FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2018 16 Mominul’s ton puts in charge

Liverpool’s Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Salah (R) runs at the Fulham Mominul, Gabriel shine on day one of Test between Bangladesh and West Indies defence during a match between Liverpool and Fulham (file photo) Gabriel ended Improved Liverpool have Mominul’s• innings more to offer: Klopp after the tea break Reuters | London Haque’s 8th ton equals• record as iverpool have made their Ljoint-best start to a Pre- Bangladesh 315-8 mier League campaign since on day one it was launched in 1992, but 30 points have been manager Juergen Klopp sees earned by Liverpool AFP | , Bangladesh no reason why they cannot im- after 12 matches in the prove further heading into the Premier League packed English festive fixture hannon Gabriel took four schedule. in three overs after The unbeaten Merseyside SMominul Haque slammed club are second after 12 match- At this stage last year, Liv- a century on the opening day of es on 30 points, two behind erpool had already lost two the first Test between Bangla- defending champions Man- league games and were fifth desh and West Indies in Chit- chester City. in the standings, but a string tagong yesterday. Klopp, however, has de - of assured defensive displays Bangladesh reached 315 for manded more from his players have ensured they are one eight at stumps, thanks to Mo- as they look to deliver a first of three clubs still unbeaten minul’s 120 off 167 balls -- his piece of silverware at Anfield along with Manchester City eighth Test hundred. He now since the League Cup triumph and Chelsea. shares the record with Tamim Bangladesh cricketer plays a shot in 2012. “There’s absolutely no rea- Iqbal for scoring the most Test “We can improve... we have son for criticising the boys, centuries for Bangladesh. unbeaten on 32 while Nayeem to and we will,” the German they do a really good job,” the It was his fourth century this was 24 when bad light Bangladesh first innings said at a gala dinner in support manager added. year -- only India’s brought early stumps. c Ambris b Warrican 44 of the LFC Foundation. “So many things are better has scored as many Test centu- Mominul, who hit 10 fours c Dowrich b Roach 0 “But between our best foot- than last year: defending is ries in 2018 so far. and a six, dominated the open- Mominul Haque c Dowrich b Gabriel 120 ball and now, we have to win better, set-pieces are better; Gabriel ended Mominul’s re- KNOW WHAT ing two sessions to complete Moh’d Mithun c Dowrich b Bishoo 20 football games. That’s how it we are more mature in games, cord innings after the tea break his third century in consecutive b Gabriel 34 is and that’s what we’ve done game management is better. So to finish with 4-69 in a devas- innings at the Zahur Ahmed lbw Gabriel 4 already.” many things are better.” tating spell that also included It was Mominul Chowdhury Stadium. Riyad b Gabriel 3 the prized wickets of Shakib Al Haque’s fourth cen- He helped steady Bangla- b Warrican 22 Hasan (34), Mushfiqur Rahim desh’s innings after pace bowler Nayeem Hasan not out 24 (four) and Mahmudullah Riyad tury this year, only Kemar Roach struck in the first not out 32 (three). India’s Virat Kohli over of the morning, dismiss- Extras (b3, lb5, nb4) 12 Premier League has made me Electing to bat first, Bang- has scored as many ing opening batsman Soumya Total (eight wickets; 88 overs) 315 ladesh seemed to be coasting Test centuries in Sarkar for a duck. To bat: stronger, says Guardiola towards a big total once Mom- 2018 so far Mominul shared 104 runs Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Soumya), 2-105 inul brought his hundred with a with Imrul Kayes for the sec- (Imrul), 3-153 (Mithun), 4-222 (Mominul), six and four in successive overs Left-arm spinner Jomel War- ond and another 48 runs 5-226 (Mushfiqur), 6-230 (Mahmudullah), before the tea break. rican bowled Mehidy Hasan for with Mohammad Mithun for 7-235 (Shakib), 8-259 (Mehidy) But Gabriel struck back in 22 to pile misery on Bangladesh, the third. : Roach 15-2-55-1, Gabriel 18-2- the final session. He first had before the tail-enders restored Leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo 69-4 (nb3), Chase 11-0-42-0, Warrican Mominul caught behind before some parity. dismissed Mithun for 20 to give 21-6-62-2 (nb1), Bishoo 15-0-60-1, successfully reviewing a not Taijul Islam and teenage West Indies their only success Brathwaite 8-1-19-0 out leg-before decision against debutant Nayeem Hasan add- of the second session. Mushfiqur Rahim in same over. ed 56 runs for the unbroken Bishoo could have also tak- Imrul caught by Sunil Ambris at In his next two overs, Gabri- ninth-wicket stand, guiding en the wicket of Mominul, had forward short-leg for 44. el bowled Mahmudullah and Bangladesh past the 300-run Dowrich not dropped a sharp Warrican was unlucky not Shakib respectively to leave mark. chance when the batsman was to get Imrul early when the Bangladesh reeling on 235 for Taijul -- who was reprieved on 67. Warrican earlier struck at left-hander was reprieved by a Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola looks on during a match seven, from a solid 222 for three. twice by the third umpire -- was the stroke of lunch when he had no-ball on 16.

AFP | Mexico City cause I learned to handle this incredible league in many cir- anchester City manager cumstances. MPep Guardiola believes “It is the toughest one, for the competitive nature and the amount of games, for the African great Drogba announces retirement sheer unpredictability of the weather and the referees Premier League has presented saying: ‘play (on), play (on), Reuters | London Mourinho and helped the club turning to Chelsea him with the biggest challenge play (on)’ and the competi - win their first top flight English where he won a of his career. tors, there are many. It is the ormer Chelsea striker Di- title in 50 years. fourth Premier Prior to his move to Man- only country that five or six Fdier Drogba announced his He went on to win three Pre- League title and a To give something chester, Guardiola collected (teams) can win the Premier retirement on Wednesday, call- mier League titles in his first third League Cup, back to the game three La Liga titles and two League.” ing time on a 20-year career in eight years at Chelsea as well leaving the club as was the best way Champions League trophies Guardiola led City to the which the bullish centre for- as four FA Cups and two their fourth with Barcelona, before leading Premier League title in re - ward won four Premier League League Cups. highest to finish as I have Bayern Munich to three con- cord-breaking fashion last titles and the 2012 Champions His first spell in scorer learned so much in secutive Bundesliga crowns season, finishing on 100 League. west London end- of all the game in competitions dominated by points and 106 goals in 38 Ivorian Drogba, who had ed on a high as time. DIDIER DROGBA very few teams. matches. been playing in the United he scored the However, the Spaniard said City also lifted the League States for Phoenix Rising, had winning it felt like he needed to learn Cup and Community Shield two spells at Chelsea, scoring a whole new set of skills after this year to take Guardiola’s 164 goals in 381 games having arriving in England in 2016, tally to 24 major trophies, with spearheaded the west London Drogba, who made than 100 forced to cope with heavy the Spaniard admitting that club’s revival under owner Ro- appearances for the Ivory Coast fixture congestion and a title transferring his skills to the man Abramovich. and was voted African football- challenge from five other con- international stage could one Drogba, 40, began his ca - er of the year twice, ended his tenders. day come to fruition. reer at French side Le Mans in playing days with Phoenix Ris- “I am a better manager than “Sooner or later, it will hap- 1998, but did not play top-tier penalty in the ing where he was a player-own- I was in Germany, and I am a pen because every three days I football until he was 23 when Champions League er. better manager now than I was would like to be involved, but a he was signed by Guingamp in final shootout against “It’s the best way to end, help- in Barcelona by far, just for the little bit more calm, play more 2002. Bayern Munich hav- ing some young talent to devel- fact of being there,” he said at golf,” he added. He moved to Olympique de ing also equalised with op,” Drogba told the BBC. the Peers Annual Lecture at “If I have a chance and some Marseille in 2003 and a year lat- a thumping header to “To give something back to Liverpool University. international team wants to er was signed by Chelsea where force extra time. the game was the best way to “Now, I feel being here I come ‘knock knock’. We will he became the attacking focal He had spells in China finish as I have learned so much am a better manager too, be- see.” point of the team under Jose and Turkey before re - Didier Drogba in the game.”