Sport Briefs

Cricket Shakib Al Hasan hit a maiden half-century after taking seven wickets to guide Bangladesh to 184 for eight and a lead of 258 over New Zealand at the close on the third day of the first test yesterday.

Left-arm spinner Shakib took seven for 36 as Bangladesh bundled out the Kiwis for 171 in their first innings. Shakib then hit a career-best 71 before becoming one of New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori’s four victims.* Motorcycling Newly crowned world champion Valentino Rossi yesterday won the Malaysia MotoGP to register his ninth win of the season.The Italian took the lead halfway through the race and surged clear of his rivals to record a comfortable victory on his Yamaha in the penultimate event on the MotoGP calendar.Spain’s Dani Pedrosa finished second on a Honda after starting the race from pole position and leading for the first nine laps on a baking hot day at the circuit.Italian Andrea Dovizioso was third on a Honda just ahead of American Nicky Hayden.Australian Casey Stoner, the 2007 world champion, finished sixth.* Football David Beckham and former England winger John Barnes have been appointed vice-presidents to work on the country’s 2018 World Cup bid, the FA said on its website (www.thefa.com).They will help support a new executive board and Beckham said: “I’m proud to be part of the 2018 World Cup bid and will do everything I can to help bring the tournament to England.”* Squash World number one Amr Shabana was surprisingly beaten by 21-year-old fellow Egyptian Ramy Ashour in the men’s semi-finals of the World Open on Saturday.Shabana, who had been hoping to join an elite group of three men who have won four or more World Opens, was two points from making the final when he led 9-8 in the fourth game but did not play the big points well and lost 11-6 7-11 7-11 11-9 11-7.It was the best match of the tournament, both men producing scintillating stroke play and breathtaking court coverage.* Tennis Roger Federer, the richest tennis player of all time, joked on Friday that a “big mattress” could be his salvation from the current world financial meltdown.Just two days after topping the all-time tennis rich list with a staggering US$43,29 million in career prize money, the 27-year-old Swiss revealed at the Madrid Masters that he keeps a close eye on the turbulence in the world money markets.”It’s not been whole lot of fun for anyone,” said the multi-millionaire who puts faith in conservative money management.With a healthy stake in the world financial order, Federer, with 13 Grand Slam titles to his name, says that his financial instincts are the opposite of his sporting ones.Nampa-Reuters and SupersportShakib then hit a career-best 71 before becoming one of New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori’s four victims.* Motorcycling Newly crowned world champion Valentino Rossi yesterday won the Malaysia MotoGP to register his ninth win of the season.The Italian took the lead halfway through the race and surged clear of his rivals to record a comfortable victory on his Yamaha in the penultimate event on the MotoGP calendar.Spain’s Dani Pedrosa finished second on a Honda after starting the race from pole position and leading for the first nine laps on a baking hot day at the circuit.Italian Andrea Dovizioso was third on a Honda just ahead of American Nicky Hayden.Australian Casey Stoner, the 2007 world champion, finished sixth.* Football David Beckham and former England winger John Barnes have been appointed vice-presidents to work on the country’s 2018 World Cup bid, the FA said on its website (www.thefa.com).They will help support a new executive board and Beckham said: “I’m proud to be part of the 2018 World Cup bid and will do everything I can to help bring the tournament to England.”* Squash World number one Amr Shabana was surprisingly beaten by 21-year-old fellow Egyptian Ramy Ashour in the men’s semi-finals of the World Open on Saturday.Shabana, who had been hoping to join an elite group of three men who have won four or more World Opens, was two points from making the final when he led 9-8 in the fourth game but did not play the big points well and lost 11-6 7-11 7-11 11-9 11-7.It was the best match of the tournament, both men producing scintillating stroke play and breathtaking court coverage.* Tennis Roger Federer, the richest tennis player of all time, joked on Friday that a “big mattress” could be his salvation from the current world financial meltdown.Just two days after topping the all-time tennis rich list with a staggering US$43,29 million in career prize money, the 27-year-old Swiss revealed at the Madrid Masters that he keeps a close eye on the turbulence in the world money markets.”It’s not been whole lot of fun for anyone,” said the multi-millionaire who puts faith in conservative money management.With a healthy stake in the world financial order, Federer, with 13 Grand Slam titles to his name, says that his financial instincts are the opposite of his sporting ones.Nampa-Reuters and Supersport