The Hindu : Hard-fought win for State Bank of Bikaner

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 12, 2003

Sport

Sport - Volleyball

Hard-fought win for State Bank of Bikaner

By M.C. Raman

Nagercoil March 11. State Bank of Bikaner, Jaipur fought hard to down an erratic Mayor's Club, Hyderabad 25-21, 19-25, 22-25, 25-23, 15-10 in the men's round-robin of the National League volleyball preliminary round at the Anna Stadium here on Tuesday.

Mayor's Club missed another chance to show its mettle because of its poor finish at crucial stages. In fact, the Hyderabad team is a young and enterprising side. Its players have the skill and play a modern game with jump serves, quick ball attack and delicate drops. But where it failed was in dodging the rival block.

The Jaipur side is more or less the Rajasthan team. Rajasthan has come down in National hierarchy and it is not the same side, which was a threat in the 70s. Incidentally, the team is coached by Ashok Jain, who belonged to that era.

The Jaipur team's plus point was its block and the left-arm spiking of Prabhu Lal, who served well in the first set to help the team overcome the early shaky start. Its block was so steady that Mayor's Club was unable to come back. However, in the second and third sets the Andhra spikers really found their touch. Ravinder Reddy, Shashidar and Srinath formed the core of the attacking force. Srinivas did not serve well today. But Mayor's first pass was steady and the attack became strong. Even in quick finish at the net, the Hyderabad players excelled.

Having taken the next two sets, Mayor's should have gone for the kill. But it played rather casually and the Bank team's double block looked formidable.

In fact, the Bankmen earned more points through net defence in this set and took the match to the decider in which it again took a 8-7 lead and shut out Mayor's Club, which is yet to realise its potential.

This was Mayor's Club's second loss in the league.

Indian Overseas Bank is a depleted side. Its main spikers Joby Joseph and Sivabalan are yet to join the team. Still the defending champion managed to get the better of Kerala State Electricity Board at 25-21, 25-14, 25-22 in the last men's match on Monday.

It took some time for IOB to settle down. KSEB players had the height and power to rattle the rival. But the young boys lacked the finish and in defence too they were found wanting. Jinson Varghese and Jins Mathew were the tallest of the lot and the former's spiking at times was breathtaking. But he did not have the deception and fell victim to the block of Manjunath, setter Thulasi Reddy, Kumaran, Nadarajan and Harun Khan.

The IOB players were too smart and too experienced for them. Their late jump in block forced the KSEB spikers on the defensive. In every set, KSEB was running close, but it was in blocking and finish at the net that IOB scored.

In fact, TNEB fought well in the third set in which it rallied from 1-6 to go ahead 18-17. But IOB would not relent. It improved its defence further to shut out the rival. Nadarajan spiked steadily. Central blocker Rajesh came in for Manjunath and IOB moved up steadily.

Easy for SR women

Southern Railway is too strong team for the others in the women's league. Today it proved its might by thrashing NSS College, Thiruvananthapuram 25-13, 25-12, 25-7. In fact, the College team had the height and could have challenged the rival at the net. But it looked disjointed and its defence and attack was weak. With Sunitha setting well, Railways kept up the pressure through Getta Raju, Gayathri, Vini Thomas and Mini Elizabeth. Even blocker Shiji Kurian did her job well. Actually there was no strong defence from the NSS team, though Jome John and Manju Mole Joseph had the height to challenge them.

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