SPORTS

Manipur teams in finals of Takraw championship
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 26
Defending champion Manipur will appear in both the boys’ and girls’ team championship finals of the 10th Junior National Sepak Takraw Championships.

In the semi-final matches played today, Manipur beat Delhi 2-0. Fielders Netaji, Bijen and Sanjoy of Manipur won the first reghu 21-12 and 23-21. Deepak, Rohit and Lalit Kumar formed the Delhi combination in the first reghu. With a 1-0 lead, Manipur fielded Harichandra, Naocha and Rustum against Delhi (Naveen Dheeraj Kumar and Gaurvit) in the second reghu which they won by 21-7, 21-12.

The second semi-final between Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu was extended to three reghus. AP won the first reghu by 21-3, 21-15 but Tamil Nadu hit back with by winning the second reghu 18-21 21-14 11-15. However, in the third reghu, Andhra Pradesh went all out and won by 21-13 21-12 to advance to the finals. The semi-finals lasted one hour 30 minutes.

Other results

Reghu: Group A: Maharashtra bt Himachal Pradesh 2-0 (21-14, 21-14).

Group B: Punjab bt Gujarat 2-0 (21-7, 21-7), Uttranchal bt Gujarat 2-0 (21-7, 21-2), Uttranchal bt Punjab 2-0 (21-4, 21-10), Chandigarh bt Gujarat 2-0 (21-6, 21-7), Chandigarh bt Uttranchal 2-1 (21-12, 17-21, 15-4).

Group C: Haryana bt Assam 2-0 (21-8, 21-18), Jammu and Kashmir bt Bihar 2-1 (11-21, 21-15, 16-14), UP bt Bihar 2-0 (21-11, 21-9), UP bt Haryana 2-0 (21-18, 21-14), Haryana bt Bihar 2-0 (21-15, 21-12), UP bt Jammu and Kashmir 2-0 (21-19, 21-10).

Group D: Nagaland bt Karnataka 2-0 (21-13, 21-9), Assam bt Bihar 2-0 (21-12, 21-5), Nagaland bt Orissa 2-0 (21-10, 21-18).

Girls team championship (semi-finals): Manipur bt Tamil Nadu 2-0 (21-19 12-21 15-11, 21-11, 21-8), Orissa bt AP 2-0 (21-15 21-15, 21-14 21-17).

League matches: Orissa bt Delhi 2-0 (21-3 21-7, 21-12, 21-5), Andhra Pradesh bt Chandigarh 2-0 (21-9 21-7, 21-7, 21-7), Tamil Nadu bt Delhi 2-0 (21-6 21-7, 21-8, 21-6).

Reghu: Nagaland bt UP 2-0 (21-9, 21-3), Delhi bt Chandigarh 2-0 (21-18, 21-14), Delhi bt Punjab 2-0 (21-17, 21-9), Maharashtra bt UP 2-0 (21-7, 21-3), Nagaland bt Maharashtra 2-1 (21-13, 15-21, 15-4), Orissa bt Assam 2-0 (21-6, 21-8), Manipur bt Chandigarh 2-0 (21-12, 21-11).

2 Punjab teams get sponsors for PHL
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 26
Two teams from Punjab, Sher-e-Jalandhar and Chandigarh Dynamos, will be jointly sponsored by Western Union, a leading provider of global money transfer services, and ESPN Star Sports for the Premier Hockey League (PHL) for the coming season.

This was announced at a press conference by Mr Suvodeep Das, Head (Marketing), South Asia, Western Union, here today. He said, “This is the third consecutive year that Western Union has extended its support to the two Punjab teams. Through this association with the PHL, Western Union aims to encourage and revive our national game across the country.”

Kanwalpreet Singh, Sher-e-Jalandhar captain, said, “Support from Western Union and ESPN Star Sports is an honour for us. We look forward to make the best of the opportunity and perform well in the PHL.”

Chandigarh Dynamos captain Rajpal Singh said, “With leading brands like Western Union and ESPN associating with the game, our national sports is set for a bigger leap.” He expressed confidence that his team would do well in the tournament. On being asked about the exclusion of drag flicker Sandeep Singh, he said, “With Jugraj with us, I don’t think his absence is going to matter much,” he said.

The third edition of the Premiere Hockey League (PHL) will bring in a number of foreign players from different countries. The two-month-long tournament will see seven teams fighting for the top position. The first phase will be held in Chennai from January 4 while the second phase has been scheduled to be held at Chandigarh in February next.

However, the names of the players and countries to participate in the tournament have not been finalised yet. All matches will be played under floodlights.

Holders Bangalore Lions, runners-up Chandigarh Dynamos, Hyderabad Sultans, Chennai Veerans, Orissa Steelers, Maratha Warriors and Sher-e-Jalandhar will vie for winner’s tag.

To ensure that the hockey playing talent is identified, nurtured and groomed, Mr Suvodeep Das said they were also associated with the Punjab Government’s hockey development programme.

PHL will encourage regional support through team bands that will be sold at outlets across the country and the proceeds from the sale of bands, music albums and downloadable services will go towards the cause of promoting hockey in Punjab, ESPN’s Director (Marketing) Nirmal Dayani said.

Gurcharan pounds Pankaj
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 26
The local boxer Gurcharan Singh beat Pankaj Sharma of Himachal Pradesh 12-3 in the first round of the Bantam weight category on the opening day of five-day 14th All-India Invitation A.K. Mishra Memorial Boxing Championship at the Sector 10 skating rink here today.

In the Light Fly weight, Amandeep Singh of Punjab got a walkover as Dushyand Dagar of Gujarat did not turn up.

Other results

Light weight: K. Chiranjeevi (AP) b Kripa Shankar (UP) 17-0; Satish Kumar (Delhi) b Kamal Kumar (UP) 22-4; Jatinder (Chd) b Jai Kishan (Orissa) RSC (OC) IIIrd; Bhoopinder (SAI, Bhiwani) b Amit Kumar 15-9.

Fly weight: Deep Chand (Delhi) b Deepak (SAI, Bhiwani) 14-11; Vijay b Mangesh Yadav (Mah) 9-6.

Bantam: Hitesh (Mah) b Manoj Kumar 17-2; Bhim (Sikh Regiment, Ramgarh) b Sohan Lal (Gujarat) 17-1; Sanjay Singh (SAI Bhi) b Mohit Sharma (Chd) 6-2; S.K. Thapa (Assam Rifles) b Sandeep Singh (UP) RSC (OC) IInd; Hemant Kumar b Vikram (Raj) 7-2; Y Herojee Singh (MP) b T Chandan Singh (AP) 5-0.

Feather: Chote Lal (Pune) b Mukesh Kumar (Chd) 20-0; Deepak Sharma (Delhi) b Vijay Kumar (HP) 17-0.

Walter: Dharmender (Raj) b Ankit Pratap (UP) 6-3; Anil Kumar b B Sai Kiran;

Middle: Shashi Kumar Thapa (AR) b Kuldeep (Orissa).

Chandigarh Cricket Association win by 30 runs
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 26
The overall performance by Rahul (51 runs and 1 wicket) steered Chandigarh Cricket Association (CCA) to a 30-run win over Ramel Cricket Association (RCA) at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 19, here today.

The CCA set a target of 163 after losing seven wickets in 30 overs. In reply, RCA could put on only 125 despite a fine knock by Puneet.

Brief scores

CCA: 162 for 7 (Rahul 51, Sumit 20, Raghav 2 for 16).

RCA: 125 all out (Puneet 61, Guntash 2 for 7, Mohit 2 for 13, Sumit 2 for 31).