Hyderabad Sports | Stadiums

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Saina in the fast lane

“The best is yet to come from you. I am sure that you, along with the other 2012 London Olympic medallists, will bring many more smiles across the country and keep the tri-colour flying in the days to come,” remarked batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar. At a function to present a BMW car to London Olympics bronze medallist Saina Nehwal on Sunday, he said: There are many who play much better in practice sessions. But, only champions come up with special performances in major events. This is what makes Saina special. “I feel you are happy but not satisfied. The beauty of a champion is not to get carried away by success. Even after winning the Olympic medal you are very modest,” he remarked.

Sachin also congratulated all the Olympic medallists. “I am sure that somewhere in India they will be hearing my voice. I congratulate them from the bottom of my heart,” he said. Saina said that she felt honoured to be in the presence of Sachin. “I am really nervous and can’t speak much. For, the ‘God of Cricket’ is here. This is a great inspiration for me,” she said.

Former Andhra Ranji captain V. Chamundeswaranath and his friends were also instrumental in presenting a Hyundai car to Pullela Gopi Chand and a Maruti Swift car to Asian under-19 badminton champion P. V. Sindhu. “The Olympic medal means a lot of dedication, hard work and vision. I should congratulate Saina’s father (Dr. Harvir Singh) who keeps sending me congratulatory messages every time I do well. This is a terrific achievement by her and you are greatly responsible for this along with Gopi,” Sachin said.

“Your presence means a lot to us,” Gopi said as he thanked everyone who supported his dream.

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Sportspersons game for govt’s land offer

HYDERABAD: With sports personalities making a beeline for land, the Rangareddy district administration has started scouting for land in surrounding areas, especially hotspots like Rajendranagar, Maheshwaram and Serilingampally. Some sportspersons have specified the purpose for which they need land, while others have not.

Sources said there was hardly any government land available in the surrounding areas of the city. Even if land is available, it's either been caught in legal wrangles or already allotted to institutions. To encourage sports in the state, the state government had a few years ago decided to allot five acres of land to sportspersons at a nominal price either for setting up an academy or for constructing houses. Sources said about half-a-dozen such requests for land were pending with the Rangareddy district administration. Two more sportspersons have enquired about the procedure to be followed to avail of government land.

Source

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Right spin to Hyderabad pitch

Hyderabad, Aug. 22 -- The last time New Zealand played in Hyderabad, in 2010, Brendon McCullum hit a rocking double century and Harbhajan Singh called the pitch 'a highway'. The match ended in a tame draw.
So, YL Chandrasekar, curator at the Rajiv Gandhi stadium, was naturally wary when the media approached him on Tuesday to check on how the wicket for the first Test will behave.
"You guys will put me in trouble. I can only tell this much," he said.
However, he predicted that the pitch would help spinners.
"We have added red soil to the usual black soil to help give the wicket some turn," he said.
"It should start turning after the second day." According to pitch experts, black soil binds strongly while red soil disintegrates quickly, which helps spin.
"What it (the addition of red soil) promises is good bounce and it cracks pretty early," added Chandrasekhar.
Suresh Raina bowled in the nets for a long time and presumably, MS Dhoni saw something in the wicket to allow his batsman, trying to make a Test comeback, to bowl at length.

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Laxman drops Dhoni from party

Hyderabad, Aug. 22 -- The gloves are off. The differences between Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni and VVS Laxman came out in the open on Tuesday night when the latter hosted a dinner for some senior members of the team at his Banjara Hills residence in Hyderabad. Dhoni was not on the guest list. Laxman, who called it a day recently, had invited Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan.
Asked during a pre-match conference the next day if he had received an invitation, a visibly jolted Dhoni replied with a sharp 'no'.
Friction between the two was evident when Laxman said during his retirement press conference that Dhoni was difficult to reach, a charge that the skipper admits he is guilty of. "People who know me know that I am hard to get a hold of. I am trying to improve, but it seems I have not really improved," he said.
Dhoni was uninterested in answering any other questions about his former teammate. Asked why Laxman had decided to retire in such an abrupt manner, choosing not to play against New Zealand despite being selected, Dhoni shot back: "Laxman knows it better."

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Run Hyderabad, Run

Hyderabad came out in force to participate in the Airtel Hyderabad Marathon on Sunday morning. Anil Thakur won the full marathon clocking 2hr 52min. Ramesh Kishani won the half-marathon.

More updates and pics of this marathon here

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Mary’s magnificent proposal for city

Boxing champion says she is game for setting up an academy in Hyderabad

She loves Hyderabadi biryani and has fond memories of her last two visits to the city having won a medal in the 2002 National Games. And now, Mary C. Kom, London Olympics bronze medallist in boxing, says that she is keen to set up an academy in the city if everything goes well.

Responding to the felicitations put up by Incredible India Projects which gifted a 240-square yard plot in the Sparrow Shore project near Shamshabad, Mary Kom said she was already planning one academy in Manipur. “But I don’t mind setting up another one here as I want everyone to bring laurels at the highest level,” she said amidst applause.

Quick to respond was Praveen Kumar Nedungadi, COO of IIPL, who promised to give 4,000 square yard plot right opposite to the one she was already presented. In a way, the whole event was symbolic of solidarity to the North-East community which felt tremors of insecurity in recent times.

“I am an Indian first then a Manipur girl,” said a beaming Mary Kom. Gautam Sawang, IPS, set the tenor for the session when he re-assured the North-East community all possible help from the government.

“I heard Mary was planning to settle down in Bengaluru. I can promise you (looking at her) that Hyderabad is a much better place,” he said amidst cheers from the gathering.

Dr. T. K. R. Rao, VC & MD of SAAP, felicitated Mary Kom on behalf of the State government and reminded how she is already an inspiration for the budding champions in the Andhra Pradesh Sports Schools.

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City connection to victory Down Under

The Under-19 World Cup triumph in Australia has a Hyderabad connection. Hanuma Vihari, the middle-order batsman and Ramakrishnan Sridhar, assistant coach, both from the city, played their part in scripting the glorious and thrilling victory Down Under.
Speaking from Townsville in Australia, Sridhar, a former Ranji left-arm spinner, gave full credit to the young boys for bringing India the third U-19 World Cup.
“They worked very hard. Our road to the World Cup started 18 months ago. We set out with the belief that we can win it. We have made a lot of sacrifices along the way. We are all the more happy that India has won both the senior and junior World Cups simultaneously. It is a wonderful feeling. We did a lot of motivational talk and there was perfect bonhomie in the team,” he said.
Sridhar, who is also a fielding coach at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore, has earned a reputation for himself as an expert.
“The game has changed. It has become fast particularly after the advent of the Twenty20 format. More and more teams are laying emphasis on fielding. Keeping this in mind, we focused on fielding in the last few years. It has paid off as our fielding was exceptional in this tournament,” he explained.
According to him, the team came up with a new phrase ahead of the tournament: Nothing matters except the trophy.
“That really helped the team and we showed our ability to fight back in tight matches like against Pakistan in the quarter-final,” said Sridhar.
The State Bank of Hyderabad officer, who also imparts training at St John’s Coaching Foundation here, was all praise for the Indian colts skipper Unmukt Chand who according to him was following in the footsteps of Virat Kohli. Incidentally, Kohli captained the U-19 team that won the World Cup in Malaysia two years back.
“He is a class act. He led from the front. He is a solid and matured batsman. He is the future hope for India. He is what Virat Kohli was two years ago,” he pointed out.
Sridhar had some kind words for Harmeet Singh and all-rounder Aparajith. “Harmeet has been the discovery while Aparajith turned out to be Mr Dependable of the team. Pace bowlers Sandeep Sharma, Passi and Ravikanth Singh too made a good impression,” he said,
Although he was disappointed with local lad Vihari’s performance, Sridhar said he will come back strongly. “He has learnt his lessons. He is sure to make a comeback,” signed off Sridhar.

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BCCI plans reception for VVS Laxman in Chennai

CHENNAI: VVS Laxman may have left the Indian cricket scene quietly, but the BCCI is planning a grand reception for the Hyderabad stylist.

According to sources, there will be a felicitation of the batsman in Chennai on September 10, a day ahead of the final T20 game between India and New Zealand.

"It's still at a planning stage. We would like to have the players of both the Indian and New Zealand teams for the programme," the source said.

"We had given receptions to all our top players, starting from Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble to Rahul Dravid. Laxman, too, is in the same league, and we want this to be our token of appreciation for the player," the source added.

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Hyderabad: Nethula goes nostalgic, visits old school

Hyderabad: It was a walk down the memory lane for Tarun Sai Nethula, the New Zeland leggie, as he stepped into the portals of his alma mater, St Andrew’s School, in Old Bowenpally on Monday afternoon. He was a student of the school’s 1999 batch. “This is the classroom where I used to sit,” he exclaimed pointing to a room which now houses a primary class. He was there at the invitation of his former coach John Manoj.
With the first Test match between New Zealand and India in Hyderabad ending in four days, he was able to squeeze in some time to visit his old school and catch up with his teachers. “There were very few classrooms but good sports facilities back in the 90s. That is the reason I like this school,” he told Ashish Emanuel, director of the school.
Tarun was surprised to learn that the school now has a strength of 7,500. “When I studied here, there used to be about 1500 in all! It’s a great feeling to be back here. It brings back so many fond memories. It looks quite different now. It is a lot bigger and better,” said Nethula in his address to the students.

The boys and girls cheered him on with gusto. During the visit, Tarun also met his batchmate Shabana, now an administrator in the school. In an introspective mood, he said, “as I look back I think about the innocence of a teenager and what it meant to be involved with friends, to spend time with them. My teammates always knew that I was from Hyderabad but they didn’t realize I had so many relatives and friends here. It is a bit surprising for them that I could be so well-known in this part of the world.”
How does it feel being a New Zealander? “I’m still the same Telugu-speaking Hindu South Indian. Nothing much has changed,” he asserted.
Tarun had played cricket for the school and won for it a trophy too. Recalling those days, he remembered one particular boy, Nasir of the Nasr School. “He was a prolific scorer and used to notch up big scores every time he played against us. Then I was in Class IX. The next year, however, I got his wicket in every match,” he said.
On how he became a legspinner, he said: “Once I bowled my leg spinners at a camp and Shailendra Sir saw me. He asked me to bowl again and again. After the fourth ball, he told me that I should be bowling this. That’s how I turned a leggie.”
He was disappointed at not having made his debut in Hyderabad. “That was one thing that was on my mind since I was selected for this tour. But it is not in my hands. Hopefully, I will get to play in Bangalore. I have been with the team for Five Test matches. I hope to play soon,” he said as he ended his nostalgic trip.

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uppal stadium latest pic

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Hockey in doldrums, says veteran Olympian

"I will not hesitate to state that the National Sports Day is more of a ‘tamasha’ for the hockey fraternity" says veteran Olympian Balwinder Singh Shammi

The National Sports Day is celebrated on August 29 across the country to mark the birth anniversary of hockey legend Dhyan Chand. The annual ritual in Hyderabad was just to garland the statue of the illustrious star of yesteryears at the Gachibowli complex and host a hockey match.

The city has the dubious distinction of not even hosting the local hockey league championship, despite having three astro-turfs, because of politics in the association and the court cases.

It did not mean much even for the Indian Railways probables preparing at the RRC Ground for the major events, which include the Nationals.

It was just another day of training for them, who included internationals such as Manjeet Kullu, Innocent Kullu and Belfazar Horo. Coach and former Olympian Balwinder Singh Shammi and SCR sports officer and ex-international S.M. Nayeem were there keeping a close watch.

Disgusted

Balwinder, who has played 134 internationals including the 1988 Seoul Olympics rubbing shoulders with the likes of Pargat Singh, Mohd. Shahid and Merwyn Fernandez, is disgusted with the way the sport is run now.

“Unless the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) merges with the Hockey India (HI), I don’t see a bright future for the game,” he asserts.

He believes that India’s dismal show in the recent London Olympics has delivered a body blow as the young boys will be discouraged from taking it up.

Straight talk

“Tell me, which sponsor will have the heart to support us?” For the players too, there is nothing except refreshing their memories of the great feats of Dhyan Chand. “I will not hesitate to state that the National Sports Day is more of a ‘tamasha’ for the hockey fraternity. Other disciplines are more fortunate to have national federations who have some vision and commitment. That is why they are moving ahead while hockey is sliding deep into a morass,” moans Balwinder Singh, who should know better as he runs the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Academy in Amritsar.

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Sikkim’s Marathon man in top 10 at Hyderabad Marathon 2012

Sikkim’s Marathon Man Amar Subba has been able to secure 9th place in the Airtel Hyderabad Marathon 2012 held at Hyderabad GMC Balayogi stadium on August 26, 2012. 42-years-old Subba completed the 42 kms run in 3hrs 19 min. The first placed was secured by an Army man Anil Thakur clocking 2hrs 52 mins, followed by Scottish Richard McDowell in 2 hrs 59min and, an Indian Jagadeshan Munisamy finished the third with 3 hrs 1 mins. Subba before leaving Sikkim in a press meet at his home town Darap West Sikkim had said that his aim was to be in top 10.
“I am happy and proud to represent Sikkim in the National level” said the Limca Book of Record holder while speaking to SIKKIM MAIL. “There was also an announcement prior to the race that a participant from Sikkim has also taken part in the run, this boosted me up” said Subba. Expressing more, over the phone Subba said that he felt honoured to receive the medals and certificates in the closing function which had the presence of the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, ELS Narashimhan.
“There were participants from all across the country and there were runners from the US and the UK too”, he added.
Subba further mentioned that competing with national and the international reputes during the marathon has boosted him. “If a 42 year old can do it, then why you can’t?” says Subba to the youths of Sikkim.
For him only winning is not imperative but to involve oneself and to learn from such great events is much more.
Subba is now waiting for his conformation for the Delhi and Mumbai marathon. He is also planning to run the high altitude solo marathon from Gangtok to Gurudongmar (17800ft) next year which he says is his dream run.

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Laxman getting ready to play for Hyderabad again

Just-retired VVS Laxman, with his family in tow, clarified on Sunday that he was committed to represent his home team Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy in the upcoming season as he was bound by a 'moral responsibility.'
Laxman, who retired from international cricket recently, said this during a felicitation function organised by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) during the tea interval on the third day of the second Test between India and New Zealand Test at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here.
Former India and Karnataka left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi, who retired from first-class cricket recently, was also present at the function.
'At the moment I am looking forward to the Ranji Trophy because I've not played too much for Hyderabad since 2000. So, I thought it's my moral responsibility to give something back to Hyderabad cricket. I am preparing for the Ranji Trophy and will play for Hyderabad,' Laxman said after being presented a memento by the KSCA.
Laxman, 37, hoped that the second Test would end on the fourth day itself, on Monday. At the end of the third day, New Zealand led by 244 runs with one wicket in hand and if weather doesn't interfere the five-day game could end a day earlier.
'The Indians have done fantastically in the last two matches. They bowled well in both matches and, hopefully, they will finish the game by tomorrow evening. So, I wish them all the very best,' he said.
'It was an honour to play for the country. I would also like to thank Anil [Kumble, president of KSCA] and members of the KSCA for felicitating me over here.'
When Laxman announced his retirement, he was already in the Indian squad for the ongoing Test series, but surprised everyone by announcing his retirement.
On Sunday, Laxman said he had no regrets. 'I took a correct decision,' he maintained.
Families of Laxman and Joshi, who is now coach of the Hyderabad team, were also present on the lush green turf of the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Making a guest appearance during the brief felicitation ceremony was Mohammad Kaif, believed to be close to Rahul Dravid, who is also helping out KSCA in administration.
Kaif hugged Virat Kohli even as he chatted with his Uttar Pradesh teammate and leg-spinner Piyush Chawla.

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The Horsemen of Hyderabad

The City’s Polo season kicked-off in style at the Bison Polo Club in Secunderabad with a cracker of a match. The Sport of Kings is enmeshed in the culture of Hyderabad thanks to its pomp and pace.

Hyderabad: Suneendra Spor-ts Club-Hyderabad Polo and Rid-ing Club (SSC-HPRC) defeated Agram Riding and Polo Academy-Deccan Polo and Riding Club (ARPA–DPRC) by four goals to two and a half goals in the first match the Bison Trophy for the Polo Season at the Bison Polo Club in Secunderabad on Saturday.

Due to the differences in the team handicap, ARPA–DPRC began the match with an advantage of one and a half goals.

But this did not deter the players of SSC-HPRC as they hammered goal after goal to see their side sail to safety. Chaitan-ya of SSC-HPRC scored a goal in the second minute of the first chukkerand also in the seventh minute of the same chukker.

In the first minute of the second chukker, SSC-HPRC’s Khadi-r Siddiqui, scored a goal to put their opponents in a tight spot. But then ARPA–DPRC’s Abdullah hit a superb goal in the second chukker.

But all hope was dispelled for ARPA–DPRC when SSC-HPRC’s Chaitanya smashed the final goal of the match within the second minute of the final chukker.

[Gudavalli]

Gold or gold-plated?

The Moin-ud-Dowla Cup remains a mystery
Even after the NGRI declared two years ago that the Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cup was not a gold cup, but only a gold-plated one, none in the Hyderabad Cricket Association is able to say whether the gold cup was replaced with a gold-plated one.

The mystery deepens with the local police deciding to close the investigation as they are “unable to probe any further”.

The investigation ending up in a cul-de-sac, was confirmed by HCA secretary M.V. Sridhar.

“We don’t know exactly what had happened. But we have to respect the sentiments and conduct the All India invitational tournament for Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cup with same respect as we have been doing over the years,” Dr. Sridhar said.

One thing for sure is that when the eight teams battle it out for the cup this season commencing Thursday, it’s the gold-plated cup they would be vying for, besides a winner’s purse of Rs.1 lakh.

Former HCA secretary P.R. Man Singh was particular that as per the 1931 evaluation of the Gold Cup, it was worth Rs.7,000, as per moderate estimates of Rs.100 per 10 gram of gold in those days and weighed about 2.75 kg. But another evaluation by the SBH deputy general manager Jayawanth Rao in 1966 showed the cup worth Rs.2.75 lakh.

A subsequent evaluation, again by the SBH, led to a startling disclosure that the cup weighed 1.80 kg and was worth just Rs.1 lakh.

However, there is a sense of relief among the HCA officials that the case is ‘closed’ although there is anguish among old-timers as the Cup saga continues to remain a mystery.

[Gudavalli]

Deccan Chronicle invites tenders for Deccan Chargers

Hyderabad: Newspaper publisher Deccan Chronicle Holdings Ltd, which is embroiled in a financial crisis, invited bids for its Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket team Deccan Chargers on Thursday.

Deccan Chronicle Holdings said the winning bidder will acquire the team on an “as is where is” basis. Photo: HT
The auction will take place in Chennai on 13 September, also the last date for submitting the bids, according to a tender notice that appeared in The Hindu and The Times of India on Thursday. The successful bidder may need to enter into a new franchise agreement with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the notice said.
The team will continue to be based in Hyderabad and will compete in the Indian Premier League and has the opportunity to compete in the Champions League T20 from next year (2013).

Deccan Chronicle Holdings, which publishes the newspapers Deccan Chronicle, Financial Chronicle, Asian Age and Andhra Bhoomi, had bid successfully for the Deccan Chargers in January 2008 for $107 million, riding on the back of a successful December 2004 initial public offering (IPO). It acquired star cricketers such as Adam Gilchrist, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Symonds, Chaminda Vaas and Shahid Afridi. The team also won the second IPL season in South Africa in 2009 under the captaincy of Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist.

In the most recent IPL season, the team finished at the bottom of the table, winning only four of the 15 games it played. For the 2012 edition of the game, Deccan Chargers has just about managed to rope in sponsors for the team.

Deccan Chargers was initially a subsidiary of Deccan Chronicle Holdings, but merged with the parent company in January last year. Deccan Chronicle Holdings finds itself in a financial mess after it emerged that the promoters availed loans to the tune of Rs1,500 crore from various banks, mortgaging several of its assets, including its cricket team. The promoters face a case of cheating filed by the company’s registrar Karvy Computershare Pvt. Ltd. Some of its lender banks have aproached the debt recovery tribunal and the high courts of Andhra Pradesh and Bombay to recover their dues.

The management has not been paying team salaries. Former chief executive Timothy Wright sued the management successfully in a London court, which ordered Deccan Chronicle Holdings to pay him £10.55 million for the breach of contract. Wright has filed an execution petition in the city civil court in Secunderabad seeking enforcement of the London court judgement, according to a Times of India report on Thursday.

T. Venkattram Reddy has blamed the present crisis on a liquidity crisis and declining advertisement revenue. Reddy said he needs Rs400-500 crore to tide over the crisis in an interview to The Economic Times.

Deccan Chronicle Holdings said the winning bidder will acquire the team on an “as is where is” basis. The bids will open at 10am on Friday and potential bidders will have to fulfil the eligibility criteria of BCCI besides “other requirements specified in the invitation to tender”. The bidders will have time to seek clarifications until 5pm on Monday.

It is likely that the BCCI may step in and seek a new buyer for the cricket team, if Deccan Chronicle Holdings fails to find one, according to reports. The board, which met in New Delhi over the issue on Tuesday, will meet again in Chennai on 15 September to find a solution to the crisis.

Deccan Chronicle Holdings was trading 4.2% down at Rs12.33 at 11.09am. The benchmark Sensex was up 0.1% at 17,330.55 points.

HT Media Ltd, publishers of Mint and Hindustan Times, competes with Deccan Chronicle Holdings in some markets.

[Gudavalli]

Anirban, Naina bag crowns

West Bengal’s Anirban Ghosh and Naina of Andhra Pradesh clinched the Sub-junior boys’ and girls’ singles titles respectively in the South Zone National-ranking table tennis championships at the Sree Kanteerava Indoor stadium here on Wednesday.

Anirban edged out a gallant Lalrinpuia of Petroleum Sports Promotion Board Academy (PSPBA) 11-9, 11-8, 13-15, 10-12, 11-4, 8-11, 11-8 in a thrilling final. “I was confident of pulling off a victory as I had beaten him (Lalrinpuia) a few times,’’ the 13-year-old from Kolkata’s Naihati Vidya Niketan said after the slugfest.

Anirban looked set to run away with the crown when he won the first two games 11-9, 11-8 but Lalrinpuia had other ideas. The PSPBA lad stretched Anirban with some splendid shots to pocket the third and fourth games 15-13 and 10-12 respectively.

Anirban, however, bounced back when he won the fifth game 11-4 to edge 3-2 ahead. Lalrinpuia, pushed to the edge, then took the contest into a decider, winning the sixth sixth game 11-8.

The final game, which threw up many rallies, was fought tooth and nail by the duo. Anirban grabbed the early initiative by opening up a 3-0 lead before Lalrinpuia fought back to even things at 4-4. Fortunes kept fluctuating and at one stage both players kept trading shots after shots, giving neither an inch. However, Anirban took a crucial 9-7 lead with a fine winner in a rally that lasted 40 shots. The Bengali boy then closed out the game and contest.

In the Sub-junior girls’ final, Naina too had to fight hard before winning 11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6 against State-mate Sreeja. The 12-year-old from Hyderabad was overjoyed after lifting her first title at this level. “I am very happy with the way I played and its great to win the title,’’ she added.

Results: Boys: Sub-junior, final: Anirban Ghosh (WB) bt Lalrinpuia (PSPBA) 11-9, 11-8, 13-15, 10-12, 11-4, 8-11, 11-8. (Semifinals): A Ghosh bt Birdie Boro (PSPBA) 11-7, 11-5, 8-11, 13-11, 11-3; Lalrinpuia bt Ayush Tayal (Har) 7-11, 11-2, 12-10, 11-9, 7-11, 11-8. (Quarterfinals): A Tayal bt Raja Kundu (NB) 11-6, 11-7, 13-11; Lalrinpuia bt Arjun Ghosh (WB) 11-7, 11-4, 11-9; A Ghosh bt Sarabjit Guha (NB) 11-3, 11-6, 11-2; B Boro bt D Ananth (TN) 6-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, 11-2.

Cadet Boys, final: Ashwin Subramanian (Mah) bt Anukram Jain (PSPBA) 12-10, 12-10, 9-11, 13-11. (Semifinals): A Jain bt Regan Alberqueque (Mah) 11-8, 14-12, 14-12; A Subramanian bt Udit Bhattacharya (WB) 11-9, 4-11, 12-10, 8-11, 11-7. (Quarterfinals): U Bhattacharya bt Harsha Shrivastava (PSPBA) 8-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 11-5; A Subramanian bt Sameer Pandey (PSPBA) 11-6, 11-8, 11-7; A Jain bt Sriram Kannan (TN) 6-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 18-16; Reagan bt Wesley De Rosario (Goa) 9-11, 13-11, 13-11, 6-11, 11-7.

Girls: Sub-junior, final: Naina (AP) bt Sreeja (AP) 11-6, 11-8, 8-11, 11-6, 7-11, 11-6. (Semifinals): Sreeja bt Abhinaya Ramesh (TN) 11-9, 11-7, 11-6, 11-6; Naina bt CR Harshavardhini (TN) 11-9, 12-10, 8-11, 11-7, 8-11, 11-8. (Quarterfinals): Naina bt Sagarika M (NB) 11-8, 11-7, 9-11, 4-11, 11-8; Harshavardhini bt Moumita Dutta (WB) 9-11, 12-10,12-10, 11-7; Sreeja bt Shruti Amrute (Mah) 12-10, 11-7, 3-11, 11-9; Abhinaya bt Sum-ana Saha (PSPB) 11-5, 11-4, 11-8.

Cadet girls, final: Tulika Roy (WB) bt Prapti Sen (WB) 11-7, 12-10, 11-8. (Semifinals): Prapti bt V Sasya (AP) 11-9, 11-8, 11-4; Tulika bt Swetha Steffi (TN) 11-6, 11-8, 11-6. (Quarterfinals): Prapti bt Yashi (Pun) 11-8, 9-11, 6-11, 13-11, 11-4; Sasya bt Namya Manchanda (Har) 11-9, 11-7, 11-4; Swetha bt Atheya Ghosh (WB) 11-9, 9-11, 11-13, 11-7, 11-8; Tulika bt Neha Kumari (NB) 11-4, 11-7, 11-7.

[Gudavalli]

SSC HPRC win Berar Cup

In a thriller of a match, SSC HPRC defeated RC HPRC by seven goals to six-and-a-half to clinch the Prince of Berar Polo Cup at the Bison Polo Grounds on Wednesday.

Hyderabad: One can’t expect a better finish to the final of the Prince of Berar Polo Cup Tournament. With seconds remaining in the final chukker, the captain of SSC HPRC, Dhruvpal Godara, making a solo foray with the ball into the opposition side, only to lose it some yards from the goal mouth, chasing it again, getting possession of it and scoring the clincher to pip RC HPRC 7-6½ … it sounds a bit filmy. That’s not all.

It was brothers pitted against each other in the final: RC HPRC was led by Manupal Godara, the other half that makes the famed four-goaler duo known on the polo circuit as the Godara brothers.

Last year RC HPRC had a clean sweep of the Hyderabad Polo season, and the Godara brothers played side by side for it. This year HPRC fielded two teams and the Godara brothers ended up captains of each.

It would not be an overstatement to say that Dhruvpal was a man on fire: all the seven goals of his team were scored by him. Of course, he was well supported by his team, but if it were not for the last goal, the result would have been different, for the RC HPRC had a ½ handicap at the start.

In the first chukker, it was RC HPRC that started solidly. Rohit Reddy, who missed a chance to score in the penultimate match, made no mistake this time. He opened the account for his team two minutes into the game. A little more than a minute later Mitesh Mehta, too, hit the mark. RC HPRC led 2 ½ -0.

Dhruvpal, who had scored five goals in the previous match, with a brilliant goal signaled the start of his scoring spree. Older brother Manupal replied a minute later, retaining the lead for RC HPRC.

In the second chukker, Mitesh Mehta scored twice. It looked as though it would be hard for SSC to make up. There were no let up in SSC HPRC’s efforts to catch up and Dhruvpal scored again and this time, too, Manupal gave it back a little later. Towards the end of the second chukker, tables turned: Dhruvpal did a repeat of his feat from the previous match in the following chukkers. He shot five consecutive goals, and stole the show and the cup for SSC HPRC.

[Gudavalli]

Ravi Teja ton puts Hyderabad in command

Centuries by M. Kaushik Gandhi (129, 197b, 8x4) and Baba Aparajith (113, 132b, 5x4, 2x6) helped Tamil Nadu score 378 for eight against Services on the first day of the first-round of matches in the all-India Moin-ud-Dowla Gold Cup invitation cricket tournament here on Thursday.

The scores: Hyderabad 348 for five in 90 overs (D.B. Ravi Teja 169, N.S Arjun Yadav 86, G.H. Vihari 53) vs Kerala.

Karnatala 436 for six in 90 overs ( K.L. Rahul 33, Karun Nair 168, Sunil Raju 158 not out, Amol Shinde four for 126) vs HCA President’s XI.

Tamil Nadu 378 for eight in 90 overs (K. B. Arun Karthik 45, R. Rohit 46, M. Kaushik Gandhi 129, Aprajith Baba 113, Abhishek Sinha four for 18, Md. Khalid four for 109) vs Services.

Goa 250 in 66.3 overs (Amogh Desai 43, Swapnil Asnodkar 33, Reagan Pinto 74, Sher Bahadur Yadav 35, Pradeep Sangwan three for 63) vs Delhi DCA 49 for two in 9.2 overs.

[Gudavalli]

Marathon woman

Uma Chigurupati, the woman of many marathons and chairperson of Hyderabad Heritage Marathon, feels running helps you see a city in a new light.

On September 23, when runners gather at Chowmohalla Palace at the crack of dawn, Uma Chigurupati and her team will be glad their hard work has paid off. This is the second year of Hyderabad Heritage Marathon, after the Hyderabad 10K Foundation decided to hold separate events for marathons and 10K runs. “People’s Plaza at Necklace Road was getting too congested to accommodate participants of the marathon and shorter runs of five and 10 kilometres,” she says.

Uma and her husband Krishna Prasad are part of the elite Marathon Grand Slam Club and are recognised by Guinness Book of World Records as the only Indian couple to have completed marathons in seven continents in seven months and topping it off with a marathon at North Pole.

The idea of a heritage Marathon came from marathons that Uma and Prasad participated in. “City marathons are different from heritage marathons. The Great Wall Marathon or the marathon route that goes through vineyards in France is an example of how different countries showcase their uniqueness. We have beautiful monuments and felt heritage marathon would be a good idea. The first heritage marathon was held last year, which saw the participation of 800 runners,” says Uma.

Before finalising the route, Uma and her team did several trial runs. The runs begins at Chowmohalla, crosses Charminar, City College, High Court, Mozamjahi Market, Public Gardens and then proceeds to Mehdipatnam and Toli Chowki to Taramati Baradari and Gandipet before taking a detour towards Golconda before ending at Quli Qutb Shahi tombs. Half marathon participants will cut short the run from Artillery Centre and reach Golconda and Qutb Shahi tombs. “Hyderabad Heritage Marathon adheres to standards prescribed by Association of International Marathons and Road Race. We had to take permission since the marathon was taking an additional 200 metres owing to distance between different heritage sites,” she points out.

Unlike 5K and 10K runs that attract close to 15,000 participants, these marathons are for seasoned runners. “There is a lower age limit of 16 years. We are taking steps to ensure adequate medical facilities in case of emergency. We are not interested in putting the spot light on celebrity runners since we want each runner to feel special. Each person who finishes the half and full marathon will get a medal,” she says.

The marathon has a long way to go before it matches up to the popularity of Mumbai Marathon. Uma feels Hyderabad hasn’t produced many serious runners. “We don’t have necessary infrastructure in terms of parks and roads with good pavements. Summer months are also not conducive for running,” she says.

Being a regular marathon participant, she laments the lack of ample lung space in the city. “The KBR Park is beautiful but it gets boring to do a number of rounds within the same park. Also, running regularly on the outer ring of the park can injure your knees because of its ups and downs,” she adds.

Uma is happy that groups such as Hyderabad Runners have encouraged new participants in the city. She is also happy to note the increase in the number of women participants. She recalls, “I began running 10 years ago, at the age of 40. When I started, I thought I wouldn’t manage more than a kilometre. Slowly I built stamina and crossed two, then five and then 10kms.”

She advises new runners to train for a few months before participating in half marathons. The switch from half marathon to full marathon is tough, she says: “Runners should participate in a few half marathons before trying the full marathons. It’s easier to move from 10K to half marathon but once you touch 30km, your body feels exhausted. It takes practice and training to build stamina.”

What she loves most about running is the opportunity it gives to connect with nature. “I’ve been to Washington DC and Los Angeles earlier but viewing those cities as a marathon runner was a different experience,” she says. Uma has also taken part in adventure runs where runners are in the lap of nature. “My first such marathon was in Mongolia where I didn’t come face-to-face with people for long stretches. I felt I was meditating during those five and a half hours of running,” she says. Uma even stopped listening to music on her iPod while running after a fellow marathon runner encouraged her to “listen to the sound of the wind.”

What’s next on her running agenda? “My husband Krishna Prasad and I would like to do different adventure runs. He is an avid photographer and wants to take the un-chartered course with National Geographic teams. I’d also like to follow him. For both of us, taking time out from work and home to complete seven marathons in seven continents was tough. We pushed ourselves,” she says. Krishna Prasad is the managing director of Granules India and Uma is a soil microbiologist working on establishing her new company Krsma, which will manufacture wines.

On the personal front, the couple’s son Harsha and twin daughters Pragnya and Priyanka are their huge support system. “Before we left for the marathon at Antarctica, Harsha gave us a satellite phone and asked us to keep in touch. It was a role reversal. Instead of parents being concerned about children and their adventures, our son was asking us to stay safe,” laughs Uma.

Personal best

Uma and Krishna Prasad’s toughest marathon was the one at North Pole. “Our body was numb despite many layers of clothing. We didn’t have enough time to get acclimatised to the condition. The marathon was on frozen sea water and at many times, we saw huge cracks on the glaciers and didn’t know if it was safe to take the next step. We completed the marathon in nine hours,” she recalls. Completing the North Pole Marathon made her and Krishna Prasad join the elite Grand Slam Marathon club.

Run Hyderabad Run

To participate in half (21.152 km) and full marathons (42.195 km) at the Hyderabad Heritage Marathon, log on to www.hyderabadheritagemarathon.com. For enquiries, email info@hyderabadheritagemarathon.com or call 040 64646003.