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Strong teams for BPCL Kochi Refinery cricket tournament

KOCHI: The BPCL Kochi Refinery all-India cricket tournament, which begins at Ambalamugal on Wednesday, has attracted some strong teams this year.

The BPCL (Mumbai), which includes five Ranji players, State Bank of Mysore (Bangalore), India Cements and Indian Overseas Bank (both Chennai) are some of the outstation teams which will figure in the 21st edition of the event.

The tournament will be held in two phases with the winner of the first phase qualifying for the all-India event. Twelve teams have been divided into four groups in the main phase with top two from each progressing to the quarterfinals.

The first phase begins on Wednesday and ends on January 30. The main phase begins on January 31st and the final will be played on February 6.

Brian strikes twice

Captain Brian Rodrigues struck twice as Goa’s Rosary HSS defeated G.V. Raja Sports School, Thiruvananthapuram, 3-1 and entered the final of the seventh Mar Athanasious Trophy all-India inter-school football tournament at the Municipal Stadium here on Monday evening.

The game was close early, with the teams level 1-1 after the fifth minute. But Brian, who gave Rosary the lead in the fourth minute, found the net again in the 31st minute while Jolex Fernandez scored the other goal. J. Merbin netted G.V. Raja’s lone goal in the fifth minute.

Inter-club football

Big-time football comes to Thiruvalla after nearly 15 years with the 32nd Kerala State inter-club championship which begins at the Public Stadium in Thiruvalla on Jan. 26.

The event brings together the champions of the State’s 14 districts and top teams, including defending champion KSEB, State Bank of Travancore, Titanium (all Thiruvananthapuram), Malabar United (Kozhikode), Central Excise, Cochin Port Trust (both Ernakulam) will be seen in action.

“Apart from the champions of the districts, we have included four teams after consulting the tournament organisers,” said K.P. Sunny, the Kerala Football Association secretary, on Monday. “Ernakulam District champion Viva Kerala, which is now playing the national league, is the only team missing.”

Pankajakasturi wins

Pankajakasturi CC (Thiruvananthapuram) and City Cricketers CC (Thiruvananthapuram) entered the pre-quarterfinals of the 13th Celestial Trophy all-Kerala cricket tournament in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.

Pankajakasturi scored a narrow nine-run win over Masters CC while City Cricketers crushed TCA, Kayamkulam by 131 runs.

On Sunday, City Crickets scored a five-wicket win over Karamana Recreation Club while Pankajakasturi defeated New Kids, Chengannur by 61 runs.

The scores:

Pankajakasturi CC 197 for four in 30 overs (L.R. Rahul 59, S. Sachin 46) bt Masters CC 190 for nine in 29 overs (Tariqwali 52, Sairash three for 29).

City Cricketers CC 233 for six in 28 overs (Sali Samson 54, A.M. Biju 36) bt TCA, Kayamkulam 102 in 23.2 overs (V.S. Shiju four for 19, Sanuth three for 25).

Karamana Recreation Club 165 for seven in 30 overs (Rajagopal 49, V.S. Shiju three for 22) lost City Cricketers 169 for five in 27.4 overs (A.M. Biju 44).

Pankajakasturi 188 in 28 overs (Sachin 52, Ajay Prasad 39, Akashay four for 27) bt New Kids, Chengannur 127 for nine in 26 overs.

Senior national gymnastics

The 48th National senior gymnastics will get underway at the Jimmy George indoor stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, with over 500 gymnasts drawn from 25 States expected to take part in the five-day event.

Giving details on the organisational aspects of the championship being held in Kerala after a gap of 15 years, the Kerala Gymnastics Association secretary, K. Admachandran and general convenor of the organising committee, P. Sasidharan Nair said the event held importance as it was to serve as the trials to select the Indian team for the coming Asian championship.

The Sports Minister, M. Vijayakumar will inaugurate the event at a function to be presided over by the KSSC president, T. P. Dasan.

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