Odia cricketer Biplab Samantray carried his good form into the Ranji Trophy, while the state women’s team beat Punjab in the inter-state women’s cricket tournament. Sepak takraw tourney is set to start by month-end, while the cagers have hit the ground to fight it out for the title in Bhubaneswar
Square drive
Odisha started its Ranji season well with Biplab Samantray’s century in the first innings of the first match against Maharashtra in Pune. While on the first day, Odisha finished with 223 for five, on the second day, Maharashtra dominated. The hosts took the remaining wickets in the first session bundling Odisha’s innings within 311 runs. For Odisha, besides Samantray’s ton, opener Nataraj Behera made a half-century, but new captain Abhilash Mallick failed to make it big. By the end of the second day, Maharashtra scored 126 runs without losing any wicket. Earlier this week, Samantray helped East Zone win the Deodhar Trophy after 10 years. He scored a swashbuckling half-century and took two crucial wickets.
In the Cooch Behar under-19 cricket tournament, Odisha defeated Jammu and Kashmir by an innings and 70 runs in a four-day match played at the Nimpur ground in Cuttack. Jammu and Kashmir scored 111 runs in its first innings as Shuvam Nayak took six wickets. In reply, Odisha scored 339 runs with a century from Rajkishan Patel and a half-century from Suman Mohanty. The visitors were folded out for 158 runs in the second innings as Ashutosh Das and Sanjay Das took four and three wickets respectively. Earlier this week, Odisha managed to draw the match against Gujarat and got one point. Suman Mohanty has been appointed as the captain of under-19 team that will play against Tamil Nadu in Chennai between December 12 and 15. Besides, Odisha has announced its team against Uttar Pradesh for BCCI Col. C.K. Naidu trophy Elite group league match to be played at Bargarh between December 15 and 18. Prateek Das will lead the Odisha team.
Sepak takraw
The 15th ACPL inter-district sub-junior sepak takraw championship will be held at Barabati Stadium on December 23. Officials of Odisha Sepak Takraw Association (OSTA) said that players below 14 would take part in this day-night event. The event, sponsored by Anjania Creation Private Limited (ACPL), will try to spread awareness about this game at the grassroots and school level. The district associations have been asked to report to the OSTA by December 23 with birth certificates of the participants. Besides, the OSTA has instructed all district associations to take every possible step to develop and spread this game in their regions.
Basket cut
The 56th Senior State Basketball Championship started on the Sikshya-O-Anusandhan University campus in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday.
This inter-district championship will continue till December 13. A total of 22 groups will take part in the men’s event, while 10 teams will play in the women’s category. Last year’s men’s champion Odisha Police and women’s champion Bhubaneswar Athletics Association are also taking part this year.
The matches commenced at 4pm on Tuesday after the opening ceremony. The tournament will be played in round-robin format.
Women’s cricket
Odisha got four points by defeating Punjab by 11 runs in the Inter-state Women’s One-day Cricket Tournament played at MIG Bandra, Mumbai, on Saturday. Odisha scored 143 runs losing nine wickets with a knock of 49 runs from Kadambini Mahakud, 23 runs from Madhuri Mehta and valuable contributions from other players.
In reply, Punjab were bowled out for 132 runs in the 50th over while Madhusmita took five wickets. In the second match, Maharashtra beat Odisha by six wickets. Odisha scored 152 runs with the help of a half-century from Madhuri Mehta and Maharashtra chased down the score in 45 overs.
Forward run
The Odisha rugby football men’s team qualified for the 35th national games to be played in Kerala in February next year. Odisha is among the top eight rugby teams to take part in the event. The 12-member team put up a good show in the recently concluded All-India Senior National Rugby 7s-2014 last week. The tournament was played as a qualifier for the national games. The qualifier was held at the Salt Lake Stadium complex in Calcutta between December 6 and December 7. Odisha defeated Punjab, Tamil Nadu and Jammu and Kashmir in the qualifiers.
Through ball
The semi-final matches of the 23rd All-Odisha Tomando Cup football tournament started on Tuesday. East Coast Railway entered into the semi-final on Sunday beating Home Guards Cuttack by 4-3 goals in a penalty shootout.
Sports Hostel Cuttack and RK Academy Kanhapur took part in the opening match. East Coast Railway will play against Odisha police on Wednesday.
