SPORTS

Cream of Asian golf for Hero Honda Masters
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 24
The cream of Asian golf will assemble at the DLF Golf and Country Club for the fifth edition of the Hero Honda Masters, starting on February 14, which will carry an increased prize purse of US $300,000 this year.

With a fifty per cent rise in the prize money, Hero Honda Masters 2002, is expected to provide the drama that has become part and parcel of this premier tournament.

The four-day main event will be preceded by a Pro-Am event on Wednesday, February 13.

Mr Pawan Munjal, director and CEO, Hero Honda Motors, announcing the Masters in the Capital on Thursday, said, “We have received excellent response for the tournament over the last four years and the Hero Honda Masters has become one of the finest sporting spectacles of the sub-continent”.

Mr Munjal, the president of the Professional Golfers Association of India (PGAI) and also the vice-chairman of the Asian PGA Tour, expressed his delight at his company’s continued association with the Davidoff Tour.

“I am hopeful that the new dates and the increased prize money will once again produce the highest quality of golf, something which has become the hallmark of Hero Honda Masters”.

Indian golfers have held sway over this tournament ever since Gaurav Ghei produced his trademark charge on the final day, but still fell tantalisingly short of Ted Purdy in 1977.

Jyoti Randhawa made the tournament his own over the next two years and when the event was held at the beautiful DLF Golf and Country Club, Gurgaon, Arjun Atwal won the title.

Atwal may well be looking forward to emulating Jyoti Randhawan’s feat of back-to-back wins. The Indian challenge will also include Hero Honda-sponsored Jeev Milkha Singh.

The foreign challenge will be led by last year’s Asian PGA Tour Order of Merit winner, Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand.

Delhi schools have field day
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 24
Delhi schools had a field day in the 30th Nehru-Nestle Junior Hockey Tournament when V. S. Agricultural Senior Secondary School, Khera Garhi beat CAB Inter-College, Meerut 3-1 while Union Academy Senior Secondary School trounced Shah Satnamji Boys School, Sirsa (Haryana) 9-1, at the Shivaji Stadium in the Capital on Thursday.

In another match, SKCASV Inter-College, Varanasi drew with Chottu Ram Zamidar Senior Secondary School, Sonepat (Haryana) 2-2. In a close match, Sonepat forged ahead through Sanjay Kumar in the seventh minute while Vimal Sharma scored the equaliser for Varanasi three minutes later. In the second half, Vineet Singh put Varanasi in the lead in the 44th minute while Sonepat pulled off the equaliser through Sumer Singh in the 53rd minute.

In the first match, Khera Garhi, Delhi scored first through Yudhvir Singh in the 8th minute. But 20 minutes later, Rakesh Kanojia equalised for Meerut. In the second half, Sanjeev and Yudhbir Singh scored once each to give the Delhi school a respectable victory. Union Academy maintained their big-scoring spree while decimating Sirsa. Anil Kumar Nigam, Sudhir Kumar (two), Sunil Kumar, Imran Ansari (four goals, no hattrick) and Amit Kumar were the scorers for Union Academy while Raman struck the consolation goal for Sirsa.

Friday’s fixtures: CAB Inter-College, Meerut vs SGPS Academy, Sri Bhaini Sahib (12 noon), Union Academy vs Birsamunda Vidyapitha, Rourkela (1.30 p m); Boys Sports Coy. BRC Danapur vs T. M. Convent School, Bhopal (3 pm)—Shivaji Stadium..

Ujas Kumar hits 73 in Dronacharya’s victory
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 24
Ujas Kumar cracked a stroke-filled 73 (12x4, 1x6, 77b) to play the star role in Dronacharya Cricket Foundation’s 35 runs victory against Shakti Club in a limited-over cricket match played at the Yamuna Vihar Sports Complex. Shakti won the toss and elected to field, which proved to be an unwise decision, as Dronacharya utilised their batting might to score 202 in 35.4 overs, and then restrict Shakti for 167 for 9 in 45 overs.

Scores: Dronacharya Cricket Foundation: 202 all out in 35. 4 overs (Ujas Kumar 73, Rahul Arora 40 (5x4, 64b), Kunj Sharma 20 (2x4, 32b), Tanmay Gupta 3/27, Akshay Arora 2/14). Shakti Club: 167 for 9 in 45 overs (Jaspinder Singh 52 (7x4, 84b), Saajan Malhotra 20 (3x4, 43b), Rushi Jaisinghania 22 (1x4, 42b), Gaurav Jain 2/30, Sidhant Gupta 2/23, Aditya Chaudhary 2/13).

Moonlight upset Hindustan in DSA League
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 24
Former champions Moonlight pulled off a major upset when they shocked Allwyn-Hindustan Club 1-0 in the last Group A preliminary league match of the Delhi Soccer Association (DSA)-SAIL Senior Division Football League Championship at the Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital on Thursday. Moonlight, who lost their first three matches on trot, staged a remarkable comeback to earn six points from five matches.

Zakir Husain soccer final
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 24
Hosts and former champions Zakir Husain College will meet Jamia Millia Islamia in the final of the 15th Zakir Husain Memorial Football Tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital on Friday at 11.30 am.

Dr Gurdeep Singh, Sports Officer, Association of Indian Universities, will be the chief guest.

Delphi beat Hudco in Teri Cup

New Delhi, January 24
Delphi India beat Hudco by seven wickets in the ninth Teri Cup Cricket Tournament at the Teri Oval, Gurgaon. Hudco won the toss and elected to bat, but could make only 68 all out in 17.2 overs. In reply Delphi India cracked 69 for three in just nine overs, thanks to a blistering knock of 32 (3x4, 2x6) by Hitender Hans.

Scores: Hudco: 68 in 17.2 overs (Ashok Lohia 2/7, Wilson 2/13). Delphi India: 69/3 in 9 overs (Hitender Hans 32).

Feroze Ali poised to annex title
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, January 24
Feroze Ali gave himself a four-stroke cushion, going into the final round, of the Rs 8-lakh HT ProGolf being played at the Jaypee Greens Golf Resort in the Capital. Feroze tallied five-under 211, thanks to his third-round score of one-under 17.

Modern School win

New Delhi, January 24
Modern School, Barakhamba Road beat Cambridge Foundation, Rajouri Garden, by ten wickets in the Reebock R. P. Jain Trophy Cricket Tournament, organised by the Rohtak Road Gymkhana at the Cambridge Foundation ground, Rajouri Garden. However, both the teams have qualified for the quarter-finals. Scores: Cambridge Foundation: 112 in 28.1 overs Modern School: 114 for no loss in 19 overs.

ADMINISTRATION

Municipal panel opposes fire tax
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, January 24
The local municipal committee, at its meeting held here today, opposed the imposition of fire tax in addition to the house tax on the citizens of the town.

The meeting was presided over by the vice president of the committee, Mr Om Parkash Bagri.

The meeting urged the state government either to withdraw the fire tax or to reduce it drastically so that it did not pinch the citizens. In another resolution, the meeting said that when the government charged development fee at the rate of Rs 60 per square yard for regularising an unauthorised colony, there was no justification in imposing a surcharge at the rate of 15 per cent.

It may be recalled that the government had imposed the surcharge on those house-owners, who submit their house plans late. The committee said that while the house owners should be exempted, surcharge at the rate of 5 per cent should be charged from commercial establishments only.

The members regretted that the Deputy Commissioner had been taking his own time in approving the proceedings of the meetings of the municipal committee. The councillor from Janata Colony complained that his ward had been excluded from the ‘slum development scheme’.