Tuesday, December 7, 1999
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S P O R T | Tuesday, December 7, 1999 |
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China thrash Malaysia 11-0 NEW DELHI, Dec 6 — After keeping a low profile in the first three encounters, China made their sticks do the talking as they pumped in 11 goals on Malaysia today and put India in a must-win situation against Korea tomorrow in the 4th Asia Cup Women’s Hockey tournament here. Paes sails through; Srinath ousted JAIPUR, Dec 6 — India’s Leander Paes opened his campaign in style demolishing compatriot Kamlesh Shukla 6-1 6-2 while other Indian hopes Prahlad Srinath and Nitin Kirtane were sent packing at the ATP Challenger Tennis Tournament here today. |
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 Australian Davis Cup team captain John Newcombe (left) and assistant coach Tony Roche (right) pose with squad members next to the Davis Cup trophy after winning the Davis Cup final against France on Sunday in Nice, French Riviera. — AP/PTI |
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Abhinav
hogs limelight
Salgaocar
assert supremacy Australia
recall Colin Miller Gopichand,
Wijetilak in final
Chanderpaul
hits double ton Amarjeet
sets record Jalandhar
eves stun Ludhiana BEG,
ICF, DLW advance Army
Green win |
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China thrash Malaysia 11-0 NEW DELHI, Dec 6 (PTI) — After keeping a low profile in the first three encounters, China made their sticks do the talking as they pumped in 11 goals on Malaysia today and put India in a must-win situation against Korea tomorrow in the 4th Asia Cup Women’s Hockey tournament here. Tall Yang Huiping led China’s goal-scoring spree with four goals while Tang Chunling, Wang Jiuyan and Hou Xiaolan all struck a brace each as they rolled past Malaysia 11-0 to take their points tally to six with a game against Kazakhstan left. India, with eight points from two wins and two draws, face reigning champions Korea tomorrow and need to win the match and seal the berth in the final. Korea (10 points) has already booked a place in the summit clash. Japan scored their first win of the championship earlier today when they beat Kazakhstan 2-0 and have at least assured themselves a 3-4 finish in the continental championship. Keiko Miura put Japan ahead in the 15th minute when she converted the first penalty corner and Yuka Ogura gave them 2-0 verdict with an excellent field goal in the 15th minute. After going through three tough matches, China cashed in on the opportunity of playing against minnows Malaysia and registered the biggest win of the tournament so far. Chinese forwards went about the job of attacking right from the start and earned penalty corner in the first minute. Chunling, who took a shot in on the second penalty corner, in the 4th minute, was unmarked after captain Yang Hongbin’s try was stopped. Chunling pushed the ball in through the gap left open at left corner of the post. Goals came at regular intervals then on. Striker Chungling was again well placed when Zhou Wanfeng gave a pass down the centre to make the tally 2-0. The third goal had a bit of controversy about it as Munaziah Mulim carried the ball in the scoring area prompting Indian umpire Radha Sukumaran to award a penalty stroke. But on a rebound, Jiuyan scooped the ball into the Malaysian net and the umpire declared the goal valid. Malaysia could get through to China’s half only twice in the first half with the latter dictating terms throughout playing on the Malaysian territory all the while. Jiuyan struck the fourth goal in the 25th minute before Huiping opened her personal account with a 31st minute goal as China went into the breather 5-0 ahead. Aiming to erase the advantage of goal-difference India has, Chinese women on changing ends looked more determined to increase the margin of win. India has +17 goal-difference while after today’s win China has moved up to +11 from zero. In the 37th minute, Xiaolan opened the gates for another half of Chinese dominance scoring on a free-hit taken from just outside the semi-circle (6-0). Chunling was given another chance in the 50th minute but she failed to collect a long ranger from Huiping with entire Malaysian defence in disarray. In the Japan-Kazakhstan match, the central Asians failed to live up to expectations but managed to contain the eventual winners to just two first half goals. On the first penalty corner in the 7th minute of the game, Japan’s Kioko Miura blasted a full-blooded shot from through goal-keeper Nadezhda Sumkina’s legs. Toshie Tsukui made a move from the right flank and directed the pass to Miyuki Sawaya in the centre. Sawaya was mobbed by Kazakh defenders and she nicely passed the ball to an unmarked Yuka Ogura who scooped it in for 2-0. In the second half, the Kazakhs, who now would be fighting for the 5-6 spot with Malaysia, upped the momentum and started to control the ball well. Following an attack on the Japanese territory, Gulnara Imangalieva was in perfect position for scoring in the 54th minute when captain Tatyana Marchenko gave a long-ranger. With an open goal in front and Japanese goal-keeper Nami Miyazaki out of sight, Gulnara hit the ball wide. Ogura then wasted a sure
scoring chance of Japan, in the 68th minute, but her move
came unstuck as Kazakh defence stood solid like a rock. |
Paes sails through; Srinath ousted JAIPUR, Dec 6 (PTI) — India’s Leander Paes opened his campaign in style demolishing compatriot Kamlesh Shukla 6-1 6-2 while other Indian hopes Prahlad Srinath and Nitin Kirtane were sent packing at the ATP Challenger Tennis Tournament here today. The world number one doubles player Paes, seeded fifth here, needed just over half an hour to outgun the youngster for a second round berth at the Jai Club grass courts here. Paes was not at his best, but the hapless Shukla could win only three games against his formidable rival who is trying to improve his singles record. The opening day of the tournament sprung no upsets as all the seeded players recorded convincing wins though two Indians Srinath and Kirtane were ousted by their European opponents. Kirtane, who was lucky to get berth in the main draw, made some costly errors at crucial moments against Ivan Vajda of Croatia and lost a keenly-fought first set 5-7 after being up with a break 3-2. Kirtane could not produce the same spirit in the second set which Vajda won 6-2 to sail into the second round. India No. 3 Srinath found no answers to Briton Barry Cowan’s thundering returns and he lost 3-6 3-6. A nervous qualifier Shukla, pitted against Paes, dropped his opening serve in the first set and then in the third as Paes raced to 4-0 lead. Shukla managed to hold his serve only in the fifth as Paes pocketed the first set 6-1. Shukla gave a better showing in the second. He trailed 1-3 after being broken in the fourth game and Paes came out firing to win the set 6-2. In an all-Indian affair, doubles specialist Vishal Uppal got the better of Manoj Mahadevan 6-4 6-4, but his doubles partner Mustafa Ghouse was beaten by Justin Layene (Britain) 6-4 6-2, and Vijay Kannan lost to Briton Luke Miligan 5-7 1-6. Among the other matches on the first day, the seventh seed Satoshi Iwabuchi of Japan beat Platenik Vladimir (Slovakia) 6-2 6-1 without breaking the sweat. Qualifier from the Czech Republic Tomas Anzari had a tough time early on against Andorran Jeminez Guerra Joan before winning 7-6 (7/5) 6-3. Dutchman Dennis Van Scheppingen, who gave a scare to Paes in Lucknow Challenger last week, beat Martin Hormec (Slovakia) 6-1 6-2 to make it to the second round. Results: Vishal Uppal
(Ind) beat Manoj Mahadevan (Ind) 6-4 6-4; Satoshi
Iwabuchi (Jpn) beat Platenik Vladimir (Svk) 6-2 6-1;
Tomas Anzari (Cze) beat Jeminez Guerra Joan (And) 7-6
(7/5) 6-3; Justin Layne (Gbr) beat Mustafa Ghouse (Ind)
6-4 6-2; Leander Paes (Ind) beat Kamlesh Shukla (Ind) 6-1
6-2; Ivan Vajda (Cro) beat Nitin Kirtane (Ind) 7-5 6-2;
Luke Miligan (Gbr) beat Vijay Kannan (Ind) 7-5 6-1; Barry
Cowan (Gbr) beat Prahlad Srinath (Ind) 6-3 6-3; Yuri
Schukin (Rus) beat Heiko Bollich (Ger) 6-4 6-4; Dennis
Van Scheppingen (Ned) beat Martin Hormec (Svk) 6-1 6-2. |
India clash with PM’s XI today CANBERRA, Dec 6 (PTI) — Even though it is a festival game, the touring Indians, flush with their 93-run victory over New South Wales at Sydney yesterday, will be mistaken if they underestimate the resolve of a bristling, young Prime Minister’s XI at Manuka Oval here tomorrow. The Indians, who arrived in the Australian capital this morning after run ins with Australian umpires on the last two days of the four-day fixture, gave themselves a day off and did not bother to go to the small but picturesque ground here. The young home players, picked by Prime Minister Edward Howard himself in consultation with the Aussie selectors, are aware the points earned from this game will help further their cricket career, as indeed it happened for David Boon in the 80s. Their captain, Simon Katich of Western Australia, though, has pulled out as he is struggling to recover from an illness. Katich, the brightest batting prospect in Australia, suffered from glandular fever during the off-season before he was called into the Australian squad for the tours of Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, but was forced to return home from Sri Lanka with a bout of chicken pox. In Katich’s absence, New South Wales all-rounder Shane Lee will lead the side. The team has some extremely forceful batsmen and genuinely quick bowlers who are just a rung below selection to the national side. The fast bowling honours will rest with Brett Lee and Brad Williams of Western Australia, while two big hitters, Graham Cunningham and Michael Hussey of Western Australia, will look to further their batting claims. Cunningham, who played in grade cricket for Sydney and is yet to play a first class game, is said to be a rare hitter of a cricket ball. The Indians would, of course, have not forgotten Andrew Symonds, who blasted them for 161 runs in less than a day’s batting at Gabba in the tours opener last month. The tourists would be specially interested in having a closer look at Daniel Marsh, son of former glovesman Rodney Marsh, now the head of the Australian Cricket Academy. Daniel, who moved from South Australia after he failed to get into the state side, has been a regular with Tasmania for the last two years and is a hard-hitting batsman and a left-arm spinner. This annual fixture of Australian cricket summer is held in mid-season. The introductory game of the season is held at Lilac Hill between the visiting team and Australian Cricket Board XI of past and present cricketers. This match against the
Prime Minister’s XI is held mid-season annually.
This festival match was started by Liberal Prime Minister
Graham Menzies 21 years ago as part of the Ashes series
between England and Australia. But the match has stayed
as a tradition and now includes all touring teams. |
Abhinav hogs limelight PHILLAUR, Dec 6 — Abhinav Bindra of Punjab made it a memorable for the hosts in the 10m air rifle event logging 593/600 points to put to shade the Asian record of 592 points but fell just short of world record of 594 on the second day of the 43rd National Shooting Championship at the Ranjitgarh Rifle Club of Punjab Police Academy here today. Seventeen-year-old Bindra has already earned the honour to represent the country in the Commonwealth Games in Malaysia (1998), world shooting championship at Barcelona (1998), Oceana Shooting Championship in Sydney and Commonwealth Shooting Championship at Auckland last month. He won a gold in the recently-concluded SAF Games at Kathmandu, Displaying great skill and strong nerves, Abhinav shot a perfect 100 in the first card. Followed by 98+99, 98+99 and again 99. He was followed by Dalip Sawant of Army (589) and his international teammte Chetan Deshmukh of Railways who shot 584. Praveen Rawat of the CISF and Bharat Singh of Army with 583 points each shared the fourth spot. The start of competition was delayed for some time because of foggy weather since the visibility was poor. On the 25m range, Kamal
Singh of the CISF with a score of 511 was leading in the
rapid fire of junior men’s category while on the 50m
range, Samresh of Himachal Pradesh with 548 points had
established lead over his rivals in the free pistol
event. |
BCCI wakes up late on Mongia Chandigarh, Dec 6 — By calling up Nayan Mongia as the “second” wicketkeeper for the Indian cricket team currently touring Australia, the national selectors of the Board of Control for Cricket in India have admitted that their original selection was indeed faulty. The selectors might find it difficult to explain why Mongia was left out from the original touring party. Was he rejected on cricketing basis or was his exclusion because of reasons other than cricket ? When the team for Australia was selected, many pundits had pointed out the lacunae that a team which was scheduled to tour for 76 days must have a second wicketkeeper in case the first wicketkeeper was injured. At that time it was explained that Rahul Dravid would keep wickets in case M.S.K. Prasad was injured or incapacitated. The board took pain to explain that Rahul had successfully kept wickets in the World Cup when Mongia was himself injured. But the powers that be did not realise that Test cricket is altogether a different ball game to one-day cricket. In case Dravid was himself injured while keeping wickets Indian would lose the services of one of their principal batsman on whom much of India’s hopes rested. Given the conditions of the wickets the Indians are likely to face in Australia, Dravid is bound to play a major role in the fortunes of the squad. But the coach of the Indian team, Kapil Dev, read the situation better. The moment he was told that Prasad had a 50:50 chance of missing the first Test at the Adelaide Oval, he asked the board to send a “second” wicketkeeper to join the squad before the commencement of the Test. Obviously, Kapil Dev did not want to expose Rahul Dravid to the tough task of keeping wickets as also perform with the bat in a five-day Test. Such a situation would have put additional burden on the Karnataka player. Although the national selectors had reposed their faith in Prasad in spite of the fact that the Hyderabad based stumper had an indifferent series against New Zealand in the recently concluded home series, it is a fact that Mongia is a better wicketkeeper than Prasad, a fact which some of the national selectors also admit in private. Not only that, Mongia is also a better batsman than Prasad, whose induction into the squad has only added to the “tail” of the Indian squad. But then it seems there were “instructions” not to consider Mongia for the tour of Australia. But now the injury sustained by Prasad has forced the national selectors to do a rethink. Maybe this decision to
send Mongia to Australia will bolster India’s
chances in the three-Test series given the fact that
Mongia has experience of playing in Australia earlier.
And let us admit it. Mongia’s work behind the stumps
is much better than that of Prasad, a fact which will be
confirmed by all the Indian bowlers. |
Salgaocar assert supremacy NEW DELHI, Dec 6 (PTI) — National Football League winners and defending champions Salgaocar Club of Goa cemented their claim as the best soccer club of the country by retaining the Super Cup title beating Calcutta giants Mohun Bagan via a golden goal here today. Two days after becoming the first club from Goa to lift the Durand Cup with a 3-2 victory over East Bengal in the final, Salgaocar claimed the honours as the best club in the country ahead of the fourth edition of the National League starting on December 9, by winning the one-off clash between National League (NFL) champion and the Federation Cup winner. Striker Alvito D’Cunha struck on his second attempt, nine minutes into extra time after the two sides were held goalless during 90 minutes of drab and lacklustre football at the Dr Ambedkar Stadium here. The 21-year-old striker’s powerful first try on a fine pass by Jules Alberto off a move inititated by Denis Cabral, was blocked by Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Hemanta Dora but D’Cunha headed home the rebound to settle the issue in favour of Salgaocar in the off-postponed match for the 1998 season. The Super Cup match between NFL champion and Federation Cup winner, started in 1996-97, was scheduled to be held in January this year but was postponed mainly due to lack of funds. This Super Cup clash could effectively be the last one as the Federation Cup has not been held this year. “It was a fine performance by the boys. Mohun Bagan is never an easy opponent, I am happy with the way the boys played today,” said Salgaocar coach Shabbir Ali. “We controlled the match — in the second half we were in total control. We also created more chances in the second half, though I would have loved to see some of the chances being converted, but I am happy we won,” he said. The Salgaocar coach agreed the match was of not high quality, but said it was because the players were playing straight after the Durand Cup. “After a tough tournament, the players are a little relaxed and, therefore, they fumbled, but we had control over the match,” Shabbir Ali said. But more than the Super Cup victory, Shabbir Ali was happy with his team’s third victory against a Calcutta glamour outfit in a week. Salgaocar, which beat East Bengal in Durand final, scored a 2-0 victory over Mohun Bagan in the semifinal. Bagan coach Subrata Bhattacharya blamed non-functioning of midfield for the loss and said though the two strikers — Dipendu Biswas and Abdul Khalique played well, they could not do much due to lack of support from midfield. Bhattacharya also said
his team missed Nigerian striker Chima Okeri, suspended
from playing till April 30 for rude behaviour. |
Australia recall Colin Miller SYDNEY, Dec 6 (Reuters) — Australia have recalled versatile bowler Colin Miller for the first cricket Test against India starting in Adelaide on Friday. Miller, who was 12th man in Australia’s first two Tests against Pakistan, replaced rookie paceman Brett Lee in the only change to the side that beat Pakistan by an innings and 20 runs in the third and final Test. Australia — Steve
Waugh (Captain), Greg Blewett, Damien Fliming, Adam
Gilchrist, Michael Kasprowicz, Justin Langer, Glenn
McGrath, Colin Miller, Michael Slater, Ricky Ponting,
Shane Warne, Mark Waugh (12th man to be named). |
Gopichand, Wijetilak in final HYDERABAD, Dec 6 (PTI) — Top seed P Gopichand and Ajit Wijetilak would clash in the men’s singles final of the Asian Satellite Badminton Tournament. Gopichand outclassed Siddharth Jain 15-7, 15-1 in 47 minutes, while Wijetilak stopped giant killer Chetan Anand 10-15, 15-9, 15-10 in a 70-minute battle at the Lal Bahadur Stadium here today. B R Meenakashi would
take on P V V Lakshmi in the women’s final. Both the
finalists scored straight set victories in the
semi-finals. Meenakshi beat T Murugande 11-7, 13-11,
while Lakshmi defeated P Priyadarshini 11-6, 11-1. |
Indian cricket team “combustible” CANBERRA, Dec 6 (PTI) — An Australian paper has termed the current Indian cricket team as “combustible” and said the Darrell Hair-Saurav Ganguly flare up on some dubious umpiring decisions during the tourists’ match against New South Wales had put another “ticking parcel” at the doorstep of Australian cricket. “Australian cricket has barely managed to put one powder keg in the closet when another ticking parcel has been landed on its doorstep,” columnist Robert Craddick said in the Daily Telegraph. Craddick warned “India are not just here to play cricket. They want to play hardball and take on Australia at their own game”. The issue of reporting speedster Shoaib Akhtar for suspect action died down only because the Pakistanis left the country. “The Indian visit was expected to signal the season of goodwill but again there is tension in the air,” he said. The paper was, however, uncharitable and even flippant in its assessment of previous Indian sides, saying: “Indians in Australia never look like winners, rarely are and accept their fate with the placid resignation that has its roots in Hindu religion which decrees a man will be rewarded for accepting his setbacks with good grace”. “The current bunch, however, is more combustible,” the paper said, adding that touring Australia was as much a culture shock for the Indians as a tour to India was for the Aussies. As stand-in captain Ganguly watched replays on the giant screen, umpire Hair told him it was dissent and that the Pakistanis had done it earlier and now the Indians were doing it. Hair also had an unpleasant exchange with medium pacer Ajit Agarkar and scrutinised the ball as if to suggest it might have been tampered with. Yesterday, match referee
Dick French handed over a letter to the Indian team
management stating that its players had shown dissent on
the field. But, coach Kapil Dev said he would take his
time before deciding whether to reply to it or not. |
Chanderpaul hits double ton TAUPO, New Zealand, Dec 6 (AFP) — A torrid opening spell from West Indies fast bowlers Courtney Walsh and Mervyn Dillon had New Zealand ‘A’ shakily placed today after day two of the three-day cricket tour match here. The West Indies declared their first innings closed at 450 for five, then knocked over a nervy New Zealand ‘A’ top order to have them at 68 for four at stumps. Mathew Sinclair, on 29, and Scott Styris, unbeaten on 11, were mounting a rescue mission late in the day, confidently adding 23 runs as spinners Nehemiah Perry and Dinanth Ramnarine were introduced. Earlier, the small crowd were treated to another batting exhibition from Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was unbeaten on 216 when the declaration came at tea. The West Indies resumed today morning on 266 for three, with Chanderpaul on 112, and his innings in total lasted 560 minutes and 397 balls, with 34 fours and one six. The only chance he offered was on 138 when Sinclair got a hand to a full-blooded cut shot at point but couldn’t hold on. With only two wickets having fallen in the first two sessions today as the West Indies cruised past 400, the New Zealand ‘A’ innings began in stark contrast after tea with three wickets falling with the total on six. One victim, Gary Stead, said the steep bounce gained by Walsh and Dillon proved hard to combat. “We’re not used to the bounce that some of them generate. It’s not so much the out and out pace they bowl,” Stead said. West Indies coach Viv Richards was satisfied that his top six batsmen got a chance of a long innings in the first first-class match of the tour. Those to benefit other than Chanderpaul were hard-hitting Ricardo Powell, who made 86, and captain Jimmy Adams, who made 46, the only two wickets to fall in the first two sessions today. “The whole essence of our batting was to occupy the crease as long as possible, to get our team of batsmen a knock, and in that sense it was fairly rewarding,” Richards said. Richards said only two
pace bowlers were chosen to give off-spinner Perry and
leg-spinner Ramnarine a chance to compete, and they were
likely to get extended bowling spells tomorrow. |
Amarjeet sets record CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — Amarjeet Kaur of Ramgarhia Girls College, Ludhiana, improved her own record in the 5000 metre women event of the three-day Panjab University Inter-College Atheltic Championship which began at PU grounds here today. Amarjeet clocked 17:51.09 seconds. Her old timings was 18:24.55 seconds. Other results: 5000 M (men): 1 Vipan Kumar (PUC 15:39.84 sec) 2 Puran chand (SGGSC, Chd), 3 Rajinder Parshad. Pole vault: 1 Devinder Singh (GGS DAV, Jalalabad Dist. 3.00 m), 2 Baldev Singh (DMC, Moga), 3 Jasvir Singh (Malwa College, Samrala). Hammer throw: 1 Shamsher Singh (DAVC, Chd Dist 49.64 m), 2 Darminder Singh (GHG Khalsa College, Sudhar) 3 Devinder Singh (GC, Ldh). Broad Jump: 1 Sanjeev Sharma (Arya, Ldh dist. 6.81 m), 2 Mayank Bhushan (DAV Chd), 3 Navjeet Singh (GNC, Moga). Women: Broad Jump: 1 Rupinder Kaur (KCW, Ldh dist. 4.90 m), 2 Deep Mala (KCW, Ldh) 3 Deep Sharma (GGSC, Chd). 5000 M: 1 Amarjeet Kaur (Ramgarhia, Ldh, 17:51.09 sec), 2 Kavita (MCM DAV-36) 3 Jaswinder Kaur (MCMDAV-36). Javelin throw: 1 Jaswinder Kaur (KCW, Ldh Dist 36.04 m); 2 Harjit Kaur (GTB Khalsa, Ldh), 3 Harkirandeep Kaur (GN Girls college, Ldh). Hammer throw: 1
Rajwinder Kaur (KCW, Ldh Dist. 46.66 m), 2 Kuldeep Kaur
(ASC, Khanna), 3 Harkirandeep Kaur (GNGC, Ldh). |
Jalandhar eves stun Ludhiana CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — Jalandhar caused a major upset in the 50th Golden Jubilee Punjab State Basketball Championship by toppling defending champions Ludhiana 60-57 in an absorbing final of the women’s section at Government Senior Secondary School Basketball Stadium at Dhanaula today. Taller and superior Ludhiana girls had build an initial 18-7 lead. Jalandhar girls, however, fought back to level the score at 23-all before surging ahead at 28-25. Stung by the reverse, Ludhiana girls put up improved display in the second half and again mounted a lead of 10 points. With only seven minutes to go, Ludhiana were ahead 54-44. The game witnessed some absorbing developments in the last 90 seconds with the score reading 55-54 in their favour. Kiran Dhillon potted a basket to put Ludhiana ahead. Three free throws that followed for Jalandhar, only one could be scored. Renu scored a basket to make it 58-57. Unfortunately for Ludhiana, Mandeep Brar lost possession of the ball in the dying seconds which gave Suman of Jalandhar an opportunity to score and give Jalandhar a credible victory. Reena (21), Suman (12), Kushdir (11) and Anu (10) were the main scorers for Jalandhar while Kiran Dhillon (20), Rajni (13) and Mandeep (10) were the chief scorers for Ludhiana. Ludhiana lost the men’s final to Patiala 68-82. At half time Patiala led 46-38. Manpreet was the darling of the crowd with a tally of 30 points. Amarjot (18) and Gurmeet (16) were the other scorers for Patiala while Amrik and Gurinder (18 each) did the bulk of scoring for Ludhiana. Earlier in the semi-finals, Ludhiana beat Kapurthala 80-72. In the women’s section, Ludhiana beat Kapurthala 43-22 and Jalandhar beat Amritsar 61-40. In the super league, BSF
defeated Punjab State Electricity Board 74-53. Vipan and
Satya scored 16 points each for the winners , Vipan and
Satya Narain (16 points each) and Gurinder (14) were the
main scorers for the losers. |
BEG, ICF, DLW advance PATIALA, Dec 6 — BEG, Roorkie, got the better of Air-India Academy 2-1, Meerut Eleven downed Ropar Hawks 2-0, ICF, Chennai, handed out a 6-1 drubbing to SAG, Ranchi, and DLW, Varanasi, outshone Rock Rovers 3-2 on the second day of the 24th Liberals Hockey Tournament being played at the Ripudaman College grounds today. For Ropar Hawks it was a dismal day as their youngsters went down fighting to Meerut eleven 0-2. Ropar Hawks suffered the first reverse barely seven minutes into the match when one of their defenders dangerously brought down Meerut forward Maqbool Ahmed. The resultant penalty was converted neatly by their forward Rajin who slotted the ball in the net even as the Hawks custodian lay spread-eagled on the ground in his effort to block the stroke. Though the match provided some interesting moments. It also exposed the relative lack of mental toughness of the Hawks team, who squandered many an opportunity to score, for Meerut Eleven, right-in Amarjit Singh took the ball from the top of the circle and after side stepping two defenders slammed the ball into the goal to close out the match 2-0. In the other match of the day, which came as a whiff of fresh air to BEG, Roorkie outwitted the young Air-India Academy boys 2-1. There were some lively exchanges between both the teams but the Roorkie trioka of E.Lakra, Balbir and A.Karketta pushed the Air-India boys to the wall with repeated forays into the rival territory. A controversial goal by the Roorkie lads forward, A.Karketta, which was vociferously protested by the Air-India boys enabled BEG to surge ahead. A magnificent effort by Harikan enabled BEG to seize a 2-0 lead, and when Air-India’s Gurlal Singh reduced it was too late for the academy boys who went down fighting 1-2. In the third match, the Chandigarh’s Rock Rovers faught every inch but finally were tamed by DLW, Varanasi, 3-2. The SAG, Ranchi failed
to put even a semblance of a fight, letting their rivals
ICF, Chennai, go on a goal-scoring spree as the railmen
pumped in six goals although the SAG boys could pull off
only one through G.Bhengra. |
Army Green win CHANDIGARH, Dec 6 — Army Green won the opening match of the 47th Inter-Services Hockey Championships here today. Army Green defeated Indian Air Force 1-0 in a closely-contested match. The first-half remained goalless despite Air Force having nice opportunities. In the 25th minute of the game Air Force forwards missed a golden chance to convert a pass just in front of the goal mouth. The lone goal of the match came through the stick of E. Ekka in the 40th minute. The losers got five
penalty corners but failed to convert anyone. Army Green
also could not convert the two penalty corners awarded to
them during the match. |
H
Punjab handball
team Paramdeep
bereaved Mr R.S. Gill and Mr Teja Singh Dhaliwal, President and Secretary, Punjab Basketball Association, besides members of various teams participating in the Punjab State Championship at Dhanaula have condoled the death of Mr Teja. Karnal skaters
win overall trophy Speed championship: 6 to 8 years: boys: Jatin Goel, Karnal. Girls: Neha Narwal, Karnal. 8 to 10: boys: Bhuwan Mittal, Karnal. Girls: Akshi, Panipat. 10 to 12: (boys): Gaurvan Gulati, Karnal. Girls: Reema, Karnal. 12 to 14: girls: Khushboo Saini, Fbd. Above 14: boys: Amit Bajaj, Panipat. Girls: Sonia Yadav, Sirsa. Skating Hockey: Senior boys: 1 Panchkula, 2 Faridabad. Senior girls: 1 Panchkula, 2 Panipat. Junior boys: 1 Panchkula, 2 Kurukshetra. Junior girls: 1 Panchkula, 2 Faridabad. Sub jr. boys: 1 Yamunanagar, 2 Panchkula. Sub jr. Girls: 1
Panchkula, 2 Yamunanagar. |
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