Bangalore, May 26: ``The turf will be ready in another nine hours,'' said the visibly tired Executive Director of SAI, South Centre M P Ganesh at the Karnataka State Hockey Association Stadium at Akkithimmanahalli, here, on Monday.

Former Indian captain, Ganesh, with his army of trainees from his centre has been assisting the German technician Rico Graf in laying the Poligras turf at the stadium. ``If only there are no rains for one more day, the quarterfinals of the Nationals can be played here on Wednesday,'' Ganesh said.

Sports Authority of India trainees and members of the State Police hockey team are toiling day and night to speed up the turf work.

As things stood on Wednesday evening, the laying of the turf was almost complete with only three strips to be laid on the southern side. ``That will take about two hours, but the more demanding task at this stage is measuring and marking the ground,'' said K Krishnamurthy, the organising secretary of the 58th Senior National championship.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.