Lanka win series as Bangladesh draw Test
Chittagong: Mominul Haque hit an unbeaten century to steer Bangladesh to a draw in the second and final Test against Sri Lanka in Chittagong on Saturday, leaving the tourists with a 1-0 series win. Bangladesh, who needed to bat out their second innings after being set an improbable victory target of 467, were 271/3 when stumps were drawn on the fifth day. Mominul, a 22-year-old left-hander, held the innings together till both sides accepted the draw as soon as he reached 100, his third Test hundred, the post-tea session. Shakib Al Hasan returned unbeaten on 43 as he and Mominul added 120 for the fourth wicket after Bangladesh were 151/3 before tea. Sri Lanka, who won the first Test by an innings and 248 runs in Dhaka last week, failed to dislodge the hosts who appeared determined to salvage their battered reputation. It was only the second draw in 16 Tests between the two countries, with Sri Lanka having won the other 14 matches, eight of them by an innings margin. (AFP)
Records fall on golden day in Sochi
Sochi: Records tumbled on the first day of medal action at the Sochi Winter Olympics on Saturday as organisers breathed a sigh of relief after a dazzling opening ceremony hailed as a success around the world. Under picture-perfect blue skies US snowboarder Sage Kotsenburg took the first gold in the inaugural men’s slopestyle event but two veterans stole the headlines. Forty-year-old Norwegian biathlete Ole Einar Bjoerndalen became the joint highest medal winner in Winter Olympics history with his victory in the sprint while compatriot Marit Bjoergen, 33, became her country’s most successful female Olympian with victory in the skiathlon. Sven Kramer of the Netherlands led a Dutch clean sweep in the men’s 5,000 metres speed skating on a day when five gold medals were due to be handed out. (AFP)
Indian Olympic Assoc polls today
New Delhi: Slammed by the sporting fraternity for bringing shame on the country, a beleaguered IOA will hold its much-awaited elections on Sunday, which is expected to clear the decks for India’s return to the Olympic fold after 14 months of suspension by its parent body. World Squash Federation President N Ramachandran, younger brother of BCCI chief N Srinivasan, is set to be elected unopposed as president of Indian Olympic Association in the polls which will be held after Abhay Singh Chautala and Lalit Bhanot were barred from contesting on the ground that they have been charge-framed by a court of law. Kho Kho Federation of India president Rajeev Mehta and All India Tennis Association chief Anil Khanna will be elected unopposed as secretary general and treasurer respectively. (PTI)