Parminder strikes gold for PSB

Parminder strikes gold for PSB
B DAVID

CHENNAI, JULY 15: Exactly seven minutes into the extra-time, Punjab and Sind Bank's star-striker Parminder Singh struck the golden goal and the silence of a haunted cemetery descended on the Mayor Radhakrishna Stadium as it took a few minutes for the stunned holiday crowd to sink in the loss of a luckless Tamil Nadu XI in the title-round of the 78th all-India MCC-Murugappa Gold Cup Hockey Tournament here on Saturday.

Punjab and Sind Bank after struggling to contain the marauding Tamil Nadu raids, negated a third-minute Prabhakar strike when Rajinder Singh shot home from an indirect penalty-corner conversion in the 32nd minute thus effectively depriving the home team any psychological advantage after the breather.

It was Tamil Nadu who dominated throughout but the bankmen's experience stood them in good stead as they ran away with the trophy and the Rs 60,000 cash prize, keeping their cool despite some agonising moments in the defence.

International L Prabhakar failed to connect a difficult chance in the 8th minute following a Rathakrishnan through pass and Cedric D'Cruz, then had a narrow miss. A couple of minutes earlier, the first short-corner proved ineffective for want of a proper `injector'. Then a three-pronged Ratha-Karthick-Prabha move went spinning over the cross-piece when Prabhakar failed to control the trajectory of a powerfully-struck undercut.

Ironically, the miss of the match came from one of the best TN players. Young SAI hostel trainee, Karthick, who impressed with his skill and talent to bag the promising player of the tournament, was guilty of missing an open goal. Gaining possession after a bad `stop' by a PSB defender, Karthick controlled the ball and advanced into the circle but with PSB custodian Maninder Singh out of charge, he let go a wild shot to miss an open and inviting goal.

The equaliser came with three minutes to go for the breather. PSB, who took a first look at the rival goal only in the 27th minute had one more entry into TN's striking circle in the 32nd minute and promptly earned a short-corner. Sandeep Singh Ghuman's stinger, after Rajinder Singh sold a dummy, sounded the boards.

The second session saw Tamil Nadu losing possession quickly and frequently in the midfield. Only towards the end TN showed some urgency but PSB defence held on to push the match into sudden-death extra-time.

TN started on an attacking note but it was PSB which struck. Karthick, trying to dodge past a striker, lost the ball just outside the circle and PSB earned a free-hit. Taking the shot just outside the striking circle, Sandeep Singh Ghuman unleashed a powerful grounder which changed direction a wee bit following a Parminder deflection and entered the goal through the legs of TN goalkeeper G Natarajan, who had no chance whatsoever to react let alone come in the way.

TN's L Prabhakar won the best forward award while Sandeep Singh Ghuman was presented the best mid-fielder award after being nominated by the media. Rathakrishnan, who played as a roving defender and a surprise striker, bagged the best defender award.