The Island, Monday 17th April, 2006 Sri Lanka soccerites crumble in Bangabandhu final Dhaka - BANGLADESH: DHAKA; April 16, 2006: Tajikistan the ball but his low drive came off goal- Tajikistan, however, doubled the Tajikistan strik- lifted their first-ever title at continen- keeper Sugath Thilakaratne, only to lead in the 45th minute when er Khurshed tal level when they took the inaugural make way for a lurking Muhidinov to Makhmudov dribbled past two defend- Makhmudov AFC Challenge Cup to Central Asia, tap the ball into an empty net. ers on the counter attack and put a low (C) is watched with a 4-0 thrashing of Sri Lanka in an Sri Lanka took some time to reassert right-footer into Thilakaratne’s near by Sri Lankan anti-climax final at the Bangabandhu and began to slice the rival defence post from within the penalty box. opponents National Stadium on Sunday. down the flanks, but their forwards Sri Lanka got adventurous after the Rohana Dinesh Dzhormikhon Muhidinov scored a were off the mark mostly. The South break in a bid to comeback in the game Ruwan Thilaka brace while Khurshed Makhmudov and Asians earned a series of corners but (R) and Rajitha and left wide gaps in their defence, Numondzhin Hakimov added one goal failed to penetrate the solid defence of Jayawilal (L) as allowing the opposition to exploit the apiece before a 5,000-strong crowd as goalkeeper Aslidin Khabibulloev, who he heads the condition. Tajikistan kept up the pres- Tajikistan displayed superior skill and won everything in the air. ball during the sure and the Lankan defence went strength to take absolute control. It were the Tajiks who got a golden AFC Challenge down like wheat beneath a scythe. The final was played perhaps in the chance to double the advantage on the Cup final held Striker Hakimov made it 3-0 in the most soothing condition during the half hour but Hakimov’s low cross the 61st minute when he leaped above the tournament, following a light shower from the left ran harmlessly across the Bangabandhu rival backline to nod home a left-side and Tajikistan got off to a dream start goal as Muhidinov and Yusuf Rabiev National freekick by Odil Irgashev while anoth- when Sri Lankan defender Sanjaya failed to connect. Stadium yes- Pradeep Kumara’s schoolboy-like fum- Mohamed Izzadeen came close to er combined move nine minutes later terday (16). ble allowed them to take the lead just 50 equalising on the stroke of the first saw Muhidinov find the back of the net Makhmudov seconds after kick-off. half but his header on a corner by cap- from close, after Rabiev’s magnificent scored one Sanjaya lost possession inside the tain Duddley Steinwall went inches manoeuvre at the right side. goal as area and Ibraguim Rabimov snatched over the post. (www.the-afc.com) Tajikistan won 4-0. AFP Harmison doubtful for first Sri Lanka Test England paceman Steve Harmison says he is because of pain in his right shin, visited a specialist unlikely to be fit for next month’s first Test against in Nottingham earlier this week. Sri Lanka at Lord’s, BBC Sport reported on “Before I saw the specialist I was hopeful of Saturday. playing at Lord’s,” Harmison told ‘The Mail’, a Harmison, who left the tour of India early Sunday newspaper. Sri Lanka ninth in Thailand by Indrajith Subasinghe in Songkla, Thailand Sri Lanka men’s ‘A’ team became ninth out of 28 countries in the second “Samila” round of the Asian Volleyball Federation organised Asian Beach Volleyball in Thailand. Sri Lankan women’s ‘A’ team too were placed ninth out of the 21 partic- ipating countries. Oram leads New Zealand fightback CENTURION, South Africa, April 16, The Kiwis took a 31-run first innings 2006 (AFP) - All-rounder Jacob Oram led lead and were 307 for 8 wickets when there a fightback after New Zealand’s top order were 16 overs remaining in yesterday’s play. batting failed on the second day of the Jacob Oram scored his third Test ton and first Test against South Africa at was not out on 122, after facing 161 balls Centurion Park Sunday. where he hit 16 fours and two sixes, and New Zealand lost their first five wickets Daniel Vettori made a valiant 81 in 117 for 45 runs but recovered to reach 187 for balls. The pair put on 183 for the seventh six at tea in reply to South Africa’s first wicket. South Africa’s Makhaya Ntini took innings total of 276. Oram was unbeaten five for 94, his 12th five-wicket haul in Tests. on 57. Scoreboard South Africa, first innings (overnight 266-8) 18-2-44-0 (1nb), Astle 5-2-11-0. G. Smith lbw b Franklin 45 New Zealand, first innings H. Gibbs b Mills 6 H. Marshall b Ntini 6 H. Dippenaar c Fulton b Mills 52 P. Fulton c Boucher b Pollock 14 J. Kallis b Franklin 38 S. Fleming c and b Ntini 0 A. Prince c Styris b Mills 9 S. Styris c Gibbs b Ntini 17 A. de Villiers b Franklin 27 N. Astle c Boucher b Steyn 4 M. Boucher c Fleming b Martin 18 J. Oram not out 57 S. Pollock c Styris b Mills 24 B. McCullum c Boje b Kallis 31 N. Boje lbw b Franklin 23 D. Vettori not out 45 D. Steyn c Mills b Martin 13 Extras (lb7, nb6) 13 M. Ntini not out 1 Total (6 wkts, 43 overs) 187 Extras (b6, lb4, nb7, w3) 20 Falls: 1-8, 2-12, 3-32, 4-38, 5-45, 6-89 Total (95.4 overs) 276 Bowling: Ntini 11-2-41-3, Steyn 13-1-74-1, Pollock 12-3- Falls: 1-16, 2-95, 3-119, 4-130, 5-177, 6-197, 7-229, 8- 37-1 (5nb), Kallis 6-1-23-1, Boje 1-0-5-0. 233, 9-274 To bat: J Franklin, K Mills, C Martin. Bowling: Mills 18-7-43-4 (3nb), Franklin 18-3-75-4 (2nb, Umpires: M. Benson (ENG), D. Harper (AUS). TV umpire: 1w), Martin 22.4-4-66-2 (1nb, 2w), Oram 14-7-27-0, Vettori M. Erasmus (RSA). Match referee: R. Madugalle (SRI). Aussies in strong start against Bangladesh CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh (AFP)- Australia Gillespie (five) the not out batsmen. bundled out Bangladesh for 197 before making a The world champions, who encountered stiff strong start to their own innings on the opening resistance in the first Test before prevailing by day of the second Test here on Sunday. three wickets, looked determined to dominate The visitors were 76-1 at stumps with opener proceedings after their off-colour display in Phil Jacques (38) and night-watchman Jason Fatullah. Scoreboard Bangladesh 1st innings: Bowling: Lee 9-2-36-0, Gillespie 5-2-11-3, Warne 18.2-3-47- Javed Omar lbw b Gillespie 2 3, MacGill 22-3-68-3, Cullen 7-0-25-1 Shahriar Nafees c Lee b Gillespie 0 Australia 1st innings: Habibul Bashar c Jacques b Gillespie 9 M. Hayden c sub (Kapali) b Rafique 29 Rajin Saleh b MacGill 71 P. Jacques not out 38 Mohammad Ashraful c Hayden b Warne 6 J. Gillespie not out 5 Aftab Ahmed c Gilchrist b Warne 18 Extras (lb2, nb2) 4 Khaled Mashud not out 34 Total (for one wicket in 24 overs) 76 Mohammad Rafique c Hayden b MacGill 19 Fall of wicket: 1-67 Mashrafe Mortaza c Gilchrist b Cullen 4 Bowling: Mortaza 6-0-25-0, Hossain 7-1-21-0, Rafique 7-1- Abdur Razzak c Lee b MacGill 15 23-1, Razzak 4-2-5-0 Shahadat Hossain c Gillespie b Warne 0 Toss: Bangladesh Extras (lb10, w3, nb6) 19 Umpires: Aleem Dar (PAK) and Ian Howell (RSA) Total (all out in 61.2 overs) 197 TV umpire: Mahbubur Rahman (BAN) Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-11, 3-17, 4-41, 5-102, 6-130, 7-152, 8- Match referee: Jeff Crowe (NZL).