SPORTS

Sumit Dogra Academy lift Friends Trophy
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 6
A strokeful 63 off 70 balls with seven fours by Creig Fernandis and a deadly bowling spell of 4 for 20 by Rajender Madan helped Sumit Dogra Cricket Academy, Delhi beat Northern Railway, Delhi by 33 runs in the final of the second Friends Cricket Tournament at Dharu Hera and annexed the Friends Trophy. They also got a cash prize of Rs 21,000 while Railways were richer by Rs 11,000.

Put into bat, Sumit Dogra Academy scored 170 for eight in the stipulated 35 overs. Creig Fernandis stole the spotlight with his crackling half-century knock.

In reply, Northern Railway could not effectively counter the sustained bowling spells of Rajender Madan (4/20) and Mukesh Dewan (3/32) to fold up 15 runs short of Sumit Dogra Academy’s first innings score.

Rajender Madan was adjudged the Man of the Tournament for his excellent bowling performances while Creig Fernandis was adjudged the Man of the Final. Mukesh Dewan got the best bowler award and Rakesh Bal was given the best batsman award.

Mr Anil Jain, former Delhi cricketer and vice-president of the Delhi and District Cricket Association, distributed the prizes. The umpires Rajesh Lucky and Azeem Khan were also honoured during the prize distribution ceremony.

Scores: Sumit Dogra Academy: 170/8 (Creig Fernandis 63, Anshul Lamba 19, Kamal Nigam 17, Anil Kumar 2/42, Jasvinder Singh 1/24, Anil Bhardwaj 1/33, Raja Gurmeet 1/22, Durga Parshad 1/31).

Northern Railway: 137 in 32.5 overs (Rakesh Bal 34, Neeraj Chawla 29, Rajender Madan 4/20, Mukesh Dewan 3/32, Anshul Lamba 2/19, Sumit Dogra 1/26).

HOCKEY
G V Raja, Prerna win in Girls Hockey
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 6
Goda Varma Raja Sports School, Thiruvanathapuram beat Prof D B Deodhar Higher Secondary School, Pune 2-1 in Group IV while Prerna Hindi Senior Secondary School, Chandkheda (Gujarat) beat Maharaja Agrasain School, Sirsa (Haryana) 7-0 in the eighth Nehru-NDMC Girls Hockey Tournament at the Shivaji Stadium in the Capital on Sunday.

The G V Raja Sports Schoolgirls struggled to come to terms with the numbing cold of Delhi, but still were good enough to edge past the Pune girls, who have become the whipping girls of the tournament.

Roshini R put G V Raja in the lead in the fourth minute when she converted a penalty corner. Twentyone minutes later, Malti Vishnu equalised for Pune. After sharing honours at half time, the Kerala girls forged ahead in the 48th minute on resumption when Saiby Baby converted a penalty corner goal. G V Raja held on to the slender lead till the final hooter, to collect full points.

In the second match, three goals each by Anuradha Devi and Pinki Lakra were the high points of Prerna's handsome victory over Maharaja Agrasain School of Sirsa (Haryana).

Anuradha opened the floodgate with a field goal lin the second minute. Pinki struck the second goal in the 12th minute, while Jyoti Sharma made it 3-0 in the 27th minute. Pinki completed the first half scoring in the 30th minute.

A minute after resumption, Anuradha made it 5-0, and she herself scored the sixth goal at the fag end before Pinki rounded off the tally.

Monday's fixtures: Birsamunda Vidyapitha, Rourkela vs SJMPL Model Senior Secondary School, Yamunanagar (Harayna) (1.30 p m); Govt. Higher Secondary School, Saitual (Mizoram) vs St. Xavier's Higher Secondary School, Mapusa (Goa) (3 p m)--Shivaji Stadium.

Nationals, Shahdara gain full points in DSA League
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 6
Defending champions Indian Nationals and last year’s semi-finalists Shahdara gained full points, beating former champions Garhwal Heroes 1-0 and Goans 2-0 respectively in Group B matches of the Delhi Soccer Association (DSA)-SAIL Senior Division Football League at the Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital on Sunday.

This was Nationals’ third straight victory, and they have now collected nine points while Garhwal Heroes have gathered only five points from as many matches. Substitute Abass Babayanju scored the all-important goal in the 66th minute.

Shahdara have earned seven points from three matches while Goans have managed to earn only one point from three matches.

Osmond John Ekka and Bhupender Thakur were the scorers for Shahdara. The star-studded Nationals were lucky to scrape past Garhwal Heroes as they were totally unimpressive in their display.

Mid-fielders Indarjit Singh (Sr) and foreign recruit, Nigerian Augustine Okor Ekuma, and Manjit Singh failed to distribute the ball properly. As a result, forwards Arjinder Singh, Pushpinder and Amar Nandy were starved of goal-worthy passes. On the other hand, medios Pankaj Negi and captain Ramesh Kumar did a tireless job in the mid field to set up nice passes for Garhwal Heroes forwards Ravinder and T K Srinivasan, who, however, failed to cash in on them. Nationals walked on thin edge till substitute Abass Babay anju came to their rescue, with a weak shot which surprisingly found its way into the goal, catching Garhwal custodian Kiran Barua on the wrong foot.

Nationals’ Jayanta Shill and Garhwal Heroes’ Gambhir Rawat and Ravinder were booked with the yellow card by referee S Saha for wrongful behaviour. In the second match, after a barren first half, Shahdara struck through Osmond John Ekka and former international Bhupender Thakur in the 36th and 43rd minutes respectively. The two good chances Goans got for scoring were muffed by P S Thuingaleng and Rajesh Negi.

Meanwhile, the Kirya ceremony of former Delhi custodian and noted radio and television commentator Satya Prakash Ghildiyal, who died a few days ago, will be held at his residence in Madangir, South Delhi, on Monday at 12 noon.

Rahul Arora hits unbeaten 146

New Delhi, January 6
Rahul Arora struck an unbeaten 146 off 122 balls studded with 17 fours to help his team beat Jaspinder Singh XI by 15 runs in a limited-over match, held at the Yamuna Sports Complex in the Capital. Electing to bat, Rahul XI made 225 in 45 overs with Arora playing a sheet-anchor role with his bat.

Jaspinder Singh XI: 210 (Varung Chakerwarty 42, Akshay 22, Sidhant Gupta 29, Robin Deep Singh 3/22, Sachit Gupta 2/15). TNS

Shootingball Championship

Sonepat, January 6
The Shootingball Association of Haryana will organise a two-day 25th Haryana State Shooting Championship for seniors and juniors from January 19 at the ground behind the petrol pump near the bus stand at Gudha Indri in Karnal.

Meanwhile, the following persons have been elected as the office-bearers of the association. President: Mr R.S. Panwar; Vice Presidents: Mr Prem Lal Arya, Dr Naveen Khatri, Mr Joginder Singh and Mr Sumandar Singh; Secretary: Mr Lekh Raj Batra. TNS

ADMINISTRATION

Administration geared up for war situation
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, January 6
The district administration in Sonepat has geared up its civil defence machinery in the wake of tension prevailing on the country’s border with Pakistan and a possible armed conflict with it.

This was stated by Mr Ashok Yadav, Additional Deputy Commissioner, at a specially convened meeting of the civil defence committee held in the Panchayat Bhavan here yesterday. Officials of various government departments and municipal councillors participated in the meeting.

The ADC highlighted the steps to be taken for the safety of the people in case of a war with Pakistan. These included information regarding the blackout procedures and providing medical relief to victims. He directed the authorities to remain vigilant and in regular touch with representatives of the people while organising civil defence measures.

The City Magistrate-cum-Deputy Controller of Civil Defence, Mr J. P. Thamman, told the meeting that the district administration had made arrangements for 12 emergency services under the Civil Services Act for meeting any eventuality.

Headquarters of these services would be in the office of the Sonepat Municipal Council, from where necessary information would be released about the need for civil defence and status of the emergency to each warden of every ward or zone. Officials from here, he said, would take necessary precautionary steps.

He also disclosed that the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) would flash information to the entire district about the various civil defence measures being contemplated.

The fire-fighting machinery, he said, would provide training to the youths attached to the civil defence machinery so that they could render all possible assistance to the people.

Mr Thamman also disclosed that steps would be taken for providing medical aid to the injured persons and additional beds would be arranged at various hospitals of the district. And the District Public Relations Officer would provide information regarding possible war victims.