker was filming a TV ad when the Glazer brothers, Joel, Bryan and Avi, turned up unannounced at the club’s Carrington training HQ.
   Rooney was the only first-team player around. The brothers immediately approached him and left soon after to return to Old Trafford for the Champions League clash with Benfica.
   Following Rooney’s recent disciplinary problems, the brothers wanted to put an arm round his shoulder and reiterate what an important player he is to them and the club.
   It is not the first time the Glazers have gone out of their way to speak to Rooney and
   it’s thought they are on the verge of offering him a new contract.
   Rooney has a five-year deal worth £50,000 a week and he has fallen behind other stars in the pay stakes.

Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy breathed more life back into Manchester United on Saturday, scoring twice in a 3-2 triumph at Fulham.
   The victory brought United to within seven points of runaway leaders Chelsea but second-placed Charlton Athletic lost ground when they squandered a two-goal lead in a 3-2 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur, for whom Robbie Keane grabbed a late winner.
   Spurs joined Charlton on 15 points, six behind champions Chelsea, while United moved up to fourth on 14 points, the same as Bolton Wanderers who play on Sunday.
   Blackburn Rovers beat struggling West Bromwich Albion 2-0 while Portsmouth and Newcastle United played out a goalless draw at Fratton Park. Sunderland held sixth-placed West Ham United 1-1 at the Stadium of Light.
   Chelsea face Liverpool for the second time in four days when they visit Anfield on Sunday, the same day as Arsenal, on 10 points, host Birmingham City.
   All the goals came in a frenetic first half at Craven Cottage where recalled striker Collins John gave struggling Fulham a second-minute lead with a left-foot shot amid shaky United defending.
   Alex Ferguson’s side hit back hard, however. Van Nistelrooy stroked a 17th-minute penalty into the corner of the net after South Korean midfielder Park Ji-sung was fouled in the area.
   A minute later England striker Wayne Rooney rounded off a fluid attack with a clinical finish to give United the lead.
   Fulham were level before the half-hour mark through Danish midfielder Claus Jensen but van Nistelrooy scored the winner before the end of a breathless half after being teed up by the excellent Park.
   The win followed United’s Champions League victory over Benfica in midweek, secured by a late Van Nistelrooy goal, and will help to further ease the pressure on Ferguson after his team’s disappointing September.
   The Scot was in good humour after the game. ‘I thought at halftime this could have ended up 20-all,’ he told Sky Sports television.
   ‘But in the second half common sense took over. Some of our football was scintillating in the first half.’
   The defeat put Fulham into the bottom three with five points.
   Spurs left Charlton reeling with a superb fightback at The Valley.
   Playing in front of England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, Darren Bent scored twice to give Athletic a 2-0 lead after 48 minutes but the prospect of defeat merely spurred Tottenham into action.
   Ledley King quickly pulled one back and Egyptian striker Mido lashed in an equaliser through goalkeeper Stephan Andersen’s legs after 64 minutes.
   Irish substitute striker Keane completed Tottenham’s comeback 10 minutes from time with a neat finish after a counter-attack by Martin Jol’s improving team.
   ‘We believed in it,’ said Jol. ‘I think we deserved it because we played brave, we played all the strikers.’
   Michael Owen was left out of Newcastle’s 0-0 draw at Portsmouth with a dead leg but manager Graeme Souness said later he would be fit enough to join England’s squad for their final two World Cup qualifiers.
   Blackburn’s Finnish international Shefki Kuqi struck in the 80th and 88th minutes at Ewood Park to deepen West Brom’s troubles.
   Bryan Robson’s team slipped to second-from-bottom on five points after Sunderland moved above them on goal difference thanks to their draw with West Ham.
   Tommy Miller gave Sunderland a deserved lead but Israeli Yossi Benayoun’s expertly taken equaliser 18 minutes from time secured West Ham a point.

Getafe continued their amazing start to the season by going back to the top of the Spanish first division with a 2-1 win over previously unbeaten Valencia.
   Star of the show was Getafe’s Riki Sanchez who got the hosts’ equaliser three minutes from half time and then made a magnificent run down the left wing to set up Pablo Redondo’s winner two minutes from time.
   Valencia’s David Villa celebrated his recall to the Spanish team by scoring in his fifth consecutive game, with a header after 30 minutes.
   However, Villa blotted his copybook by getting sent off in injury time as nerves started to fray.
   Real Zaragoza came agonisingly close to ending their 40-year wait for a victory at Barcelona’s Nou Camp but finally had to settle for a 2-2 draw with the reigning Spanish champions.
   Two goals within four minutes early in the second half from Gabriel Milito and his older brother Diego looked to have put Zaragoza on course for a memorable win.
   However, Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto’o got two goals in the last 12 minutes to salvage a point for Barca.
   ‘The players demonstrated that they had great pride in being determined not to lose. Our fans think that every match should be easy for Barca but we do have to work hard every game,’ said Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard.
   Central defender Gabriel Milito opened the scoring after 48 minutes, following a dour first half, by heading home a Savio free kick which had also bounced off the head of Zaragoza’s Cani Garcia.
   Four minutes later, Victor Valdes punched away a Savio shot but the Barcelona goalkeeper’s clearance went to the feet of striker Diego Milito, who had no problems stabbing the ball home from the edge of the six-yard box.
   It is the first time that the two brothers from Buenos Aires have scored in the same game since they both became professionals in 1999 and their careers went in separate directions with different clubs in their native Argentina.
   Ronaldinho started the fight back for Barca with a penalty 12 minutes from time, after Delio Toledo was harshly judged to have fouled Mark van Bommel.
   To add to the perceived injustice, which saw long protests by Toledo and his Zaragoza colleagues, the Paraguayan international defender got his second yellow card and his marching orders.
   With their opponents a man down, Barca immediately turned up the pressure.
   Eto’o had a shot hit the post four minutes from time but the African Player of the Year found the net two minutes later, taking advantage of Zaragoza’s disarray at the back.
   ‘We could even have conceded a third goal but that would have been unfair,’ admitted Zaragoza coach Victor Munoz.
   Munoz added that he felt the sending off of Toledo was not right.
   ‘I agree with the players and I have to say that Toledo’s dismissal affected the rest of the game.’

Soccer’s governing body FIFA has given an upbeat assessment of tests on a modified ball designed to improve goal-line technology, saying its initial trials in competition had gone well.
   The ‘intelligent ball’ has a microchip embedded inside it that relays a signal via sensors placed around the pitch to alert match officials if the ball crosses the line.
   ‘We have interesting results in goal-line technology,’ FIFA President Sepp Blatter told a news conference in Peru on Saturday, where the World under-17 championship has been putting the ball through its paces.
   FIFA will test it further at the World Club Championship in Japan in December.
   The International Football Association Board – made up of FIFA, the English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish associations – will then decide at a meeting on March 4 whether to use the technology at next year’s World Cup in Germany. We have done the first part of the experiment. There were many good things, FIFA General Secretary Urs Linsi said.
   ‘But for sure there is still some room for improvement.’
   Neither he nor Blatter would comment further, but Adidas, which developed the ball with Germany’s Cairos AG and Fraunhofer Institute, ruled out any major design overhaul.
   FIFA and Adidas said there had yet to be a goal scored at the Peru tournament where the technology had been called upon.
   The modified ball contains a microchip less than half an inch (15 millimetres) in size that sends an encrypted radio signal when it crosses the line. That signal is relayed by up to 12 antennae in the corners of the pitch to a computer, which sends a vibrating ‘goal’ message to a watch on the referee’s wrist in under one second.
   Teams in Peru were given 15 training balls, of which 10 were intelligent and five were normal, and FIFA spokesman Andreas Werz said no player could spot the difference. FIFA stresses the ball will never replace the eyes and ears of the referee, who could decide to ignore a goal message – in the case of a handball, for example.
   Adidas spokesman Thomas van Schaik said the company, which makes the best-selling footballs in the world’s most played sport, was not ‘innovating for the sake of it’.
   The firm rose to prominence with the first official World Cup ball in 1970, when it replaced the old laced-up brown leather variety with the Telstar, made with 32 black and white panels.
   Other innovations included water-tight seams in 1978 and the use of synthetic material in 1986.

Sven Goran Eriksson is the man Manchester United want to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson.
   Ferguson is under huge pressure to deliver success this season.
   And it appears United’s owner Malcolm Glazer has already earmarked England coach Eriksson as the man he wants to replace Fergie next summer.
   It will cost the Glazer family £4 million to pay Ferguson off if United’s rulers decide to end the reign of a manager who has brought sustained success to Old Trafford during 19 years in charge.
   Eriksson’s reign as national coach is likely to come to an end after the 2006 World Cup finals – or even before if England fail to qualify. Despite the midweek victory over Benfica and Saturday’s win at Fulham, there are also suggestions of rifts inside the United camp and concerns over the power being delegated to assistant Carlos Queiroz by Ferguson.
   While the Glazers have been supportive of Ferguson during their brief reign following a £790 million takeover of the club in June, they want to increase the club’s worth and that can only happen if United are successful on the field.
   Eriksson has come under fire after below-par displays against Denmark, Wales and Northern Ireland but it has clearly not deterred the Glazers.
   It is believed that a short list of candidates is already in circulation with former Celtic boss Martin O’Neill and Juventus coach Fabio Capello also figuring.

A museum in Portugal will later this year unveil a metal reproduction of Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho’s iconic grey coat which he wore on the touchlines last season, public television RTP reported.
   The replica, designed by Portuguese sculptor Jose Coelho, will go on display at Lisbon’s Fashion and Clothing Museum as part of a temporary exhibit.
   ‘Jose Mourinho is a myth,’ Coelho told the television station, who added the cashmere coat had become a symbol of the Portuguese coach’s success.
   ‘All men have a myth inside of them, like a diamond. But that diamond comes in a rough form and needs to be lapidated, and that is what Mourinho is doing.’
   Mourinho, who guided Chelsea to their first championship in 50 years last season during his first year with the London club, sold the coat in May in an auction for charity.
   A fan paid 22,000 pounds (32,300 euros or 38,800 dollars) for the coat, which became an object of the British media’s fixation last season. Mourinho’s wife Matilde reportedly paid 1,200 pounds for the Armani coat.
   Inaugurated in 1977, the museum currently houses over 30,000 items, mostly clothing items from the 18th and 19th century.

Ruud van Nistelrooy’s agent has claimed the Dutch striker may leave Manchester United next summer in order to join Real Madrid.
   The 29-year-old has been linked with a move to the Spanish giants before but has always pledged his loyalty to United.
   However, close friend and agent Rodger Linse has reopened the debate over Van Nistelrooy’s future by revealing he would like to move one day.
   Linse is quoted in the Mail on Sunday as saying, ‘It’s possible that things are going to happen next summer but that’s all I will say for the moment.
   ‘If I say more, I will not be able to keep the English and Spanish press off my back. But at this stage I don’t want to lie about it either.
   ‘Ruud does wish to play in Spain. It is not a case of ‘must’, more an urge. When he has the chance, he could move there. And I would love to see him play his football there, too.’
   Indeed, Linse claims van Nistelrooy has already rejected the chance to earn more money by moving to Madrid.
   He added: ‘At some stage, over the last two seasons, Real were very firm about a transfer. They have even put an offer on the table at United.
   ‘Ruud was going to earn much more money in Madrid but he felt he had not completed his mission at United.’

Malcolm Glazer has promised Sir Alex Ferguson: ‘I’ll give you the cash to keep Roy Keane – if you want him to stay at Old Trafford.’
   The News of the World can reveal Keane’s advisers have already received a serious megabucks offer from oil-rich Qatar.
   But Manchester United’s owner is ready to stump up the money for a new contract for the midfielder.
   Keane, 34, earns just under £100,000-a-week but has been inundated with offers since announcing he plans to quit Old Trafford in the summer.
   A United insider revealed, ‘The Glazer family leave the football to Sir Alex and chief executive David Gill but have made it clear they will back their decisions.
   ‘If the manager wants Roy to stay – and can convince him to – then funds will be made available.
   However, Keane’s advisers are seriously considering a Qatar offer.
   A source close to Keane added, ‘He is serious about leaving. He has not said this as a negotiating tool.’
   Argentine superstar Gabriel Batistuta earned £4.5m during two years in Qatar, while each team in their league has been promised £6m for foreign stars.

Adriano has sensationally admitted he was in talks with Chelsea before signing a new five-year deal with Inter Milan last week.
   Roman Abramovich was rumoured to have lined up a £70 million bid for the Brazilian superstar, and the striker has confirmed talks were under way.
   But the 23-year-old ace claims he resisted Chelsea’s advances because he feared a move to Stamford Bridge could wreck his World Cup dream.
   He is set to earn a reported £47,000 a week – which he could have expected to more than double with a move to Chelsea.
   Adriano said, ‘My agent did have some meetings with them and I must admit that I did stop to think about it.
   ‘But I am fully adapted to Italian football and I’m on my way to my first World Cup finals. There was no reason to risk everything by leaving.
   ‘I also wanted to have a sequence with the same club and realised that I feel good here at Inter. I want to leave my mark and win titles for this club.’

Manchester United are preparing a double swoop on Bayern Munich, with Michael Ballack earmarked as the man to replace Roy Keane and Willy Sagnol ready to help ease the club's defensive crisis.
   Sunday Mirror Sport revealed in July that United were monitoring Ballack, with the German midfielder out of contract at the end of the season.
   And Ballack could be joined at Old Trafford by his Bayern team-mate Sagnol, the French full-back who is also out of contract at the end of the season.

Converted Manchester United left-back Kieron Richardson is convinced he can become the next Roberto Carlos.
   Richardson has been asked to fill the defensive void left by Gabriel Heinze’s cruciate ligament injury. The 20-year-old said, ‘To be honest, when the manager played me at left-back when I returned for pre-season I wasn’t very happy.
   ‘I didn’t know what was going on, until Carlos Queiroz came to me in training and convinced me that I could play there and still be an attacking player.
   ‘Carlos told me to look at the way Roberto Carlos gets forward all of the time and to try to model my game on that. ‘I’m also looking at it as a big opportunity for me,’ added Richardson.

Sheikh Russell U-14 Football final today
The final of the Sheikh Russell U-14 football will take place at the Abahani ground today. Shayampur and Motijheel will fight out for the title. Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament, Sheikh Hasina, will distribute the prizes as the chief guest.
— New Age

Arambagh beat Kolkata Customs
Arambagh KS of Dhaka defeated Kolkata Customs by 2-1 goals in the Sikim Chief Minister Football Tournament at Thimpu on Sunday. Bidyut and Ritu scored the goals in the 13th and 17th minutes. The opponents scored a goal in the 75th minute to reduce the margin.
— New Age

Mamun Smriti Badminton begins
Mamun Smriti Badminton, organised by Europa Group in memory of their late director Mamun Hossain Chowdhury, started at the company’s own wooden floor gymnasium at Mirpur on Saturday. National ranked players – Parash, Shumon, Hannan, Saifuddin, Raju Ritu, Rinku, Arif, Goutam, and Asad – are playing in the tournament for the participating 12 teams. The finals will take place on October 4.
— New Age

Salman wins Gen Yo Cue-Cult title
Salman Harun won the title of the Gen Yo Cue-Cult pool tournament defeating Sayem Hossain by 13-7 frames in the final at the Bangladesh China Friendship Centre on Saturday. Rezaul Karim was placed third. Salman Harun pocketed a prize-money of Tk 75,000 as champion while runner-up Sayem bagged Tk 50,000. Rezaul received Tk 25,000. President of the Bangladesh Billiard and Snooker Federation, Azimuddin Ahmed, senior vice-president of the CityCell Intekhab Mahmud and general secretary of BBSF Syed Mahbub were present at the prize distribution ceremony.
— New Age

WC opening ceremony moved up a day
The opening ceremony of the 2006 World Cup was moved up a day to June 7 to get the Olympic Stadium field in Berlin in better shape. The tournament’s 11th game, scheduled for June 12 in Berlin, was pushed back a day to improve the condition of the field. Also, a game scheduled for June 13 in Kaiserslautern was moved forward one day. ‘The decisions will ensure that there is sufficient time for restoration work on the pitch,’ FIFA said Friday. The FIFA Congress on June 6 in Munich will be completed in one day.
— AFP

Pakistani women footballers banned
Pakistan has imposed a two-year ban on two women footballers and their coach who got into a fist-fight with rival players in the final of the country’s first-ever women’s football championship, officials said Sunday. ‘WAPDA (Water and Power Development Authority) captain Munaza Nazeer, player Khalida Noor and their male coach Qasim Shah have been banned for two years after they fought with opponent Punjab team in the final last week,’ said Pakistan Football Federation president Faisal Saleh Hayat.
— AFP