March 14, 2002	Thursday	Zilhaj 29, 1422

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KARACHI, March 13: Sindh ‘B’ crushed NWFP ‘B’ by a tennis score 6-2 in the 49th HBL national hockey championship inter- provincial preliminary round Wednesday.

Local outfit started with a 3rd-minute Noman Zakir goal, but NWFP ‘B’ levelled through Saeed Shah in the 16th minute and even went 2-1 ahead seven minutes before half time when Ilyas sounded the board.

It was, however, all over for the NWFP as the second half of the game opened the floodgates for Sindh as they pumped in five more to complete the rout at the Hockey Club of Pakistan.

Local boys fired two quick goals within five minutes in 41st and 46th minutes via Noman and Imran Khan.

A 50th-minute Shabbir Hussain goal saw two more later. Mudassir Abbas came into action 10 minutes later, while Shabbir hammered the last nail in NWFP’s coffin in the 63rd minute.

In another one-sided tie Punjab ‘A’ crushed Balochistan ‘A’ 5-0.

Ghulam Ghous’s 18th-minute penalty corner conversion gave the winners the lead. Gul Hussain had his name on the scoresheet six minutes before the half time whistle.

Hapless Balochistan continued suffering yet in the second period which saw their rival scoring thrice.

Gulzar Ahmad banged the third in the 55th minute and a 59th- minute short corner conversion by M. Yousuf gave Punjab a 4-0 ascendancy. Gul rounded off with a dying moment goal.

Punjab ‘B’, in another game, brushed aside a late second half challenge to overcome Balochistan ‘B’ 2-1.

Punjab broke the ice with a Yasir Khursheed goal in the 27th minute and forged 2-0 ahead in the 32nd minute when Azam found the cage.

Balochistan pulled themselves and reduced the margin through Mazhar just seconds before final whistle.

Thursday’s fixtures:

NWFP ‘A’ v Islamabad at 2.00pm; Sindh ‘A’ v Punjab ‘B’ at 3.30pm.