The Hindu : Sport : Namdhari XI makes an impressive debut

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Wednesday, Dec 20, 2006
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Namdhari XI makes an impressive debut

Hockey Correspondent

MIDFIELD ACTION: Namdhari XI's Balwinder Singh (left) and Air-India's Jasbir Singh fight for possession. _ PHOTO: V. GANESAN

Chennai: With the hockey on view not going beyond the confines of mediocrity, the interesting exercise in the Madras Cricket Club-Murugappa Gold Cup on Tuesday was identifying the quarterfinalists.

While Namdhari XI made an impressive debut prevailing over the more fancied Air India by the odd goal in three to come within the threshold of a berth in the last eight in Pool C, Indian Airlines collared the defending champion, the Army XI, 4-2 in Pool D, thanks to two impeccable penalty corner goals by Dilip Tirkey, followed by Brojen Singh and Samir Dad.

Progressively, the Army gained the upper-hand thanks to the tireless efforts put in by Mahadik from the mid-field and by Elizar Lakra and Anil Ekka in the attack. The pressure suggested a goal was imminent, and it came when Anil Ekka made good off a rebound from goal-keeper Adrian D'Souza.

Equaliser

Airlines came up with the equaliser when Dilip Tirkey hit in a penalty corner shortly after the break and hoisted the lead midway through. His second triggered a wave of Airlines raids and contributed to the team winning by a very comfortable margin.

Unperturbed by the reverse midway in the first half when Len Aiyappa pumped in a penalty corner, the Namdharis rallied well to run away with full points in Pool C. With three points and a match remaining tomorrow against Railways, the Namdharis are well placed for a berth unless they lose by a big margin tomorrow. That result will decide who among the two, Air India or Railways will make the grade.

Air India finished its programme with one point in two matches while Railways has a solitary point. Air India's goal difference is minus one while that of Railways is zero.

With Bruno Lugan as an able ally, and prompted well from the mid-field by Gaurav Lokhi, the Air India attack was pleasing and threatening. But the Namdhari defence, save for conceding a penalty corner and goal for Len Aiyappa's drag flick, stood firm. A thundering shot from the top of the circle by Balwinder Singh produced a deserving equaliser.

The second half was tantalising with ball moving from end to end. The outcome was a guessing game. There were hints of tempers rising and a walk out in the offing. The Air India players remonstrated against a penalty corner award by Muhammad Muneer. The tantrums however only succeeded in the players losing their concentration and conceding the match winner to Gurpreet Singh.

The results: Pool C: Namdhari XI 2 (Balwinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh) bt Air India 1 (Len Aiyappa). Man of the match: Gurpreet Singh; Pool D: Indian Airlines 4 (Dilip Tirkey 2, Brojen Singh, Samir Dad) bt Army XI 2 (Chittaranjan Singh, Ajit Kumar Mahji). MOM-Dilip Tirkey.

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