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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2014 SPORTS B’desh reduces Photo of the day ban on Ashraful

DHAKA: Former cap- six months,allowing him to play cricket tain Mohammad Ashraful received a life- from August this year. Earlier he was line yesterday after a special appeal pan- banned for 18 months.. el reduced his lengthy ban by three years In a joint statement, the ICC and BCB allowing him to return to competitive said they would be “carefully reviewing” cricket as early as August 2016. the verdict and would “decide on their The 30-year-old cricketer was original- next steps, including whether or not to ly slapped with an eight-year ban from all appeal”. forms of cricket in June this year after he The authorities, however, hailed the was found guilty of match fixing by a tri- panel’s ruling to impose ten-year ban on bunal set up by the Bangladesh Cricket Salim Chowdhury, the owner of the Board (BCB). But an disciplinary appeal reigning BPL champions, panel “set aside” the sanction and Gladiators, who had been reprieved by reduced the ban to five years including the tribunal. The 10-year ban imposed on two-year suspended sentence provided Chowdhury’s son and co-owner of the the star batsman participates in the “anti- Gladiators Shihab Jishan Chowdhury, was corruption education and training pro- upheld. The scam came to light in May gramme to be organised by the BCB and last year when Ashraful, the one-time the ICC (International Cricket Council).” prodigy, tearfully admitted having Ashraful would now “be entitled to return helped fix matches in the tournament, to cricket on or about 13 August 2016 which has been tainted by scandal since upon production of a certificate of good its inception. Ashraful played 61 Tests, conduct from ICC,” the panel said in its 177 one-day internationals and 23 T20 verdict. international matches. There was no comment from the bats- After the ban was imposed in June, he man, arguably the country’s most famous said he would return to the game one- sportsman before he fell from grace last day after completing the ban. “I’ll be back year after admitting match-fixing during to the field even for a day for all these the 2013 edition of the local twenty-20 people (who supported me),” he said. cricket meet called Bangladesh Premier Lou Vincent, former New Zealand League (BPL). international cricketer who played for the The panel also reduced the ban of Sri Khulna Royals side in the BPL, did not A competitor performs during the Red Bull Soapbox Race 2014 in Bucharest, Romania.— www.redbull.com Lankan cricketer Kaushal Lokuarachchi by appeal his three-year ban. —AFP 49ers bring down soaring Eagles

SANTA CLARA: Frank Gore caught a career- back. Glennon passed for 302 yards in his best 55-yard touchdown and ran for 119 first start of the season, including a 41-yard RAVENS 38, PANTHERS 10 yards in his first 100-yard game this year, catch-and-run by Louis Murphy that set up Steve Smith punished his former team leading the San Francisco 49ers past Jackson’s score. Ben Roethlisberger passed with seven catches for 139 yards and two Philadelphia 26-21 on Sunday to hand the for 314 yards and three touchdowns, but touchdowns. Smith spent 13 seasons with Eagles their first loss. Pittsburgh (2-2) couldn’t protect a seven- Carolina before he was released in a cost- The 49ers delivered a late goal-line stand point lead in the fourth quarter. Antonio cutting move during the offseason. The 35- as they avoided their first three-game losing Brown caught seven passes for 131 yards year-old receiver showed the Panthers he streak under fourth-year coach Jim and two scores, and Heath Miller added a can still make the big play, scoring twice in Harbaugh, containing the league’s top pass- career-high nine grabs. The Steelers com- the second quarter to help put Baltimore (3- er in Nick Foles. He threw two incomplete mitted 13 penalties for 125 yards. 1) in front 21-7 at halftime. passes from the 1 in the waning moments. The first touchdown came when Smith On a day the 49ers (2-2) gave up big COWBOYS 38, SAINTS 17 grabbed a pass that deflected off the right plays on special teams, Gore came through. Tony Romo threw three touchdowns hand of teammate Owen Daniels. He caught Colin Kaepernick also threw a touchdown passes, two to Terrance Williams, and the ball in stride and took it into the end pass to Stevie Johnson and Phil Dawson DeMarco Murray ran for a pair of scores in zone to complete a 61-yard play. Smith also scored from 21 yards with a diving reception. Joe Flacco went 22 of 31 NFL results/standings for 327 yards and three touchdowns, the other a 24-yarder to Torrey Smith. Carolina Baltimore 38, Carolina 10; Green Bay 38, Chicago 17; Houston 23, Buffalo 17; Indianapolis 41, Tennessee 17; Detroit 24, Ny Jets 17; Miami 38, Oakland 14; Tampa Bay 27, Pittsburgh 24; San Diego 33, Jacksonville 14; (2-2) has lost two straight, both in lopsided Minnesota 41, Atlanta 28; San Francisco 26, Philadelphia 21; Dallas 38, New Orleans 17. fashion against AFC North foes. American Football Conference National Football Conference AFC East NFC East PACKERS 38, BEARS 17 W L TOTL PF PA PCT Philadelphia 3 1 0 0 122 104 .750 Aaron Rodgers threw for 302 yards and New England 2 1 0 0 66 49 .667 Dallas 3 1 0 0 115 86 .750 four touchdowns, and the Packers shook off Buffalo 2 2 0 0 79 75 .500 NY Giants 2 2 0 0 103 91 .500 Miami 2 2 0 0 96 97 .500 one of their worst offensive performances in ARLINGTON: Dallas Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray (29) fights off a tackle Washington 1 3 0 0 95 109 .250 years. NY Jets 1 3 0 0 79 96 .250 NFC North attempt by New Orleans Saints’ Junior Galette (93)during the second half of an NFL AFC North Detroit 3 1 0 0 85 62 .750 The Packers (2-2) scored on their first six football game. —AP Cincinnati 3 0 0 0 80 33 1.000 Green Bay 2 2 0 0 92 96 .500 possessions to build a 38-17 lead. They Baltimore 3 1 0 0 103 60 .750 Chicago 2 2 0 1 92 100 .500 racked up 358 yards after being held to 223, Pittsburgh 2 2 0 0 97 99 .500 touchdown catch. Toilolo at right tackle in the fourth Cleveland 1 2 0 0 74 77 .333 Minnesota 2 2 0 0 91 84 .500 their lowest total since 2008, a week earlier Rookie Blake Bortles made his first start quarter. AFC South NFC South in a 19-7 loss at Detroit. for the Jaguars (0-4), threw one touchdown Houston 3 1 0 0 87 67 .750 Carolina 2 2 0 0 73 96 .500 They intercepted Jay Cutler twice in the Atlanta 2 2 0 0 131 113 .500 pass, was intercepted twice and twice had TEXANS 23, BILLS 17 Indianapolis 2 2 0 0 136 95 .500 third quarter to pull away from the Bears (2- Tennessee 1 3 0 0 60 110 .250 New Orleans 1 3 0 1 95 110 .250 Jacksonville in the lead in the first half. JJ Watt had another highlight-reel play to Jacksonville 0 4 0 0 58 152 0 Tampa Bay 1 3 0 0 72 119 .250 2). That gave Green Bay five straight wins at help the Texans overcome a tough day AFC West NFC West Soldier Field, including the NFC title game VIKINGS 41, FALCONS 28 offensively. Houston (3-1) was down by San Diego 3 1 0 0 102 63 .750 Arizona 3 0 0 0 66 45 1.000 four years ago and a playoffs-or-bust finale Teddy Bridgewater passed for 317 yards three in the third quarter and Ryan Denver 2 1 0 1 75 67 .667 Seattle 2 1 0 0 83 66 .667 for both teams last season. and a key 2-point conversion before leaving Fitzpatrick had just thrown a second inter- Kansas City 1 2 0 0 61 65 .333 San Francisco 2 2 0 0 88 89 .500 Oakland 0 4 0 0 51 103 0 St. Louis 1 2 0 0 56 85 .333 with an ankle injury. The rookie was 19 for ception when the 6-foot-5, 289-pound Watt CHARGERS 33, JAGUARS 14 30 with no turnovers and ran five times for returned an interception 80 yards to put the Philip Rivers threw for 377 yards and 27 yards and a score in his first career start, Texans up 14-10. kicked four field goals. Darren Sproles had a another 100-yard game. three touchdowns, two to Eddie Royal. but his last carry was costly. His left foot The defensive end caught a touchdown career-best 82-yard punt return for a touch- The Cowboys kept Drew Brees and the Royal had scoring catches of 47 and 43 rolled underneath him as he was sand- pass in Week 2, giving him more TDs this down, Malcolm Jenkins ran an interception Saints scoreless in the first half after giving yards, his second straight two-touchdown wiched by two tacklers at the 1-yard line. year than Arian Foster and Andre Johnson 53 yards for a score for the Eagles (3-1). Brad up an NFL-record 40 first downs in a 49-17 game. The Chargers (3-1) extended their Matt Asiata powered his way in on the combined. Under heavy pressure all after- Smith recovered a blocked punt for a TD. blowout loss in New Orleans last year. Brees winning streak to three. next play for his third touchdown, and noon, EJ Manuel finished with 225 yards led two scoring drives early in the fourth Passing because the Chargers’ running Bridgewater stayed in to zip a crisp pass to passing with two touchdowns and two BUCCANEERS 27, STEELERS 24 quarter to cut a 31-3 deficit in half before game is nonexistent due to injuries to Ryan Rhett Ellison to push the lead to 35-28. interceptions for the Bills (2-2). Buffalo was Mike Glennon hit a diving Vincent the Cowboys regained control. Dallas (3-1) Mathews and Danny Woodhead, Rivers had As Bridgewater was taken away on a driving late when Darryl Morris picked him Jackson for a 5-yard touchdown with 7 sec- is tied with Philadelphia for the NFC East his second three-touchdown game of the cart for X-rays, Christian Ponder took off at the Houston 15 to secure the victory. onds remaining to lift Tampa Bay to a stun- lead. The Saints (1-3) couldn’t sustain the season. He went 29 of 39. over at quarterback for the Vikings (2- ning win. momentum from their win against Royal had five catches for 105 yards. 1). The Falcons (2-2) lost three starting LIONS 24, JETS 17 The Buccaneers (1-3) lost to Atlanta by Minnesota and lost to the Cowboys in Texas Keenan Allen had 10 for 135, both career offensive linemen to injuries and Matthew Stafford threw two touchdown six touchdowns a week ago but bounced for the first time since 1991. highs, and Malcom Floyd had a 24-yard wound up sticking tight end Levine passes and ran for another score as the Lions overcame Calvin Johnson being limit- ed by an ankle injury. Jeremy Ross and Eric Ebron caught scor- ing passes for the Lions, who are 3-1 for the second straight season. Stafford finished 24 of 34 for 293 yards. Johnson, who was in and out of the game, was clearly impeded by his injured ankle. He had just two catches for 12 yards. Golden Tate had a big game, catching eight passes for 116 yards. A struggling Geno Smith had two more turnovers as chants of “We Want Vick!” echoed throughout MetLife Stadium at times. The Jets, who made it close on Chris Johnson’s 35-yard run with 6:58 left, fell to 1-3 for the first time in Rex Ryan’s six sea- sons as coach.

COLTS 41, TITANS 17 Andrew Luck threw four touchdown passes and Reggie Wayne scored for the first time this season. Indy (2-2) extended its league-leading streak of consecutive wins over division foes to nine. Luck was 29 of 41 for a season-best 393 yards. Wayne had seven catches for a sea- son-best 119 yards and scored on a spectac- ular spinning 28-yard catch. Tennessee (1-3) has lost three straight since an impressive season-opening win over Kansas City, and this one wasn’t even close. Indy led 14-0 after one and made it 20-3 with two Adam Vinatieri field goals. Tennessee closed to 20-10 at halftime, but Luck’s two third-quarter TD passes made it SANTA CLARA: Philadelphia Eagles free safety Malcolm Jenkins (center) jumps past San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) and tackle Jonathan Martin to return an inter- 34-10 and the Titans never challenged ception 53 yards for a touchdown during the second quarter of an NFL football game. —AP again. —AP