Chelsea 1-0 Juventus | |||
 Didier Drogba celebrates putting Chelsea ahead against Juventus
 Didier Drogba's early goal gave Chelsea a slender advantage over Juventus after a tight encounter in the last 16 of the Champions League at Stamford Bridge. Drogba slid home Salomon Kalou's pass after 13 minutes, but former Chelsea coach Claudio Ranieri will have real hope for the second leg in Turin. Juve gave Chelsea anxious moments, with keeper Petr Cech saving brilliantly from Alessandro del Piero. Pavel Nedved was also just off target late on, but Chelsea held on to win. It gave Chelsea's temporary coach Guus Hiddink his second successive single goal win after starting his reign with a victory at Aston Villa on Saturday.
And while Chelsea were unconvincing after the break, Hiddink will be delighted with the triumph - and the fact that his side prevented the Serie A side from scoring an away goal. Ranieri was afforded a great reception by the Stamford Bridge crowd as they showed their appreciation of his stint at the club. But Chelsea extended no such sympathy to their one-time boss as they made a lively start, with Kalou's low 20-yard effort testing Gianluigi Buffon and Drogba heading over from Jose Bosingwa's cross. Drogba made no mistake after 13 minutes when he took a slide-rule pass from Kalou in his side and drilled a powerful finish past Buffon. Juventus veteran Del Piero then showed a flash of the old magic with a shot on the turn that brought an equally fine save from the diving Cech. Giorgio Chiellini then just failed to get on the end of Tiago's flick from a dangerous Del Piero corner. The game was delicately balanced and switching from end-to-end, with Juve taking a bold approach in a bid to get a crucial away goal. But Drogba was left frustrated when his penalty claims were ignored by Portuguese referee Olegario Benquerenca as he tumbled under challenge from Chiellini. Juve, however, were posing a real threat and twice substitute Claudio Marchisio was just off target as Chelsea's first-half supremacy was seriously challenged. Nicolas Anelka had been quiet, but almost scored a spectacular second for Chelsea with four minutes left with an angled drive that beat Buffon and flew only inches wide. Ranieri had sent on David Trezeguet in a positive move, and he was almost rewarded when the experienced striker found space in the area, only to shoot hopelessly wide. Juventus had been the better side after the break, and they almost snatched an equaliser in the closing seconds when Nedved's shot beat Cech but slipped agonisingly wide of the post. Chelsea: Cech, Bosingwa, Terry, Alex, Ashley Cole, Kalou (Malouda 72), Ballack (Mancienne 81), Lampard, Mikel, Drogba, Anelka. Booked: Ballack. Goals: Drogba 13. Juventus: Buffon, Chiellini, Mellberg, Legrottaglie, Molinaro, Nedved, Camoranesi (Marchionni 51), Sissoko (Trezeguet 86), Tiago (Marchisio 62), Del Piero, Amauri. Booked: Molinaro, Sissoko, Marchisio. Att: 38,079 Ref: Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal). | |||
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Champions League Football: Chelsea 1-0 Juventus
UEFA Champions League-2009
Arsenal were the sole winners on Tuesday in the Champions League last 16 first leg matches and that was only thanks to a Robin van Persie penalty giving them a 1-0 victory over AS Roma.
Wenger wants one more
Afp, London
Arsene Wenger has warned Roma that Arsenal only need one goal to book their place in the Champions League quarterfinals.
Print EditionUEFA Champions League
Draw pleases Mourinho
Afp, Milan
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho said he was a happy man after his Serie A leaders held holders Manchester United to a 0-0 San Siro draw in the Champions League.Print Edition
UEFA Champions League
'Money doesn't bring trophies'
Afp, London
Claudio Ranieri returns to Stamford Bridge with a warning to Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich that money can't buy success.
Print EditionUEFA Champions League
Advantage Porto
Afp, Madrid
FC Porto seized the upper hand in their last 16 Champions League tie with Atletico Madrid scoring two vital away goals in a 2-2 first leg draw at the Vicente Calderon on Tuesday.
Print EditionUEFA Champions League
Betting closed on Benitez
Afp, London
One of Britain's leading betting firms said Wednesday it had stopped taking money on Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez becoming the next English Premier League boss to be sacked.
Print EditionUEFA Champions League
Raul reveals it
Ap, Madrid
Real Madrid's all-time leading goal scorer, Raul Gonzalez, plans to play two more seasons for the Spanish club before retiring, although he may play on in the United States.
Print EditionKing in court
Afp, London
Middlesbrough striker Marlon King appeared in court here on Wednesday to face charges of sexually assaulting a woman in a nightclub.
Print EditionGolf: Woods secures victory on comeback
Page last updated at 23:20 GMT, Wednesday, 25 February 2009 |
Woods secures victory on comeback: | |||||
Tiger Woods looked as if he had never been away during his comeback as he eased into the second round of the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship. Woods, who missed eight months of competitive golf with a knee injury, beat Australia's Brendan Jones 3&2. The world number one started with a birdie and said: "It felt good. "I played some loose irons in the middle of the round but then got it back. I thought my knee would be a little more stiff than it was." Woods was given a raucous welcome by supporters surrounding the first tee at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club. He opened the round with a birdie and went two-up at the second, where he hit his approach within four feet and Jones conceded.
Woods, who was last in action back in June when he won the US Open at Torrey Pines, bogeyed the seventh, but responded with a birdie at the eighth and remained two-up through 10 holes. He stretched his lead to three-up when Jones bogeyed the 12th, then Woods eagled the par-five 13th at Dove Mountain to move four-up with five to play. Jones eagled the 15th, but when Woods saved par from a bunker to halve the 16th. "I said to Stevie (Williams, his caddie), 'it feels like we haven't been gone'. It was business as usual," added Woods. "I thought I'd be a little more nervous than that but when it comes right down to it it's about placement so I just kind of went back to all the basics." Open and US PGA champion Padraig Harrington was an early casualty as the top seed in his bracket was defeated one-up by American Pat Perez. "I lost it on the fifth hole," said Harrington. "I missed a putt there and made a terrible five from the middle of the fairway when he was in trouble. "To go bogey-bogey there and let him go one-up when I could have been one-up.. When I look back everything after that was a bit of a struggle." Sergio Garcia was another big name to make an exit, with South Africa's Charl Schwartzel defeating the Spaniard one-up. Justin Rose also suffered a first-round defeat with American Boo Weekley defeating the Englishman one-up. Earlier, Northern Ireland teenager Rory McIlroy defeated South Africa's Louis Oosthuizen 2&1 in his first outing as a professional in the United States. The Dubai Desert Classic winner now faces US Ryder Cup star Hunter Mahan in the second round with Woods a potential opponent in round three. Lee Westwood, one of 20 Europeans in the 64-man field, set up a second-round meeting with Stewart Cink after a 2&1 win over Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng. Anthony Kim will play Ryder Cup foe Oliver Wilson after the American strolled to a 7&5 victory over Taiwan's Lin Wen-Tang. Wilson wrapped up a 3&1 win over KJ Choi. The Englishman moved to two up with a birdie at the par-five 13th and sealed victory when the Korean bogeyed the 17th.
Wilson said: "It is not a good draw getting KJ. It was always going to be tough. He is a solid player tee to green and you are certainly not going to get him riled or anything and beat him mentally." Fiji's Vijay Singh advanced with a 2&1 win over Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen while Phil Mickelson, drawn in Singh's quarter, beat Angel Cabrera after 19 holes. Westwood, in the Ben Hogan bracket of the draw alongside top seed Singh and Mickelson, Ernie Els, Luke Donald, Graeme McDowell and last year's beaten finalist Cink, had raced into a three-up lead after seven holes before the Thai won his first hole at the eighth. Westwood lost again at the 15th but regained his two-hole lead at the next hole before sealing victory by halving the 17th. "I did play well," he said. "I was five under par and could have been a little better than that but Prayad played well and hung in there all day and started to come back at me on the back nine. "I hit a great shot into 16 which sort of closed the game out - an eight iron to 18 inches which put me two up with two to play and I managed to halve 17." Also through, Miguel Angel Jimenez sealed his second-round date with Colombia's Camilo Villegas by completing a two-up win over Sabbatini as the South African failed to close the gap further having won the 14th. | |||||
Champions League: Real Madrid 0-1 Liverpool
Page last updated at 21:37 GMT, Wednesday, 25 February 2009 |
Real Madrid 0-1 Liverpool | |||
 Benayoun rose unmarked to head home Aurelio's free-kick in the 82nd minute
Liverpool put themselves in a strong position to overcome Real Madrid in the Champions League by beating the Spaniards with a professional display. Yossi Benayoun scored the Reds' winner when he headed in a Fabio Aurelio free-kick from eight yards. Real had been poor and Arjen Robben had their best chance when his shot was steered over by keeper Jose Reina. Liverpool had barely given Real a sight of their goal and comfortably closed out the first leg last-16 tie. The Champions League has always brought out the best of Liverpool under manager Rafael Benitez, whose tactical expertise has flourished in the competition, and this fixture was no different. Benitez has made an exact science out of defensive durability, frustrating the opposition and punishing teams on the counter-attack. The formula worked to perfection once again.
Real struggled to break through the discipline of Liverpool and, despite Raul's early swivel and shot being saved, the Reds were comfortable from the start. They held the home side at arm's length and could then have taken the lead when they twice caught out Real's defence with two long balls forward. Fernando Torres was the first to race through on goal but his angled shot from the right was excellently palmed wide by Iker Casillas. A similar ball almost let Benayoun in but the Spain keeper was more alert than his defence and came to the edge of the area to block as the Reds midfielder attempted to chip him. Liverpool were given a scare when Reina saved a Sergio Ramos header and Gonzalo Higuain put in the rebound. But the effort was disallowed for offside and, that chance aside, Real were limited to speculative long-range shots. However, it was Alonso who came closest to finding the net from distance when his audacious strike from his own half was tipped over by Casillas. The home side were being nullified by Liverpool and Juande Ramos brought on Guti after the break to add some guile to their sloppy play. It did little to help the Spanish club and it was Liverpool who looked the more likely to score and take the crucial away goal back to Anfield for the second leg. The threat was not materialising into clear-cut chances and the visitors were not helped when Torres went off with a niggling ankle injury. Real finally showed a glimpse of the danger they pose when a swift counter-attack ended with Robben's shot being tipped over. But the Reds finally breached the Real defence when the unmarked Benayoun nodded past the helpless Casillas after former Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze had needlessly hauled down Dirk Kuyt. Real Madrid: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Cannavaro, Heinze, Robben, Gago, Lassana Diarra, Marcelo (Guti 46), Higuain, Raul. Booked: Cannavaro, Gago. Liverpool: Reina, Arbeloa, Skrtel, Carragher, Aurelio, Benayoun, Alonso, Mascherano, Riera (Gerrard 88), Torres (Babel 61), Kuyt (Lucas 90). Booked: Torres, Mascherano, Riera. Goals: Benayoun 82. Att: 85,000 Ref: Roberto Rosetti (Italy). | |||
Twenty20 cricket match: New Zealand Win against India
Kiwis blow India out:
New Zealand belted their way to a seven-wicket win over India in an explosive Twenty20 cricket match here Wednesday that produced a record number of sixes.
India, world champions of the shortest form of the game, fired from the start when they were sent into bat first in their New Zealand tour opener.
But they lost wickets at regular intervals and were 162 for eight at the end of their innings.
New Zealand, with Brendon McCullum carrying his bat through their innings, replied with 166 for three, the winning runs coming from a six over the cover boundary by Jacob Oram.
It was the 24th six of the match, played on a ground with short boundaries, easily surpassing the previous record of 20 set by Australia and India in Durban two years ago during the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup.
Virender Sehwag started the six-fest, clouting three off consecutive balls in the first over as India raced to 25 in the first 11 balls.
But their rollicking start was shortlived with Iain O'Brien removing both openers in consecutive balls.
Gautam Gambhir went for six on the last ball of O'Brien's first over and Sehwag was bowled for 26 on the first ball of his second over leaving Rohit Sharma to avoid the hattrick.
But Sharma's innings lasted only seven balls, indicative of the problems the Indian batsmen had in trying to force the pace on a slow wicket.
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni described it as a good lesson in Twenty20 batting.
"That's where we failed as a team, there was nobody who took the responsibility to stay there in the middle," he said
"Losing too many wickets, later you can't really capitalise on the start you have got. So it's very important to have wickets in hand so you can capitalise on maybe the last four or five overs."
The most pleasing aspect for New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori was the way his bowlers responded to the heavy Indian hitting.
"For our guys to respond to that and to restrict India to 160 after getting away so quickly and also with how small the boundaries are -- one side was just a toy hit -- so really happy with them."
Only Suresh Raina looked to have a game plan for India and his unbeaten 61, including five sixes, formed the backbone of the tourists' innings.
Yusuf Pathan also found the boundary, hitting Nathan McCullum for three sixes in three balls but when he went for a fourth six he fell victim to an outstanding catch-of-the-match by Oram.
The tall New Zealander took the ball while off-balance just inside the boundary rope. As he was about to step across the line he flicked the ball in the air, righted himself and came back into the field of play to complete the catch.
Pathan's 20 and a 21 at the end by Harbhajan Singh were the only other innings of note from India.
While India took 19 off Tim Southee's opening over, New Zealand's big hitting openers Jesse Ryder and Brendon McCullum were slow out of the blocks.
Ryder went leg before wicket for one in the second over and Martin Guptill was lucky to survive his first ball when he shouldered arms to a delivery that swung back sharply and rapped him on the pads.
Television replays showed the ball would have hit the stumps but umpire Evan Watkin thought otherwise.
It was a break New Zealand needed as Guptill ignited New Zealand's run chase and went on to make 41 in 28 balls before he fell lbw to Harbhajan.
Man-of-the-match McCullum, was cautious by his standards, but managed to bat through the innings with 56 off 49 balls including three sixes.
Following Guptill's dismissal, Ross Taylor added a quick 31 and then Oram, returning from injury, partnered McCullum through to the end with 29 off 15 balls.
The second and final Twenty20 match in the series is in Wellington Friday to be followed by five one-day internationals and three Tests.
Cricket World Cup-2011: Opening Ceremony Bangabandhu National Stadium, 'Nobody Wants to Disturb Football'
Even if the opening ceremony of the 2011 World Cup Cricket takes place at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, football will not be disturbed.
The statement came from State Minister for Youth and Sports Ahad Ali Sarkar yesterday during his meeting with Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) high-ups.
"I had a reasonably good, satisfactory meeting with the sports minister at his office this afternoon," BFF president Kazi Salahuddin told The Daily Star last night.
The issue of the discussion was obviously the hottest one that has been gripping the sports arena since the sports minister and cricket officials' wish to stage the Cricket World Cup at the national number one stadium.
Salahuddin, who had not make a single comment on the issue for the past few days, said his federation would be glad to help the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) in making the proposed opening ceremony a success.
But the country's football chief said he would not accept any long-term disturbance of football for this purpose.
"The sports minister has said nobody wants to disturb football," said Salahuddin, who was accompanied by his vice-presidents Abdus Salam Murshedi and Badal Roy.
"He said that football will not be disturbed because it is a nationally popular game as is cricket. He also added that the government wants to make sure that one game doesn't have to walk into other's territories.
"I think it is possible to work out a formula for the two games to co-exist on this issue," Salahuddin said quoting Ahad Ali.
"I also believe that the minister is right. If the preparations (for World Cup opening ceremony) do not take too long, there is no problem for us. We are willing to help the cricket board.
"I have told him what we need. Everyone has to understand that if the whole preparation stops football for more than one month, the damage would be irreparable for us. If it is one month, we can work out a plan to stop football for that small window.
"But if it goes over a month, the structure changes, the sponsor changes…the whole thing for us changes and it doesn't work at all. It will affect two generations of footballers and kill two seasons. It has already happened and we are in no condition to repeat that."
Salahuddin also informed that the minister has never said the decision to hold the opening ceremony at the BNS was final.
"He rather told us that he will sit with all concerned parties within a couple of days to find out a formula that works."
When asked whether everything was happening only because of the name of the Father of the Nation, Salahuddin replied: "Bangabandhu belongs to all of us. There is no controversy about that."
At a standstill for Mutiny, bloodshed at BDR HQ
At a standstill:
The city's sports arena saw a new sort of standstill yesterday due to BDR soldiers' mutiny at its headquarters. It led to the postponement of many sports events across the city and its suburbs.
The Cricket Committee of Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM) suspended all three matches of the Premier Division Cricket League halfway through as well as the First Division Cricket League games. However, the committee has decided to restart the suspended matches today from the point of stops.
Given the volatile political and military environment that we live in, it will be either a challenge or a cakewalk for CCDM and other sports organisations to run the show today. Panic and uncertainty was widespread in the morning, which played a key role in extending the fears from the rebellion reach upto distant places like BKSP, Savar and Fatullah in Narayanganj.
Teams hastily packed their bags and rushed back to their nests, after team officials and on-field umpires deemed it necessary to shelve the day's proceedings.
A young cricketer, who is playing for Indira Road in the First Division Cricket League yesterday found himself distressed when his game stopped midway. More misery was added when he found himself stranded at Mohammadpur; from where he had to walk to his Dhanmondi residence, owing to the unavailability of transports due to extensive fright among the populace.
The Bangladesh Golf Federation also postponed a scheduled reception for the golfers, who emerged winners in the All India Amateur Golf Championship in Kolkata and City Bank-Dhaka Bank Bangladesh Open, citing unavoidable circumstances.
Only two matches of the KFC Pizza Hut 5th Mini Handball Tournament (Girls) were held with Moghbazar Ispahani Girls School and Banani Biddya Niketan beating Viqarunnisa School and College and Summer Field respectively.
However, the Bangladesh Handball Federation in a statement later said that the tournament would remain suspended until further notice.
Football matches, however, were uninterrupted.
Postponements were not limited to sporting activities only due to the fiasco, as the much awaited media conference to announce the title sponsor for next month's Pakistan tour at Heritage Restaurant was also dropped. Owner of the restaurant Rizwan Bin Farouq expressed grief over the abrupt cancellation and said the meeting will be will rescheduled at a later date.
There is a supposed lesson which sports bodies in the country can learn from yesterday's occurrence, which is: you never know if a simple game of cricket, golf, handball or even a press conference can take place as planned, even when it is 30 odd kilometres away from the place of the event.
Mutiny, bloodshed at BDR HQ:
* 6 killed * 23 bullet-hit * govt offers amnesty BDR chief among many feared killed * fate of over 100 army officials unknown
BDR men wait at the gate of their Pilkhana headquarters in the capital for a negotiation team yesterday afternoon. Awami League lawmaker from Gaibandha-2 constituency Mahbub Ara Gini braves fear and heads towards the gate carrying a white flag, a symbol of peace. Photo: SK Enamul Haq
A bloody mutiny by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) soldiers sent Dhaka into a war footing yesterday as the paramilitaries fired several thousand shots from machineguns, killing at least two army officers, one non-commissioned BDR officer, and three civilians in BDR Pilkhana Headquarters.
Latest:
The mutinous BDR soldiers started turning in their arms to police in presence of Home Minister Sahara Khatun around 2:30am after about two hours of negotiation with the minister.
Soon after the surrender of arms began, heavy gunshots were heard from inside the BDR headquarters.
A little earlier, the mutineers were heard announcing on megaphone that if attacked, the soldiers would fight back. Half an hour later, Sahara was heard over megaphone urging the soldiers to turn in arms.
Cricket: Younis Falls Short- Exciting draw at Karachi 1st Test
Younis falls short:
Exciting draw at Karachi:
Younis Khan failed to post the highest Test score by a Pakistani batsman as the first Test against Sri Lanka ended in a draw, after some late excitement raised hopes of an unlikely result.
Khan fell for 313, 24 short of Hanif Mohammad's record score of 337, but the home team still achieved their highest Test innings score of 765-6.
Sri Lanka had declared their first innings at 644-7.
After Younis's dismissal leg-spinner Danish Kaneria sparked late interest in a game heading for a draw when he claimed the wickets of Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene (22) and Kumar Sangakkara (65) in the space of four overs.
But Thilan Samaraweera (24) and Prasanna Jayawardene (seven) played out seven overs to take their team to 144-5 and thwart Pakistan's attempts of an unlikely win.
The second and final Test starts in Lahore Sunday.
Younis said he did not feel disappointed at not breaking records.
"I am not heartbroken," said Younis. "I may have more opportunities in the future so records don't matter for me. I am satisfied with the team effort and will go into the second Test, hoping Sri Lanka struggle like they did today."
Jayawardene was also satisfied with the result.
"You always want to play well in the first Test of a two-match series," said Jayawardene, who scored 241 and shared a world record stand of 437 with Thilan Samaraweera (231) in his team's first innings.
"We batted badly in the second innings but overall it was a satisfying result. We had our opportunities but Younis played a brilliant knock and took away our chances."
Trailing by 121 runs, Sri Lanka had a disastrous start to their second innings as they lost opener Malinda Warnapura (two), caught behind off paceman Umar Gul in the first over.
Gul then had Tillakaratne Dilshan (eight) caught off a mistimed pull. In between Gul's double strike, opener Tharanga Paranavitana was run out when he failed to beat Yasir Arafat's direct throw while taking a single.
Paranavitana, who fell for a duck in the first innings, managed just nine to cap a miserable Test debut.
It was also a setback for 31-year-old Younis, Pakistan's new captain, who had set his sights both on Hanif's record for Pakistan and West Indies Brian Lara's world record score of 400.
Younis, who resumed at 306, played on to Sri Lanka's Dilhara Fernando in the ninth over of the day, to the disappointment of a sparse crowd at the National Stadium hoping to see him break Lara's record, set against England in 2004.
Hanif's Pakistani record was set against the West Indies in Barbados in 1958.
Kamran Akmal notched a fiery career-best 158 as Pakistan improved on their previous best Test innings total of 708, made against England at The Oval in 1987.
The home team's total of 765 runs also becomes the highest innings total in a Test in Pakistan, overtaking the 699-5 by Pakistan against India at Lahore in 1989.
Younis, who came to the crease on Sunday, batted for a marathon 12 hours and 48 minutes, facing 568 balls and hitting 27 boundaries and four sixes.
His triple ton eclipsed Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene's 240, part of a record 437 fourth-wicket stand with Thilan Samaraweera (231).
Akmal, 27, completed his 2,000 runs when he was on 56. He hit five sixes and eight boundaries. Arafat finished with 50 not out and put on 169 quick runs for the seventh wicket with Akmal.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Cricket T20- 1st Indo-Kiwi T20 today
1st Indo-Kiwi T20 today:
New Zealand have drawn on the inside knowledge of former India coach John Wright as they prepare to play the side they regard as the best in the world.
India's tour of New Zealand starts here Wednesday with the first of two Twenty20 matches to be followed by five one-day internationals and three Tests.
Wright, the former Kiwi opener who coached India from 2000-2005, has been heavily involved with preparations for the series, according to New Zealand's Andy Moles.
Despite Wright's tips, and India's reputation as poor travellers, Moles insists New Zealand are still the underdogs.
"They've put that to bed in the last couple of years and did really well in Australia last year," said the coach.
"The Indians, I believe, are probably the number one side in the world at the moment in all facets and we will need to make sure we are at our best in all components of our game."
India have not won a Test series in New Zealand in 41 years, but they arrive on the back of home series victories over Australia and England and a 4-1 one-day away win against Sri Lanka.
New Zealand, on the other hand, squandered a 2-0 one-day lead against Australia to draw the series 2-2 and then lost the Twenty20 by one run.
Moles is demanding more backbone from his team which has been strengthened by the return of the often injured all-rounder Jacob Oram, who will play as a specialist batsman.
With the big-hitting Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder as openers, Moles believes New Zealand can hurt any bowling attack, and are capable of out-fielding the Indians as well.
But the Kiwi bowling looks a shade light without Kyle Mills, who has an Achilles injury.
When India toured New Zealand six years ago, and faced green wickets, they were humbled 0-2 in the Tests and lost the ODIs 2-5.
However, India coach Gary Kirsten said that was a different era and today's team has the talent to exploit whatever conditions it faces.
"We don't focus on what's in the past, we worry about what's happening ahead," Kirsten told reporters.
"We have played 17 games of cricket since September last year and lost one. So we are very happy with our performance."
But Kirsten does believe his bowlers will need to adapt quickly to the unfamiliar windy conditions, and he has had them bowling into the breeze during practice this week.
TEAMS
NEW ZEALAND (probable): Brendon McCullum, Martin Guptill, Jesse Ryder, Ross Taylor or Neil Broom, Grant Elliott, Jacob Oram, Nathan McCullum, Daniel Vettori (captain), Ian Butler, Tim Southee, Iain O'Brien.
INDIA (probable): Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain, Ravindra Jadeja, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma.
BCB stalled?
BCB stalled?
Despite coming from different panels they have gelled well to make many believe that these gentlemen are capable of getting the work done even at the highest level and boost up the activities on a fiercely competitive field, where Bangladesh have won more criticism than hearts.
It might be too early to say; three months on, where do we stand? But this time it is good enough to get the impression whether teamwork exists in the board to move forward with pragmatic plans. Unfortunately, there was hardly any evidence for what we can say this board is working together to speed up the activities to improve the standard of the game in the country.
Rather the whisper is all around that everything is stagnant. It seems that everybody is reluctant and in a mood to "let things happen".
The biggest challenge ahead for the game's governing body is to successfully hold the 2011 World Cup, which is undoubtedly, it's priority in the list but the high-ups have already admitted that they are lagging behind in their preparations.
In this particular case they might need government patronisation but how can one accept the fact, that the renewal of player's contract has yet to materialize though the last contact expired November last year, or the organisation has been running without the permanent CEO (chief executive officer) for last one year although there has been a plan of giving it a corporate shape.
Like it or hate it, in modern day cricket the success of anything depends on good governance and there is no doubt the board has a lot of good people working. But are we missing good professionals? Otherwise why has it failed to arrange a sponsor for the country's most coveted domestic competition, the Premier Division Cricket League? It was also hard to believe the way the board had arranged the Twenty20 tournament in a meaningless way when the latest version of the game is considered as a money-spinning competition.
One may disagree but the reality is that professionalism has taken a backseat ever since the departure of Zimbabwean CEO Macky Dudhia as the two-year tenure of Mahmudur Rahman saw a gradual decline of financial flow from domestic scene and it got worse with the absence of anyone at the important post.
After the 2005 election of the BCB the area that suffered most is development. And it only geared up for a short period of time when former cricketer Shakil Kasem tried to inject new blood into the activities of the most important department with his innovative ideas. Many may argue but Shakil was perhaps one of the few enlightened individuals in the post-Test era of Bangladesh cricket.
But the democratic practice saw the immature departure of a very energetic man who won many hearts during his short stint as a chairman of the development committee. He took his sad departure in his stride with a strong statement and it is fitting to recap his words: "I was a nightwatchman who could have perhaps scored a double hundred." This is perhaps a grey spot of democracy that an effervescent Kasem who was fit to fulfill the demand of modern day cricket became unfit in the battle of ballot.
These are some of so many other issues that could be raised but the main thing is that the present very knowledgeable people at the board has to put their heads together to look at these issues sooner than later as well as chalk out a long-term programme for which they will be remembered in the country's history of cricket.
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