SPORT

48 teams to take part in cricket tournament
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 22
A record number of 48 teams will take part in the fifth UT League Cricket Tournament being organised by the UT Cricket Association at various stadia in the city from March 24, according to Mr S.S. Bawa, Secretary of the association.

The participating teams have been divided into three divisions. This has been done to ensure elimination of one-sided matches.

In A Division the teams which took part in last year’s super league have been retained. On the basis of the performance of the teams last year, 20 teams have been placed in B Division while the remaining 18 teams have been placed in C Division.

In A Division the 10 participating teams have been divided into two pools. Pool A comprises Chetna CC, Mohali Gymkhana, Industrial CC, High Court and Prudential XI while Pool B consists of Godrej CC, LIC Sports Club, Bedi CC, Khalsa XI and Punjab Employees Cricket Club.

The league matches of this pool will be on the basis of 35 overs a side while the semi-finals will be of 40 overs a side. The final match of this pool will be played over 50 overs a side.

In B Division, the 20 teams have been divided into four pools. The following are the pools —Pool A: FCI, Eagle, 3BRD, Stadium Coaching Centre and City XI. Pool B: PGI, DAV Coaching Centre, Bombay, Hillions and Eleven Star. Pool C: CNS, DYFI, Gallant, Sports Promoters XI and Indo-Dutch. Pool D: Kelvinator, Pace, Kalsi, MSWS and Pheonix. Each team in its pool will play once with the remaining five teams in the pool. The pool winners will qualify for the semi-finals.

In C Division, the 18 participating teams have been divided into four pools. Pool A: Videocon XI Sunrise, Youth CC (Attawa) and Satluj Coaching Centre. Pool B: Chandigarh Sports Club, Maloya, CC, Marmukh XI, Connect B and XI Star. Pool C: ISTC, HT XI, Striker, Thunder and Connect A. Pool D: BBMB, Victorious, Seventeen CC and Evergreen XI. In this division also the top four teams will play in the semi-finals.

Medi cricket: GMCH team wins

Government Medical College, Sector 32, outplayed Dhanwantri Ayurvedic College, Chandigarh, by nine wickets in the preliminary round matches of the All-India Medi Cricket as part of the Euphoria -2001 which began here today.

In other matches of the day, IGMC, Nagpur, outplayed ASCOMS, Jammu, by six wickets, Rohtak Medical College defeated DMC, Ludhiana, by 44 runs, SGR Dental College, Amritsar beat Government Medical College, Faridkot, by 25 runs, Government Medical College, Patiala defeated Government Medical College, Jammu by four wickets and Government Medical College, Amritsar outscored National Dental College, Dera Bassi.

Skater with wheels of gold
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, March 22
It was passion for roller hockey that brought Priti Joshi, a young skater from Nagpur, to Panchkula to further learn the finer points of the sport. Twice a gold medallist and once a bronze medallist in roller hockey, this 16-year-old has to her credit the achievements of representing Maharashtra six times in the national meets held Kalkata, Bangalore, Patiala, Pune, Vishakapatnam and Panchkula.

“I’ll be satisfied only when we emerge victorious in the Asian Skating Meet,” she says. The meet will be held at Chinese Taipei in September this year.

Priti said her parents were very happy as she has improved a lot during this period while practising at the skating rink of Hansraj Public School. Priti said in 1999, she had appeared for the national trials for the selection of Indian Roller Hockey Team for the Asian Roller Hockey Meet held at China in October, 1999, but was unable to find a berth in the team, which forced her to shift to speed skating events. But during the 46th National School Games at Panchkula in December, 2000, she was advised by skating experts to take coaching from Mr Balwinder Johal.

Priti feels there was a lot of difference in the methods of training being imparted here and at Nagpur. Here it was a good competition and team work between the skaters. Priti said she will like to attend the first national camp for Asian Meet before taking a break for going her hometown.