LAHORE, Nov 20: Guard Rice and Lahore Chatkhara Blacks mustered wins in high scoring matches in the Lt Col Rizvi memorial polo cup at the Lahore Club ground Tuesday.
Five goals tally by pivot Azhar Ali awarded Guard Rice an overwhelming 9-4 win over Lahore Chatkhara Whites (LCW).
Four goals by Usman Hayee helped Lahore Chatkhtara Black (LCB) to earn 7-4 victory against Mayfair.
In Guard Rice’s win, Azhar Ali played a key role as he not only scored goal after goal but also kept up constant pressure on LCW by launching swift attacks from both the sides. Shahzad Aziz (two), Taimur Malik and Mir Shoaib Ahmad with one goal each were the other scorers for Guard Rice.
For the losers, ace Shah Shamyl Alam fought hard and scored all the four goals, but his efforts fell short.
Azhar Ali drew first blood converting a 40 yard penalty hit but Shah Shamyl Alam soon replied with a field goal to make it 1-1. Minutes before the first chukker close, Azhar Ali again put his team 2-1 by scoring his second goal.
LCW staged a brilliant comeback and took the lead for the first time (3-2) when Shah Shymyl Alam scored two quick goals in the second chukker. However, it proved their only and last significant achievement as from here onwards Guard Rice changed the scenario by scoring seven more goals against only one from the rivals.
In the third chukker, Mir Shoaib Ahmad scored a field goal to level the score 3-3, before Azhar Ali struck his third goal followed by one goal each Shehzad Aziz and Taimur Malik to close it with convincing lead of 6-3.
Keeping the pressure on the rivals, Guard Rice surged ahead in the fourth chukker when Azhar Ali earned his fourth goal. Here Shah Shamyl Alam scored his fourth goal also to reduce the lead 4-7. But Shehzad Aziz and Azhar Ali scored one goal each in the remaining session to make the tally.
Teams:
Guard Rice.
Shahzad Aziz (0), Mir Shoaib Ahmad (0), Azhar Ali (2), Taimur Malik (-2).
LCW: Sufi Mohammad Amir (0), Mohsin Khan (-2), Shah Shamyl Alam (4), Zeeshan Asif (-2).
Four goals by Usman Haye guided Lahore Chatkhara Black (LCB) to earn 7-4 victory against Mayfair. Another seasoned player Shah Qubilai Alam (2) and Kamran Nooruddin (1) were the other scorers.
For Mayfair all the four goals were contributed by an experienced player Malik Asif Yar Tiwana whose first two goals managed to close the first chukker at 2-all. Asif had given an early lead by scoring a field goal which was equalised by Usman Haye who struck a field goal. Shah Qublai Alam put LCB ahead by scoring his first goal through a 60 yard penalty hit. Malik Asif Yar Tiwana again came to score the equaliser to make it 2-2.
Usman Haye increased the lead (4-2) by scoring two quick goals in the second chukker on field efforts as no further goal was scored in this chukker.
The third chukker saw Shah Qublai Alam scoring his second goal through 40 yarder hit to make it 5-2. Few minutes later, Malik Asif Yar Tiwana also converted 40 yarder to reduce the margin (3-5). But Usman Haye struck a field goal, his final fourth, in the dying minute to again increase the lead 6-3.
From the set out of the fourth chukker the untiring Asif Tiwana again struggled but could score one more goal before Kamran Nooruddin of the winning side scored his solitary goal and made the final score 7-4.
LCB: Usman Hayee (0), Kamran Nooruddin (0), Shah Qubilai Alam (3), Ali Riaz (-2).
Mayfair: Babar Monnoo (-2), Ahmad Ali Tiwana (0), Malik Asif Yar Tiwana (3), Rashid Ali Baig (0).