Cricket mania

There is good news for cricket lovers in Balangir. Appreciating the facilities and infrastructure available at the Gandhi Stadium there, president of the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) Ranjib Biswal announced that the prestigious Ranji Trophy matches would soon be held on this ground. Biswal said this when he was in Balangir to inaugurate the Balangir Cricket Premier League (BCPL) on Sunday. “To make the league more attractive we have decided to make arrangement for floodlights from next year. Those who play well here will attract the attention of the OPL organisers,” he said. The league stage of Kalahandi Cup senior inter-district one-day cricket tournament organised by the Odisha Cricket Association is on at different venues in Cuttack. On Monday, Khurda won against Kendrapada on the Ravenshaw Ground II, Paradip won against Koraput on the Nimpur Ground, Keonjhar won against Deogarh on the Bidanasi Ground and Puri beat Sundergarh on Ravenshaw Ground I.

Sports elections

Adhip Das, honorary treasurer of the Odisha Olympics Association and honorary secretary, Balasore District Athletics Association, has been elected as joint secretary of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) on Sunday at the annual general meeting of the AFI held in Gurgaon. Subhasis Kar, an eminent football organiser and a veteran football player has been appointed manager of the Odisha State Senior Men Football Team by the Football Association of Odisha for the ensuing Santosh Trophy, which is scheduled to be played in Odisha from May 11.

Say chess

The 2nd Bhola Infratech All-India Rating School Chess Championship 2012 began in Bhubaneswar last Friday. Woman grandmaster Padmini Rout (in picture) inaugurated the event, which saw participation from 191 players from Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. There were three title players, 71 international-rated players, 46 girls and two visually-challenged participants. The rating championship is being organised by SR Chess Centre in association with the Odisha Chess Association. By Tuesday, eight rounds were over with Ashutosh Mohapatra and Rakesh Kumar Nayak leading with seven points each.

Capital show

The All-India Tennis Association (AITA) - Odisha Tennis Association (OTA) U-16 Talent Series hosted by the Puri District Tennis Association concluded recently. Senior players Ajay Nishank and Satirtha Patnaik emerged champions in the men’s doubles category of the tournament, the finals of which were held at Puri Club in Puri. The final was for Bhubaneswar boys with Nishank and Patnaik defeating Santosh Mallik and Adwithya Patnaik in straight sets. The veteran’s titles were also won by Bhubaneswar players. V. Raman and Saswat Jena won the 40-plus veteran’s doubles title and B.N. Mohanty and S.S. Rath grabbed the 50-plus veteran’s doubles title.

Beach fun

The first Beach Volley Ball Tournament was held at Rourkela last week. More than 10 teams took part in the event. A sand volleyball court was prepared especially for the tournament. The final match was played between Rising Club and Uditnagar Volley ball team on the Rising Club ground. The hosts won the match 3-2 games in the Sunday final.