After a dismal performance in the last National T20 Cup, the Lahore Region Cricket Association (LRCA) delivered a fine performance to qualify for the first-class event of Quaid-i-Azam Trophy as the top team of Pool B.
After Lahore Whites already having qualified for the mega domestic event, due to their ranking the Lahore Blues played the qualifying round and remained unbeaten in their pool to grab 27 points to also qualify for the main round of the first-class event.
In Pool A, Fata stunned everyone and qualified for the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy as the top team with 27 points, leaving behind well-established regions such as Karachi Blues, Faisalabad and Abbotabad.
The LRCA faced a lot of criticism for a poor show in the T20, as its Blues failed to qualify, while its Whites finished fourth. A probing committee was formed headed by former medium-fast Test bowler Saleem Altaf, but its report is yet to be released. However, performance of the Blues team in the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy saved the region.
Some individual all-rounder performances from Saad Nasim and Bilawal Akhlaq played vital role for their team. Saad, while remaining the top wicket-taker with 18 wickets at averages 15.11 also scored 148 runs. Bilawal earned 11 wickets at averages 17.9 and also contributed 140 runs with two half centuries. Farhan Khan (212 runs) and Muhammad Akhlaq (194 runs) were top run-scorers.
The LRCA has also announced to honour the Lahore Blues in the last week of October for this achievement.
The Dar Hockey Academy established a training camp for Under-12 players at the National Hockey Stadium last week. Initially, 16 players, including two sons of Olympian Rehan Butt, reported to the camp. Butt also imparted training to the children, teaching them how to hold the hockey stick.
Olympian Tauqir Dar, mentor at the academy, said in 2006 he started such a training camp for the first time and later a good number of players were produced for the national Under-19 and national teams. He hoped this new attempt will groom more players to serve hockey. Tauqir said the children attending the camp aged between six and 12 years.
Football in Lahore has been ignored by its organisers as any activity is seldom seen. But last week, Fame Sports Club started its 2nd Fame Football League, featuring 28 clubs.
Prominent football clubs Ideal Club, Real United, Township, Lahore Lucky, Young Union Club, Black Pool Club, Samanabad Club and many others are contesting for the top honours.
Prize money for the first position is Rs70,000 with a trophy and 10 footballs. The runners-up will get Rs40,000 with a trophy and 10 footballs. The teams that will remain 3rd to 10th will be awarded Rs10,000 each. Cash prizes worth Rs3,000 will also be handed out to best player of the event, highest scorer, best goalkeeper and best defender. The matches will be played at different grounds.
Punjab Junior Sports Association (PJSA) affiliated with the Punjab Olympics Association will hold Punjab Junior Games in five major cities of Punjab. Taking a smashing start from the provincial capital, competitions in 15 categories will be held from Nov 17 to 19 here, while Junior Games will also be staged in Faisalabad, Gujranawala, Multan and Sargodha with intervals before the end of November. PJSA Secretary General Hamid Niaz said it will encourage young athletes on a large scale, as all districts will be involved in this activity.
The disciplines included track and field, tennis, badminton, cycling, swimming, table tennis, soccer, basketball, handball, hockey, squash, tug of war, taekwondo, karate and rowing (by machine). Hundreds of children aged between 12 and 18 years will be in action.
For the ease of the athletes and accompanying officials, all sports will take place in Model Town.
Published in Dawn, October 11th , 2015
On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play