Date:23/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/23/stories/2008032355821600.htm

Sport - Sports : General

IOB keeps crown

Tirunelveli: Indian Overseas Bank (Chennai) retained the TNEB Trophy, edging past Indian Bank (Chennai) 8-7 via sudden death in an exciting final in the seventh annual State-level hockey tournament at Palayamkottai on Saturday.

At half-time, the teams were 1-1. After the end of regulation time the teams were level 3-3. In the tie-breaker, both teams scored four goals each.

Indian Bank took the lead in the 12th minute through Philip Martin, who scored after dribbling past two defenders. But IOB equalised with Gopi scoring in the 20th minute off a penalty corner. IOB gained lead in the 38th minute when Muthuselvam converted a penalty corner.

However, Indian Bank drew level in the 50th minute when Ashwin scored off a penalty corner and regained the lead with a 66th minute goal by James, who deflected an Ashwin pass. But IOB made it par in the very next minute as Saravanan sounded the boards off a cross from the right.

In the tie-breaker, Muthukumaran, Senthil, Felix and Muthuselvam scored for IOB. For Indian Bank, Ashwin, Rens Anandaraj, Raja and Alfred Aseer converted.

In the sudden death, Felix scored for IOB while Indian Bank’s Ashwin missed the chance.

Mahendrakumar shines

P.T. Mahendrakumar’s five for nine helped RVS College of Engineering defeat Gandhigram Rural Institute by 68 runs in the Dindigul district inter-collegiate cricket league at Dindigul on Saturday.

The scores:

RVS CoE 132 for five in 20 overs bt GRI 64 for nine in 20 overs (P.T. Mahendrakumar five for nine).

GTN Arts 147 for four in 20 overs (N. Murugesan 78, Rajesh Kumar 40) bt C. Subramanya Engg., Palani 65 in 13 overs (M. Vinodh four for 18).