Main Page «
Front Page «
Metro «
Business «
International «
National «
Editorial «
Op-Ed «
Home «
Timeout «
Letters «

Archive «
Launch Supplement «
Special Supplements «

Sanath Jayasuriya will become the first Sri Lankan to play 100 Test matches during his team’s second test against Bangladesh on Tuesday.
   The 36-year-old left-handed opener, famed for his exuberant and aggressive strokeplay, has been a regular of the Sri Lanka team during the last 14 years after making his debut in 1991.
   The former Sri Lanka captain is looking forward to reaching the milestone as his team look to wrap-up a series win against Bangladesh after winning the first Test last week by an innings and 96 runs.
   ‘When I sit back and reflect that I am going to play 100 Test matches I begin to wonder whether this is a dream,’ Jayasuriya told reporters.
   ‘Representing my country gives me so much joy and I am now really looking forward to my 100th game, which will be a very happy and proud moment.’
   Sri Lanka will be able to pick a full-strength team for the second and final game of the series and skipper Marvan Atapattu has called for an improvement from his batsmen.
   ‘The bowlers and fielders did a good job in the first Test but I would have liked at least one of the batsmen to have gone on to score a big hundred,’ he told reporters.
   ‘We have all set ourselves targets and I hope we will see an improvement in this game.’
   Sri Lanka’s only selection dilemma is whether to retain fast bowler Dilhara Fernando, who bowled just four overs in the first game, as a third seamer or pick an all rounder or batsman instead.
   Bangladesh look a two-day break after their humiliating two-and-a-half day defeat to help the players relax before the second Test.
   The tourists returned to practice on Saturday with a long afternoon net session.
   ‘Our motive was to relax the players and regain mental fitness and I believe the two days rest has worked — today’s practice was very enthusiastic,’ skipper Habibul Bashar told reporters.
   Bangladesh’s main concern is how to play off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who claimed nine for 60 in the first game, troubling all batsmen with his sharp turn and clever variations.
   ‘I still believe that we have to be positive against Muralitharan when the match begins and we are working hard on that,’ Bashar added.

Liverpool avoided a fourth consecutive home defeat by Manchester United but failed to find a killer blow despite a determined display at Anfield.
   Steven Gerrard saw a long free-kick bounce just wide in the first half, while United’s Ruud van Nistelrooy went close with a chip over the bar.
   Liverpool continued to push after the break, with Gerrard heading over and Edwin van der Sar saving his drive.
   But United held on as both sides kept their unbeaten records alive. Liverpool fans held up a banner declaring ‘European Cup owners’ before kick-off, but they were all too aware of their poor recent domestic record against their rivals at Anfield.
   Rafael Benitez’ side set about putting the record straight in a frantic opening period which saw United’s Paul Scholes booked for a late tackle on Xabi Alonso. Gerrard went crashing into Van der Sar early on after just failing to get on the end of a through ball from Luis Garcia.
   And the Reds captain, pitched back into battle with fit-again United captain Roy Keane, then saw his looping free-kick from the left elude everyone in the area and bounce just wide.
   United soaked up the pressure and earned a rare chance when Wayne Rooney was fouled by Steve Finnan just outside the box, but Van Nistelrooy sent the free-kick straight into the arms of Jose Reina.
   Van Nistelrooy almost broke the deadlock just before half-time when Rio Ferdinand found him in space on the right of the area, but the Dutchman’s chip drifted just over the bar.
   United came out strongly after the break, with Rooney pulled up for a push on Jamie Carragher which would have left him with just Reina to beat.
   But Liverpool seized back the initiative almost immediately as Peter Crouch - making his first Premiership start for the club - saw one effort blocked on the edge of the area and then shot weakly at Van der Sar.
   Gerrard went close with a header over the bar after a one-two with John Arne Riise, and then forced Van der Sar into a fine diving save with a fierce drive after 66 minutes.
   The Reds captain was at the heart of the action again soon after when he played Garcia in on the left, but the midfielder dragged his shot wide of the far post.
   Substitute Mohamed Sissoko failed to make good contact when unmarked at a corner, and Garcia headed a Gerrard cross wide.
   United kept their rivals at bay and earned the final chance of the match when substitute Ryan Giggs fired a free-kick over the Liverpool bar, but the draw saw both sides lose ground on leaders Chelsea.

The five-member Queen’s Baton relay team led by Louis Martin, the secretary general of the Commonwealth Games Federation, officially handed over the Baton to the Bangladesh Olympic Committee at the South Plaza of the Sangsad Bhaban on Saturday.
   Education Minister Dr Osman Farruk attended the colourful ceremony as the chief guest.
   Bangladesh Olympic Association president Lt Gen Moeen U Ahmed, Australian High Commissioner in Dhaka Loren Barker and BOA secretary general Kutubuddin Ahmed were present on the occasion.
   The Queen’s Baton Relay team brought the Baton at the south plaza in a motorcade from Hotel Sheraton. Last year’s Commonwealth Games’ gold winning shooter, Asif Hossain Khan, switched on the Baton.
   The Baton, which started its journey on March 15 this year through an extravagant ceremony from the Buckingham Palace, will visit all the 71 commonwealth countries and will reach Melbourne, the venue of the 18th Commonwealth Games, after exactly one year and one day.
   ‘The day is memorable and significant for the sports lovers of Bangladesh. The relay proved the unity and friendship among the commonwealth countries,’ said the acting secretary general of BOA, Kutubuddin Ahmed.
   Later the BOA arranged a painting competition for the mentally retarded children. The Baton team will leave the country on September 20 for Sri Lanka.

Sammilito Krira Paribar, an organisation of the sports personalities, has demanded an unconditional apology from the state minister for the youth and sports, Fazlur Rahman, for showing his great admiration to former Pakistani military ruler Ayub Khan during a speech in Colombo in a bid to inspire the Bangladeshi cricketers.
   Rahman, in his speech at a party, hosted by the Bangladesh High Commission in Sri Lanka, reportedly described how he was inspired by the speech of the autocratic ruler during the1965 Indo-Pak war: ‘We are at war.
   ‘Jawan agey baro. Allah hamara sath hai, mulk hamara sath hai.
   ‘Pakistan Payendabad,’ Rahman quoted a speech of Ayub, a hated figure in Bangladesh for his role in the pre-liberation period.
   Krira Paribar strongly condemned the effort to establish Ayub as a role model for the Bangladeshi cricketers.
   They termed the speech was a betrayal with the spirit of liberation war that cost the nation three millions lives.

The second round of Sheikh Russell U-14 Football started with Hazaribagh and Motijheel both registering 2-0 victories at the Abahani ground on Sunday.
   Zahid and Jummon of Hazaribagh struck one goal apiece against Pallabi while Sohel of Motijheel was the architect of the win against Ramna scoring the both goals.
   Former national footballer Satyajit Das Rupu was the match adjudicator and he named Zahid of Hazaribagh and Jamal of Motijheel as the men of the two matches.
   Apart from these four teams, Shyampur, Dhanmondi, Mirpur and Airport thana teams also advanced to the second round. The top two finishers of the two groups will move into the semifinals.

Reigning champions Stamford University started their campaign with a bang crushing Darul Ihsan University by 12-0 goals in the opening match of the Stamford Inter-Private University Football Tournament at the Army Stadium on Sunday.
   Maruf and Aminul of Stamford slammed a hat-trick each.
   Earlier, state minister for education, Ehsanul Haque Milon inaugurated the tournament as chief guest. Vice-chancellor of Stamford University Dr Hannan Firoz, general secretary of Bangladesh Football Federation Anwarul Huq Helal and CEO of Auritro Toufiquzzaman Chowdhury were present on the occasion.
   Northern University will take on Gono Bishwabidyalaya in the first match today while IBAIS and Prime Asia University will vie in the second encounter.

Rayerbazar High School defeated Segunbagicha School by a solitary goal for their second win in the second round games of the Pran Cola School Football tournament at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Sunday.
   For Rayerbazar, Ashraful struck the match winner in the 51st minute of the match. Match adjudicator Shafiqul Islam Manik adjudged Rayerbazar custodian Shakil as the man of the match.
   In the other match of the day, Khilgaon Model School drew 2-2 with Kamarpara High School. Promising star Rubel put Khilgaon ahead in the 25th minute but Karim restored the parity in the 28th minute. Al Amin of Khilgaon Model struck in the 29th minute to give his team the lead again. However, Anik of Kamarpara levelled the score in the 50th minute.
   Rubel was named the man of the match by former national custodian Abdul Motaleb, who acted as the adjudicator.

Pakistani batsman Yousuf Youhana has taken the Muslim name of Muhammad Yousuf after embracing Islam.
   Youhana confirmed on Sunday that he had become a Muslim along with his wife and children.
   ‘My Islamic name is Muhammad Yousuf and my wife’s name is now Fatima from Tania,’ said Youhana, 32, who has played 59 Tests and 202 one-day internationals.

When Australian great Greg Chappell took over as India’s coach in June, he had visions of giving the world’s most cricket-crazy nation a team to be proud of.
   Four months later the dream threatens to turn sour as Chappell battles star power, intrigue, official apathy, indiscipline and the relentless media pressure that afflicts Indian cricket.
   The 200,000-dollar a year job with perks and bonuses, which Chappell described as ‘the most exciting in world cricket’ when he took over, is proving to be a nightmare.
   The reported rift with captain Sourav Ganguly during the ongoing Zimbabwe tour is the latest in a series of setbacks Chappell has had to endure on and off the field.
   India have continued their poor one-day form under Chappell’s tutelage, losing two tri-series finals to Sri Lanka and New Zealand, before trampling over a weak Zimbabwe by an innings in the first of two Test matches.
   It is the off-field happenings, however, that have considerably aged the 50-year-old coach.
   The latest incident in which Ganguly revealed dressing room discussions to an astonished media has caused much heartache all around and irked Chappell greatly.
   One newspaper said Chappell had told a confidant: ‘Either Ganguly stays or I stay.’ Another talked of the coach quitting, speculation which Chappell vehemently denied.
   A frank discussion between the captain and coach on the eve of the first Test against Zimbabwe has blown into a major controversy.
   Ganguly, India’s most successful Test captain but struggling to find his batting form, wanted to know from Chappell the best combination to field in the match.
   Chappell, accustomed to the Australian practice where the team is chosen before the captain, suggested that Ganguly step down as skipper so that both in-form batsmen Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif could be accommodated.
   It was a slight unfamiliar to Ganguly, who responded with a painstaking six-hour century against the weakest attack in world cricket and then let it be known that Chappell was gunning for him.
   Chappell to his credit played down the controversy despite being livid at the captain for airing what was essentially a private discussion.
   ‘Things come up from time to time and people get frustrated,’ Chappell said in Bulawayo.
   ‘They say things which probably they don’t really mean and are not as important as they are made out to be.’ Ganguly, asked if the controversy had blown away,’ said defiantly: ‘Only time will tell.’
   Clearly there is no love lost between the captain and coach. A worried Indian board has ordered an inquest after the team returns from Zimbabwe following the second Test which starts in Harare on Tuesday.
   It is a situation Chappell may not have forseen so early in his tenure but the dangers were evident even before his two-year term began.
   Indian great Sunil Gavaskar had revealed in April that outgoing coach John Wright of New Zealand had been ‘abused and humiliated’ by the top stars during the last few weeks of his five-year stint.
   When Chappell came in June he faced an Indian team in disarray after it was held to a 1-1 draw by Pakistan in the home Test series and thrashed 4-2 in the one-dayers.
   Star batsman Sachin Tendulkar was sidelined with an elbow injury, Ganguly was struggling for runs and banned for slow over-rates, the bowlers were afflicted with injuries and spinner Harbhajan Singh was under the scanner for a suspect bowling action.
   When Chappell asked for a brief training camp ahead of the Zimbabwe visit, his request was turned down because the players wanted to rest after a two-week tour of Sri Lanka.
   Worse, the players did not heed his diktat to report early on the day of their departure for Zimbabwe, forcing the coach to cancel a team meeting.
   Former great Kapil Dev had said Chappell would have to quickly get used to Indian cricket’s whimsical ways if he was to survive in the job.
   Almost four months on, Chappell is learning the hard way.

England skipper Michael Vaughan has said that his side’s Ashes triumph came earlier than he had expected.
   Vaughan had thought this summer’s showdown at home with Australia would just be part of a learning curve for him and his players. Instead they shocked everyone by hitting back to win the five-Test series 2-1.
   They will defend the Ashes on the 2006/2007 tour to Australia and that had been the one that Vaughan had though would see his team at their peak.
   ‘We expected to perform well this summer but I think winning back the Ashes has come sooner than anyone ever expected. Sooner than I really expected,’ Vaughan told the Sunday Mirror.
   ‘I was always confident we would give them a competitive series. But deep down I think we believed our best chance would come in 15 months’ time.
   ‘That’s because we went into this series with a lot of young players who are still learning, still gaining experience and who will improve so much for this summer.
   ‘But as it turned out it was the younger players who really helped us win back the Ashes. Mainly because they had no scars from previous failed attempts.’
   Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones all played key roles and will be expected to do so once more when England look to achieve back-to-back Ashes victories in the face of likely Australian hostility.
   ‘Hopefully winning one Ashes series will lay down the foundation for successful battles against Australia to come,’ said Vaughan.
   ‘But right now it’s important to take one step at a time.’
   The short-term target for England is to extend their winning run by beating Pakistan this winter, and Vaughan will urge his players to carry on in the same confident manner which saw off the world’s number one Test team.
   ‘We want to play a similar kind of game in Pakistan - and enjoy the same results,’ he added.

Lindsay Davenport won her fourth title of the year on Sunday when she defeated Italian Francesca Schiavone 6-2, 6-4 in the final of the Bali International.
   Top seeded Davenport, who also won in Dubai, Amelia Island and New Haven, did not drop a set all week. The victory earned her $35,000, but not enough points to regain the number one ranking she conceded following the US Open.
   Fourth seeded Schiavone, who was seeking her first career title after reaching finals in Tashkent and Canberra, was always in the match but produced no real threat.
   Davenport made a perfect start by breaking Schiavone in the opening game, coming in to put away a double-handed backhand winner when the Italian hit short.
   Schiavone, a crowd favourite after the tenacity and character she had shown all week, was loudly cheered after she fought back from 0-40 to hold serve in the fifth game, forcing an error from Davenport at the end of a long rally.
   The American then had to stave off two break points in the next game, but eventually held with an ace and then broke again for 5-2 when Schiavone made a backhand error.
   Davenport also broke in the opening game of the second set, but Schiavone continued to offer a challenge and was rewarded with a break for 2-2.
   Davenport might have regained the advantage in the next game but hit a poor return on break point, and she had to wait until the match was delicately poised at 4-4 to make her vital breakthrough.
   Schiavone typically attempted an outrageous dropshot that fell just wide to give Davenport break point, and then netted a forehand after Davenport had stretched her wide in the rally.
   Even so, Schiavone refused to concede, holding a break point as Davenport served for the match but netting a return.

Former England fast bowler Darren Gough believes James Anderson deserves a place in touring party to Pakistan, which will be named today.
   Anderson, 23, last played for England in January, but was brought into the squad for the recent Oval Test.
   ‘England had a look at Jimmy in the nets and that’s why they called him up,’ Gough told BBC Sport.
   ‘I played against him last week and he’s bowling like he used to. I think he’s ready to tour again.’
   England are likely to take at least one fast-bowling reserve in the touring party, as well as a back-up batsman and wicket-keeper, plus a second spinner.
   Gough is adamant that the key to England’s success in the last Ashes series was the strength of their pace attack.
   ‘We’ve only had one real quickie in recent Ashes series’ but now we’ve got three proper quickies - Simon Jones, Steve Harmison and Andrew Flintoff,’ added the 35-year-old Essex player.
   ‘Matthew Hoggard is your normal English-conditions fast bowler, but he’s part of the set of four bowlers, who individually, could probably get into any team in the world.
   ‘Myself and Andy Caddick had a great bowling partnership but those behind us failed to get any continuity. But now England are picking the same four bowlers every time and they are getting to know each other inside out.
   ‘The thinking, the fitness, the gameplans, the benefits from central contracts and the way players have been looked after financially have helped immensely,’ he added.
   ‘It started with Lord MacLaurin in the 1990s to captain Nasser Hussain and Duncan Fletcher. Then Michael Vaughan and the emergence of match winners has taken England to another level.
   ‘I think the next step for England would be to increase the number of contracted players from 13 to 20.
   ‘By doing that we could look after these cricketers and keep the conveyor belt of players coming through.’
   Gough was speaking at the NatWest Speed Stars Final at Loughborough.

Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza is hopeful her new-found confidence after a good showing in the US Open can help her claim a second career WTA victory at the $170,000 Sunfeast Open that begins today.
   ‘It was great to play the fourth round of the US Open. I’m feeling very good and I’m confident about my game,’ she said on Saturday. ‘The confidence goes up and you know you can match the best in the business.’
   The 18-year-old player, whose sensational run this year has lifted her to 34 in the world rankings, eventually lost to Russian Maria Sharapova at the US Open.
   The articulate Mirza has become a youth icon in cricket-mad India, both through her on-court exploits and her colourful earrings and T-shirts with catchy messages. Mirza faced a packed news conference at the indoor event in the eastern city of Kolkata, formerly Calcutta. She has proved a huge draw with as many as 300 media accreditations issued.
   Millions of fans are hopeful Mirza can emulate her success the last time she played at home, when she claimed her maiden WTA title at her hometown Hyderabad in February.
   Mirza has not looked back since becoming the first Indian woman to reach the third round of a grand slam at the Australian Open in January.
   ‘A lot has happened in a short period of time,’ she said. ‘No one expected this, but thank God.
   ‘I knew it was going to happen, only it was a question of when. I’m thankful it happened sooner than later.’ Mirza is seeded third behind Russia’s 2004 French Open champion Anastasia Myskina and her compatriot Elena Likhovtseva, both ranked among the top 20.
   She hoped her fans would peg down expectations this time.
   ‘Just because I won in Hyderbad doesn’t mean I’m going to win here,’ she said. ‘This is a tougher tournament.
   ‘I think people should start facing reality, they should start accepting the fact I’m going to lose matches.’
   An attacking player with a fierce forehand, she has struggled for consistency and both her serve and mobility have been affected by a stomach muscle injury and a troublesome ankle.
   However, Mirza said she will not change here style.
   ‘That is the way I play. I’m just going to go for broke,’ she said. ‘I’m going to have a lot of unforced errors, but I compensate that with winners.’ Security has been tightened at the event after an Islamic group opposed to Mirza’s on-court dress threatened to prevent her from playing.

Elena Dementieva beat France’s Amelie Mauresmo 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in a thrilling battle to give Russia a 2-1 lead in the Fed Cup final at Roland Garros on Sunday.
   Dementieva, who put Russia ahead by beating Mary Pierce in the opening singles on Saturday, showed more composure when it mattered. Russia are now within reach of a second successive final victory over France.
   The combative Russian underlined her determination by winning the final game to love, Mauresmo netting a return on the first match point to bow out after two hours 42 minutes.
   France must now win the second reverse singles, in which Pierce is scheduled to play Anastasia Myskina, and the doubles.
   Neither player managed to hold serve until the seventh game of a tight first full of good rallies when Dementieva moved ahead 5-3.
   The previous game had featured a long complaint about a line call from both Mauresmo and France captain Georges Goven.
   Mauresmo’s concentration seemed to suffer from the incident but she soon recovered, surviving three set points to hold her serve for the first time in the match in the ninth game.
   Dementieva then served for the set, earning another set point with a superb forehand winner and converting it with Mauresmo netting a forehand.
   Cheered on by a partisan 15,000 crowd packing centre court on a sunny day in the French capital, Mauresmo reacted with an early break in the second set.
   Dementieva broke back in the fifth game with a superb cross-court forehand winner and then levelled the set at 3-3 but the Russian later dropped serve again at the worst possible moment, losing the set by hitting a forehand long.
   The tireless Russian was back in control in the decisive set, openening up a 3-0 lead. Mauresmo won the next two games but later doubled faulted to present her opponent with a 5-2 lead.
   Dementieva served for the match, sealing victory in merciless fashion.

Australian cricket legend Steve Waugh was asked to stand for the centre-left Labor Party at last year’s general election under a strategy of attracting star recruits, according to excerpts from former party leader Mark Latham’s diaries published Sunday.
   Latham’s book reveals that Labor powerbrokers believed Waugh, the former Australian captain who won a world record 168 Test caps, could eventually become leader of the party.
   It says senior Labor figure John Faulkner approached Waugh in 2003, during the Australian cricket team’s tour of the West Indies.
   ‘John is sure he’s interested, (he) spoke to him about it during his trip to the West Indies last year,’ Latham wrote in his diary in the lead-up to his crushing defeat at last October’s general election, according to extracts published in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper.
   The attempt to court Waugh followed Labor’s successful recruitment of former Midnight Oil frontman Peter Garrett,
   the protest rocker who won a seat in parliament at the last election.
   High-profile media and public figures were also asked to stand for Labor, which has struggled to counter the popularity of Prime Minister John Howard’s conservative government since its election in 1996, according to the excerpts.
   However, Waugh—who was named Australian of the Year in 2004 and Australian Father of the Year in 2005 — decided not to stand.
   He told the Sunday Telegraph he did not believe the Labor approach was a substantial offer.
   ‘I just took it as a casual conversation,’ he told the newspaper. ‘There was nothing formal.’

Top seed Rafael Nadal beat number two Guillermo Coria 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 to win the China Open on Sunday, securing his 10th title of the year.
   The 19-year-old Spaniard hit back with venom after dropping the first set, racing through the second as his Argentine opponent suffered a complete meltdown.
   A pummelling backhand gave Nadal the crucial break in the third game of the final set and the French Open champion went on to wrap up victory in a shade under two hours.
   The world number two has now beaten Coria in three finals this year following Masters Series titles on clay in Monte Carlo and Rome.
   Nadal tied Roger Federer for tournament wins in 2005 and improved his match record for the year to 72-10 to move past the world number one in victories. Federer’s record for the year stands at 71-3.

Naveed Latif played a captain’s innings to guide the Faisalabad Wolves to victory in the inaugural International Twenty20 Club Championship at Leicester.
   The Pakistan star kept a cool nerve in the Wolves’ run chase and finished the game off in style with a six over long on as they overcame the Chilaw Marians with eleven balls to spare in the final.
   Latif hit two sixes in his unbeaten 45 made off 33 deliveries and defied a fightback led by Nimesh Perara, who took three wickets.
   The Wolves had appeared to be coasting to their victory target of 133 as they reached 96-2 with little trouble, Mohammad Hafeez stroking six fours in his 31 while Asif Hussain supported him well.
   But it was when Perara dismissed Hussain, Ijaz Ahmed and Mohammad Salman in quick succession that the Wolves’ nerves began to jangle.

Kevin Pietersen believes England have what it takes to win the next Ashes series in Australia in 2006/07.
   But former Aussie captain Ian Chappell says there are major flaws England need to address to retain the famous trophy.
   Asked on BBC Radio Five Live’s Sportsweek programme if England could win in Australia, Pietersen answered: ‘Most definitely.
   ‘We targeted next year’s Ashes as the one where we wanted to beat them and it happened a lot sooner than expected.’
   Pietersen finished the series, which the home side won 2-1, as England’s leading scorer, after a crucial 158 to force a draw in the final Test at The Oval.
   ‘Hopefully we can retain the Ashes in Australia, which would be an amazing feat,’ he added.
   ‘The boys are so well-rounded, they’re so self-disciplined, there is so much camaraderie.’
   However, Chappell, who captained Australia to back-to-back Ashes triumphs at home and away in 1974 and ‘75, says England’s wicket-keeping and spin bowling are weaknesses.
   ‘Under Australian conditions, maybe those flaws could be exploited,’ he told Sportsweek.
   ‘You can’t keep playing a wicket-keeper that can’t keep.
   ‘They’ve got away with Geraint Jones. They’re picking him for his batting and his batting was not that impressive.
   ‘Spin bowling, [Ashley] Giles is not going to do much damage in Australia.’
   As England’s selectors prepare to announce their tour party to Pakistan today, Chappell warned they must fix the side’s weaknesses sooner rather than later.
   ‘If the England selectors make the same mistakes Australia have, which is not to address the flaws when you’re successful, then down the track you’re going to have some problems,’ he added.
   All-rounder Paul Collingwood is expected to be part of a 16-man squad to play three Tests in Pakistan in November.

Chelsea made it six wins from six games after Hernan Crespo and Arjen Robben guided the Premier League champions to a 2-0 victory at Charlton Athletic on Saturday.
   Jose Mourinho’s side hit the woodwork twice before Crespo headed them into a 55th minute lead and Robben curled in the second just five minutes later to seal the win.
   Victory left Chelsea six points clear at the top of the table, having scored 12 and conceded no league goals this season as they build on their Community Shield win over Arsenal.
   West Ham United won 2-1 at Fulham in the other London derby, Portsmouth were held 1-1 at home by 10-man Birmingham City and there was heartbreak for Sunderland after West Bromwich Albion scored in the final seconds for a 1-1 draw.
   Tottenham Hotspur drew 1-1 at Aston Villa after their England striker Jermain Defoe missed a first-half penalty and Ireland forward Robbie Keane scored a superb late equaliser.
   Premier League action continues on Sunday, with Liverpool hosting Manchester United in the day’s showcase game, while Arsenal meet Everton on Monday at Highbury.
   None of those sides can yet catch a Chelsea team who are runaway favourites to retain their title - having waited 50 years to win only their second championship last season.
   Mourinho’s assistant Steve Clarke told Sky Sports News: ‘There’s no comfortable victory in the Premier League.
   ‘The first half was an even game.
   ‘At halftime we had a little word with the lads and asked them to step up a gear – and I think it showed in the second half that we were on top.
   ‘When you know you’re in the ascendancy, you have to kill the game at that moment – and we did that.’
   Defeat for Charlton, who stay second in the table on 12 points pending Sunday’s games, was their first after having won all of their four previous league matches this season.
   Charlton boss Alan Curbishley said, ‘We’ll take it on the chin today.
   ‘We’ve been doing well and we start again on Tuesday in the League Cup game (against Hartlepool).’
   Crespo gave Charlton an early warning when the Argentine striker sent a 20th minute shot onto the post and France defender William Gallas hit the woodwork after the break.
   Ghana midfielder Michael Essien, on impressive form, picked out Crespo for their first goal, while Robben showed the range of his skills with a superb shot for the second.
   West Ham striker Marlon Harewood, who scored a hat-trick in Monday’s 4-0 win over Aston Villa, was a match-winner again at Craven Cottage.
   He scored a fine solo goal after 47 minutes and then saw a shot fly in off keeper Tony Warner as an own goal.
   Birmingham settled for a point at Fratton Park after having midfielder Nicky Butt dismissed just before the break for kicking out at Uruguayan striker Dario Silva.
   It was a very different point for Sunderland, who came within seconds of ending a run of 20 straight defeats in premier league games with a morale-boosting win when Hungary midfielder Zoltan Gera headed West Brom’s equaliser in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini took a swipe at his critics after his team’s 3-0 home victory over Lecce on Saturday which put their title challenge back on track.
   Mancini came in for some heavy criticism following Inter’s embarrassing defeat at Palermo last week and he didn’t waste the opportunity to hit back at his detractors as his side put Lecce to the sword at the San Siro.
   ‘It’s always easy to judge from afar,’ said the 40-year-old former Sampdoria and Lazio forward whose team were accused of lacking heart in Sicily last Saturday.
   ‘When you’re on the outside and don’t fully understand the situation, it’s very convenient.
   ‘We are playing much better than we did last season and I hope to see us fulfill our potential.’
   First half goals from Obafemi Martins and Dejan Stankovic put Inter on their way to a comfortable win before Julio Cruz completed the demolition six minutes from time with his fourth goal in three matches.
   Inter ended up with three deserved points but they almost fell behind in the 19th minute when Mirko Vucinic dragged his shot wide.
   That miss proved costly as Inter took the lead six minutes later. Esteban Cambiasso drove towards the penalty area and picked out the run of Martins, whose run was timed to perfection and easily broke the offside trap.
   With the angle tight, the Nigerian striker still had work to do but his delicate chip looped over Vincenzo Sicignano and into the far corner of the net.
   Cambiasso hit the post before Stankovic’s mishit volley from Juan Sebastian Veron’s cross sneaked in to make it 2-0.
   Cruz came off the bench to complete the scoring, controlling Veron’s cross before smashing the ball past a helpless Sicignano.
   In Saturday’s early match Parma secured their first victory of the season with a hard-fought 1-0 home win over Empoli.
   After a draw and a defeat in their first two matches, Parma claimed three points thanks to Bernardo Corradi’s clinical first-half strike.
   Corradi, who joined Parma in the summer after a nightmare season with Valencia in Spain where he scored just three times in 21 matches, struck in the 17th minute.
   The 29-year-old former Italy international had his back to goal when he picked up a pass from Paolo Cannavaro, but he shook off his marker with a crafty turn and fired the ball left-footed into the top corner.
   Parma have been in administration since the collapse of parent company Parmalat and could end up in the hands of Lorenzo Sanz if the former Real Madrid president pushes forward with his proposed takeover.
   Empoli are still looking for their first point and their first goal since their promotion to the top division.

England’s Football Association is investigating 250 suspected child abuse cases, including two connected to Premiership teams, a report said late Saturday.
   Citing the as-yet unpublished findings of a government- backed investigation into child abuse in football, The Observer newspaper said the inquiry team were calling on officials to do more to protect young players and other children involved in the game.
   The Independent Football Commission spent 18 months investigating allegations and found 250 currently being looked at by the English FA, which included complaints of bullying as well as inappropriate behaviour.
   Of the 250 cases cited, two involved Premiership clubs.
   A further four complaints involving Premiership sides had been looked into since 2003, the report said.
   About four million British children are involved with football, both playing and training and also carrying out roles such as ballboys at professional matches.
   The inquiry, compiled with the help of British charity the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, found that the FA has previously banned up to 70 people from football for being a danger to children.
   The FA, which governs football in England, also deals with up to 10 cases a week in which checks of criminal records have shown people involved in the sport could be potential abusers.
   According to The Observer, problems which football has to address include matters such as the inadequate vetting of adults who come into contact with children in football.
   Other issues include a lack of proper supervision of professional players when they are in contact with youngsters, with worries including activities such as stars signing autographs on the bodies of young female fans.
   ‘Children playing football must have an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from abuse,’ commission chairman Professor Derek Fraser was quoted as saying in the report.
   ‘Parents have a right to expect that football will do all it can to fulfil this objective,’ he said, warning that while progress had been made a ‘daunting’ challenge remained.
   Kate Coleman, the Premiership’s head of child protection, told the newspaper that she was not able to give the names of the two clubs connected to complaints.
   However, she said there had been no criminal convictions, saying the complaints related more to ‘bad practice’ than abuse.

Deportivo La Coruna lost their unbeaten record but scraped a valuable point in a 2-2 draw at Valencia on Saturday, a topsy-turvy game which saw both teams forced to play most of the second half with 10 men.
   ‘I am not happy even though we could have even lost this game. What makes me even angrier is that we didn’t know how to control the game when we had the advantage,’ fumed Deportivo coach Joaquin Caparros.
   Diego Tristan opened the scoring for Deportivo after 24 minutes, picking his way through the Valencia defence before sending the ball over the head of goalkeeper Jose Luis Mora with an exquisite left foot shot.
   After dominating the first 45 minutes, Deportivo should have had three points in the bag when Valencia were reduced to 10 men in injury time at the end of the first half.
   Ruben Baraja was given a direct red card for a wild tackle on Manuel Pablo.
   However, the 2003-04 Spanish champions forced themselves back into the game after the break.
   David Villa equalised for Valencia from the penalty spot in the 50th minute after Deportivo defender Jorge Andrade had handled.
   Deportivo’s one man advantage was then wiped out after Pedro Munitis got his marching orders for a second yellow card just before the hour.
   Portuguese international defender Miguel put Valencia into the lead with just 11 minutes to go with a stunning right foot shot from the edge of the box before Sergio Gonzalez got Deportivo back on level terms three minutes later.
   ‘There were far too many absurd incidents and against a team like Deportivo that can often be very difficult to recover from. But I think we were better than them,’ said Valencia coach Quique Sanchez.
   Real Mallorca had failed to score a goal in their first two outings but they made up for lost time with a 5-2 win over Real Sociedad on Saturday.
   Yordi Gonzalez headed the hosts in front after four minutes but goals from Alvaro Novo and Xabi Prieto gave the visitors from San Sebastian a 2-1 lead at the break.
   However, four second half goals, including a hat trick from Juan Arango, got Mallorca their first points of the season.
   Arango got his first two from headers with the space of four minutes early in the second half.
   His third strike after 85 minutes from time will go down as one of the best goals of the season.
   The Venezuelan international took a long pass on his chest and then spun round to volley the ball high into the net from just inside the box, before Lambros Choutos completed the scoring during injury time.

Arsene Wenger knows his side cannot afford to lose against Everton today if they are to stay in the hunt for the English Premier League title.
   Arsenal have made a stuttering start to their campaign, winning their first two home games but losing at Chelsea and Middlesbrough.
   The loss of former captain Patrick Vieira to Juventus in the close-season appears to have taken its toll on a young Arsenal side who lack his quality at the heart of the midfield.
   To make matters worse, leading striker Thierry Henry has been ruled out for six weeks with a groin injury.
   Arsenal are already playing catch-up to leaders Chelsea, who have maintained their impressive form from last season and have moved nine points clear of Wenger’s team.
   The Frenchman knows the title cannot be won in the opening month of the season, but accepts his side can lose any chance of winning it if they continue to drop points early on.
   ‘We want to reduce the gap as much as we can,’ Wenger told reporters on Saturday. ‘A club should not be too many points behind and it is very important that there is not a big gap between your position in the league and where you want to be.
    ‘If you are in mid-table, then you are in dangerous territory and for us to close that gap as quickly as possible is vital.
   ‘It’s dangerous mentally, because you can look at the table and think: ‘Ah, it’s too far to make up’. It’s important that your position is adjusted to your ambition.
   ‘The pressure is high because we want to be at the top and not in the middle, and that is why it is a big game for us.
   ‘We lost against Chelsea and Middlesbrough, but they are games we could have won. While mathematically it is worrying, the way we played is not so worrying.’
   Wenger stands by his decision to sell Vieira and does not feel any extra pressure, despite the team’s faltering start to the league season.
   The Arsenal boss believes there is enough quality in his squad for the London club to challenge Chelsea for the title.
   ‘There is more pressure on me because I am responsible for things,’ he added. ‘I make the decisions I make and I have to stand up for them, and I will completely do that.
   ‘I didn’t decide Thierry would be injured, I just decided that Patrick could go. I knew it was a bit of a gamble and that we could suffer in the short term, but I am confident that we have the needed quality.
   ‘We are a young side with good young players, but there is still a lot of experience in our side.
   ‘For us, the first thing we should do is to be consistent and win our own games, not worry about Chelsea.’

David James has backed calls for England team-mate Wayne Rooney to seek help in order to curb his temper.
   Professional Footballers’ Association chief executive Gordon Taylor believes counselling could help the 19-year-old.
   Manchester City goalkeeper James said: ‘Of course a sports psychologist can help - it’s certainly helped me.
   ‘Wayne is still a very young man in a position which has a lot of strain and stress. He is a decent lad under a tremendous amount of pressure.’
   The teenage striker has been in the media spotlight after being sent off for Manchester United against Villarreal on Wednesday and also getting cautioned during England’s 1-0 loss to Northern Ireland.
   But James believes using a sports psychologist could be a solution, despite a sometimes negative public perception of such experts.
   ‘People think you must be crackers if you’ve got a psychologist but psychology is part of the building bricks to make a top athlete,’ he added.
   ‘I’m a much-improved goalkeeper and professional athlete courtesy of my psychology work. It does help.’
   James also gave an insight into the competitive nature which both contributes towards Rooney’s awesome talent and, sadly, sometimes spills over into erratic behaviour.
   ‘Wayne is a very energetic character. It’s energy, energy all the time and I suppose it’s difficult to know what to do with it.
   ‘You see Wayne in a training session and when he has lost a game he is not happy. I don’t think he should be afraid of trying things that just might help him.’

Birmingham manager Steve Bruce believes English football is at risk of losing its entertainment value as a result of over-officious refereeing standards.
   Nicky Butt was sent off on the stroke of half-time in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Portsmouth - a decision that Bruce said finished the match as a ‘spectacle’.
   ‘It has to be addressed because the directives we are getting are making it impossible for referees,’ said Bruce. ‘We are English. We like to see a bit of blood and thunder, a bit of spirit.’
   Butt was dismissed for kicking out at Pompey striker Dario Silva as they waited for Laurent Robert to swing a free-kick into the Birmingham penalty area.
   After consultation with his linesman, referee Dermot Gallagher gave the Uruguayan striker a yellow card and the former England international midfielder a straight red.
   ‘What I can’t understand is if you are going to send Nicky off, which is for a flick of the foot which doesn’t connect with anybody - he misses - why is their guy not sent off too?,’ said Bruce.
   ‘You give him a yellow card? For what? Blocking somebody? Well that is not a yellow card, you give them a yellow or red card for raising his arm.
   ‘If you are going to dish it out to Nicky, then you have to give it to the other guy too.’
   However, Bruce accepted Butt, a former Manchester United team-mate in his playing days, should have used his experience to avoid such an incident.
   ‘It was petulance, but we all know it is a man’s game and emotions run high - that is what we all enjoy about the Premier League and that is why we are all here,’ he added.

Chelsea’s Champions League rivals Anderlecht have confirmed the Premiership champions are interested in their
   central defender Vincent Kompany.
   The 19-year-old was on Chelsea’s wanted list in the summer but they ended up bolstering their left-back position by signing Asier del Horno instead.
   ‘Chelsea are interested and maybe a deal can be done,’ said Anderlecht managing director Herman van Holsbeeck.
   ‘I’ve advised Roman Abramovich to keep a special eye on him.’

Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas could be in his last season at the club with a move to England in the pipeline.
   The 24-year-old Spain international is still waiting on a new contract offer and the News of the World report that Arsenal are potential suitors.
   ‘I’ve not sat down with anyone from Madrid to discuss a new deal for Iker,’ said his agent Gines Garvajal.
   ‘We are waiting for the call but if not, from 1 January we can talk with other clubs.’

Tottenham midfielder Pedro Mendes has said that he wants to quit the club.
   The 26-year-old won the European Cup with Porto in 2004 but he has failed to win a regular place since his £2m move.
   ‘I want to return to Portugal. I don’t want to be ignored any more. If I am out of the picture then I will leave,’ he told the News of the World.
   ‘The first year I had a good season but then some bad things set me back. I broke a toe and missed the last two months. But I can’t be left like this.’
   The arrivals of Edgar Davids, Jermaine Jenas and Teemu Tainio have pushed Mendes down the pecking order at White Hart Lane, and he has been linked with a return to Porto.
   ‘There has been talk but nothing has materialised. We have to wait and see,’ he said.

CAB U-17 to arrive
in October
The Cricket Association of Bengal under-17 team will be touring Bangladesh in mid-October to play three limited-over and three two-day matches against Bangladesh U-17 team. The tourists will arrive in Dhaka on October 13 and play their first match two days later. After playing the two two-day matches, they will play the one-dayers. The first one-dayer will be held on October 24, followed by the other two matches on October 25 and 27.
— New Age

BCB condoles
Sattar’s death
Bangladesh Cricket Board on Sunday condoled the death of AKM Abdus Sattar, the father of Firoz Mahmud, a former chairman of BCB medical committee. Abdus Sattar passed away on September 12 after suffering a brain stroke. BCB president Ali Asghar expressed deep sorrow at the death of Sattar and conveyed sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.
— New Age

Rangpur summer sports meet concludes
The 34th Sub-regional School-Madrasha Kabaddi, Football and Handball competition concluded on Sunday in Rangpur. In football, Chaparhat High School of Lalmonirhat became champions defeating Gaibandha Islamia High School by 1-0 goal. Keramotia High School of Rangpur won the championship in handball (Boys section) beating BP Govt High School of Panchagarh by 28-11 goals. Samaj Kallyan Bidyabithi School and College, Rangpur, defeated Fulgach High School of Lalmonirhat 12-4 in handball (Girls section). Haji Bashiruddin High School of Rangpur emerged kabaddi champions beating Dhukurjhari High School, Dinajpur by 26-25 points in the final.
— New Age

Indian board to probe Ganguly-Chappell
row
The Indian cricket board will investigate the reported rift between Saurav Ganguly and Greg Chappell after the tour of Zimbabwe, president Ranbir Mahendra said on Sunday. ‘Whatever has appeared in the press, that is there,’ Mahendra told Reuters, referring to media reports suggesting a falling out between coach and captain. Mahendra said the board would wait until the team returned after the second Test, starting in Harare on Tuesday. ‘There is no question of any crisis,’ he said.
—Reuters