JKHA's efforts to make National a success

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, NOV. 30. In a bid to make the 60th National championship a success, the Jammu and Kashmir Hockey Association (JKHA) has drawn up a budget of Rs. 65 lakhs.

The JKHA has already met the expenses of the preliminary league matches, though they have been distributed over seven centres - Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Mumbai, Imphal, Rampur and Jammu, with Jammu hosting two groups.

Units conducting the competition with six teams have been given Rs. 2.5 lakhs, and those with five teams Rs two lakhs.

``Actually we were planning to hold all the matches in Jammu. But it was decided to have zonal competition in order to give every team a chance to play on astro-turf, instead of some having to play on grass. Initially, the zonal units were expected to meet the expenses, but since time was short, we chose to foot the bill,'' said the President of JKHA, Mr. Narinder Batra, at a press conference here on Wednesday evening.

The top two teams from each of the eight groups will make it to the super league, and they will be divided into four groups, for the final stage to be hosted by Jammu from December 8 to 16.

The semifinals are scheduled for December 15 after a day of rest on December 14, following the super league matches, while the final and the third-place matches will be played on December 16.

It was announced that the Jammu & Kashmir Government had sanctioned a grant of Rs 10 lakhs, while the Jammu and Kashmir Bank Limited, Punjab and Sind Bank and Bharat Hotels Limited had come forward with sponsorship. The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) was dealing with Doordarshan for television rights, and no money from that quarter was expected to meet the expenses of the tournament.

The super league pools: Pool A: Winners A and C, runners-up B and D; Pool B: Winners B and D, runners-up A and C; Pool C: Winners F and G, runners-up E and H; Pool D: Winners E and H, runners-up F and G.

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