SPORTS

Academy trounce Delhi Sports
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 21
Academy Club rallied to defeat Delhi Sports 4-1 in the first Super League match of the PNB Delhi Hockey League for Clubs at the Shivaji Stadium on Sunday. The teams shared two goals at half time.

Delhi Sports took the lead in the fourth minute through Hitender. Sonu equalised for Academy. Both the goals materialised within the first nine minutes of the match. On resumption, Shish Ram put Academy in the lead while Haridas scored the third and fourth goals.

Rajput Club beat Azad Club 5-1 in the second match, after leading by 2-0 at half time. Kuldeep scored the first and third goals, Kulveer accounted for the second goal and Daljeet and Rajesh knocked in the fourth and fifth goals, respectively. Sunil pulled off the consolation goal for Azad Club.

In the third match, Khalsa Blues beat Chota Nagpur Blues 9-0, after leading by 4-0 at half time. Amarjeet, Sandeep, Joginder, Vijay, Vikas, Jaspreet Jr. and Jaspreet Sr (hattrick) were the marksmen.

PNB Hockey Academy drew with Stance Club 4-4. PNB Academy, who led by 3-1 at half time, conceded the advantage, on resumption to share points. Anil Kumar, Rajinder, Parminder and Prabhakar were the scorers for PNB Academy. Bijender, Manoj, Sunil and Raj Kumar scored for Stance Club.

The next matches of the Super League will be played on October 1.

Air Force sail into soccer final
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 21
Indian Air Force, New Delhi, defeated Indian National 4-3 via tie-breaker, after locking goalless during the regulation time, in the second leg of the first semi-final of the Delhi Soccer Association Senior Division Football League Championship at the Ambedkar Stadium on Sunday. Air Force were helped by the two fine saves effected by substitute custodian Aurobindo Bandhopadhyaya.

Air Force will take on in the final the winners of the second semi-final match between Tarun Sangha and Shahdara.

Air Force and Indian National, after playing a sluggish match in the first leg, were in an aggressive mood in the second leg on Sunday but all their moves fizzled out in the goal mouth as their strikers Kalyan Pal, L B Victory and L Danny wasted many good scoring chances.

Hard-working mid-fielders Manjit and Amit Sharma fashioned many a goal-bearing move for National, but strikers Deepak Kumar and Bhupender Rawat failed to get past rival keeper Anil Kumar. In the tie-breaker, Jaynto Das, Sona Ram Champia, Kalyan Pal and Aurobindo Bandopdhyaya scored for Air Force while Sachin, Manjit and Sanjay converted the spot kicks for National. Aurobindo saved the shots of Pradeep and Deepak.

Monday’s fixtures: Tarun Sangha vs Shahdara (3.30 pm)— Ambedkar Stadium.

MP donates Rs 1 lakh to Sumit Soni
Shiv Sharma

Bhiwani, September 21
The Haryana government has taken several steps to promote sportsmanship in domestic as well as international level. This was stated by the Member of Parliament Ajay Singh Chautala at a function, while felicitating a mentally challenged sportsman Sumit Soni of Bhiwani at a function held at local Singhania Bhawan on Saturday.

Talented Sumit Soni had grabbed 2 gold and 1 silver medals in the Special Olympic Sports of 166 countries, which concluded recently at Darbun town of Ireland. He won gold medals in long jump and 400m relay race and silver medal in shotput. He said that under the sports policy of the state government, Rs 1 crore had been announced for gold medal, Rs 50 lakh for silver and Rs 25 lakh for winning bronze medal.

Admiring Soni’s performance, he announced to give Rs 1 lakh to Sumit Soni from Haryana Olympic Association and assured that he would put the matter of Soni before Chief Minister to get him more encouragement.

Felicitating Soni, the general secretary of Bhiwani Nagrik Sabha, which organised the programme, Mr Narottam Bagri said that sports had been boosted during the present government. Complimenting Sumit, he said that he had brought the name of Bhiwani on the international map. Earlier, Kabaddi player Ram Mehar had done the same for Bhiwani.

The ex-chairman of INFED, Mr Shri Bhagwan Vashisth, complimented Sumit on behalf of the town and said that following new sports policy sportsmenship had emerged in the state. He said that Mr Chautala had boosted up the moral of sportsman by announcing financial encouragement. He said that the government had earlier given Rs 25 lakh to Karnam Malleshwari for winning bronze medal.

Ankur hits ton for Gyan Bharti
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 21
A fine century by Ankur Garg helped Gyan Bharti School, Saket beat Rai Public School by 154 runs in the Parle Cup Delhi Inter-School Cricket Tournament for Under-17 at the Ramjas Sports Complex ground.

Electing to bat, Gyan Bharti scored 232 for 2 in 25 overs

Scores: Gyan Bharti: 232 for 2 in 25 overs (Ankur Julka 114, Prateek Pawar 57). Rai Public School: 78 all out in 22.5 overs (Umar Khalid 11, Chetan 2 for 6, Rohit Pawar 2 for 6, Abhilash 2 for 11).

Nikhilesh stars in Cambridge Foundation victory
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 21
A devastating bowling performance by Nikhilesh Bhardwaj, who claimed four wickets for 12 runs, helped Cambridge Foundation School defeat Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan by 144 runs in the Radha Kishan Memorial Cricket Tournament at the Cambridge Foundation School ground.

Scores: Cambridge Foundation: 194 for 9 in 30 overs (Saurab Sehgal 46, 5x4, 1x6; Jitesh Khanna 34, 3x4; Neeraj Sharma 3 for 32, Avinash Sharma 3 for 38, Sumit Aggarwal 2 for 26). Army Public School: 40 all out in 16.5 overs (Nikhilesh Bhardwaj 4 for 12).

In the second match, Ravindra Public School defeated Gyan Bharati Public School by 79 runs.

Scores: Ravindra School, Pitam Pura: 228 for 7 in 30 overs (Anuj Jain 77, 11x4, 2x6; Pankaj Sethi 47, 8x4; Sandeep Karki 35; Bhanu Sahai 2 for 40, Kaushal Sthapak 2 for 26).

Gyan Bharati: 149 all out in 29.5 overs (Prateek Pawar 29, Chetan Logami 25, Harish Kumar 3 for 38, Ranchal Choudhry 2 for 28).

Nehru Hockey begins with junior girls tourney
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, September 21
Winter months are those when hockey activity hits the peak in the Capital, and the show begins with the Nehru Hockey Tournament. The Nehru Hockey Tournament calendar is as usual packed with nearly two months of action, starting with the 10th Junior Girls Tournament for Under-17, to be held from October 11 to 18 at the Shivaji Stadium.

The girls tournament will be followed by the 32nd Junior Boys (Under-17) Tournament, which will be held from October 18 to November 1. The 21st Sub-Junior Boys Under-15 Tournament will be held from November 1 to 13, and this will be followed by the show piece of them all—the 400th Jawaharlal Nehru Hockey Tournament from November 14 to 25.

And then, after a break of about two months, the 11th Champion Colleges Tournament will be held from February 11 to 20. In between, the Shivaji Stadium will also play host to a couple of other tournaments, including the Shastri Hockey Tournament. Presently, the weekend witnesses matches in the Delhi Hockey League.

National Skating

The 23rd Super National Skating Championship will be held from October 2 to 5 at the J D Tytler and Manav Sthali Schools. Entries close with the Indian Roller Skating School, Manav Sthali School, on September 25.