Polo: Double hat trick by Chavanne

Published February 8, 2006

LAHORE, Feb 7: Seven-goal Jota Chavanne, including two hat tricks, steered Punjab Rangers to 9- 4 1/2 win over Master Paints in the opening match of Nurpur Cup Polo on Tuesday.

Chavanne stole the show in the first chukker scoring three goals in a row to grab his first hat trick and also eliminated 2 1/2 handicap goal advantage of the losers to put his side ahead 3-2 1/2.

Chavanne first converted a 40-yard penalty hit with a lofted shot.

He doubled the lead with a field goal after a long chase. On offensive, Chavanne pumped in third goal through a field attempt.

The winners increased the lead to 4-3 1/2 as both the teams scored a goal each in the second chukker.

Chavanne capitalized on a 30-yard penalty hit with a lofted shot.

Sufi Muhammad Aamir, who scored both the goals for the losers. Back-to-back goals by Kaiser Trimzi helped Punjab Rangers forge ahead 6-3 1/2 in the third chukker.

He scored the first off a fine pass from Naveed Sheikh and second after receiving an angular pass from Arsalan Najeeb.

The winners maintained the supremacy in the fourth chukker, and added three more goals, all through Chavanne, against one they conceded.

Chavanne completed his second hat trick.

He was on target while converting a 60-yard penalty hit to score his fifth and cashed in on 40-yard penalty to net his sixth and completed the scoring with a field goal.

Sufi Aamir scored his second goal for the losers.