Date:08/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/08/stories/2006020813092200.htm

Sport - Sports : General

South India teams likely to dominate

KOLLAM: The teams from South India are expected to dominate the proceedings in the 51st Senior National Ball Badminton championships, which gets underway at the Quilon Athletic Club here on Wednesday.

But the two institutional teams in fray - Railways and Major Ports - are the dark horses of the tournament and are expected to stretch the favourites in the four-day tournament that returns to Kollam after a gap of 15 years.

Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Railways are the big guns in the men's section. Kerala men, who finished as runner-up last year, will be hard pressed to repeat that performance especially since the host has lost a few key players to other sides this year.

Though Kerala, as the defending champion, starts as the favourite in the women's section, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Railways are no pushovers and are capable of upsets.

Overall 27 teams are expected to take part in the men's section and 24 teams in the women's section. The tournament will be played on a league-cum-knock out basis. The Kerala Sports Minister Dominic Presentation will inaugurate the championships.