LAHORE, Dec 3: Helped by two goals each by Hamid Ali and Kashif Jamal, the KPC/Avari registered a convincing victory over Power Soft 5 1/2-1 on first day of the Local polo tournament at the Lahore Polo Club (LPC) ground Monday.
Earlier, in the inaugural match of the competition, Lt.-Col. Talha Saeed and Syed Hasan Raza Gilani struck thrice, each to take Brad & Butter side to a 8-5 victory over Guard Rice. The other two goals of the winners were put in by Shah Shamyl Alam.
The KPC/Avari side enjoyed one-and-a-half goals’ advantage on the handicap and outmanoeuvred the opposing Power and Soft. who could put in only one goal.
Towards closing stages, Umer Sadik converted a 30 yards penalty-hit to give Power Soft a consolation goal which was trailing 0-5 1/2 till that stage. There was no scoring in the second and fourth chukkers.
Hamid Ali scored two back-to-back goals for the KPC/Avari in the first chukker. He converted a 30 yards penalty-hit and then again scored on a 40 yards penalty-hit. Before end of this chukker, Kashif scored first of his two goals on a field effort.
Kashif again crowned a field effort to score his second and team’s fourth goal in the third chukker. Before conclusion of this chukker came Sadik’s goal which finished goal-drought of the Power Soft. Thereafter, the fourth chukker also proved barren.
Teams:
KPC/Avari: Kashif Nisar (-2), Samee Ibrahim (-2), Kashif Jamal (0), Hamid Ali (4).
Umpires: Malik Atif Yar Tiwana & Agha Murtaza Ali.
The Guard Rice side had an advantage of two goals on handicap and could put in only three goals during play. The game was well fought till the fourth chukker. This last chukker was completely dominated by Brad & Butter.
Shahzad Aziz drew first blood by converting a spot penalty near the goalpost for Guard Rice. Shah Shamyl Alam scored first of his two goals for Brad and Butter before end of the first chukker. Guard Rice led 3-1 at this stage.
Both the goals of the second chukker were scored by Talha. His first one was on a field effort and the second one on a 30 yards penalty-hit. In this way, Talha brought Brad & Butter on even keel (3-3) in this chukker.
Hasan crowned a field effort at start of the third chukker to score his first and Brad & Butter’s fourth goal. Soon afterwards, Talha put in a field goal. This was Talha’s third and Brad & Butter’s fifth goal which brought a 5-3 lead for his team for a short while.
Maula Bakhsah and Shahzad Aziz scored a field goal, to equalise the score 5-5 and bring back the Guard Rice side in the game.
Brad & Butter scored all three goals of the fourth chukker to hand out a defeat to Guard Rice. Hasan struck twice to score his second and third goals. In between Hasan’s goals, Shamyl converted a spot penalty near the goal post.
Teams:
BRAD & BUTTER: Syed Hasan raza Gillani (-1), Lt.-Col. Talha Saeed (0), Shah Shamyl Alam (4), Mian Iftikhar (0).
GUARD RICE: Taimur Malik (-2), Amjad (0), Maula Bakhsah (2), Shahzad Aziz (0).
Umpires: Taimur Mawaz Khan “Tony” & Sufi Muhammad Amir.