SPORTS

Nationals, Bengal Mumbai record identical wins
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 26
Delhi Soccer Association (DSA) Senior League runners-up SAIL-Indian Nationals and Bengal Mumbai Football Club registered identical victories to ensure their berths in the final round in Phase II of the Second Division National Football League at the Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital on Tuesday.

The final round of the league will be held in Pondicherry in April. Indian Nationals downed Border Security Force, Jalandhar 2-0 to earn full points while Bengal Mumbai ousted AG Audit, Haryana (Chandigarh) 2-0.

In a closely-contested match, Nationals got the better of BSF due to their better mid-field and strike power. Nigerian Augustine Okoro Ekuma, Manjeet Singh and Yash Pal marshalled the mid-field admirably to setup many goal-scoring chances for Nationals, and they encashed two of them to advance without any hitch.

Augustine Okoro Ekuma drew first blood in the 35th minute with a fine volley, far away from the box, which sailed into the goal (1-0). On changing ends, both the teams were in a prodigal mood, but Nationals struck for the second time in the 74th minute following a combined move initiated by Augustine Okoro Ekuma and Inderjeet. Nigerian striker Cassium Akumu Owino dodged past onrushing custodian Th. Kameshwar Singh to put the ball in (2-0).

The match witnessed rough patches of play, which forced referee Stanley Gregary to flash the yellow card at Nationals’ custodian Biswa Nath Deb, Augustine Okoro Ekuma and Inderjeet and BSF goalkeeper Th. Kameshwar Singh for collecting the ball outside the box. Nationals have collected six points from three matches with one more match to go, against AG Haryana. BSF completed their engagements by logging just six points from four matches. Nationals ousted BSF for the final round on a better goal difference as they have scored seven and conceded four goals as against BSF’s tally of four for, and four against, which has given them a minus one-goal disadvantage.

In the second match, favourites Bengal Mumbai recorded their third straight victory when they beat AG Audit, Haryana 2-0.

Playing at an easy pace, Bengal Mumbai could afford to keep out their star player Chima Okerie, and still win by a handsome margin. After a goalless first half, inside-left Sushil Karthak opened the account in the 55th minute while Email Vartazarian made it 2-0 in the 85th minute. A G Haryana’s Sanjiv Maria was booked with the yellow card by referee M A Siddiqui for foul play. Bengal Mumbai have collected nine points from three matches with one more match to go, against Assam State Electricity Board, on the concluding day of the league on Thursday. On Thursday, Assam State Electricity Board take on Bengal Mumbai at 2 pm while SAIL-Indian Nationals meet AG Audit, Chandigarh at 4 pm.

Chandu Borde to receive Padma Bhushan award
M.S.Unnikrishnan

New Delhi, March 26
Former India player and current chairman of the senior national selection committee Chandu Borde will be conferred the Padman Bhushan award by the President K R Narayanan at an investiture ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan on Wednesday. Borde was felicitated by the Delhi and District Cricket Association on being selected for the coveted award.

Borde was present, along with other members of the national selection committee, to witness the opening day’s play between North Zone and East Zone in the Duleep Trophy match at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground on Tuesday. And it was a God-send opportunity for India discard Vikram Rathore to impress the national selectors with his excellent stroke play. At the end of the day, Rathore was unbeaten on 149, and the knock must have surely made some impression on the selectors.

Dashing batsman Virender Sehwag, who has missed the bus to the West Indies tour due to the injury he suffered during the second Test against Zimbabwe at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground a few days ago, was present there to watch his North Zone colleagues make mincemeat of the East Zone bowlers. Sehwag would have ripped apart the East Zone bowling in a much more cavalier manner, were he fit to play, but such is the irony of fate that he’s neither here, nor there, and could watch the proceedings wistfully from the comforts of the pavilion.

The National Selectors are giving a close look at the Duleep Trophy matches before picking the one-day squad for the West Indies tour, and Rathore’s century could not have come at a more opportune moment.

Thanks to the Test match played between India and Zimbabwe at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground, the outfield was carpet green, and in fine fettle, though the exposed wicket has proved to be a heart-breaking strip for the bowlers, on the first day of the Duleep Trophy.

Meanwhile, the re-election of virtually the same set of office-bearers to the DDCA, was met with a deep sigh of relief in the ruling DDCA camp. It was widely believed that some heads may roll, particularly after the controversy in the sale of tickets and distribution of passes for the India-England one-day international match held at the Ferozeshah Kotla ground recently. But nothing of the sort has happened, as the DDCA is a “close knit” family, which stands by its members in thick and thin.

Frank Anthony enter cricket semis
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 26
Frank Anthony Public School beat Modern School, Barakhamba Road by 162 runs to enter the semi-final of the Jivanjor Cricket Tournament at the Bal Bharti School ground, Pitampura in the Capital on Tuesday. Frank Anthony School, batting first, made 252 runs for three wickets in the stipulated 35 overs. Aditya scored a stroke-filled century (101) and also took two wickets for three runs to star in Frank Anthony’s victory.

Modern School, in reply, crashed for 90 runs in 25.5 overs. Aditya was adjudged the man of the match. Frank Anthony School will now take on St. Marks School, Meera Bagh in the first semi-final to be played on March 27.

Om Nath Sood Cricket Tourney: The Om Nath Sood Memorial Cricket Tournament will be held at the Khalsa College ground from April 2 to 28.

Defending champions Oil and Natural Gas Commission, runners-up Indian Airlines, Sonnet Club, R R Gymkhana, Collage Group, State Bank of Patiala, Rajasthan Colts, Ace XI (Agra), Khel Kood Samajik Samiti, Varanasi (UP), Chand Khanna, Trans Yamuna Cricket Association, Food Corporation of India (North Zone), Central Warehousing Corporation, Sahara Airlines, Rajadhani Sports, Delhi Development Authority, Delhi Administration, Youngsters, DSI, Pelicans, Delhi Blues, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Inborn and Jat Heroes will participate in the tournament.

New traffic scheme in GK Market
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 26
To tackle the parking problem, smoother movement of vehicles and to reduce vehicular congestion in Greater Kailash-II Market, the Delhi Traffic Police introduced a new traffic circulation scheme in the area in association with the shopkeepers’ union of the market. The traffic police said that traffic would run in a one-way pattern separating the entry and exit points.

All the market roads would work as a bigger one-way roundabout, the traffic police said.

The parking lots have been separated from the traffic circulation area and have been adequately slotted in regular pattern facilitating convenient parking in the lots and smoother dispersal through exit points. Adequate signboards have also been installed at appropriate locations for guiding motorists and other road users.

Vehicle users are advised by the traffic police to park their vehicles only inside the demarcated parking lots. The people visiting the market are also advised to familiarise themselves with the new traffic circulation scheme and follow the diversions and directions of the signboard, the traffic police said.