Farina zooms into semis

THE Hitavada’s Farina Salim made it into the semi-finals of the sixth edition of badminton tournament for media employees. The meet, which got under way on Friday at Subhedar hall, is being organised by Sports Journalists’ Association of Nagpur (SJAN) in co-operation with the Post Graduate Teaching Department of Physical Education, RTM Nagpur University.
Farina edged past companion Yemon Ganguly 30-25 in the second round match to become the first shuttler from the women’s section to enter the semi-finals.
In men’s second round, The Hitavada’s Anupam Soni and Hitesh Limbachia posted contrasting wins to advance into the third round. While Soni put up a brilliant show to breeze past Lokmat’s Amit Khodke 30-19, Limbachia was made to sweat hard by Pawan Dhande of Lokmat 30-29.
Lokmat’s Ashish Jain and Vilas Tijare also won their respective second round matches. Jain drubbed Loksatta’s Piyush Patil 30-7 whereas Tijare defeated Hitavada’s Nikhil Dixit 30-12.
Earlier, the meet was inaugurated at the hands of Girish Pandav, President, Radhikatai Pandav Charitable Trust. Dr Yashwant Patil, Co-ordinator, Post Graduate Teaching Department, Rajesh Kochar, Director, Gurunanak College of Engineering, Dr Ram Thakur, President, SJAN, and SSK Naidu, chief referee also graced the function.
SJAN vice-president Naresh Shelke conducted the proceedings and treasurer Anupam Soni proposed a vote of thanks.
Results: Men’s singles (Round 1): Hitesh Limbachia (The Hitavada) bt Roshan Tamboli (Tarun Bharat) 30-15, Abhishek Kulkarni (Tarun Bharat) bt Prashant Chahande (Sakal) 30-28, Manoj Mule (Sakal) bt Uday Dindolkar (Loksatta) 30-19, Pawan Dhande (Lokmat) bt Pawan Godbole (Tarun Bharat) 30-5, Ashish Jain (Lokmat) bt Wasim Qureshi (Dainik Bhaskar) 30-12, Anupam Soni (The Hitavada) bt Manoj Joshi (Loksatta) 30-19, Nikhil Dixit (The Hitavada) bt Dvendra Sadavarti (Punyanagari) 30-21, Amit Sampat (Lokmat Times) bt Ankit Ghutke (The Hitavada) 30-26, Amit Khodke (Lokmat) bt Vikram Harkare (Loksatta) 30-24, Naresh Shelke (Sakal) bt Raj Sharma (Tarun Bharat) 30-11. Round 2: Ashish Jain bt Piyush Patil (Loksatta) 30-7, Vilas Tijare (Lokmat) bt Nikhil Dixit 30-12, Hitesh Limbachia bt Pawan Dhande 30-29, Anupam Soni bt Amit Khodke 30-19, Manoj Muley bt Amit Sampat 30-17. Women singles: (Round 2): Farina Salim (The Hitavada) bt Yemon Ganguly (The Hitavada) 30-25. Team championship (Round 1): Tarun Bharat ‘A’ bt Lokmat ‘B’ 3-1 (Vikas Barokar bt Rupesh Chakraborty 30-16, Abhishek Kulkarni lost to Javed Siddiqui 16-25, Vikas Barokar-Abhishek Kulkarni bt Satish Pandit-Rupesh Chakraborty 30-25, Vikas Barokar bt Satish Pandit 30-20.

(Report: The Hitavada)

Girish Pandav (L), President, Radhikatai Pandav Charitable Trust plays a shot to inaugurate badminton tournament for mediapersons at Subhedar hall. Also seen is Yashwant Patil, Co-ordinator, Post Graduate Teaching Department. (Pic: The Hitavada)

Farina Salim of The Hitavada during her second round match of the badminton meet for mediapersons at Subhedar Hall. (Pic The Hitavada)

Yemon Ganguly-Shukla of The Hitavada plays a shot during her match. (Pic The Hitavada)

Badminton for mediapersons begins today

THE sixth edition of badminton tournament for media employees will get under way on Friday at Subhedar Hall. Sports Journalists’ Association of Nagpur (SJAN) in co-operation with the Post Graduate Teaching Department of Physical Education, RTM Nagpur University are hosting the tournament.
The three-day event will be inaugurated by Girish Pandav, President, Radhikatai Pandav Charitable Trust, the main sponsor of the tournament, at 8.30 am. Navneet Singh Tuli, Director, Gurunanak College of Engineering will be the guest of honour. Dhananjay Welukar, Director, Physical Education, RTM Nagpur University and Yeshwant Patil, Co-ordinator, Post Graduate Teaching Department will share the dais.
The meet will feature men’s singles, women’s singles and team championship, which is being introduced for the first time in SJAN tourney.
The team comprising minimum four and maximum six players will have to play best of five matches in each round. Team winning three matches first will be declared winners (3-0, 3-1 or 3-2).
Every team will have to give the names of the players for first two singles prior to the match. Names for doubles and remaining two singles could be decided later by the team. Action starts immediately after the inauguration function.
Report: The Hitavada

Loksatta’s Sant gets top billing

6TH BADMINTON MEET FOR MEDIAPERSONS

DEFENDING champion Vijay Sant of Loksatta got top seeding in the men’s singles followed by Lokmat’s Aashish Jain for the sixth edition of badminton tournament for media employees which commences at Subhedar Hall from Friday.
The meet is being organised by Sports Journalists’ Association of Nagpur (SJAN) in co-operation with the Post Graduate Teaching Department of Physical Education, RTM Nagpur University.
Radhikati Pandav Charitable Trust is the main sponsor of the event while Gurunank Engineering College is the co-sponsor.
The meet will feature men’s singles, team championship and women’s singles. Winners and runners-up will get cash prizes alongwith attractive trophies.
For the first time in this inter-press annual event there will be a team championship.

SEEDINGS: Men’s Singles—1. Vijay Sant (Loksatta), 2. Aashish Jain (Lokmat), 3. Vilas Tijare (Lokmat), 4. Naresh Shelke (Sakal), 5. Jaideep Hardikar (DNA), 6. Hitesh Limbachia (The Hitavada), 7. Anupam Soni (The Hitavada), 8. Manoj Muley (Sakal).
Teams—1. Loksatta, 2. Lokmat ‘A’, 3. The Hitavada ‘A’, 4. Sakal.
(Report: The Hitavada

Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar (L) signs autograph on SJAN's souvenir during the first day of the India-South Africa first Test at VCA's Jamtha Stadium as SJAN treasurer Anupam Soni (R) looks on. Also seen is Debashish Datta (C), Sports Editor of Bengali daily Aaj Kal.

Former India captain Ravi Shastri signs autograph on SJAN's souvenir during the first day of the India-South Africa first Test at VCA's Jamtha Stadium.

PHOTO GALLERY

ALL PICS THE HITAVADA

FINAL SCOREBOARD

The Hitavada clinch title

Winners The Hitavada team

Defending champs lift inter-press cup for ninth time, beat Lokmat by 25 runs; Lokhande adjudged man of the series

The scenes at Dr Ambedkar College ground on Thursday were enthralling to say the least. Amidst the cheers and huge crowd support, a team—deficient of colts but bejeweled with old guards—was rejoicing like pre-schoolers.

All the body aches, all the sweat, all the twinges seemed to have vanished once the glorious moment came.

The Hitavada—for the ninth time, for the second year in succession—lifted the 12th Orange City Hospital Cup Inter-Press Invitational Twenty20 title shrugging off Lokmat’s stiff challenge by 25 runs.The pressure of the final was telling. It did see-saw for some time, both teams had their moments from where they could embrace victory.

But The Hitavada’s experience of 11 finals, as expected, came handy. It was a case of ‘been there, done that’ for the seasoned campaigners, who preferred to keep things simple, despite having a few bad moments in the field.Having won most of the matches defending, The Hitavada, once again, opted to bat after winning the toss. It was Lokmat who had the first laugh seeing the back of The Hitavada’s Kamlesh Waghire (4; 3b, 1x4) as the in-form opener slashed one straight to Nitin Patariya at gully.

The Hitavada’s highest run-getter of the tourney Praveen Lokhande (92; 55b, 11x4, 3x6) and wicket-keeper opener Paritosh Pramanik (24; 31b, 2x4) then steadied the ship.Lokhande was in his usual brutal mood while Pramanik chose to play second fiddle to his ferocious partner.

The strategy worked as both compiled a century partnership (109 runs off 78 balls) before Pramanik got out. Lokhande carried on his breath-taking show toiling with the bowlers and making the Lokmat fielders fetch the leather. Vivek Vyawahare finally got Lokhande, but the damage was already done with the swashbuckler’s majestic 92-run innings. Nikhil Dixit chipped in with 13 (16b, 1x4) towards the end as The Hitavada amassed 161 for 7 in 20 overs. Vyawahare (4-32) was the pick of the Lokmat bowlers while Amit Khodke, Pawan Dhande and Patariya picked up a wicket each.

Lokmat’s in-form opening pair of Khodke (55; 41b, 6x4) and Patariya (33; 22b, 5x4) fired again as Lokmat raced to 61 in just 6 overs. The Hitavada’s fielding too did not help them with many fielders fumbling under pressure and dropping some skiers. Waghire, finally held on to one at long off as medium-pacer Avinash Kahu drew the first blood sending Patariya back.Lokmat’s hope rested heavily on Khodke who in the meantime raced to his half-ton.

The Hitavada’s last match hero Rammurti Nerlay along with offie Anupam Timothy kept things tight as the defending champs crawled their way back into the game. The increasing run-rate forced Aatish Wankhede to play aggressively which cost him his wicket.

Lokmat slumped further with Rahul Dixit’s swift work getting Dhande run-out and once Nerlay found Khodke’s timber, it was just the matter of time before The Hitavada lifted their title.For his outstanding performance with the willow, Lokhande was adjudged man of the final and man of the series. The best batsman’s award went to Lokmat’s Nitin Patariya while Nerlay claimed the best bowler’s title. Times of India’s Rupesh Bhaik got best fielder’s award.

Director of Orange City Hospital and Research Institute, Dr Anup Marar presided over the prize distribution function while Chairman, KSL & Industries Saurabh Tayal; Vice-President KSL & Industries, Mohammad Junaid, Deepak Agencies’ Deepak Lalwani and Tilak Patrakar Bhavan Trust Secretary, Shirish Borkar were prominently present on the occasion.Sports Journalists’ Association of Nagpur’s (SJAN) joint secretary Kishor Bagde conducted the proceedings along with vice-president Naresh Shelke. President Dr Ram Thakur made the introductory remarks while Aditi Deodhar proposed a vote of thanks.

Runners-up Lokmat team

Report: The Hitavada

Pics: The Hitavada

The Hitavada celebrates its 9th title win

All pics Anil Futane/The Hitavada