Date:28/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/28/stories/2008112852891800.htm

Sport - Table Tennis

Grand double for West Bengal

Principal Correspondent

VIJAYAWADA: West Bengal completed a grand double by winning the cadet boys and sub-junior girls’ titles in the 70th sub-junior inter-State table tennis championship at the DRRMC Indoor Stadium, here on Thursday.

Kerala won its maiden National team title defeating host Andhra Pradesh 3-1 in the cadet girls’ final, while North Bengal took the sub-junior boys honours blanking West Bengal 3-0.

In the cadet girls’ final, Kerala’s Maria Rony exhibited fine temperament by winning all three matches and her first reverse singles matches against Andhra Pradesh’s K. Spoorthy had all the frills and thrills of a final.

With two-games all, it was anybody’s match. Spoorthy, who started to shed tears whenever she lost a point, lost her rhythm in the fifth game and later on the match.

West Bengal’s Subhendu Shaw won three matches and ensured a 3-1 win over North Bengal in the cadet boys final.

The sub-junior girls’ final was a see-saw affair with fortunes fluctuating between Maharashtra ‘A’ and West Bengal.

Playing the decisive second reverse single, West Bengal’s Sutirtha Mukherjee outmanoeuvred Senora 11-7, 11-8, 12-10 to help her team defeat Maharashtra ‘A’ 3-2.

The results: Cadet boys: West Bengal bt North Bengal 3-1 (Anirban Ghosh lost to Subhankar Sarkar 11-7, 7-11, 10-12, 9-11; S. Shaw bt M. Bhodra 9-11, 13-11, 7-11, 11-7, 11-5; S. Shaw & A. Ghosh bt S. Sarkar & M. Bhodra 8-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-7; S. Shaw bt S. Sarkar 11-8, 11-8, 11-6). Semifinals: North Bengal bt U.P. 3-0; West Bengal bt Delhi 3-1. Quarterfinals: WB bt AP 3-0; NB bt Uttrakhand 3-0; U.P. bt Orissa 3-2; Delhi bt Maharashtra ‘A’ 3-1.

Cadet girls: Final: Kerala bt Andhra Pradesh 3-1 (Maria Rony bt Akshi 11-13, 21-19, 11-7, 11-7; Seraha Jacob lost to K. Spoorthy 5-11, 7-11, 9-11; Maria Rony & Seraha bt K. Spoorthy & Akshi 11-2, 11-8, 11-8; Maria Rony bt K. Spoorthy 7-11, 7-11, 13-11, 11-8, 11-5). Semifinals: Kerala bt Maharashtra ‘B’ 3-1; AP bt Maharashtra ‘A’ 3-2. Quarterfinals: AP bt Assam 3-0; Kerala bt WB 3-0; Maharashtra ‘A’ bt Punjab 3-0; Maharashtra ‘B’ bt NB 3-2.

Sub junior boys: Final: North Bengal bt West Bengal 3-0 (S. Basak bt S. Dey 11-13, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7; Rajib Sarkar bt S. Pal 6-11, 11-5, 11-9, 11-5; Rajib & Subham bt Dey & Pal 11-8, 11-8, 11-6). Semifinals: North Bengal bt Maharashtra ‘A’ 3-1; West Bengal ‘B’ bt PSPBA 3-1. Quarterfinals: NB bt Rajasthan 3-0; Maharashtra ‘A’ bt TN 3-0; WB bt Delhi 3-0; PSPBA bt Karnataka 3-2.

Sub junior girls: Final: West Bengal bt Maharashtra ‘A’ 3-2 (Sutirtha lost to Mallika 9-11, 11-7, 3-11, 8-11; C. Sil bt Senora 11-8, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7; Sutirtha & Sil bt Mallika & Senora 11-7, 11-4, 11-5; S. Sil lost to Mallika 10-12, 5-11, 6-11; Sutirtha bt Senora 11-7, 11-8, 12-10. Semifinals: Maharashtra ‘A’ bt Rajasthan 3-1; WB bt NB 3-2. Quarterfinals: Maharashtra ‘A’ bt Gujarat 3-1; Rajasthan bt AP 3-1; West Bengal bt TN 3-0; NB bt Delhi 3-2.