Local Snippets

A blistering 44 not out by Babu paved Bangladesh Boys' way to a 54-run win victory against Dhaka Mariners in yesterday's lone First Division Cricket League match.
Babu smashed three fours and four sixes in just 16 deliveries as Boys scored 188-8 in the rain-curtailed 24-overs match at the Dhaka University ground.
In reply, Mariners were all out for 134 in 20.1 overs.
NAT'L CHESS
The qualifying rounds of the 34th National Chess Championship will begin today at the chess federation hall-room.
The top nine players of the 11-round Swiss League competition will join automatic qualifiers -- Grandmasters Niaz Murshed, Ziaur Rahman, Reefat Bin Sattar, Abdullah Al Rakib and IM Enamul Hossain Rajib in the finals.
AMOL, RANJAN CRUISE
The two top seeds, Amol Roy and Ranjan Ram, advanced to the semifinals of both the men's singles and doubles events of the Jabbar Memorial tennis tournament.
Top seeded Amol, who defeated Niranjan Ram 6-4, 6-3 in the singles quarterfinals, paired with Ranjan to win the doubles match against Mukta-Sohel pair 6-0, 6-1. Second-seed Ranjan beat Anwar Hossain 6-2, 6-1 in his singles match.
Alamgir Hossain and Delwar Hossain are the other singles semifinalists.
Japanese player Ayami set a final clash against Ishrat Sultana in the women's singles while the boys' under -14 and 16 competitions also reached the final stage.
>b>ESS IN LAST 8
European Standard School (ESS) crushed Summerfield 3-0 to reach the quarterfinals of the GMG Airlines School Champions Trophy football tournament.
Sagar scored a brace and Tahsin the other goal for ESS at the Banani Chairmanbari ground.
Green Herald posted a massive 9-0 on the day while Aga Khan School blanked Oxford International School 3-0.
In today's quarterfinals, Mastermind will face Playpen and Green Herald will take on Maple Leaf.