Date:07/01/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/01/07/stories/2006010708692000.htm

Sport - Badminton

No stopping the PSPB teams

Kalyan Ashok

BANGALORE: The team PSPB did it again, winning both the men's and women's titles of the 61st senior National inter-state championship at the KBA courts here.

In the men's title contest, Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) blanked Kerala 3-0. Both the singles proved lopsided contests as the former National champion Abhinn Shyam Gupta beat Antony K. Jacob 15-1, 15-2. Anup Sridhar, the National champion, did not sweat much in ousting Joy T. Antony 15-5, 15-4.

It was an easy outing for Abhinn, who played steadily from the back court and kept constant pressure on his younger rival with some superb placements. In both the games, Abhinn took first seven points at a canter to seal the issue comfortably for the PSPB.

Taking the court next, Anup, with his half smashes, set a torrid pace for Joy. In the process, Anup did make a few unforced errors, allowing Joy to grab some bonus points and cut the deficit to 5-10. But Anup made no further allowances as he took the next five points to close the game at 15-5.

In the second, Joy seemed to be in striking distance at 4-9, but Anup stopped him dead in his tracks at that stage and reeled off winners at will to close the game and match at 15-4.

Tough fight

In the doubles, Sanave Thomas and Jaison Xavier gave a tough fight for the PSPB pair of V. Diju and Rupesh Kumar. They took the first game at 15-12. But Diju and Rupesh rallied brilliantlyto take the second game at 15-4. In the decider, PSPB surged to a 13-4 lead and wrapped it up at 15-9.

Aparna Popat, the National champion, put PSPB on the road to victory as she smashed her way past an erratic Neha Makwana of Railways at 11-2, 11-3 in under 25 minutes. Later, Jwala Gutta and Shruti Kurien completed the formalities pounding the Railway pair of Dhanya Nair and Barnali Raha into submission at 15-1, 15-3.

Dr. Joseph, Chairman of the Garden City College, gave away the prizes.

The results (finals): Rahimtoola Cup (men): PSPB beat Kerala 3-0 (Abhinn Shyam Gupta bt Antony K. Jacob 15-1, 15-2; Anup Sridhar bt Joy T. Antony 15-5, 15-4; Rupesh Kumar & V. Diju bt Sanave Thomas & Jaison Xavier 12-15, 15-4, 15-9).

Chadha Cup (women): PSPB beat Railways 2-0 (Aparna Popat bt Neha Makwana 11-2, 11-3; Jwala Gutta & Shruti Kurien bt Dhanya Nair & Barnali Raha 15-1, 15-3).