Power Cup Cricket Tourney begins
Bhubaneswar : The 9th Power Cup Cricket Tournament organised jointly by OPTCl and GRIDCO, which kicks started at Railway Stadium here on Tuesday. NTPC,Nalco, OHPC and TTPS registred win in their respective matches in the inaugural day. Total 16 teams from different power utilities and power sector companies including Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation are participating in the seven-day-long meet. The tournament schedule will be held at Railway Stadium and IMMT Ground. Department of Energy and I&PR Minister Arun Kumar Sahu unveiled the trophy and declared the tournament open. OPTCl and GRIDCO CMD Hemant Sharma welcomed the team from Jammu and Kashmir and said that slowly the Power Cup Tournament is widening its base by adding teams from outside the State. OPTCl, CESU, NESCO, SOUTHCO, WESCO, HOD, NAlCO, OERC, TTPS, VEDANT, OHPC, OPGC, NTPC, JKPSDC and GRIDCO are the teams would fight for the top honour. SK Rath, Director (HRD), OPTCl welcomed the dignitaries and BP Mohapatra, Director (F), OPTCl gave vote of thanks.
OSAP 4th Battalion lift Police Hockey trophy
Rourkela: OSAP 4th Battalion (Rourkela) lifted the 60th State Police Hockey Champions trophy by defeating OSAP 6th Battalion by 2-0 goals on a fighting final match held at Rourkela OSAP Ground on Tuesday. After the barren first-half, Susil Kujur of Rourkela team scored the first goal in a penalty corner and then after Pramod Ekka scored a field goal. A Khalko and M Toppo of 6th Battalion, A Kullu of 4th Battalion, T Jani of 1st IRB, Koraput and Sajan Tete of Ganjam Police adjudged as man of the final, best scorer, man of the tournament, best defender and best goal keeper respectively. ADG law and Order), Odisha Binayananda Jha gave away the trophies to winning and runners up teams and prizes to individuals as the chief guest of the closing ceremony in presence of IGP (WR), Rourkela RK Sharma, SP, Rourkela AN Sinha, former hockey India players Michale Kindo and Ignes Tirkey.
Natraj check Mumbai from scoring outright win
Bhubaneswar : Forced to follow on, Odisha fought hard to earn a draw against Mumbai as Natraj Behera scored his second century of the match on the fourth and final day of their Group A Ranji Trophy tie at Mumbai on Tuesday. The visitors, who resumed on 115 for two in their second innings, 130 runs behind Mumbai’s first innings total of 501, batted sensibly to deny the hosts an outright win. At stumps on day four, Odisha were 356 for five with Natraj and Sujit lenka (0 not out) on the crease. Natraj, who hit 130 in the first innings, once again showed good application as he rescued his team by scoring an unbeaten 127 off 218 deliveries, laced with 17 fours and three sixes. Starting the day on 20, Natraj survived a drop catch when he was on 61 by Wasim Jaffer off Pravin Tambe bowling. He used it to good effect and helped his team remain unbeaten at the close of play. Natraj also put on a solid 147-run stand with Niranjan Behera for the third wicket before the latter was dismissed in the fifth over after lunch. Niranjan, who too got a reprieve when he was on 28, made a patient 206-ball 59. His knock comprised of nine boundaries, including the one he struck to bring up his half century. Still nine runs short of equalising Mumbai’s total when Niranjan departed, Natraj and captain Biplab Samantray shared a 64-run partnership to take the total to 300. Samantray, who struck two fours and a six during his 68-ball 27, got out with the visitors on 300 for four. Abhilash Mallick played a cameo with a quick-fire 40, which included seven fours and a six. From 352 for five, Natraj and wicketkeeper-batsman lenka kept the rival bowlers at bay for a couple of overs till play was called off after the mandatory overs. The defending champions Mumbai, who were seeking their fourth outright victory, were hurt by their young side’s inept bowling that was complimented by poor fielding. Tambe, who had picked up two wickets yesterday, was unlucky today after two catches were dropped off his bowling. He finished with figures of 33-8-127-2. Javed Khan, Vishal Dabholkar and Siddhesh lad took wicket a piece. Mumbai secured three points from this match for a total of 23 points from six games, but have slipped a place from top of the table. Odisha, meanwhile, have gained a solitary point for their effort.
Brief scores: Mumbai: 501 for nine decl (Wasim Jaffer 143, Hiken Shah 170; Basant Mohanty 3/73, Dhiraj Singh 3/117). Odisha: 256 (Natraj Behera 130, Biplab Samatray 39; Javed Khan 4/53, Shardul Thakur 3/54) & 356 for 5 (Natraj Behera 127 not out, Niranjan Behera 59; Pravin Tambe 2/127).
Natraj creates history by scoring 3 tons in a row
Bhubaneswar : Natraj Behera the first Odisha cricketer smashed three century in three conjunctive innings of the Ranji trophy matches. He was the third Odisha batsman who scored two century in two innings and joined the club along with Siba Sundar Das and Pravanjan Mallick. Consistent Natarj scored 158 runs against Delhi at VSS Stadium in Sambalpur in this ranji season. In the draw match against Mumbai at Mumbai, Natraj Behera scored his second ton, unbeaten 127 runs in the final-day. Earlier in the first innings he contributed 130 runs. Das and Mallick set their records in the home grounds but Behera scripted his record in Mumbai. Behera the promising batsman of the State scored two century against Mumbai. Das created the record (110 and 131) against Punjab at Berahampur Stadium in 1997-98. Mallick once scored two century (113 and 100) in two innings against Delhi in 1998-99 and again he scored (108 and 111) against West Bengal in 1999-2000 both at Cuttack.
State Postal athletic team leave for national meet
Bhubaneswar : A 12-member Odisha Postal athletic team were left on Monday to participate in the All India Postal Athletic Meet schedule to held at Bangalore from December 18 to 20. Swatalina Jali and Padmabati Das is the two women athlete in the State team. Malaya Ranjan Pati (hammer throw), Budhuram Singh (long jump, triple jump), Debananda Puten (400 meter race), Pravat Behera (20 Km walking), Arup lochan Sahu (high jump), Gopinath Mohanty (400 meter), Dilip Kumar Rout (100 and 200 meter), Padmalochan Behera (100 and 200 meter), Satya Narayan lakra (1500 meter), Dipti ranjan Sahu (javelin throw), Swatalina Jali (women, shotput) and Padmabati Das (400 and 800 meter) are the Odisha postal athletic team member.
Ayush bags Katni Chess trophy
Bhubaneswar : Defending champion Ayush emerged champion in the Virendra Tiwari Memorial Katni District Chess Championship on Monday. Ayush scripted five win, two draws and gathered six points by the end of seventh rounds. ShivamAgrawal and Somil Randhelia finished third and fourth respectively. Altogether 60 players were participated in the three-day-long meet. Ayush received the trophy along with cash prize of `1,500. SK Khamparia distributed the prizes as the chief guest of the closing ceremony in presence of Pancham Jain and Gopal Sharma.
CTC winS in Sahani Cup
Bhubaneswar : Surendra Soren and Arjun Nayak of Cuttack scored three goals each and guided the team to beat Puri by huge 10-0 goals in the Senior Men Inter District Football Championship for Sahani Cup at Talcher on Tuesday. Surendra Soren scored in the fifth, eighth and 59th minutes respectively. Similarly, Arjun Nayak netted in the 19th,35th and 54th minutes respective. Gokul Oram joined the party and scored double goals in the 76th and 81st minutes. Somenath Nayak and Sanathan lohar nailed a goal each in the 12th and 24th minutes respectively. In the Pallahada venue Sundargarh District won the match by 7-6 goals against Paradeep Port Trust.
The match ended in draw (2-2) in the regulation time. The goal scorer for Sundargarh was Sankho Marandi two goals at 28th and 82nd mints, and the goal scorer for PPT was Sk Imtiaz Ali and N Mathuramh scored a goal each in the 42nd and 67th minutes respectively and leveled the score. In the penalty tiebreaker Sundargarh won the match by 5-4 goals. The match played between Mayurbhanj and Bargarh ended in goalless draw in the regulation time at Angul. In the kicks from the penalty rule again the match ended in a draw (5-5). In the sudden death Mayurbhanj won the match .Final score was 7-6 in favor of Mayurbhanj.