Jindal Steel power past Army Red in Scindia Polo
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 13
Jindal Steel and Power defeated Army (Red) by seven goals to four and a half in the opening match of the Raymond Maharaja Scindia Gold Cup (12 goals)Polo Tournament at the Jaipur Polo Ground in the Capital on Wednesday. Eleven teams are participating in the tournament, which was delayed by one day due to rains on Tuesday.

Army (Red), who had the advantage of a half-goal handicap, opened their account in the first chukker through Capt. Navjit Sandhu while Augustin Gracia, a six-goal player from Argentina, Samir Suhag and Naveen Jindal, scored one goal each for Jindal Steel and Power.

But Jindal Steel and Power went goalless in the second chukker while Army (Red) scored two goals through Capt. Navjit Sandhu and Col. Bhawani Singh. However, the third chukker was a disaster for the Army team as they finished empty-handed while Jindal Steel and Power found the target through the consistent Samir Suhag and Augustin Gracia.

Both the teams scored two goals each in the final chukker.

The Maharaja Scindia Gold Cup Polo Tournament final will be held at the Jaipur Polo Ground in the Capital on Sunday, February 17, at 3 pm. Ten of the country’s best teams—Indian Army, Royal Kashmir, McDowells’s Signature, Hyundai Sonata, South Delhi, Teachers, Arawalli Polo, Indian Navy, Jindal Power and Steel—are participating in the five-day tournament which began on Tuesday.

Teams: Army (Red): Maj.Bhanu Pratap Singh (-2), Capt. Navjit Singh Sandhu (+4), Maj. Atul Gupta (+3) and Bk Col Bhawani Singh (+5).

Jindal Steel and Power: G C Rahul Dagar (-2), Samir Suhag (+5), Augustine Gracia (+16) and Bk Naveen Jindal (+2).

Thursday’s fixtures: Finals of SMS Gold Vase (eight goal) between 61 Cavalry ‘B’ and Sahgal Stud (3.30 pm).

Scindia Gold Cup (12 goals): Teachers vs Aravali Polo (1.30 pm); Royal Kashmir vs Piramal Enterprises (2.30 pm).

Rajinder Singh shortlists 35 college players 
M.S.Unnikrishnan

New Delhi, February 13
The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) can take heart from the fact that talent at the University level is alive and kicking.

The depth of talent at the University-level was brought out in all its splendour during the week-long 9th Nehru-ONGC Champion Colleges Hockey Tournament at the Shivaji Stadium in the Capital.

The tournament culminated with Jamia Millia Islamia of Delhi beating Nanakchand Anglo Sanskrit College, Meerut 2-1 in the title clash on Tuesday.

Indian Junior World Cup-winning team coach Rajinder Singh, who watched the tournament with a perceptive eye, shortlisted 35 players for further grooming. Rajinder Singh was nominated as a ‘spotter’ by the All-India Universities (AIU) to identify promising talent.

Rajinder Singh said some of the players of DAV College, Jalandhar, who are with the Punjab and Sind Bank Hockey Academy and who could not make it to the tournament, will also be included in the probables’ list for a coaching camp, before making the final selection of about 25 players.

India are likely to bid for the World Universities Hockey Championship, and moves are already afoot by the AIU to fashion a champion team.

Indian hockey is now on an upswing, and if the senior team succeed in making their mark in the ninth World Cup Championship to be held in Kuala Lumpur from February 24 to March 9, hockey in India will get a very big boost.

Prasad bowls NDTV to victory
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 13
A devastating bowling performance of 4 for 17 (5-0-17-4) by T.D. Jaya Prasad, who was adjudged the man of the match, helped NDTV beat XANSA by eight wickets in the ninth Teri Cup Cricket Tournament, organised by TERI (Tata Energy Research Institute), at the Teri Oval in Gurgaon.

NDTV won the toss and decided to field.

Scores: XANSA: 117 for 8 in 25 (Haresh 23, 2x4; T.D. Jaya Prasad 4/17, Ranjit Kumar 3/12).

NDTV: 121 for 2 in 18.2 overs (Ravi Kumar 55 no, 9x4; Amitabh Ravi 34 no, 3x4).

Tiotia, Tanmay shine

A blazing knock of 73, studded with 14 boundaries off 62 balls by Nashit Tiotia, and a deadly spell of 2 for 10 by Tanmay Gupta steered Dronacharya Cricket Foundation to a thumping 122 runs victory against Shakti Cricket Club in a limited-over match at the Yamuna Sports Complex. Shakti Club won the toss and elected to field.

Scores: Dronacharya Club: 246 for 9 in 45 overs (Nashit Tiotia 73, 14x4, 62b; Rahul Arora 35, 3x4, 68b; Kunj Sharma 32, 5x4, 71b; Sahil Sharma 23, 2x4, 54b; Shushant Aggarwal 4/29, Ujas Kumar 2/13, Nikhil Aggarwal 2/35).

Shakti Club: 124 in 31 overs (Nikhil Aggarwal 27, 5x4, 51b; Siddarth Kachru 18 n o, 3x4, 37b; Ujas Kumar 14, 2x4, 20b; Tanmay Gupta 2/10; Akshay Arora 2/19, Abhishek Juneja 1/4, Kunj Sharma 1/14).

CRY Cadence Cricket

HCL Infosystems defeated Hindustan Times by seven wickets in the second CRY Cadence Corporate Cricket Challenge played at the Modern School ground. Ravinder Negi of HCL was adjudged the man of the match.

Scores: HCL: 120/3 in 19.3 overs. HT: 118 in 22.3 overs.

In another match played at the Modern School ground, Motorola beat Business Standard. Puneet of Motorola was adjudged the man of the match.

Scores: Motorola: 169 for 8 in 24.4 overs. Business Standard: 167 in 25 overs.

ABN Amro beat Arthur Andersen by four runs at the Bhagat Singh College ground. Amit Bhatnagar of ABN Amro was named the man of the match.

Scores: ABN Amro: 158 for 5 in 25 overs. Arthur Andersen: 154 in 24.2 overs.

Devender Singh Cricket

The 11th All-India Devender Singh Memorial Cricket Tournament for the late Tara Devi Mathur Trophy will be played in the Capital next week. Prominent teams from all over India will participate in the tournament, according to Organising Secretary Rakesh Mathur.

Sameer Suhag gets best player award
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 13
Sameer Suhag was given the Omega Best Player Award for his excellent performance in the Swiss Polo Trophy held at the Jaipur Polo Ground. Sameer Suhag was presented with an Omega watch by Mr Gopalratnam Kannan, deputy general manager, the Swatch Group of India.

Omega has signed a five-year contract with the Indian Polo Association (IPA) and is the ‘official timekeeper’ and official watch for the sport in India. The ‘Omega Polo Challenge’ was held at the Jaipur Polo Ground, New Delhi in March last year.

Omega’s association with sports dates back to 1932 when it was named the official timekeeper of all Olympic games disciplines for the first time. In India, the link between Omega and polo is inherent.

India down Japan in korfball
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 13
India defeated Japan 16-12 in the opening match of the fifth Asian Oceanian Korfball Championship at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in the Capital on Wednesday.

In another match, Australia trounced Hong Kong 23-6. Lt Governor of Delhi Vijay Kapoor inaugurated the championship.

Thursday’s fixtures: Australia vs Japan (9.30 am); Chinese Taipei vs Hong Kong (2.30 pm); India vs Australia (3. 15 pm)—Indira Gandhi indoor stadium.

Dankaur voters to wear black badges today
Parmindar Singh

Noida, February 13
While the District Magistrate and District Election Officer, Mr Deepak Kumar, issued orders to shoot at sight anybody creating violence or sabotaging the poll process in Gautam Budh Nagar district, the voters in Dankaur have decided to wear black badges on their arms as a mark of protest when they go to the booths to cast their votes.

The Dankaur voters want to register their protest against the failure of authorities to redress their grievances over the lack of basic facilities and as a mark of annoyance with the main contestants for tomorrow’s poll.

The District Magistrate today said that “we are committed to hold a fair and peaceful polling in the district towards which we have made all possible arrangements”. “The administration will not permit any anti-social or criminal elements to put a clog in the wheel of the normal poll process at any cost. All possible trouble spots will receive our special attention,” Mr Deepak Kumar said.

The voters in Dankaur, meanwhile, have decided to show their protest by wearing black badges on their arms while voting. Interestingly, the people in Dankaur had met on January 13 under the banner of the National Vapayar Sangathan and decided to boycott the assembly elections. The Dankaur market had also remained closed on February 3. Their main grievances are lack of facilities like power, water, roads, healthcare, education and transport. However, the Dankaur voters have now decided to cast their votes, but under protest, at the assurance of the District Magistrate that their grievances will be looked into.