CISF lets Karnataka off the hook

By Avinash Nair

BANGALORE, NOV. 28. Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) would sure rue its missed chances.

Having had Karnataka back-pedalling for major part of the second session, played under lights, CISF could slot home only once more and Karnataka trooped off with a sigh and a point in its kitty, with a 2-2 draw in the cluster `B' match of the 60th Senior National Hockey championship for the Rangaswamy Cup at the KSHA Stadium here on Tuesday.

Earlier, Punjab & Sind Bank (PSB) showed its potential in true merit walloping Pondicherry 10-0.

Karnataka made the blunder that it did on Monday. Playing a sloppy combination to start with, it fumbled repeatedly upfront despite making deep inroads. Jude Felix came more into his own self today and the result was a series of sorties from both the flanks. But then neither Anup Anthony on the right nor K.M. Somaiah, who got the host's first goal, did have it in them to strike home.

CISF took time to settle down and by then Karnataka should have been three goals up. From the hit off, Shanmugham scooped deep and Anup on the run essayed a shot which was parried by CISF custodian Rajiuddin. Soon after a Kavin centre to Laxman Rao saw the later failing to connect well. With Laxman too unable to trap well at times, CISF managed to shrug aside Karnataka's early shackles and come onto its own.

Cyril Ekka was not at his best, but nevertheless after brilliantly combining with Mangra Munda, put it in platter for Parteek Kumar to apply the finishing touches.

It was a jolt that Karnataka came out of almost immediately. K.M Somaiah, put through by Jude, weaved to his right and pushed home past a hapless Rajiuddin. But it was Jude Felix who caught Rajiuddin hopelessly out of position with a crisp shot off a quick counter and using Prakash Chalke as the wall, in the 27th minute to put Karnataka 2-1 up.

Minutes earlier, there was a drama of sorts with CISF staging a walk-out after umpire Jayakumar of Kerala awarded Karnataka its fourth penalty-corner. A decision that was indeed questionable, saw CISF's Irfan AHmed and captain Parvez hassan arguing vehemently before walking off. The umpire failed to ascertain his authority, and it was the interferance of the table officials that coaxed the Securitymen to take the field again. But thereafter Jayakumar failed to even whistle for glaring infringements.

The second half saw Karnataka prone to injuries - losing Ronald Kiran and Laxman Rao. And with the defence flagging and the forwardline having to do too much, it was only matter of time before CISF struck. And strike it did with Cyril Ekka sweeping onto the boards. Subbaiah was twice more beaten by the sheer deftness of the strike but to his and Karnataka's relief saw the ball whizzing past by the narrowest of margins.

In the other match, PSB broke Pondicherry's resolve within the first 15 minutes by going 3-0 up. With Pondicherry lads even unable to effect a decent push from the couple of penalty corners that it earned, it was PSB all the way with its handful of Olympians swamping all over the rival defence.

The tall and sturdy Sharanjit Singh began the scoring with a rasping drive in the very first minute off a penalty corner, and thereafter Tejbir SIngh Lucky (2), Baljit Singh Chandi (3), Parminder Singh, Baljit Singh Saini, Ajit Pal Singh and Kanwal P Singh added to the tally.

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