SPORTS

India-Pak match sends TRP for a six
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 11
The World Cup cricket match between India and Pakistan on March 1 has put cricket on top of the heap among television viewers. The match, shown live on DD National and SET Max, delivered a high TRP of 15.37 in all TV homes and 21.78 in cable and satellite homes.

Approximately, 1.90 crore people watched the India-Pakistan encounter on DD National, as compared to 1.62 crore people on SET Max. Cricket was such a hit during the week that the live telecast of the game and other cricket related programmes occupied all the top ten spots for the week ending March 1.

Although most people watched the cricket match in full on DD, there were more audience watching when India were batting (1.55 crore). Another 35 lakh people joined the audience towards the end to see Yuvraj Singh and Rahul Dravid wrap up the match.

Among the cities, Kolkata watched the India-Pakistan encounter most passionately, delivering a high TRP of 32.3 in all TV homes and 30.4 in cable and satellite homes. It was closely followed by Mumbai (30.9), Hyderabad (25.6), Bangalore (21.1), Delhi (16.3) and Chennai (14.0).

Doordarshan, which is bringing the World Cup in association with Nimbus, is expecting to earn a net revenue of around Rs 20 crore.

Air Force, Navy to clash in final
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 11
Indian Air Force (IAF) will take on Indian Navy in the final of the 51st Inter-Services Cricket Tournament.

In the semi-finals played at Palam A and Palam B grounds, Air Force trounced Army Red by seven wickets while Navy sunk Army Green by 18 runs.

Fiery bowling spells by Manish Jha (3 for 17) and S S Karmakar (3 for 38) and a solid half century by PMS Reddy (51, 7x4) were the highlights of Air Force’s victory.

In the other semi-final, though V V Suri produced a devastating 5 for 47 spell for Army Green, the dashing knock of Jasvir Singh, who cracked 78 with nine fours, helped Navy post a challenging total.

Scores: Army Red: 144 all out in 45.4 overs (G S Thapa 37, Manish Jha 3 for 17, S S Karmakar 3 for 38, Pankaj Kumar 2 for 23). Air Force: 145 for 3 in 38.1 overs (PMs Reddy 51, 7x4; Imran Khan 41, 4x4).

Navy: 221 for 8 in 50 overs (Jasvir Singh 78, 9x4; C D Thomson 61, 9x4; V S Suri 5 for 47). Army Green: 203 for 9 in 50 overs (Pradeep Tiwari 59, 8x4; V V Suri 28, S V Ghag 2 for 33, Arun Sharma 2 for 40).

Sidharth bowls Collage Sports to victory
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 11
A devastating bowling performance by Sidharth Verma, who claimed four wickets for 35 runs off nine overs and a quicksilver 47 by Farman Ahmed helped Collage Sports Management beat Lal Bahadur Shastri Club by five wickets in a league match of the fourth Roshanara Cricket Tournament at the Roshanara Club ground.

Collage Sports won the toss and elected to field. Lal Bahadur Shastri Club were given a blazing start by Padamjit Sehrawat (62, 8x4, 61b) and Sushil Kumar (38 n o, 3x4, 57b) but Sidharth produced a stunning bowling spell, to restrict their total to 197 for 9 in 45 overs, which proved inadequate as Collage Sports had a good batting line up to notch up 203 for 5 in 41.2 overs. Sidharth Verma was adjudged the Man of the Match. Electing to bat, Lal Bahadur Shastri Club made 197 for 9 in 45 overs . But College Sports Management made in 203 for 5 in 41.2 overs.

Scores: Lal Bahadur Shastri Club: 197 for 9 in 45 overs (Padamjeet Sehrawat 62, Sushil Kumar 38 n o, Sidharth 4 for 35).

Collage Sports Management: 203 for 5 in 41.2 overs (Farman Ahmed 47, Pankaj Joshi 44 n o, Sohail Rauf 34, Wilkins Victor 23 n o, Sumit Dogra 2 for 25, Praveen Thapar 2 for 25).

Tarun Ahuja shines
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 11
A match-winning all-round performance by Tarun Ahuja (60, 3 for 17) helped Rajender Nagar Colts beat Kranti Star by 145 runs in an A-I Division match of the DDCA League at the Kalindi College ground. 

Scores: R N Colts: 281 for 7 in 40 overs (P Vark 74, Tarun Ahuja 60, Siddarth 39, G. Singh 39, Udit Kumar 3 for 43). 

Kranti Star: 136 all out in 32.5 overs (Udit 30, Vishal Jain 28, Anshuman Dayal 25, A. Malhotra 3 for 7, Ahuja 3 for 17).

Vineet hits ton

Vineet Kumar blasted a brilliant 143, studded with 13 sixes and 11 fours, and S Kaly claimed three wickets for 12 runs to help IBMC beat Head Office by 164 runs in the third Jaswinder Memorial Cricket Tournament at the Jamia Milia ground. 

Scores: IBMC: 225 for 8 in 25 overs (Vineet Kumar 143, Madan Singh 43, Mahavir Singh 3 for 51, K C Sharma 2 for 25, Raj Kumar 2 for 23). 

Head Office: 61 all out in 17 overs.

ICICI down Xansa

ICICI Bank defeated Xansa by five wickets in the Reebok Cricket Tournament. ICICI Bank tottered at 88 for 5 when I J Thomas took three wickets. But Vishal Talwar and Sunil Gulati played responsible knocks to guide ICICI through to victory. 

Scores: Xansa: 143 all out in 24.5 overs (P C Pandey 26, 25b, 4x4; Tarun 28, 20b, 4x1; Vishal Talwar 3 for 21, Rajeev Kumaraswami 2 for 22). 

ICICI Bank: 145 for 5 wickets in 18 overs (Vishal Talwar 34 n o, 23b, 4x5; Shivankar Saxena 21, 23b, 4x3; I J Thomas 3 for 23, P K Roy 1 for 16).

DSA official bereaved

Former Delhi State player Har Pershad, father of Delhi Soccer Association (DSA) managing committee member Krishan Avtar, who is also a FIFA referee, died at his residence at Ghaziabad on Tuesday following cardiac arrest. He was 73 years old. Har Pershad was an active member of the Delhi Football Association, Modern School Football Club and vice-president of Mughals Club. The DSA condoled his death.

Ram Lal Anand beat Khalsa, finish third

Ram Lal Anand (Evening) College defeated Khalsa College (Evening) by 14 runs to take the third place in the Delhi University Inter-College Cricket Tournament at the Delhi University ground, Maurice Nagar.

Scores: Ram Lal Anand College: 172 all out in 39.3 overs (Rajinder Bisht 33, 5x4, Anand Ramola 38 n o, 4x4; Sanjay Rawat 26, 3x4; Amanjeet Singh 2 for 28; Arvinder Singh 2 for 28; Puneet Sharma 3 for 22). 

Khalsa College (Evening): 158 for 9 wickets in 40 overs (Abhishek Bhandari 53, 9x4.

ONGC to meet Bright

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) will take on Bright Club in the title clash of the third Rajdhani Sports Trophy Cricket Tournament at the Kalindi College ground on Wednesday.

Teams: Gagan Khoda (captain), Sandeep Sharma, Amit Bhandari, Rahul Sanghvi, Sarandeep Singh, Mohd Saif, Mithun Manhas, Rizwan Shamshad, Manoj Mudgal, Sanjay Gill, Gautam Vadhera, Ravi Sehgal, Radhey Shyam Gupta. Manager: Dinesh Tomar. Coach: Pradeep Jain. Bright Club: Anil Rajput (captain), Akash Malhotra, Nischal Gaur, Nishant Sharma, R Bisth, Sumit Narwal, Sanjeev Saini, Sanjay Bambal, Surender Kumar, Dinesh Yadav, Tarun Ahuja. Manager: N C Bakshi. Coach: Atul Malhotra.

Joginder stars in GE win
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 11
Joginder Singh scored a smashing 68 off just 37 balls with 11 boundaries to help GE Capital beat ICICI Bank by 50 runs in a Super League match of the tenth Teri Cup Cricket Tournament at the Teri Oval.

GE Capital won the toss and opted to bat. Joginder Singh fully capitalised the first use of the wicket to indulge in lusty hittings to help GE Capital hoist 182 for the loss of seven wickets in the stipulated 25 overs.

The ICICI Bank, in turn, found the going tough from word go as off-spinner Binod, who claimed 4 for 20, Joginder Singh, Yogesh and Rodney Charles produced penetrative bowling spells to dismiss them all out for 132 in 22 overs. Joginder Singh was adjudged the Man of the Match for his fine all-round performance. 

Scores: GE Capital: 182 for 7 wickets in 25 overs (Joginder Singh 68, 11x4, 37b; Harjit 22, Rohit 3 for 28).

ICICI Bank: 132 all out in 22 overs (Saif Khan 24, 3x4; Ruchir 21, 3x4; Vinod 4 for 20, Joginder Singh 2 for 20, Yogesh 2 for 29, Rodney Charles 2 for 30).

ADMINISTRATION

Walia orders improvement of road conditions
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 11
Concerned over the state of roads in the Capital, Delhi Minister of Urban Development A K Walia has issued orders for improving their condition within a month. The minister was inspecting various roads in the Capital. He was shocked to notice craters in many roads and mounds of garbage on the pavements.

Orders have now been issued to not only repair the roads within a month, but also to install nameplates of the departments on all PWD roads. Dr Walia also ordered the widening of road number 62 and 70 in Vivek Vihar and creation of a green belt around these roads.

The authorities were also directed to develop a service lane along the GTB Enclave at road number 64. The minister, who was accompanied by the Engineer-in-Chief, PWD, Mr K. K. Verma, and officials of the Horticulture Department, also visited the hospitals being constructed in Tahirpur, Shastri Nagar and Geeta Colony.

On being informed that the construction of both the hospitals has been delayed by over two months, Dr Walia issued orders to step up the construction work, so that the OPD in all the three hospitals is operational by September this year.

Ex-minister flays ‘tough’ tax recovery drive
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, March 11
A former minister, Mr Subhash Batra, has condemned the tough posture adopted by the district administration against the house tax defaulters.

In a statement here today, Mr Batra alleged that the district authorities had adopted undemocratic means for the recovery of various taxes.

The former minister alleged that the district officials had been harassing the residents of the town in the name of recovery of various taxes by withholding their salaries, disconnecting their power connections and publishing their names in the newspapers.

He also alleged that the authorities had removed the foundation stones laid by certain prominent personalities on the pretext of beautification of the town. Citing an example, he said that the foundation stone laid by the then Deputy Commissioner, Mr H. D. Shourie, had been removed by the authorities in the name of beautification of Mansarover Park here.

The Deputy Commissioner, Mr Ashok Yadav, denied these charges and said the district administration was forced to adopt a tough stand for recovery of taxes as a huge amount had been pending in the form of taxes for the last over 15 years. He argued that the recovery of taxes was necessary to carry out different development works in the district.

He defended the tough stance saying it had resulted in 90 per cent recovery of taxes within the past few days.

He argued that the salaries of four Executive Engineers of different departments had been withheld so as to pressure them for recovery of taxes pending against their respective departments.

Mr Ashok Yadav claimed that no foundation stone was removed by the official machinery during the beautification drive and the stone laid by Mr H. D.Shourie was still in its previous place.